Air Force ROTC Senior Finds Happiness in an Unexpected Major

Cadet Colonel Taylor Morris is a senior in Air Force ROTC who switched his major to business management. Originally, Morris chose to major in building science. After finding out that he was only a few points away from being admitted into the professional program, he changed to a major that dealt more closely with his Air Force ROTC training.

“God has a plan and everything works out for a reason,” Morris said. “It was a blessing in disguise.”

Morris has been a part of the Air Force ROTC program since he came to Auburn University during his freshmen year in 2006. Now, he is responsible for leading and overseeing 160 cadets.

“Leadership is a challenge for sure. It’s not easy being in charge of people,” Morris said.

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Leadership is one topic that Morris not only has to grasp, but perform daily. In Air Force ROTC, excellence is required in all that you do.

“People are looking to you to set the example,” Morris said. “You really have to make sure that you are doing things to the best of your ability.”

Business management courses such as leadership and principles of management teach students how to lead in a business environment. Morris is also exposed to a variety of other subjects such as finance, accounting, economics and supply chain management.

“The classes I’ve taken in management have reinforced some of the leadership principles that we’ve discussed in our aerospace studies class,” Morris said.

As an cadet colonel, Morris gets to work closely with Colonel Lewis and Captain Lightfoot.

“I’m pretty fortunate that I get an inside glimpse into all of the knowledge and experience that they’ve gained in their active duty career,” Morris said.

When Morris first came to Auburn University he had a lot to adjust to. Leaving behind friends he had known since kindergarten was tough, but he met new people and developed friendships.

“Finding that close-knit group of friends who are fellow believers that you can just have a good time with has been one of the most important things to me,” Morris said.

Although Morris focuses his energy on Air Force ROTC, he is passionate about intramural soccer. The Air Force ROTC has a soccer team that competes against the Navy and Army ROTC programs. Additionally, Morris plays on the men’s intramural soccer team each fall and the coed team in the spring.

Morris plans to graduate in the spring of 2011 and enjoy an extra year of Air Force ROTC. Each summer he works as a construction worker in his hometown of Franklin, Tenn. By graduating a year later he can spend one more summer working before he begins serving in the Air Force.

One of Morris’ highlights at Auburn University occurred during the Iron Bowl game in 2007. He was in charge of carrying one of the flags onto the football field.

“I remember feeling the crowd’s energy and excitement. It was pretty amazing being on the field during the flyover,” Morris said.

When Morris graduates, he will be on active duty for the Air Force. In the spring, he will find out if he received a pilot slot. The pilot training starts after graduation in states such as Florida, Texas and Mississippi. It takes a little over a year to complete.

“I’m hoping that this degree in business management really pays off and develops me into a better leader for the Air Force,” Morris said. “It’s almost like business management is providing me with extra training.”