Taylor Rogers loves to seek solutions through learning and doing. The Ohio State Senior will be graduating with honors from the College of Arts and Sciences with a degree in Biochemistry. What he and the other members of the BHS Class of 2016 won’t be doing is participating in a traditional graduation event. Ohio State is hosting a virtual commencement ceremony on May 3 with Apple CEO Tim Cook delivering the virtual commencement address. For Taylor, “the actual graduation ceremony isn’t that important. Transitions are more about the family and friends, whether they are in the stands or on the couch with you.” He is grateful to have a support network that will celebrate this milestone with him regardless of the pomp and circumstance.
Like many 2020 college graduates, Taylor has canceled summer travel plans and is missing the final weeks of extracurricular activities, including singing with the OSU Symphonic Choir. Singing has always been an outlet for him so he continues to study solo opera remotely. During high school he was a member of the Vocal Ensemble and calls Bexley Choir Director Amy Blosser an important “life coach.”
The relationships Taylor developed with his Bexley High School teachers helped him connect with his college professors. BHS chemistry teacher, Mrs. Golliday was one of the main reasons he chose to pursue a science degree. “She was more a researcher than just a teacher, who wanted to share her passion to study with her students and I loved just going back and forth with her about science.”
This former BHS Class president has been working as an undergraduate research assistant studying cancer genetics in the Department of Human Genetics. He feels fortunate to have chosen a major with a more open curriculum that has provided him with the opportunity to study DNA and RNA purification research in the cancer lab. Because Coronaviruses are RNA based, Taylor has received offers to join teams working on Coronavirus research because of his extensive clinical lab experience. As he looks to the future, Taylor is considering several options including continuing to work in clinical labs or continue his studies, in medical school or pursuing an MBA. Whatever the choice, he remains passionate about working in cancer research looking for better therapies for cancer and hopes to run a clinical research organization someday.