Taylor’s Academic Interests
I am currently a Junior double majoring in Management Information Systems and Business Analytics while pursuing a certificate in Professional Sales.
Post-Graduation Goals
My goals, professionally, would be to hold a managerial role within a company I am passionate about. Being able to work for an innovative company within its industry is somewhat of an adrenaline rush for me. Innovation is exciting, and being able to tell my future self, “You were a part of that, you helped drive that change,” is a deep personal goal of mine.
Why Taylor Joined Emerging Leaders
I joined Emerging Leaders seeking a level of growth for myself as a leader, that is hard to find at other colleges. I went in to Emerging Leaders hoping I could really expose my weaknesses, and fill those critical gaps in my strengths. I guess in a way I felt my leadership skills were all “self-taught” per se and I wanted structured growth. I felt the need for a mentor, which by the way I highly encourage everyone to get. Finding a mentor that believes in you, knows you can achieve great things and helps you drive through those rough days to learn lessons is truly invaluable.
The Opportunities in Emerging That Taylor Finds Most Beneficial in Becoming a Professional
I think there are numerous opportunities that will benefit me when I become a professional. The relationships you make with other goal driven individuals, the executive engagements you are exposed to during the program, providing measurable growth in leadership excellence, and the lessons of self-awareness taught throughout the program will all play into my future.
Taylor’s Favorite Things About Emerging Leaders
The people within the program, no doubt. This includes the members and the faculty. The members of the organization give off this positive energy when they walk into a room. They joined this program to develop in an area they are passionate about and it is a result of personal drive. Growth is a personal choice, it can either be sought out relentlessly or deliberately avoided. Being surrounded by such determined individuals is exhilarating.
Our faculty are the foundation to that growth that our members are seeking. What is the most valuable non-renewable resource in the world? The answer is not coal or petroleum, it is time. Tammy Reynolds and Andrew Pueschel have given a great deal of their time to develop and provide us with the tools to achieve that growth we seek so relentlessly.
What Taylor is Most Looking Forward to About This Year
I like to say I live my life day by day, but to be quite honest, I can’t wait for the day where we can look back at the end of the program and see how far we all have come. Not just individually, but together as an organization.
Other On-Campus Involvement
Outside of Emerging, I am currently the Vice-President of Membership for a professional business fraternity, Alpha Kappa Psi. I have been highly involved in this organization since my freshman year and plan on pursuing more leadership opportunities within the organization. It is near and dear to my heart because it is the first organization to really give me a chance to grow, and they saw something in me that I didn’t even know I possessed.
Taylor’s Favorite Hobbies
Unfortunately, my free time has been dwindling, but I love to play acoustic guitar. I began playing for the first time my freshman year and it was my favorite stress reliever. This difficulty of learning helps me feel like I am still being productive. But I’ve found myself learning to play songs that I used to listen to that would calm me down. Playing them is even more calming.
“This is one of the few schools that, when you visit, you immediately understand why everyone here is so happy to be a bobcat. You immediately understand why Alumni are flooding back to Athens on homecoming weekend. I’ve come to realize, those cheesy things the seniors would tell me freshman year, they were completely true. This is truly a special place, and that is an understatement.”
Walter Center For Strategic Leadership 