Driven Are the Change Agents

Meet Taylor Martini

Taylor Martini is aiming to reach new heights. She is studying mechanical engineering with a special focus on aerospace, though she didn’t initially see herself pursuing this path.

As a child, Taylor had scoliosis and spent many hours working with orthopedic surgeons. She grew up thinking medicine would be her field of study, but her interest turned to how to make things and processes better. “I wanted to build and improve things,” Taylor said. “I love learning and understanding how the world works, which led me to engineering.”

Taylor says the rigor of her engineering classes is supported by mentorship from her peers and faculty alike. It is helpful and encouraging to have the experienced students help us,” Taylor said. “Having been in our shoes not too long ago, they could anticipate our questions, and they helped spur on our understanding.” Taylor now serves a mentor herself.

As a self-proclaimed military brat, Taylor wasn’t sure where she wanted to go to college, but when she toured Baylor, she knew it was right. “Baylor was gorgeous. Everybody was welcoming, and you could feel the joy and care everyone had. I was drawn to the smaller size. You still have the big D1 amenities like sports and research, but you also get smaller classes with faculty who invest in you,” Taylor said.

Taylor is a member of Aero at Baylor, the aerospace engineering club with different project teams, like the 3D Printed Aircraft Team. Club members include a variety of majors with a passion for aviation, aeronautics and aerospace.

“The team I was on last year 3D printed a drone to fly for a competition,” Taylor said. “We also competed for the first time in Spaceport America, an international rocketry competition, and we built a 12-foot rocket and then launched it 10,000 feet in the air.”

Taylor says her experience within Aero at Baylor has strengthened her problem-solving and relational skills. She has learned how to encourage and give feedback to people in ways they best receive that information, making her more confident in her ability to be a mentor to others.

“I’ve become a teaching fellow for two different classes of our freshman engineering course,” Taylor said. “It’s been absolutely amazing getting to take students right out of high school and see them develop into people who are confident in their ability to problem solve and grow as people and as a community.”

The sense of comradery is strong throughout all levels within the School of Engineering and Computer Science. Everyone is helping others make valuable connections. A big component of setting students up for success is specialized career help.

“The Career Center helps students tailor their résumés for internships and jobs within our industry,” Taylor said. “With their help, I was able to get an internship at Lockheed Martin last summer and will be returning this summer.”

As for the future, Taylor is hoping to pass her knowledge to the next generation.

“I know at one point in my life, I am going to be a professor,” Taylor said. “Here at Baylor, I have these wonderful professors who want me to work with them and who see these gifts and desires in me. I don’t know if I would have the same desire to teach if I didn’t come to Baylor and see how we build people up, both spiritually and mentally.”