Alumni Stories
Kelly Spencer ('88)
My communication degree taught me to speak with confidence in front of any size audience, to read people's body language and alter the way I communicate with them so I do not make them feel intimidated. When I began my career with SunGard in 1999 I thought I was in way over my head. But in 3 years I was the first female #1 sales rep in the history of SunGard. I made chairman's club, the top 1% of the sales people every year I was there. I sold over 20+million dollars in license fees and services. I did this by remembering communication skills and concentrating on treating people like people instead of prospects. I have since moved to Oracle where I continue to use these same communication skills.
Andrew and Leslie Draper ('00)
When we left Taylor we joined with several other people in Muncie, Indiana and founded Urban Light. Our vision was to create a holistic ministry that would address physical, spiritual, and economic needs of a diverse urban population. We now have an academic coaching program for at risk students in a charter school, a half-way house and programming for addiction recovery, and a service industry which allows us to hire people who face various barriers to employment. Both the practical and theoretical dimensions of communication play out every day as we interact with people in diverse contexts.
Andrew J. Cook ('01), Membership and Events, Willow Creek Association
Communication methods are changing rapidly. Not too long ago when I graduated, TwitterTM, Facebook, and YouTubeTM didn't even exist. My communication studies degree has been invaluable because it didn't just teach me answers to exam questions-it taught me how to think and articulate my ideas. Taylor's liberal arts approach also prepared me for my MBA program in ways business school couldn't, widening my world and sparking the creativity that is essential for thriving in today's environment.
Carrie Hartzler Lambert ('01)
I graduated in 2001 with a major in Communication and Theater and Public Relations minors. Shortly before graduating, I thankfully stumbled upon an opening at Conner Prairie, an interactive history park on the north side of Indianapolis. I was hired as a Group Sales Associate, booking group tours and offering on-site orientation to guests. It was a perfect fit and my first introduction to the field of Tourism and Hospitality. After four years at Conner Prairie, I accepted a position at the Indiana Office of Tourism Development as the Marketing Director. I learned about tourism: how it worked, operated and succeeded. While I was unaware of this field during my time at Taylor, it fit perfectly with my interest and skills.I believe the reason I found my niche and succeeded was due to my communication education at Taylor. I was equipped with foundational skills that proved to be imperative in any work environment.
Rachel Niebauer Johnson ('04)
My degree in communication allowed me the flexibility and freedom to pursue multiple career paths until I found the one that fit my interest best. I began as an Assistant Manager at Enterprise Rent-a-Car. Later my husband and I joined the Peace Corps and I spent two years working in a rural village in South Africa. While there I developed a program to teach HIV/AIDS prevention and entrepreneurial skills to young girls. Now I have a position as a Public Health Advisor with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. I am certain that my Communication skills are the reason I was offered this job and why I continue to succeed!
