Ken Taylor Retires After Long, Illustrious Career
Leaving a legacy as long as his list of admirers, Ken Taylor, assistant vice president for Student Affairs, retired in May after nearly 25 years of service.
One of those admirers, Tyler Kelley (B.A., 2000, political science and international relations), says Taylor is "one of the most influential people in my life." The former student body president, who is now the managing director and chief operating officer for Bel Air Investment Advisors LLC, got to know Taylor when Kelley was vice president of recruitment for the Interfraternity Council. "He was instrumental in helping me navigate the challenges every student faces in college. He helped me identify the most successful path whether it was for class, leadership or professional success," Kelley recalls.
Taylor's career at USC will be remembered by many people in many ways but is commonly defined by his mentoring abilities, his connection with students, his contributions to the greek and residential communities, and his strikingly adept way of helping people find their own solutions.
"He is one of those people who can see potential and ask leading questions to help you see how to help yourself," says Jason Smith (B.S., 1996, chemical engineering). Smith, who works as project director of renewable initiatives for Arizona Public Service, credits Taylor for his career path. Thanks to Taylor's introductions, Smith earned an internship at Goldman Sachs, where he worked for 10 years, most recently as vice president. Smith and Taylor remain friends.
Taylor notes that a favorite aspect of working at USC is his relationships with students. "I particularly cherish relationships with students who elected to be friends after graduating," says Taylor. "Students really are my greatest pleasure and my greatest reward."
Taylor's connections to USC began in 1972 when he moved to Los Angeles after serving in the U.S. Navy to pursue a graduate degree in economics. He completed the program in 1974 and returned in 1977 to teach economics.
Jerry Papazian (B.A., 1977, economics; JD and MBA, 1981, UCLA), managing director of Fountainhead Associates, Inc., met Taylor not long after he started teaching at USC. Papazian was the advisor to Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. "He came to the fraternity house to teach a review course for his class," says Papazian. "It was very impressive that he would make the time to do that. He really connected with the students."
Taylor became a faculty advisor to the fraternity and in 1986 took on the Student Affairs position of director of Greek Life with the intention that it become "a dead-end position."
"I told Kristine Dillon (then associate vice president for Student Affairs) that I did not want to be involved in politics and advancement. My focus was to work with students," says Taylor.
Taylor's approach was always to help students help themselves. As advisor to the greek community, he wanted the students to develop a system that could run itself. "I didn't want to run the greek community — I wanted to advise it," he says. "I would tell students when problems came up that if they couldn't solve them, I would. They always came back with a better response than I ever could have."
Beth Saul, director of Parent Programs and Fraternity and Sorority Leadership Development who worked with Taylor for 15 years, notes that he had an "excellent understanding of the dynamics of the greek community."
She adds, "He allowed me to have a vision for the greek community and then worked to help me implement it."
According to Michael Jackson, vice president for Student Affairs, Taylor "imparted President (Steven) Sample's vision for academic excellence in the greek community. Ours is now one of the best in the country."
Carol Schmitz, director of residential communities for the Office for Residential Education, says Taylor had a similar impact when he added the position of director of Residential Life to his responsibilities.
"Students love him," says Schmitz. "He has always been really committed to students' success."
Jackson points out that Taylor set the tone in developing the residential college system at USC. "An outstanding highlight of his career at USC is his contribution to the development of Parkside and the Arts and Humanities colleges," says Jackson.
Denzil Suite, associate vice president for Student Affairs, notes that Taylor "made valuable suggestions on how to shape the facilities and help student life." He adds that Taylor was also instrumental in the development of the new Campus Center. "He has a real skill at seeing the big picture and the long-term ramifications," says Suite.
Taylor plans to move near his father in Philadelphia and eventually return to teaching economics. Looking back on his time at USC, he particularly appreciates his Student Affairs colleagues and their commitment to the student experience.