News

Previewing homecoming and family weekend

The latin phrase “Alma Mater” means nourishing mother, so it’s not surprising that alumni, students and new parents come back to Taylor for homecoming. This year, the homecoming and family weekend will be Oct. 21-23, with many events to make Taylor feel like home. 

Intercultural Programs see changes to offerings

The Office of Intercultural Programs (OIP) — specifically, the Student Leadership and Culture Program (SLCP) organization — is working with a few changes for this year in programming and in their scholarship offerings. 

Changes made to Taylor’s mission statement

The mission of Taylor University is to develop servant leaders marked with a passion to minister Christ’s redemptive love and truth to a world in need. This was Taylor’s mission statement up until this summer. As part of Taylor’s five year plan the mission statement was reviewed and two changes were made at the beginning of this semester.

Taylor University not shying away from Title IX

The 2022-23 academic year has seen some changes in regards to the university personnel responsible for overseeing student conduct and Title IX. Title IX, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in June, is a federal law that was included in the Education Amendments of 1972. According to the U.S. Department of Education’s website, “Title IX protects people from discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance.”

New year brings new COVID-19 regulations

Taylor’s current COVID-19 policies, aligned with guidelines set forth by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), are more flexible than in years past. “COVID is with us, and we’re going to have to live with it,” Vice President for Student Development and Chair of the Master of Arts in Higher Education Program Skip Trudeau said. “But we’re in kind of a different season, so to speak, in how we respond.”

Global Need-to-Know

Three stories spotlighting relevant pieces of international news. These global stories aim to broaden the perspective of the Taylor community as they absorb information from a variety of sources and spaces.

Accounting Department experiences success

Taylor University’s accounting department has demonstrated success over the years. May 2021 accounting alumni have an 81% passing rate for first-time attempts on the CPA exam.  The exam consists of four parts that cover different topics related to the field. Each part is taken separately over the course of a few months with a maximum time limit of four hours per section. Passing this exam is a requirement to become a certified public accountant.

Taylor receives significant grant from Lilly Endowment

Taylor University recently announced that the institution received a $500,000 grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. that will be put toward the creation of an entrepreneurial program for high school students. Lilly Endowment provided the funds through its initiative Indiana Youth Programs on Campus (IYPC), according to a university news release.

Taylor finishes No. 2 in this year’s U.S. News Midwest colleges ranking

New face of Taylor University

On Aug. 15, 2021, Taylor University released a new athletic logo, resulting from a brand study conducted over the past year. “It is important that our imagery matches our personality. And that is the goal of this brand study, to articulate the personality of Taylor University and present that to the world,” Vice President of Enrollment and Marketing Holly Whitby said.

Jumping Bean under new ownership

In the early summer of 2022, Taylor’s local coffee shop The Jumping Bean found itself falling under new management: Parkhurst Dining.  David Manz, general manager of dining at Taylor University, has worked for Parkhurst Dining for 22 years. 

University breaks ground on new academic building

Thursday, Sept. 1 marked the fulfillment of a dream for film professors John and Kathy Bruner as Taylor University broke ground on the new Horne Academic Center. The building, which is slated to open in fall of 2024, will serve as the new headquarters for the university’s film and media program. The building will consist of 45,000 square feet of space and will also serve as an entrepreneurial hub on campus. 

Infrastructure changes reflect university ambitions

Renovations and infrastructure remodels initiated over the summer continue to impact social, academic and athletic spaces across campus. The ongoing face-lifts signify Taylor University’s desire to develop a physical environment that will positively shape students’ experiences. A letter from the President’s Office on Sept. 1 noted that nearly every corner of Taylor’s campus has been modified in recent months. Beyond their aesthetic value, these changes are consistent with the university’s new strategic plan, entitled: “Taylor Thrives: Sparking A Vibrant Future.”

Taylor’s retention rate signifies positive experiences

Taylor University’s current 92% retention rate serves as a benchmark for students' experiences at Taylor. Rivaling the retention rates of prestigious schools, Taylor’s faculty continues to work to maintain that number before the freeze date in mid-September.  The retention rate demonstrates the percentage of students who stay enrolled after their first year in school. Although it is not yet finalized, the respective statistic for the freshman class of 2021 highlights many different things.

Busy year for History Professor Benjamin Wetzel

The past several months have held several non-curricular activities for Taylor University’s Assistant Professor of History Benjamin Wetzel.  Last year, Wetzel’s book “Theodore Roosevelt: Preaching from the Bully Pulpit” was released. This summer, his book “American Crusades” was released. In August, Wetzel was asked to speak at the Carnegie Lecture Series at Marion Public Library, and in October Wetzel will be presented with the Theodore Roosevelt Association Book Prize for “Theodore Roosevelt: Preaching from the Bully Pulpit.” 

DC and Stu armed with new culinary offerings

Taylor welcomes new class of students

Professional Writing conference to happen in July

Echo staff receives national, state press awards

The Echo newspaper recently took home the second place award for their division of newspaper in the Indiana Collegiate Press Association’s annual contest. Overall, the team brought home 38 awards. 

Spring awards announced

Annually, Taylor university honors senior student achievement through the announcement of department, service and speciality awards. Additionally, two faculty members are honored for their service to the university through the Burnworth Teaching Award and the Distinguished Professor Award.