Students at Oglethorpe have many personal passions that help to increase the diversity of our school. Yet, what makes the Oglethorpe student different is the community they have, to share their works and talents among their peers, staff, and faculty.
One of these students is Jordyn Billings ’22. Billings epitomizes creativity and has inspired many people through her work. On campus, the sociology major is an RA, a Global Studies Ambassador, Admission Ambassador, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. — and president of the OU Fashion Club. In fact, she also runs her own business, altering and creating clothes, as well as masks.
Her love of fashion began with her mom and grandfather, who worked in retail for their long-term careers.
“Then from that, (I just have) a love for clothes, a love for the creative side of outfits, like costumes and stuff. I’ve just always been very passionate
about it,” says Billings, who is from Seattle. “Even like dressing up with Barbie dolls, I used to make clothes for my Barbie bolls when I was little.”
Once she decided to go to Oglethorpe, a whole world of opportunities opened to her. Throughout her first two years, she altered clothes for students in the Oglethorpe community.
“So, I would actually say Oglethorpe really is the first thing that launched me to start selling on campus. Even before COVID and masks started, I was invited to show some stuff that I had made and sell scrunchies at a student activity fair that Taylor Roberts ’21 had invited me to. And so, from there it was the Oglethorpe community that helped me a lot. A lot of my customers are Oglethorpe students.”
Jasmine Martin and Makayla Adams model masks by Jordyn Billings.
In her junior year, she saw a need for a product that people needed more than ever: face masks.
So, she started selling cloth masks with a wide range of colors and patterns. “I think that I just started to see people make masks online, especially when things first started, like there was this whole mask shortage and trying to make masks for people. Then it became a thing for me.
“Masks became a way for me to make something more of my own, and making something fun, and to be able to have more control on the creative side of it.”
Billings admits that Oglethorpe has helped to develop her passions for fashion and creating. Yet, as she prepares to leave Oglethorpe this coming year, she reveals where she would like to be moving forward after graduation.
“Honestly, in the next year, I actually see myself in Spain. I would either like to travel for a year abroad or stay there for a year or two and teach English. I even want to touch into that fashion/creative side.”
“A big dream of mine after graduation was to go to NYC and pursue fashion. Then I was like, there’s a whole European market that’s hundreds of years older and so much larger, so that’s a big interest of mine. I feel like wherever I am, doing something where I’m able to have a creative perspective is always going be a priority for me.”
