{"id":2018,"date":"2023-08-21T01:00:34","date_gmt":"2023-08-21T06:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/succeed\/?p=2018"},"modified":"2023-10-30T14:29:06","modified_gmt":"2023-10-30T19:29:06","slug":"taylor-edwards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/succeed\/2023\/08\/21\/taylor-edwards\/","title":{"rendered":"Taylor Edwards \u201923"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-1 fusion-flex-container nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0);background-position: center center;background-repeat: no-repeat;border-width: 0px 0px 0px 0px;border-color:#eae9e9;border-style:solid;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row fusion-flex-align-items-flex-start fusion-flex-justify-content-center\" style=\"max-width:104%;margin-left: calc(-4% \/ 2 );margin-right: calc(-4% \/ 2 );\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-0 fusion_builder_column_1_1 1_1 fusion-flex-column fusion-no-small-visibility fusion-no-medium-visibility\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-row\" style=\"background-image: url(/succeed/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/2018/&);background-position:center center;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\" data-bg-url=\"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/succeed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/187\/2023\/08\/taylor-edwards-header.png\"><div class=\"fusion-separator fusion-full-width-sep\" style=\"align-self: center;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;margin-top:250px;margin-bottom:250px;width:100%;\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-builder-row-inner fusion-row fusion-flex-align-items-flex-start fusion-flex-justify-content-center\" style=\"width:104% !important;max-width:104% !important;margin-left: calc(-4% \/ 2 );margin-right: calc(-4% \/ 2 );\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column_inner fusion-builder-nested-column-0 fusion_builder_column_inner_2_5 2_5 fusion-flex-column\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-separator fusion-full-width-sep\" style=\"align-self: center;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;margin-top:20px;width:100%;\"><\/div><div style=\"text-align:center;\"><style type=\"text\/css\">.fusion-button.button-1 {border-radius:4px;}<\/style><a class=\"fusion-button button-flat fusion-button-default-size button-default button-1 fusion-button-span-yes fusion-button-default-type\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/foundation.missouriwestern.edu\/give\/annual-fund\/\" style=\"margin-top:10px;margin-right:30px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-left:30px;\"><span class=\"fusion-button-text fusion-button-text-right\">GIVE NOW<\/span><span class=\"fusion-button-icon-divider button-icon-divider-right\"><i class=\"fa-angle-right fas\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><style type=\"text\/css\">.fusion-body .fusion-builder-nested-column-0{width:40% !important;margin-top : 0px;margin-bottom : 20px;}.fusion-builder-nested-column-0 > .fusion-column-wrapper {padding-top : 0px !important;padding-right : 0px !important;margin-right : 4.8%;padding-bottom : 0px !important;padding-left : 0px !important;margin-left : 4.8%;}@media only screen and (max-width:1024px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-nested-column-0{width:100% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-nested-column-0 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 1.92%;margin-left : 1.92%;}}@media only screen and (max-width:640px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-nested-column-0{width:100% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-nested-column-0 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 1.92%;margin-left : 1.92%;}}<\/style><\/div><div class=\"fusion-separator fusion-full-width-sep\" style=\"align-self: center;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;margin-bottom:20px;width:100%;\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><style type=\"text\/css\">.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-0{width:100% !important;margin-top : 0px;margin-bottom : 20px;}.fusion-builder-column-0 > .fusion-column-wrapper {padding-top : 0px !important;padding-right : 0px !important;margin-right : 1.92%;padding-bottom : 0px !important;padding-left : 0px !important;margin-left : 1.92%;}@media only screen and (max-width:1024px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-0{width:100% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-column-0 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 1.92%;margin-left : 1.92%;}}@media only screen and (max-width:640px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-0{width:100% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-column-0 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 1.92%;margin-left : 1.92%;}}<\/style><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-1 fusion_builder_column_1_1 1_1 fusion-flex-column fusion-no-large-visibility\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column\" style=\"background-position:right top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><div style=\"text-align:left;\"><span class=\" fusion-imageframe imageframe-none imageframe-1 hover-type-none\"><img width=\"800\" height=\"800\" alt=\"taylor edwards holding diploma and posing for a photo at commencement\" title=\"taylor edwards square\" src=\"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/succeed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/187\/2023\/08\/taylor-edwards-square-800x800.png\" class=\"img-responsive wp-image-2019\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/succeed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/187\/2023\/08\/taylor-edwards-square-200x200.png 200w, https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/succeed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/187\/2023\/08\/taylor-edwards-square-400x400.png 400w, https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/succeed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/187\/2023\/08\/taylor-edwards-square-600x600.png 600w, https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/succeed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/187\/2023\/08\/taylor-edwards-square-800x800.png 800w, https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/succeed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/187\/2023\/08\/taylor-edwards-square.png 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/span><\/div><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-builder-row-inner fusion-row fusion-flex-align-items-flex-start fusion-flex-justify-content-center\" style=\"width:104% !important;max-width:104% !important;margin-left: calc(-4% \/ 2 );margin-right: calc(-4% \/ 2 );\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column_inner fusion-builder-nested-column-1 fusion_builder_column_inner_2_5 2_5 fusion-flex-column\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 30px 0px 30px;\"><div class=\"fusion-separator fusion-full-width-sep\" style=\"align-self: center;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;margin-top:20px;width:100%;\"><\/div><div style=\"text-align:center;\"><style type=\"text\/css\">.fusion-button.button-2 {border-radius:4px;}<\/style><a class=\"fusion-button button-flat fusion-button-default-size button-default button-2 fusion-button-span-yes fusion-button-default-type\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/foundation.missouriwestern.edu\/give\/annual-fund\/\" style=\"margin-bottom:px;\"><span class=\"fusion-button-text fusion-button-text-right\">GIVE NOW<\/span><span class=\"fusion-button-icon-divider button-icon-divider-right\"><i class=\"fa-angle-right fas\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"fusion-separator fusion-full-width-sep\" style=\"align-self: center;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;margin-top:20px;width:100%;\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><style type=\"text\/css\">.fusion-body .fusion-builder-nested-column-1{width:40% !important;margin-top : 0px;margin-bottom : 20px;}.fusion-builder-nested-column-1 > .fusion-column-wrapper {padding-top : 0px !important;padding-right : 30 !important;margin-right : 4.8%;padding-bottom : 0px !important;padding-left : 30 !important;margin-left : 4.8%;}@media only screen and (max-width:1024px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-nested-column-1{width:100% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-nested-column-1 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 1.92%;margin-left : 1.92%;}}@media only screen and (max-width:640px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-nested-column-1{width:100% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-nested-column-1 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 1.92%;margin-left : 1.92%;}}<\/style><\/div><\/div><\/div><style type=\"text\/css\">.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-1{width:100% !important;margin-top : 0px;margin-bottom : 20px;}.fusion-builder-column-1 > .fusion-column-wrapper {padding-top : 0px !important;padding-right : 0px !important;margin-right : 1.92%;padding-bottom : 0px !important;padding-left : 0px !important;margin-left : 1.92%;}@media only screen and (max-width:1024px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-1{width:100% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-column-1 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 1.92%;margin-left : 1.92%;}}@media only screen and (max-width:640px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-1{width:100% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-column-1 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 1.92%;margin-left : 1.92%;}}<\/style><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-2 fusion_builder_column_1_1 1_1 fusion-flex-column\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 30px 0px 30px;\"><div class=\"fusion-separator fusion-no-medium-visibility fusion-no-large-visibility fusion-full-width-sep\" style=\"align-self: center;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;margin-top:50px;width:100%;\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-1\" style=\"transform:translate3d(0,0,0);\"><h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">GRIFFONS ACHIEVE<\/h2>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-separator fusion-no-medium-visibility fusion-no-large-visibility fusion-full-width-sep\" style=\"align-self: center;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;margin-top:50px;width:100%;\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-2 fusion-text-split-columns fusion-text-columns-3\" style=\" -webkit-column-count:3; -webkit-column-gap:2em; -webkit-column-width:200px; -moz-column-count:3; -moz-column-gap:2em; -moz-column-width:200px; column-count:3; column-gap:2em; column-width:200px;transform:translate3d(0,0,0);\"><p>When it comes to 大象传媒, Taylor Edwards \u201923 exemplifies the continuance of a legacy. Taylor, her mom, dad and grandma all graduated from 大象传媒 Western.<\/p>\n<p>Her parents and grandmother all attended 大象传媒 Western at the same time. Her grandmother was a non-traditional student and had moved herself and Taylor\u2019s dad to St. Joseph to study at 大象传媒 Western. Her grandma studied history, her dad music education, and her mom elementary education.<\/p>\n<p>Taylor explained that 大象传媒 Western means tradition to her family. \u201cHaving all four of us be Griffons has been pretty special in the sense that I can really bond with my parents over the experiences that they had,\u201d Taylor said. \u201cTo always have the connection to my parents in everything that I do is really special. My dad and I will participate in the alumni marching band this upcoming year together, and that will be super awesome and super special.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Being a legacy student gave Taylor the ability to connect with her parents on a deeper level and use them as a guiding force in her college career. \u201cBeing a legacy student, my goal for coming to 大象传媒 Western was really to create my own path,\u201d she explained. \u201cBut I was also able to use my parents and their experiences to kind of shape my path.\u201d Taylor wasn\u2019t always convinced that 大象传媒 Western was where she would go. She was hesitant to be a legacy student because she wanted to be sure she could forge her own path without falling into her family\u2019s shadow. Taylor was afraid it would take away from becoming her own independent person.<\/p>\n<p>However, with all the opportunities that 大象传媒 Western had to offer, and the affordability, which allowed her to graduate with minimal debt, she gained so much from carrying on the 大象传媒 Western family legacy. \u201cI think that they knew that I would always come here \u2013 I think I knew that I would always come here; I just didn\u2019t want to admit it because I really wanted to be independent and be my own person. But I was independent, and I did my own thing here.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She came to 大象传媒 Western with dreams of becoming a music teacher, and this past spring, her dreams became reality. Taylor graduated in May 2023 with degrees in instrumental music education and music performance. The moment Taylor stepped into a classroom for the first time not as a student, but as a teacher assistant, she immediately knew she had chosen the right field.<\/p>\n<p>She was teaching her students \u201chow to love music not just play music.\u201d She revealed, \u201cI knew I always wanted to be a teacher. Both my parents are teachers so that\u2019s kind of the world I grew up in.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>On campus, Taylor was heavily involved. True to her passion for music, Taylor was in the Golden Griffon Marching Band, was a drum major her senior year, and was a part of the jazz, wind, and chamber ensembles. Taylor was a member of Sigma Alpha Iota Music Fraternity and the National Association for Music Education Collegiate Chapter. She was also part of the 大象传媒 National Educators Association &#8211; Aspiring Educators, serving as the 大象传媒 state president and on the board of directors. Outside of music, she was a student ambassador, Griffon Orientation leader, and a Griffon Experience leader all within The Office of Admissions, and she also worked as a resident assistant in Scanlon and Vartabedian Halls.<\/p>\n<p>When asked what she liked to do outside of her busy school schedule she said, \u201cNot a lot,\u201d and laughed. \u201cEverything I do is fun, so participating in school is always fun for me. It can be stressful, but I\u2019ve always loved school \u2013 especially my extracurriculars. I\u2019m always doing something that I love doing and something that is fun for me and passionate for me. So, it doesn\u2019t really seem like the things that I do for school are work; it\u2019s always just been fun. The past four years were so, so awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Taylor has accepted a position at Leavenworth Intermediate School teaching 5th- and 6th-grade instrumental music and general music. She will also assist with the Leavenworth High School marching band. Taylor hopes to continue doing things she loves to do in new capacities.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c大象传媒 Western was probably the best choice for me in preparing for my career. They have us in the classroom as early as our sophomore year. So, I was already experiencing what it&#8217;s like to be a music teacher in my sophomore year. Then every year after that you have a classroom experience. The applied learning, the hands-on learning, that 大象传媒 Western offers gave me the highest chance at success for being a teacher I think.\u201d She continued, \u201cBesides that, our professors are so awesome in the music department. Just sitting and talking to them, you learn that they are some of the most experienced and the best people on their instruments and just in the field, in the world. 大象传媒 Western was pretty epic for that stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>One professor in particular, Dr. Lee Harrelson, left a lasting impact on Taylor. Dr. Harrelson was her advisor, private instructor, and professor for her ensemble classes. She said he helped her gain experience that would \u201ccopy and paste\u201d into her professional life. It was also because of Dr. Harrelson that she joined the Fountain City<\/p>\n<p>Youth Brass Academy which led her to be the United States representative at the World Youth Brass Band in Kerkrade, Netherlands, in the summer of 2022.<\/p>\n<p>Taylor embodies what it means to be your own person and create your own path, while still relying on the legacy of family and their experiences to help guide the way to success. Your donations help students like Taylor carry on a family legacy and forge their own path to a brighter future.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><style type=\"text\/css\">.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-2{width:100% !important;margin-top : 0px;margin-bottom : 0px;}.fusion-builder-column-2 > .fusion-column-wrapper {padding-top : 0px !important;padding-right : 30 !important;margin-right : 1.92%;padding-bottom : 0px !important;padding-left : 30 !important;margin-left : 1.92%;}@media only screen and (max-width:1024px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-2{width:100% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-column-2 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 1.92%;margin-left : 1.92%;}}@media only screen and (max-width:640px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-2{width:100% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-column-2 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 1.92%;margin-left : 1.92%;}}<\/style><\/div><style type=\"text\/css\">.fusion-body .fusion-flex-container.fusion-builder-row-1{ padding-top : 0px;margin-top : 0px;padding-right : 30px;padding-bottom : 0px;margin-bottom : 0px;padding-left : 30px;}<\/style><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":2020,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[30],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/succeed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2018"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/succeed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/succeed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/succeed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/succeed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2018"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/succeed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2018\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2058,"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/succeed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2018\/revisions\/2058"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/succeed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2020"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/succeed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2018"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/succeed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2018"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/succeed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2018"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}