Taylor Jackson is a senior in the University of Louisville College of Business who will graduate in May 2011 with a degree in Marketing.
For the last four years, the University of Louisville DFW Alumni Club has been honored to contribute to her educational expenses through the Club’s Scholarship Fund, which is financed by dues-paying members.
This interview which follows was conducted via e-mail earlier this school year, and provides insight into what a fine representative of the University Taylor has become, and how proud the Club is of her accomplishments.
Taylor, thanks so much for agreeing to this interview.
As a high school student in League City, Texas, how did you become aware of the University of Louisville and what made you interested in attending college there?
I have always been aware of the University of Louisville, because almost all of my mom's family are Cardinal alumni, so I had U of L clothes before I could walk! The fact that my mom graduated from U of L and I grew up hearing how great her college experience was really made me lean toward coming here.
I toured the University and met with a Pre-Law adviser the summer before my senior year in high school and I felt like it was the place for me. I liked the campus and the fact that I have a lot of family here in Louisville.
How did you connect with the UofL DFW Alumni Club, and what financial assistance has the club been able to provide to you?
I actually became associated with the Dallas-Fort Worth Alumni Club when I received a call asking if I would be interested in a scholarship because I was from Texas. Naturally, I said yes.
Apparently when [UofL DFW Alumni Club President] Mitch Matamoros expressed interest in giving a scholarship, the school ran a search of students from Texas and I was at the top of the list, so they contacted me.
I'm still so grateful that I got that call because I have really benefited from the Club's generosity. I work at UPS so most of my tuition is paid for by the Metro College Program, but I have been able to use my Club scholarship money to cover books, meal plan fees, and also the added cost of taking Business school courses (each 300 and 400 level course is now $45 extra).
You're a Business/Marketing major at Louisville; why did you pick that field of study?
Coming into my freshman I knew I wanted to be a Business major but I was not set on Marketing. I actually was listed under Finance.
I have wanted to go to Law school since I was 9 but until my senior year of high school I hadn't considered what field I might be interested in. I decided to get a Bachelor's in Business so that I would have a background for Corporate Law.
Once I took my first intro level Marketing class I decided to change my major because it interested me a great deal more than Finance did, and it seemed to come more natural to me which always make it easier to get higher grades!
You're working 30 hours/week at UPS while managing a full course load and you make the Dean's List regularly. How do you manage your time to make all of this come together?
My schedule is usually pretty tight and I've learned to manage my time as efficiently as possible. I work third shift as a supervisor at UPS (approx. 11p-5a) so I come home and am asleep by about 6am and then I get up for afternoon and evening classes. So far in my three and a half years I have been fortunate enough to avoid morning classes since I have always enrolled first because of the Honors Program, this allows me to get some sleep.
I don't have a lot of free time during the week so I really have to utilize my weekends to get a jump start on the next week's school work. Sometimes I've had to stay up after work to finish an assignment or study for a test and I just get a nap after school, but usually I am on top of things ahead of time.
My best tool for time management is my day planner; it helps me to plan out my time by looking at my to do lists and keep track of school, work, and sorority events.
With that schedule, how much time available time do you have for a college social life? What are your favorite things to do outside of school and work?
My schedule is very crazy but I do get time for a social life.
My main groups of friends either work at UPS or are my Kappa Delta sorority sisters. I hang out with my work friends a couple Saturday nights each month, but our big thing right now is going to play basketball after work Friday nights (about 6am Saturday mornings). In warm weather we play at Seneca Park, but during the winter we found a church that allows us to use their gym.
I usually see a lot of the KD girls during the week on my class breaks when I sometimes go to our suite to wait for my next class. Most of the time I can attend my sorority events if I'm not in class and we have meetings every Sunday. When I do get some time to do what I want I like to read books (not textbooks!) or watch movies.
I can't wait to graduate and actually have a summer available, because I plan on picking scrapbooking up again!
Are you a native Texan? Did you have difficulty adapting to life in Kentucky? What are your favorite and least-favorite things about Kentucky? About Louisville?
I was born here in Louisville but I consider myself a native Texan.
My family moved to Texas when I was in elementary school so I grew up in League City, Texas. I absolutely love League City and I miss it a lot! One nice thing about moving to Louisville was that I have family here and had visited almost every summer growing up, so I was already familiar with the city. It was hard starting school not knowing anyone, if I had gone to school in Texas I would've known a lot of people at the University of Texas (yes, I'm a Longhorn!). I made friends quickly though through school and working at UPS.
I think my favorite part of Louisville is that it's got a lot of characteristics of a big city (fine arts center, nice restaurants, UofL sports) without the crowds; there is a noticeably smaller population than Houston and I like that.
However I think my least favorite thing about Louisville is the weather, I think snow is really pretty but unfortunately I have to be at UPS regardless of the weather so that kind of makes me hate the winter!
What are a couple of your favorite academic / social memories of your time at UofL?
In one of my Marketing classes we were given the task to create a product and then develop the entire marketing communications program to launch the product. My fictional product was to be created by Sony. I spent many hours on this project and produced a 25-page marketing proposal and then gave a presentation highlighting my product and strategy. My professor told me I should send my resume and a copy of my paper into Sony because if he worked for Sony he would hire me on the spot. I worked really hard on the project so for my teacher to praise it in front of the class really made me happy!
My favorite social memory I think would have to be my experience rushing to go Greek. I really like that U of L's Greek life is not really big because it means that the fraternities and sororities are closer and actually know each other. My rush week was hectic but so much fun! All the parties that I went to were really fun to and getting to talk to hundreds of different girls was a blast! The best day was the end of the week on Bid Day when I got a bid from Kappa Delta. All of us got our bids and then got to run out to meet the entire sorority out in front of The Thinker on campus. All the sororities are there and it was just a really special day.
Which UofL teacher(s) or staff member(s) have made the greatest impression/had the greatest impact on you?
I have had a lot of really great professors throughout the past 3 1/2 years but I have one that really stands out.
Last semester, I had Dr. Charles Sharp for MKT 350: Consumer Behavior. I'm also taking him this semester for my senior Marketing Capstone class which I am really enjoying. Dr. Sharp is very passionate about marketing and I feel like everything he says in the classroom is useful information. He brings years of real-world experience and is able to give actual situations to help explain the theory and textbook information.
I usually prefer the professors that have worked out in the business world because I feel like their experience is much more useful than just reading concepts in a book. I like that he doesn't just teach out of the book but gives lectures with additional information, and I feel like I have learned more in his class than in any other.
Are you planning to attend Law School this fall? Where do you anticipate that you will go to school for that degree? Is UofL a consideration?
I do intend to go to Law school but I am planning on taking a year off first. I would like to try to work in the Marketing field because I have really enjoyed my classes and am interested in the field. I am applying this year to the University of Louisville Law school with the plan of deferring. I also am considering applying to the University of Texas because I'm still a Longhorn at heart.
Why are you interested in law as a profession?
I have wanted to go to Law school since we had career day at my elementary school in 4th grade. I was fascinated by one of the parents who talked about being a trial lawyer and I went home and told my parents I was going to be a lawyer.
I do not have any family members that are attorneys but my parents have always supported my desire to enter the field of law. As I've grown up I have stayed interested in going to law school but have debated back and forth between what I might want to focus on. Intellectual property law sounds very interesting but I also have considered corporate law.
Look five years out in the future. Where do you see yourself personally and professionally?
In five years I hope to be graduated from Law school and working in the field. I've thought about getting my law degree and applying to the FBI so that would be one route I could take. Or I could use my degree and work at a law firm.
By then my fiance and I will be married, as our wedding date is set for June 16, 2012 (we got engaged on Christmas Day!), and probably thinking about starting a family. Also I have realized from being in my sorority that I want to be involved in the national organization as an alumni so wherever I am living I want to be involved with the local Kappa Delta chapter.
Thank you again, Taylor, and congratulations on your many accomplishments during your UofL career and your recent engagement!
Pretty impressive, huh? We hope that you'll consider becoming a member of the University of Louisville DFW Alumni Club and contributing to the Scholarship Fund, so that we can help other deserving Texas students attend our alma mater.
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