CU graduate helps redefine modern online dating
Swipe right to like, swipe left to deny. Simple, effective, and classic. This feature came from Tinder, the most-downloaded and most-used dating app of 2026, according to the Business of Apps website.
The swipe feature was invented by Jonathan Badeen, a Creighton graduate who earned a bachelor’s in business administration as a marketing major in 2004.
According to the Creighton Alumni website, he graduated Cum Laude.
According to Startland, Jonathan was born in Leawood, Kan., and a fan of the University of Kansas Jayhawks and the Kansas City Royals. Badeen not only invented one of the most major app features of the 21st century, but also is credited as an actor on IMDb, cited in small films like “Zombie Wars” (2007), short film “The Proposal” (2008), and “Elmer” (2024).
Since the invention of the swipe, the dating app scene has been revolutionized.
One Creighton student, who wishes to remain anonymous, says, “I was very excited to start using it, and it was really fun at first.”
Even other dating apps, like Bumble, use the swipe (although are planning to replace it with an AI assistant) according to Eyewitness News ABC 7.
During a December live chat on ProductHunt, Jonathan Badeen said, “From the beginning, I had a nagging desire to gamify it.” The original plan for Tinder was going to be a stack of cards made up by people’s profiles, according to the CNBC website.
“Using the buttons to move the cards felt clunky, I wanted more fluidity. Finding and selecting the appropriate button felt deliberate and sluggish, whereas in a real-world scenario, the decisions we make are quick, subconscious,” Badeen said, according to the CNBC website.
His idea for swiping came while getting out of the shower.
“When I stepped out, the room was especially foggy. I wiped the mirror clean, but within a minute it was fogging up again. I wiped it clean a second time, only this time, I wiped it in the opposite direction. I saw a familiar face looking back at me in the clear sliver of the mirror that my hand had just … swiped,” said Badeen according to the CNBC website.
This simple idea made in the bathroom turned out to be one of the most revolutionary ideas of the modern technological era.
Badeen has returned to Creighton for events multiple times, being a speaker for the youth. He came back as the first judge on March 30th for Creighton Entrepreneurship Club’s JayTank.
According to the Creighton Alumni website, he also starred as a guest speaker for Professional Networking Happy Hour in Kansas City back in April, where he spoke about his time at Creighton and his journey to success at Tinder.
During an interview with Startland News, Badeen said “People have found jobs there, [used] it as a travel app to find out what locals go do when they’re out and about, and we encourage that. We see it as a way for people to meet for a variety of reasons.”
Another Creighton student, Heider College of Business junior Isabella Flores, said when asked about Tinder, “It was very easy to use.” Also, when asked about her success with the app, Flores said, “It’s been awesome. We [Flores’ significant other and herself] have been together for one year. And it’s been great. Yeah. Tinder did well.”