Megan Taylor
University of Dayton School of Business Administration
“Purpose-driven, multitasker balancing ambition, empathy, positivity, and execution- fueled by coffee and a good book.”
Fun fact about yourself: I am forklift certified.
Hometown: Centerville, Ohio
High School: Centerville High School
Major: Marketing
Minor: Insight in Sales
Favorite Business Course: MKT 413 Value Analysis in Major Sales Engagement
Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:
I am actively involved in Pi Sigma Epsilon, the professional sales fraternity, where I served as Director of Recruitment in 2024 and was elected President in 2025. Through my involvement in Pi Sigma Epsilon, I earned an internship with Crown Equipment Corporation, becoming the first freshman to participate in their internship program. During this internship, I placed 1st nationally among interns by generating over $92,000 in sales.
I have competed extensively in collegiate sales competitions. I placed 1st among sophomores in the University of Toledo Invitational Sales Competition, competing against students from multiple universities. I was also selected to compete on the National Collegiate Sales Competition team at Kennesaw State University, where our team placed in the top 20 out of more than 70 schools.
At the University of Dayton, I am a Sales Associate in the Fiore Talarico Center for Professional Selling and have competed annually in the Flyer Sales Challenge, placing in the top 10 each year and earning 2nd place this year. This performance qualified me to compete again in the National Collegiate Sales Competition at Kennesaw State, which I am currently preparing for this March.
Academically, I have earned a place on the Dean’s List every semester and currently maintain a 3.8 GPA.
I am also involved in Flyer Enterprises, where I work as a Sales Associate at Fly By, a student-run bagel shop on campus. Within Flyer Enterprises, I served as the Director of Marketing for Rudy’s Runway during the 2024–2025 academic year.
Additionally, I am a member of Zeta Tau Alpha and regularly participate in intramural sports.
In terms of community service, I volunteered weekly at the Boys & Girls Club during the spring semester of my freshman year. Through Pi Sigma Epsilon, I have helped raise funds each spring for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, contributing to sending a child on their dream trip, an experience that has been especially meaningful to me. I have also worked with Habitat for Humanity, helping to build a home for a family in the local community.
Where have you interned during your college career?
Summer of 2023: Sales Intern at Crown Equipment Corporation
Summer of 2024: Downstream Marketing Intern for Surgical Technologies at Stryker Corporation
Summer of 2025: Downstream Marketing Intern for Surgical Technologies at Stryker Corporation
Where will you be working after graduation? Stryker Corporation as a Marketing Associate for Surgical Technologies
Who is your favorite business professor? Anthony Krystofik (although he has recently retired) is my favorite business professor because of the passion, care, and thoughtfulness he brought to every class. He showed up each day determined to make the most of the time we had together, and his enthusiasm made the curriculum engaging and meaningful. His teaching style didn’t just help me learn, it made me excited to apply what I was learning to my future career.
Beyond the classroom, Professor Krystofik was always willing to support me, including coaching me on one of our sales teams. He genuinely cared about his students’ growth and success, both academically and personally. I admire many qualities about him, but most of all, he inspired me to believe in myself. He made me feel confident that with hard work, dedication, and self-belief, I can achieve anything I set my mind to in my future career.
What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? The biggest lesson I have gained from studying business is realizing how many opportunities exist and how flexible this career path can be. Learning about the different aspects of business, such as sales, marketing, management, and entrepreneurship, showed me that there is no single definition of success. Studying business opened my eyes to how many ways there are to grow, create value, and build a meaningful career. At this point in my life, it excites me to know that I can pursue a sales role, start my own business, or explore marketing and leadership opportunities. The University of Dayton helped me understand that with the right skills, mindset, and work ethic, the possibilities truly are limitless.
What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? I would say to be excited. You have the opportunity to learn about many different aspects of business, and they all connect in some way. Embrace every class and experience, even if it doesn’t seem directly related to what you think you want to do. You never know how you’ll use that information later, and being open to learning will help you discover all the different directions your career could take.
Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently in business school and why? I wish I would have taken more entrepreneurship-specific classes, especially because the entrepreneurship program at the University of Dayton is fantastic. I have aspirations of potentially owning my own business one day, or at least gaining a deeper understanding of what it takes to run one. Taking those classes would have helped me better understand that process and given me valuable insight earlier in my college career.
What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What is one insight you gained from using AI? One way the University of Dayton has integrated AI into my coursework is by encouraging its use for idea generation and brainstorming. Through this, I’ve learned when AI can be helpful and when it should not be relied on. It has taught me how to use AI as a tool to enhance my thinking rather than replace it, which is something I plan to carry into my future career.
Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? One achievement I am most proud of is winning the nationwide sales competition at Crown Equipment Corporation among interns across the country. Entering the internship after my freshman year was extremely intimidating. I felt overwhelmed and worried that I wouldn’t succeed, especially competing against students with much more experience than me.
The long days of constant cold calling and hearing endless “no’s” were challenging, but the experience taught me valuable lessons and truly jumpstarted my confidence. I learned how to find wins in small moments, such as securing a customer contact after dozens of rejections. I also learned that consistent hard work pays off, if you keep showing up and putting in the effort, success will follow.
This mindset ultimately led me to generate over $92,000 in sales. Just as importantly, I learned the value of having a supportive team. The encouragement I received, especially from my manager Mitch Fowler, pushed me to believe in myself. That internship left me feeling confident and showed me that I was capable of far more than I ever imagined. I am forever grateful for that experience.
Which classmate do you most admire? I would say the classmate I most admire is Will Blubaugh. From the very beginning of freshman year, starting with randomly running into him at the bookstore on the third day, he has been a constant source of support in my life. From the day I met him, he has shown nothing but kindness – not just to me, but to everyone around him. He truly treats no one like a stranger and is always willing to go the extra mile to help others, which is something I have always deeply admired about him.
Beyond his character, I admire Will for his leadership. He served as President of Pi Sigma Epsilon a few years before I did, and the way he led with compassion, heart, and intentionality left a lasting impression on me. He genuinely cared about every individual member, and watching the way he built relationships and supported people inspired me to want to lead the same way someday.
I also admire his work ethic and determination. Will never viewed challenges as limitations, he believed anything was possible with the right mindset and effort. Being around someone with that level of belief and drive pushed me to believe more in myself and in what I am capable of achieving. His example has had a meaningful impact on my growth both personally and professionally, and I am grateful to have learned from him.
Who would you most want to thank for your success? Out of all of my responses today, this is the most difficult question to answer. Of course, my first thought is my parents. They have supported me unconditionally since the day I was born. My mom taught me the importance of compassion and kindness in every aspect of life, and my dad instilled in me the value of hard work and continually pushed me to be my very best. Their influence has shaped who I am in countless ways.
However, the person I would say I owe the most thanks to for my success is my little sister, Molly. She has faced more trials and hardships than most people experience in a lifetime, yet her determination, resilience, and outlook on life have had the greatest impact on who I am today. Molly is the strongest person I know.
She is a brain cancer survivor who is currently relearning how to walk due to radiation damage. She has endured more surgeries and hospital stays than I can count, and more setbacks than anyone should have to face. Yet every single morning, she gets up and keeps going. She approaches life with gratitude, courage, and an unwavering positive mindset. When she is told “no” because of her physical limitations, she doesn’t stop, she simply finds another way.
Whenever things feel difficult for me, I think of Molly. Anytime I feel like giving up or passing on an opportunity, I remind myself that this may be something she would love to do but may not physically be able to. That perspective pushes me to take chances, work harder, and remain grateful for every opportunity I am given. She has also taught me to lead with empathy and understanding, because you truly never know what someone else is going through.
I cannot fully put into words how thankful I am for her. So much of my motivation, resilience, and desire to help others comes from watching the way she lives her life. I owe a great deal of my success to Molly, and I strive every day to live with the same strength, gratitude, and determination that she demonstrates.
What are the top two items on your professional bucket list:
1) A long-term dream of mine is to create a nonprofit organization focused on expanding access and inclusion for children with disabilities. This could mean building more fully accessible playgrounds, increasing funding and opportunities for adaptive sports, or creating programs that intentionally include children with disabilities so they never feel isolated or overlooked. This dream is deeply inspired by my sister, who is a brain cancer survivor and has faced significant physical challenges as a result of her treatment. Watching her navigate life with resilience, optimism, and determination has shaped how I see the world and what I want to contribute to it. Through her, I’ve learned how powerful access, inclusion, and community can be. I hope to create something that gives other children and families the opportunities, dignity, and joy that every child deserves.
2) I hope to build a career working for organizations whose mission aligns with improving quality of life and expanding access to care. Through my work, I want to contribute to discovering and supporting new medical possibilities for individuals with disabilities, especially solutions that once seemed impossible. By combining professional growth with purpose, my goal is to help bring innovative healthcare solutions to the people and families who need them most, while creating meaningful, lasting impact.
What made Megan such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2026?
“Let me start by acknowledging the many impressive accomplishments and values as written above by Megan Taylor. I endorse everything presented without reservation. All of that alone is enough to recognize Megan as an invaluable leader of the Class of 2026. I will not repeat what is clearly articulated. I will offer one additional perspective.
I came to the University of Dayton in the summer of 2025 after 15 years at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. I was the Faculty Advisor for the Miami chapter of Pi Sigma Epsilon. During my time a had the privilege of working with and mentoring chapter presidents and other leaders. Together we achieved top chapter in the nation status 12 times. The first Dayton student to reach out to me, weeks before school started, was Megan Taylor.
I give that prelude to set the stage for what Megan was tasked with as President of the Dayton PSE chapter. PSE announced a system-wide strategic shift in purpose and function, from operating a student fraternity to running a business. PSE HQ developed a Franchise Guide and expected the chapter leaders to attend training and implement the new system.
Most of Megan’s leadership team reacted defensively and vowed to resist the change. I watched Megan patiently yet persistently work through a change process like a seasoned professional. She reached out to former UD leaders, other school’s chapter presidents, corporate sponsor… to not only learn from them, but to get them to speak to her team. She read books and blogs and watched podcasts on Change Management. She gave her peers time to digest. She listened, asked questions, and challenged her friends to develop their own plan to implement this new way. Megan let it be their idea – and within the semester, change they did. Megan Taylor displayed high level leadership beyond her years. Dayton is leading the transition, and has become a national benchmark for the transition.
I have had the privilege of working with thousands of students the last two decades. Amongst these, I have experienced a few that had exceptional, sensational talent and gave amazing performances. A few have quickly achieved high levels of success. I expect the same from Megan. She has humbly but intentionally demonstrated that she is as good as any.
In conclusion, Megan Taylor absolutely qualifies for recognition as “an invaluable addition to the Class of 2026”. She leads with empathy, integrity and accountability, earning the trust of peers, faculty and corporate partners alike. Megan is a Servant Leader. She is a true Steward of the organizations she devotes herself to. The world needs to know Megan Taylor.”
Patrick Lindsay
Management & Marketing Faculty
Director of the Talarico Center for Professional Selling
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