Dr. Kay Jordan, in memoriam

Ph.D. University of Iowa

Kay Jordan, Ph.D., joined the Radford University Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies as Assistant Professor of Religious Studies in 1987, advancing in rank until receiving the honor of Professor Emerita, upon her retirement from the department in 2021. Dr. Jordan was an expert in the religious traditions of India where she spent a year as a Fulbright Research Scholar. Her work in India resulted in the monograph titled From Sacred Servant to Profane Prostitute: A History of the Changing Legal Status of the Devadasis in India (2003).

Dr. Jordan was a prolific teacher with courses in Survey of World Religions, Religion and Women, Religion in India, and Religion in China and Japan. In more than three decades of service to Radford University, Dr. Jordan touched the lives of thousands of students. 

In addition, Dr. Jordan was passionately committed to the service of Radford University. She was particularly interested in faculty rights. In that capacity, she served as the president and treasurer of the Radford University chapter of the American Association of University Professors. She also served as the AAUP Virginia Conference president and secretary. Dr. Jordan additionally served as the Radford University representative to the Faculty Senate of Virginia. She spent many years serving the College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences as at-large senator and completed one term as  president of the Faculty Senate of Radford University.

Kay is remembered fondly by her many colleagues and former students. Her contributions to the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, the College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences, Radford University, and faculty members in the Commonwealth of Virginia continue to make a lasting impact.