We expected that this Saturday would kick off quite a crazy week for Taylor Compton ’13, a senior in Quincy House who is the President of Cambridge’s Panhellenic Council, which will begin hosting formal recruitment events for Harvard’s four sororities this weekend. But the more we learned about Taylor and her many diverse talents, the more we realized that “busy” is a state of being she is well accustomed to, and one in which she excels. As a rower on the varsity crew team who is actively involved with PBHA and is conducting some seriously cool thesis research at the Boston Children’s Hospital, Taylor certainly has a lot of wonderful things on her plate — and handles them all with grace, enthusiasm, and a level-headed focus on friendship and her long-term goal of becoming a pediatrician and working with children around the world.
First, the basics! Tell us a little about yourself — where are you from, what do you study, and what do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I’m from Orange County, California. I’m premed, concentrating in Neurobiology with a Secondary in Spanish. I’m writing my senior thesis on 9-month-old babies’ memory development. When I have free time I’m usually at the beach, baking cupcakes or watching Grey’s Anatomy.
What are some of the extracurricular activities are you involved with on campus?
My biggest extracurricular commitment is the varsity crew team. I learned to row in college, and I love being out on the Charles River with such an awesome group of women. I’m also Co-Director of the PBHA Program HEMS (Harvard Emergency Medical Services), so I get to certify my peers at school as well as the community in CPR and First Aid. I’m a Peer Study Leader for LS1b, and I am also lucky enough to be part of a sorority on campus and Panhellenic President!
How have you spent your J-term?
My parents actually moved to Washington state last year, so I spent the holidays with my family and experienced my first White Christmas! After a brief visit to my hometown in California, I came back to campus to work on my thesis. I spent the final ten days of J-term in Florida for the crew training trip. It went by quickly!
What’s in store for you post-graduation?
I’m taking a gap year before medical school (I want to be a pediatrician), and I’m still in the process of making plans for next year. I’d love to travel, or continue to work with children. I spent an amazing summer working with children with cerebral palsy in Spain, and it inspired me to help kids all over the world.
So, as the President of the Cambridge Area Panhellenic Council during Recruitment season, we can’t even imagine how crazy the start of your semester will be! What are some of the most exciting and most challenging aspects of your position on Panhel?
Recruitment is going to be a crazy week! We are really excited to welcome Alpha Phi as our fourth sorority. Their leaders have great plans for the future chapter. I’m excited to learn more about the administrative workings behind Recruitment, and to see how it all happens from behind the scenes. Something we are always focused on is the Greek presence on campus. We want to make this year our best yet in terms of Greek gear, excitement about sororities, and all-Greek events.
What made you decide to go through Recruitment? What advice would you give to women going through Recruitment this year, based on your own experiences in your sorority?
My friends had joined sororities at other schools and had really positive experiences. Of course, I wasn’t sure what to expect from Harvard sororities, but in spite of our unique campus, we have the same spirit of sisterhood, philanthropy, and fun that my friends saw. My advice is simply to relax and to think of questions you might want to ask current members so that you can get to know the chapters just as they get to know you.
You mentioned that you are also a member of the women’s varsity crew team. How has being part of the team shaped your experiences at Harvard?
Rowing has taught me invaluable life skills, from time management and goal-setting to accountability and trust. The crew team is another family to me. We have gone through everything together, and I don’t mind waking up for early morning practices because I love rowing and my teammates. I think that the team and my sorority complement each other perfectly as great support networks.
And you’re balancing all of this with research for your thesis! Can you tell us a bit about the work you’ve been doing at the Boston Children’s Hospital?
I’m studying 9-month-olds and 2-year-olds, whom I absolutely adore. I’m looking at their brain development by testing their memory of locations of shapes. Hopefully this type of work will show us typical brain development, so that we can then develop an early test for disabilities. I’m also assisting on a study of imitation in children with autism.
What’s something you still want to achieve before graduation?
Before graduation, I want to spend time reconnecting with old friends and getting to know my sorority sisters and fellow Quincy penguins even better. At the end of the day, my best memories at Harvard so far focus on my relationships with people, and these friendships will last much longer than my knowledge of Orgo, so I plan to make the most of my last semester!