When Morgan Taylor graduated from Orangefield High School in 2011, she did not plan on earning two degrees from Lamar State College Orange; nor did she realize that she would support her community through hurricanes, tropical storms and a global pandemic with the Orange County office of Emergency Management.
Taylor, who became a Licensed Vocational Nurse in 2013 and has worked in emergency management for the past five years said that although she was uncertain about her long-term career goals, continuing her education with LSCO was an easy choice.
“I decided in 2018 to get back into school. I’ve always wanted to have some type of degree under my belt, but I wasn’t one hundred percent sure of what I wanted to do. I knew that a business degree would help me get my foot in the door somewhere,” she said.
Taylor went on to say that while continuing her education and working full-time is a challenge, her parent’s encouragement strengthens her resolve to push forward.
“My parents have been really supportive…they’ve always been there for me and pushed me to press forward. They said, ‘Just keep going, no matter how long it takes you, make sure that you keep growing. Don’t stop,’ because education was important to them for myself and my siblings.”
Taylor expects to graduate with a business degree in the 2020 fall semester and is optimistic about future career opportunities in Orange.
“I think that there are going to be a lot of opportunities opening up around Orange,” she said.
Taylor further noted that part of her confidence in the future comes from her experiences working in emergency management logistics.
“I’ve really enjoyed working with the office of emergency management, and there are opportunities there for learning and growth as well. I love emergency management,” she said.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the Lamar State College-Orange Foundation followed up with Taylor for a Q&A on how the pandemic has impacted her.
How has the quarantine impacted your studies at LSCO?
The quarantine really has not impacted my studies too much at LSCO. My classes that I am taking this semester are all currently online, so thankfully I am already used to the routine of doing assignments and coordinating with my instructors over the internet. I will say the only downfall is that my internet connection has been in and out quite a bit due to the overload of users trying to access the internet. My instructors have worked with me on multiple occasions if I was unable to upload my assignments by the due date because of the loss of internet connection so I am very thankful for that.
Is there anything you’d like to say to Orange County community about staying safe and healthy during this time?
What I would like to say to the Orange County community regarding staying safe is: listen to your local officials, read the orders that are issued, ask questions if you don’t understand something that was stated in the order, and don’t believe everything you see on Facebook or any of the social media outlets. Social media can be very helpful but it can also be abused in many ways. When social media is abused it creates fear in people and they begin to panic. When it comes to staying healthy, make sure you are washing your hands and don’t go out in public unless you absolutely have to. It’s important that we do what we are told now so things can get back to the way they were a lot sooner.
How have you and your loved ones adapted to the quarantine?
Adapting to the quarantine has been quite a challenge for me when it comes to the social aspect of it. My boyfriend and I are used to spending time with our friends on the weekends and going and doing things with other couples. We are busybodies, but it has allowed us to spend more time with each other and get small projects done around the house that we have been putting off. As far as my family goes, we have kept in touch through text messages and phone calls which is not out of the ordinary. Deep down, I have enjoyed being on an abnormal schedule for the time being. COVID-19 has made me realize how much of a “busybody” I am and that shows me why I am always so exhausted. Overall, it has been nice to slow down and step out of my “normal’ routine.
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