When Jordan Wiedman addressed his fellow graduates during PennWest California's morning commencement ceremony on May 9, he didn't begin by recounting a list of accomplishments.

Instead, he spoke about being an average high school student.

"I was the epitome of just getting by," Wiedman told the Class of 2026. "The real question was, how could a student like me transform in just four years of college?"

For Wiedman, a criminal justice graduate from Mechanicsburg, the answer lies in discipline, service and a willingness to pursue opportunities that once seemed out of reach.

"I challenge you to be ambitious," he told graduates. "The person I was four years ago could not have dreamed of what I have accomplished so far."

His own journey illustrates that message.

After graduating from Mechanicsburg Area Senior High School, Wiedman enlisted in the United States Marine Corps at age 17. He completed basic training at Parris Island, earning a meritorious promotion, and later entered the Marine Corps officer commissioning program. At Officer Candidates School, he achieved a perfect academic record and received the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.

The experience changed the trajectory of his life.

"In high school, I was not a standout student in the slightest," Wiedman said. "Following my time within the Marine Corps, I became very disciplined and goal-oriented. I saw success in areas where I put my mind to things, and I was able to replicate that in other facets of my life."

Determined to continue his education, Wiedman attended community college for one semester before earning selection into the Marine Corps Officer Commissioning Program. He transferred to PennWest California in fall 2023, where he quickly immersed himself in campus life.

What followed was an extraordinary collegiate career.

Wiedman competed on the men's cross country and track and field teams, became active in STAND Ministries, joined the SALUTE military honor society and conducted independent research under the guidance of Dr. Paul Klenowski, presenting his work at the national conference of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences.

Originally, Wiedman planned to pursue a career in law enforcement and attend the Pennsylvania State Police Academy. That changed after taking criminal law courses at PennWest.

"It was actually through Dr. Warnick and her criminal law class that I became interested in law itself," he said. "I had the opportunity to get into real cases, study real law and see real-world scenarios that allowed me to see if this is something I really wanted to do."

The support and mentorship he found at PennWest helped shape both his academic interests and his future plans.

"My professors challenged me to push myself academically and pursue what I was passionate about," he said during his commencement address.

As a student-athlete, Wiedman distinguished himself both in competition and in the classroom. He earned NCAA and USTFCCCA All-Academic honors, received the PSAC Academic All-Conference Award and became the first PennWest California cross country athlete in more than 13 years to earn the PSAC Champion Scholar Athlete title. He was also selected as the university's nominee for the Syed R. Ali Zaidi Award for Academic Excellence.

His success extended beyond campus. Wiedman was accepted to all five law schools to which he applied and will attend Liberty University School of Law this fall.

At the same time, he achieved another significant milestone. Upon graduation, Wiedman was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps and will pursue a career as a judge advocate.

Looking back, Wiedman credits much of his success to the people who challenged him to grow and encouraged him to pursue ambitious goals.

His advice to current and future students is straightforward: believe in yourself, work hard and put yourself in positions to succeed.

"I'm not going to guarantee that anybody is going to be able to replicate the path I've taken," he said. "But I was able to have the success I did because I put myself in the right position and surrounded myself with the right people."

That philosophy was at the heart of the message he shared with his classmates on commencement day.

"Be willing to do hard things that others aren't willing to do," Wiedman told graduates. "There is no secret to success. The success you are hoping for is within the work you are avoiding, the risks you aren't taking and the ideas you're dismissing."

For the graduate who once described himself as an average student, the journey from high school uncertainty to Marine officer, scholar, athlete and law school student serves as proof of what can happen when ambition meets discipline.

And as he embarks on the next chapter of his life, Wiedman hopes his story will inspire others to discover just how much they are capable of achieving.

Watch Jordan's commencement speech