Getting to know Miles Taylor, IU's first Presidential Student Intern
When senior year rolls around, some college students try to enjoy their last year at their alma mater with a light course load. Not Indiana University Bloomington senior Miles Taylor.
Juggling school and his internship, preparing for life after graduation, managing his on-campus activities and trying to squeeze in a social life is all in a day's work for Taylor, who is majoring in political science and international security studies through IU's Individualized Major Program.
Excelling at IU
In September, Taylor was named the university's inaugural Presidential Student Intern, an initiative intended to provide high-achieving undergraduates with the opportunity to gain valuable leadership skills and to contribute to the university in a meaningful way.
"Right now I'm looking at the university's emergency plans to help IU prepare for all types of crisis -- from a natural disaster to a terrorist attack," Taylor said.
Taylor will work this semester with the IU Office of the Vice President for Planning and Policy to review IU's current emergency preparedness plans and try to make the plans more accessible to administrators.
"This is a big undertaking," said Taylor. "I want to help IU integrate national-level emergency management plans with those developed for our campus."
Upon arriving at IU as a freshman, Taylor was named a Wells Scholar. The merit-based Wells Scholarship is awarded to just 18-20 freshmen each year and provides recipients with full tuition, course-related fees and a living stipend for four years of undergraduate study, provided they maintain a 3.4 GPA (Taylor's GPA is a 4.0).
Taylor is also the 17th student in IU's history to receive the prestigious Truman Scholarship, an award for college juniors who exhibit exceptional leadership potential and are interested in pursuing careers in nonprofit sectors, government, education or in other public service sectors. The scholarship provides students with financial support of up to $30,000 for fellowships, to attend graduate school, or for leadership training and allows for special internship opportunities within the federal government, as well as career counseling.
As a Northern Indiana native (from La Porte), Taylor is a Notre Dame fan and at one time was considering attending college there -- if IU didn't win him over.
In retrospect, Taylor says, no one should doubt their decision of come to IU. "No matter what schools you are considering, go to IU," said Taylor. "The key reason is that a school as big as IU offers more opportunities."
For students who are apprehensive about becoming "just a number" or a small fish in a large pond, Taylor says not to worry. "You can make yourself a bigger fish in a big pond. IU may be a really big school, but it has really big opportunities."
From IU to D.C.
Taylor proved that in 2006, when he started the Student Alliance for National Security (SANS), a nonpartisan campus group dedicated to promoting national defense and global security issues that engages students in discussion and gives them a public voice on those issues. "If someone were to start an organization like mine at a smaller university, there might only be a small number of members, where at IU we could have 80 to 100 members," he said.
Being an IU student has opened other doors for Taylor. He took time off from school (January to August 2008) to work in Washington, D.C., as an intern in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the Office of Vice President Dick Cheney. "IU is great because they allow their students to be flexible in how they get their degree," he said "My situation is the quintessential example. I was allowed to leave, go learn in the field, and still get my degree."
Taylor will leave campus again in the spring to study abroad at Kings College in London focusing on international conflict in the school's renowned war studies department.
In addition to his internship, studying, attending classes and planning activities for SANS, Taylor takes advantage of Bloomington's beautiful running trails. He and his girlfriend have participated in the Chicago Marathon twice. "Running can be done anywhere, but it is so nice to train on IU's campus or Brown County, when the leaves turn. I'll miss that when I'm in the big cities."
No matter where he chooses to go after graduation, Miles Taylor's experience and interest in international security make him "one to watch." And chances are, he'll be looking back at his alma mater.
"Coming to IU has been my best decision yet," he said.
This story first appeared in Live at IU Nov. 5, 2009.
