Taylor Mullikin avoided politics when she was younger, but eventually, the fact that her birthday was on Inauguration Day made an impact.
"My birthday being on that day made me acknowledge the world around me was a lot bigger than me and I needed to get involved," Mullikin said.
She has certainly taken that to heart as a UNG student. She is president of the UNG Speech and Debate Club, vice president of the Political Science Student Association, and secretary of UNG's Model United Nations.
A Jefferson, Georgia, native pursuing a degree in international affairs, Mullikin was one of four UNG students to participate in the summer 2021 Washington Program on National Security.
The Alexander Hamilton Institute for the Study of Western Civilization organizes the program, which was held in June in the nation's capital. The two-week program covered all costs except the students' travel to and from Washington, D.C. Speakers included current and former officials in the White House, intelligence community, the Pentagon, Congress, and think tanks. Mullikin appreciated the perspective the program provided.
"I really enjoyed that because so many times we get stuck in echo chambers," Mullikin, who is scheduled to graduate in May 2023, said. "We forget that the people who disagree with us are still people."
As a leader of multiple student groups, Mullikin ensures that being task-oriented doesn't come at the expense of relationships.
"Empathy and the ability to communicate are really important. You can get caught up in needing people to do things," she said. "Those personal relationships keep people wanting to come back."
In her role with the Speech and Debate Club, she works to help others develop their knowledge, skills and abilities.
"We should reward and encourage personal growth," Mullikin said. "Competition should revolve around how we can improve ourselves, not just how can we win."
She credits her student leadership roles as integral in her own growth, as well.
"If anybody wants to learn leadership skills, they should join clubs at the university," Mullikin said.
