"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." -Einstein
| Phil Taylor was born and raised in Fort Wayne, Indiana, a mid-sized, Hoosier city built on the banks of three rivers. People in Fort Wayne flow a lot like their rivers - relaxed, agreeable, unhurried and considerate of others. A true Midwesterner at heart, Taylor is no exception. Taylor left Fort Wayne in 2003 for Kalamazoo College, a small, liberal arts school in Michigan that values experiential, intercultural learning through studies abroad. Journalism wasn't in the cards at the time. In fact, Taylor was originally a physics major at Kalamazoo College before earning a degree in comparative religion. His first experience in journalism came during a junior semester abroad in Turkey, when he began writing letters home to friends and family. The challenge of communicating nuanced ideas and experiences to a mass audience underscored the challenge journalists face every day. As any good reporter knows, it isn't a task to be taken lightly. Within a week of graduation Taylor made one of his most difficult decisions when he declined an invitation to join the Peace Corps in Turkmenistan. He chose instead to complete a Masters in Journalism program at Northwestern University in Chicago, where he has lived to this day. At Northwestern, Taylor began integrating a variety of media, such as video, audio slideshows and flash animations, into his news packages. New media skills like these will be critical if the journalism community is to adapt, and harness, the digital age. Taylor's post-graduate career is yet to be determined. He's considering a variety of traditional and new media news posts, preferably in his area of expertise, energy and the environment. |
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