Driven by his passion for service, Pacific Union College alumnus Jordan Delarmente was inspired by his time on campus to redefine the essence of worship and to be a light to people in a dark place, even in the heart of deployment overseas.

After graduating in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing communications and an associate degree in health science, Delarmente immediately began working in the healthcare field for six months in San Jose, CA. However, he has always felt a deep calling to join the military because his great-grandfather served in WW2 and survived the Bataan Death March, granting his family the opportunity to come to the United States.

Delarmente will have been in the National Army Guard for eight years this May and currently serves in operations and logistics, supporting hundreds of troops throughout the Middle East. When he is not deployed or working weekends, Delarmente works for the U.S. Air Force as a Nuclear Test Equipment Manager, supervising technical aspects of nuclear-related testing environments.

His family highly values Adventist education that equips them with the skills for a service-oriented career, which is why they sent him to PUC. Delarmente also notes that he wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps so he wanted at least one of his children to experience the life his father did on campus. Delarmente’s siblings also graduated from Union College and Southwestern Adventist University, respectively.

He reminisces about time at PUC as one of the most memorable periods of his life, from serving on the Student Association as the PR and Marketing VP to helping freshmen settle in during Fusion to working as a lifeguard at the Hansen Pool to socializing and making beverages at the Grind. Beyond these roles, Delarmente has also volunteered with the Missions Team, which has further instilled the value of service, inspiring him throughout his army career and allowing him to make meaningful connections by serving Jesus through serving people.

Delarmente passionately stated that PUC prepared him to take on the military, especially in his role in logistics and operations. Not only did he feel equipped to take on a service position in the real world, but to cherish day-to-day connections, building, fostering, and creating relationships with everyone he comes across. He attests that he learned that simply carrying the joy of Jesus makes people gravitate toward him, which spreads the light and love of  Jesus.

“PUC’s rigid curriculum, opportunities to work and help pay for school, and the volunteer work taught me the importance of planning and scheduling. PUC also taught me the importance of leaning on God because, for instance, there were many times I was unsure how I was going to pay for school, however, God always opened a door,” he said.

Delarmente then shared a funny, full-circle story about his financial counselor, who supported him for all four years while at PUC but then moved to Union College in Nebraska after he graduated. When his brother attended Union College, he was appointed the same counselor, which Delarmente stated was “God clearly showing His hands” on his family’s life.

“One of the best experiences I’ve had at PUC was meeting everyone and making lifelong friends. Also watching my classmates exceed in life has brought me so much joy,” said Delarmente.

Some of the great people he looks up to are his father, who served for 20 years in the United States Air Force, his great-grandfather who survived the Bataan Death March, and the 60+ soldiers that he serves as a direct line leader. He maintains a vision to create a solid foundation for his future family and to continue to make his parents proud, since he is the first commissioned officer in his family’s bloodline.

“It isn’t easy to lead so many men, however, my energy feeds theirs, therefore, everyday I must come motivated, happy, and stoic to show that nothing is ever wrong or stressful,” said Delarmente. “No matter how hard it gets in the military, it will never be as bad as WW2.”

A motto that he lives by is inspired from the classic hymn It Is Well With My Soul, emphasizing that no matter how hard life is, God’s hands are always present in one’s life, no matter the circumstance. PUC is proud to have prepared Delarmente to pursue a passionate career full of service, mission, and God’s love.