Favorite Parts of Working in K-12 Education as a Chief Academic Officer
Taylor's passion for working with underserved communities fuels their enjoyment of the education industry; the opportunity to provide "wraparound services," including "food, housing support, emotional support," and witnessing students' academic growth as a result, is what drives them.
Education, Nonprofit, Social impact, Leadership, Community engagement
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Taylor Ellis
Chief Academic Officer
Scholarship Prep Schools
UC Santa Barbara 2009
CSU Long Beach MA in Curriculum and Instruction, Administrative Services Credential
Anthropology, Sociology
Education
Strategic Management and Executive
Honors Student, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Working in this industry allows you to make a real difference in the lives of underserved students.
2. The work is mission-driven and focuses on providing holistic support to students, including academic, social-emotional, and basic needs support.
3. The role combines passion for education with tangible results—seeing students grow academically and emotionally.
Transcript
What do you enjoy most about being in your industry?
What I enjoy most about being in this industry is that it's grounded in your "why." For me, I love being in this industry because it's something I feel very passionately about.
I feel extremely aligned with the organization I work for, and very passionate about their mission and vision. We work with traditionally underserved communities.
We have enrollment preferences for students who are experiencing homelessness or have experienced the foster care system. Being able to come to work every day knowing we're providing supports—not just academically, but with food, housing, emotional support, and wraparound services—is huge.
We know that statistically, students who are part of that demographic have levels of trauma that impact them in many ways. Being able to come and see that we're making a difference, and have our kids come to school feeling loved and taken care of, is something that drives me.
Seeing their academic growth as a result of all the things we work towards is also something that keeps me coming to work every day. Education is not for everybody, but if that's what's in your heart, then this is for you.