Waterville, ME - Katie Taylor '19 embodied leadership, impact, and relentless work ethic during her time at Thomas College and beyond. She was a dual-sport athlete, in both field hockey and softball, serving as a team captain for multiple years in both programs.

The 2017 Softball team she was a member of, was just inducted into the Dick and Betty-Jane Meader Athletic Hall of Fame as the first women's team to win a NAC Championship and appear in a NCAA Tournament game. In 2019, Katie was also honored as the NAC Women of the Year, recognizing her achievements in academics, athletics, leadership, and service.

After graduating with a B.A. in Political Science at Thomas College, Katie continued her dedication to service by earning her J.D. from the UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law as a Daniel Webster Scholar. Today, she works as a Staff Attorney for the NH Bureau of Securities Regulation, where she investigates and administratively prosecutes securities fraud. Katie takes deep pride in working for a self-funded agency, where victims of securities fraud can receive help without paying costly fees. She investigates and prosecutes fraud cases with the goal of stopping illegal conduct and recovering losses for people who have already suffered financial loss don't face further barriers to justice.

"It makes me proud and fulfilled in my job that I can use my expertise and skills to help bring some light to a bleak and challenging situation in that way."

During her time at Thomas, Katie worked in our Admissions office providing tours to prospective students and their families along with being a peer tutor. She fondly remembers the support given to her by faculty, specifically Dr. Majewski, Dr. Edwards, and professors Dr. Marsolais, Professor Hansen-Childers, and Professor Wallace all left a lasting impact on her college experience.  

Mentorship from her coaches was equally pivotal. Terry Parlin, Ali Kriegel, and Andrea Thebarge played key roles in shaping her as both an athlete and a person. Katie said "When I think of who played *the* key role in my success pre- and post-graduation, I immediately think of Andrea. On the field, Andrea encouraged me to learn new skills, take risks, leave it all out there, and to support and make my teammates look good at all opportunities. Off the field, she did the same; she encouraged me to get out of my comfort zone (and be comfortable with being uncomfortable), to be a good person, to give my classes my all, and to not say no to any opportunity that may come my way (because saying "no" might be easy, but always taking the easy way out keeps you from being great). These are all lessons that I can still hear echoes of in my life today, and for that, I will always be thankful that I was lucky enough to have Andrea as my coach."

Katie Taylor embodies the spirit of dedication, leadership, and service that Thomas College strives to instill in every student-athlete.

Want to see more stories like Katie's or share your own? Follow our Alumni Spotlight series or email athsi@thomas.edu to show how Thomas College graduates are making a difference!