Name: Taylor White
Age: 21
Year: 2018
Hometown: Milford, Massachusetts
Major: Political Science and Journalism
Minor: Psychology
Her Campus UMass Amherst: You’re now a junior political science and journalism double major. In what ways do you think you’ve changed since starting at UMass?
Taylor White: How haven’t I changed? When I first got to UMass, I had no idea what I wanted to major in because I was interested in everything. So I took classes in pretty much every major imaginable my first two years — psychology, economics, sociology, kinesiology, you name it. Now I know what interests me and what I want to pursue, which is ultimately law school. I also think I’m a lot more outgoing than I was before college, because at UMass you get to interact with so many different types of people who come from different places around the world.
HC: Can you tell us about what you are involved in at UMass?
TW: I am currently involved with a service dog training organization, Diggity Dogs Service Dogs. I started out as an intern, and now I’m a full-time foster for a beautiful yellow lab named grace. I am also on the E-Board of Her Campus UMass! During my time at UMass, I have also been involved with the campus chapter of Autism Speaks, and was a member of the Triathalon Team for about a year and a half.
HC: Looks like you’re a busy gal! What is your number one tip for managing college life?
TW: Make a schedule and stick to it as best you can. Obviously there will be times when you stay up later than you want to, or you don’t get your workout in for the day, but I think it helps so much to see your week written out and then cross things off as you accomplish them.
HC: What is your favorite part about being a Minuteman?
TW: My favorite part is the accessible, approachable professors. I have had so many amazing professors who truly care about my success and who have offered so much great advice when I start to second guess myself. Even though it’s such a large university, a lot of the professors go out of their ways to individualize their instructions and act as such great resources for their students.
HC: What’s your least favorite part?
TW: It would definitely be the mass exodus that happens during class periods. I think it’s mostly because I have Grace with me now most days, and sometimes crowds can be a little overwhelming for a pup. But the amount of people can be overwhelming to anyone trying to get somewhere in a hurry!
HC: I want to talk with you more about your involvement with Her Campus, specifically about your new profile series, “Office Hours.” What inspired you to start it?
TW: “Office Hours” started as a little passion project for me. I’ve always loved reading stories about where extraordinarily accomplished individuals came from — especially women. I thought other students at UMass would be interested in learning more about the female professors that are playing important roles and doing ground-breaking research at the university every day. So far, I have interviewed professors from three different departments, but by the end of this semester, I hope to have almost covered every department.
HC: Do you have any favorite memories from interviewing such interesting people?
TW: It’s hard to pick a favorite, but maybe the one where I was the most out of my depth — interviewing Professor Jennifer Ross of the Physics Department. She was so receptive to the concept of the interview and talked to me at length about the various projects she was working on, and did an exceptional job at explaining the complicated and technical aspects of her work so that I could understand it and then translate it for our readers. She is probably one of the strongest women I have ever had the opportunity to speak with, and I admire her strength and resilience, as well as her attentiveness to women’s issues in the workplace and in the STEM fields.
HC: What quote do you live by?
TW: I don’t know if there’s a specific quote I ever think about, but I know there’s one that goes something like, “if I ever fall and cannot get up, I will crawl until I get where I need to be.” I think that pretty much sums me up — I’m an extremely determined person, and I’ve always tried to push myself to achieve more than I think I can.
All images courtesy of Taylor White.