Not too long ago, Taylor Webster was collegiate field hockey player on a National Championship team. Her undergraduate degree was in marketing, but she decided to change course and pursue a master’s in higher education at É«×ۺϾþà University.
“I had a great college experience as a student-athlete, and with a life-long love of learning, I knew the higher education setting was perfect for me,” said Taylor. “I knew I wanted to work with college students to help them create their own great experience.”
Taylor grew up near É«×ۺϾþÃ, so she knew that it had a good reputation for quality academics and athletics. “The faculty did a great job keeping students engaged through discussion posts and Zoom meetings,” she said. “This, paired with the summer in-person intensive course and hybrid options allowed me to develop real relationships with my peers.”
During her time at É«×ۺϾþÃ, Taylor was graduate assistant for academic advising but had a passion for college athletics, so pursued an opportunity to provide academic É«×ۺϾþà to student athletes through an internship at Campbell University.
“I was constantly É«×ۺϾþÃed and inspired by great professors with real-life experience in the field.” She said. “The relationships I developed with my faculty made me feel more like a colleague than just a student.”
Currently, Taylor is a learning specialist and coordinator of learning É«×ۺϾþà services at Appalachian State University. She coordinates learning services, such as study halls, academic meetings and grade checks, for more than 450 student-athletes. She also meets with academically at-risk student-athletes to help them build time management and organizational skills.