Taylor’s Bay State College Journey: From Student, to Graduate, to Employee

Throughout her time at Bay State College, Taylor Greeley has taken control of her education.

She went through the college admissions process on her own. She completed an Associate Degree in Hospitality Management as a full-time student, coaching gymnastics 6-7 nights per week. And she continued on with Bay State College’s Management – Hospitality Management Concentration Bachelor’s Degree Program, taking day, evening and online classes part-time, all while working full-time at Hotel Marlowe.

“It was crazy,” Taylor admitted. “But I’m glad I did it that way. I really customized my education to what worked best for me, and it made me who I am today.”

Taylor now works as an Admissions Representative in Bay State College’s Admissions Department, using her experiences as a student to advise others interested in starting their journey at Bay State College.

“I always tell students: your education is 50-50. It’s 50% of your resources, and 50% of what you make of it. Bay State always did their 50%. They always supported me, helped me complete my studies around work and do everything I possibly could to succeed, but I also did my 50%. I took advantage of my resources, I communicated with my professors, I worked with them to make it work around my lifestyle.”

A large part of Bay State College’s 50%, Taylor explained, came from her advisors and professors.

“Bill Koehler, Professor Vasbinder, Elena Swaim, Professor Viselli – they were all such important people not only in my education, but also in my personal life. At my Accepted Students Day, Bill Koehler was there. I sat with him at my Registration Day. He’s known me since I was 18. These are people who literally watched me grow up and turn into an adult and they are like a second family. I always felt welcomed, I always felt supported. They really walked me through the academic process, and they were there for me when I needed anything.”

“It just confirms that Bay State really is what we preach it is: a supportive, caring, faculty and staff. We really do have caring faculty and staff, and supportive faculty and staff. At Bay State, there are people from all walks of life, cultures, ethnicities, age groups, and the professors and faculty and advisors and chairs are able to support these students, each individually with all of their different needs. I think it’s amazing.”

Another part comes from Bay State College’s career-focused mission.

“The way Bay State is set up, we’re not taking unnecessary prerequisites for a couple of years. We’re able to grow up, faster. We make what we can out of our education, and end up being more successful because of it. You may not get the ‘typical’ college experience. There are no big parties, there aren’t a lot of dorms, it’s not like the movies. But for people that actually want to get a career out of all of this, I feel like it is structured so well.”

Taylor certainly made what she could out of her education. In 2017, she graduated from Bay State College with a bachelor’s degree, honors and four years of full-time hospitality management experience, with much of her student loans paid off. Next year, she’ll start an MBA program focused in Organizational Behavior and Leadership & Change.

“In high school, I would have never pictured myself like this. When I first starting working at a hotel, it was so intimidating for me just to answer the phone. But being at Bay State and interacting in class and being so comfortable here, it made me realize, ‘Okay, this is what I’m made to do.’ My personality really flourished when I was here. And people like Bill Koehler, Professor Vasbinder and Elena Swaim, they enabled that. It really made me who I am professionally and personally.”

Interested in learning more about Bay State College, and speaking to one of our Admissions Representative like Taylor? Request information about one of our career-focused programs today!