Alumni Spotlight: Taylor Tucker
We’re excited to shine the Alumni Spotlight on Taylor Tucker, class of 2013 from St. Ignatius College Prep. Taylor first discovered LINK when her mother learned about the program from a coworker whose son was a Scholar. As a first-generation college student, Taylor thought the opportunity to attend a Catholic high school and have scholarship support from LINK made applying for the program a no-brainer.
She recalled a time during her freshman year of high school when her family owed a tuition balance. LINK Program Manager Rodney Gore personally went to her school and paid the remaining balance so she could continue attending. Later, when she earned the Gates Millennium Scholarship in her senior year, Program Manager Alpachino Hogue gave her $100 and told her to go celebrate her accomplishment—so Taylor, her mother, and her brother went to Red Lobster for dinner! “In those moments, LINK was the village I really needed,” she said. “They made me feel like I was somebody.”
“LINK definitely empowered me,” she remarked. “There were so many moments that they just made me feel important.” She specifically praised Tiffany McQueen, who supported her during a difficult period while her parents were separating, speaking life into her when she needed it, as well as her LINK Mentor, MacKenzie Phillips. “I would not be the person I am today without MacKenzie’s impact on me,” Taylor said. “She was incredible! She taught me how to network, encouraging me to seek multiple mentors and helping me understand that my network could be limitless.”
After high school, Taylor began college at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign but later transferred to North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, where she studied industrial engineering. “Transferring to an HBCU was probably the best decision I made in my life,” she said.
While in LINK, she secured an internship at McDonald’s Corporation, which laid the foundation for her college internships and later enabled her to secure a consulting job offer even before she graduated from college. She has worked in the consulting field ever since.
Recently, Taylor founded Between Bags, an organization created to address the emotional, financial, and structural challenges people face when unemployed or laid off. (Check out the website, and find them on LinkedIn and Instagram too.) “Unemployment is a tough season for anybody to navigate,” she said, “and we just want to provide a community and digital resources so people don’t have to go through it alone.”
Long after her time with LINK, Taylor is still guided by the mantra: “Give me a fish, and I’ll eat for a day. Teach me to fish, and I’ll eat for a lifetime.” And she is a big believer in discipline. “Discipline is the most valuable skill when it comes to being successful,” she said, “and I think discipline is what sets successful people apart from those who may not be.”
She still feels a deep sense of family and camaraderie with her LINK class, rooted in their shared commitment to break cycles and do better. “When I see anybody from my LINK class now, we’re still family,” she emphasized.
Her advice to current and future Scholars is simple but profound: Prioritize discipline, stick to your truth, trust your instincts, believe in your self-worth (“You’re a big deal!” she says), and don’t wait until you’re older to pursue big goals.
As for Taylor, she’s excited to continue moving forward, giving back, and building community through Between Bags.
Congratulations, Taylor! We’re so proud of you!
