Legat’s Kelsey Jordan defies expectations to help school districts align facilities, budgets, and student success through evidence-based design.
The boys in Kelsey Jordan’s high school architecture class told her that she would “become a nurse or a teacher, like all the other girls.”
Today, Jordan, a licensed architect, has been involved with more than $1 billion in school construction projects. She has written articles and given presentations throughout the country on topics ranging from educational master planning to the impact of research on school library design. She received EDmarket’s inaugural NextGen Rising Stars award for her impact on educational design before the age of 40. She became one of only 12 Accredited Learning Environment Planners (ALEP) in Illinois certified by the Association for Learning Environments.
Those boys, as it turns out, were off the mark.
Kelsey Jordan, associate director of preK-12 education at Legat Architects
Now, Legat Architects has appointed Jordan associate director of its preK-12 education segment, rooted in a 60-year portfolio encompassing more than 500 schools. This role requires her to work closely with segment leader Robin Randall to oversee educational projects, advise clients, support business development efforts, and track industry trends. She will also continue to provide planning and design services for individual projects.
Jordan worked full-time while earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in architecture from Southern Illinois University. Since joining Legat in early 2022, she has not only helped secure some of the firm’s most significant recent design commissions but also elevated Legat’s reputation in the educational design community.
Kelsey is a true student-first architect, and her work with us proves that she values learning outcomes just as much as design.
Dr. Martina Smith, Superintendent, Community Unit School District 300
On Fire at Fallingwater
In 2021, Robin Randall traveled to the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Fallingwater home in Pennsylvania for the DIALOGUES conference. The annual event assembles leading educational designers to discuss the latest research in learning environments.
It was there that Kelsey Jordan, the youngest participant by at least a decade, introduced herself to Randall. She asked Randall’s advice on finding her path in the profession. The duo went on a walk in the nature reserve next to the facility.
“She was on fire,” said Randall. “She immediately struck me as boisterous and curious. She asked good questions and was passionate about education and supporting neurodiverse students. I told her, if she ever wanted to work in the Chicago area, to give me a call.”
A few months later, Randall got the call. Jordan impressed the firm’s leadership over three virtual interviews so much that an in-person meeting was deemed unnecessary — she was hired. She moved to DuPage County and joined Legat’s Oak Brook studio in January 2022. The move allowed Jordan to apply her talents and thrive.
“At Legat, if you have an idea that is grounded and relevant, you’re supported,” she said. “It’s a place where you feel valued and heard.”
Jordan created the playbooks that set the stage for library/learning center renewals at Johnson (top) and Whittier (bottom) elementary schools.
The Crème de la Crème of Learning
Longtime Legat client Community Unit School District 200 contended with dated and underused library spaces at Johnson and Whittier elementary schools. Jordan interviewed staff and students, then created the library/learning center “playbooks” that guided transformation of those spaces into collaborative learning hubs. The vibrant spaces draw more students and can now host up to eight classes at once.
“It has changed the mindset of teachers and students,” said Johnson Principal Derick Edwards. “Classrooms are using the spaces in ways we’ve never seen before. This is the crème de la crème of learning.”
The revived learning centers have hosted board meetings and welcomed neighboring districts interested in cost-effective ways of modernizing their spaces. CUSD 200 Assistant Superintendent for Business Operations Brian O’Keeffe and Jordan have even presented case studies on the project at the national and local level.
“Thanks to Kelsey’s keen eye and design acumen, our spaces are now a destination beloved by students and staff,” said O’Keeffe.
Additions and renovations at Dundee-Crown High School will refresh the school’s image and enhance CTE offerings.
CTE Is Back
One of Jordan’s biggest pushes in the coming year is spaces that support CTE, or career and technical education.
Many students at Dundee-Crown High School in Carpentersville, Illinois, for instance, elect to pursue technical careers. Jordan is part of a team for a major expansion and renovation that strengthens Dundee-Crown’s CTE program. Revived spaces will accommodate everything from automotive repair and robotics to culinary arts and fashion merchandising. The project, slated to start in summer 2026, even brings a business incubator where students can pitch ideas. A second phase will define a new entrance and cafeteria/commons. The project also emphasizes boosting student pride and making the building itself a teaching tool.
“In recent decades, CTE programs have been scaled back or removed from many high schools,” said Jordan. “Fortunately, though, schools like Dundee-Crown are embracing the reality that success doesn’t hinge solely on the traditional college route and that many students interested in the trades learn by doing.”
“District 300 has the ambitious goal of being a national leader in CTE programming,” said district Superintendent Dr. Martina Smith. “Kelsey’s ability to bring best practices from her diverse portfolio of projects has been vital to that goal. She is a true student-first architect, and her work with us proves that she values learning outcomes just as much as design.”
The artwork that Jordan created for her home office reflects her approach to educational design.
Think Differently
When Kelsey Jordan works from her home office, those who join her on video calls are likely to notice her own artwork behind her. The piece, decorated with found wood and moss, says, “Think differently” … but the second word is upside down.
That sign reinforces Jordan’s focus on working within existing conditions to find creative solutions. This focus drives her work, whether she’s conducting research, determining how learning environments support educational programs, or helping districts achieve equity between schools.
“Kelsey has a gift for connecting with people and a talent for designing environments where students thrive,” said Randall. “Everyone who meets her says we’re lucky to have her, and I couldn’t agree more.”
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