Taylor Conger, Army Dependent

All her life, Taylor Conger has had a keen sense of the world around her. At times she has felt incredibly small, but has realized the true impact one person can make. Taylor’s father – the Purple Heart holding Vietnam Veteran, Army Ranger and best friend – always told her that she could accomplish anything. His confidence in her and her own drive to make the world a better place led Taylor to join AmeriCorps immediately after college.

After a year of service resettling refugees in California with AmeriCorps, Taylor joined the staff of Stanford University with the task of leading trips of MBA students to Southeast Asia to meet with non-governmental organizations and social entrepreneurs dealing with the issues of human trafficking and HIV/AIDS. Students learned how their business acumen can be used for the greater social good, and Taylor learned how to be an effective and patient manager in addition to gaining a clearer understanding of the issues.

After work hours, Taylor coached girls high school lacrosse, spending every afternoon for four seasons with strong, driven and talented young women. As a former college athlete, coaching was a way for Taylor to stay in touch with athletics.

These experiences, alongside her father’s confidence, led Taylor to pursue her master’s degrees through which she has been able to put her skills and knowledge to the test in experiences like this past summer in Haiti where she worked as a reproductive health intern. Upon graduating, Taylor hopes to join the humanitarian field, dedicating her career to public service.