Southern alum Harper-Taylor VP of Siemens Foundation

A background in broadcast journalism may seem contrary to the overseeing of math and science prodigies, but for Jeniffer Harper-Taylor, the Vice President of the Siemens Foundation, it is an everyday duty she enjoys.
An Atlanta native, Taylor is a 1987 Southern University graduate with a Bachelors of Arts degree in broadcast communications.
“I chose Southern because my brother went to Alcorn,” Taylor said.
When debating where she should attend college, her brother said that if he could take back his decision, he would have gone to Southern instead. Hence, her decision was made.
“It seems like yesterday,” she said.
Prior to joining the Siemens Foundation, Taylor was the Manager of Recruitment for Siemens Energy and Automation, where she was involved with recruitment activities at college campuses. She served as the Program Manager for the Foundation beginning in March of 2000 and later rose to the Program Director position. Her Vice President appointment came in May of this year and her role with the Foundation involves the daily management of the organization and its signature programs.
“I started in Human Resources,” Taylor said. “My position grew as the company grew.”
Recently featured in Ebony Magazine’s September 2006 issue, Taylor has been the primary connection between the Siemens Foundation and its business partner The College Board. The Board consists of the six university partners that host the Siemens Competition in math, science and technology regional events, the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund and United Negro College Fund.
Based out of Iselin, N.J., the Siemens Foundation provides approximately $2 million in college scholarships and awards each year for talented high school students across the United States.
Created in 1998, its primary programs, the Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology and the Siemens Awards for Advanced Placement, recognize and reward outstanding achievement in those fields of study.
The competition allows students to enter individually or as part of a team. Entries are reviewed by a panel of judges from The College Board and the Educational Testing Service.
By Foundation standards, the United Sates in divided into six regions. If the projects are selected for the second phase of the competition, the students go on to compete at: Carnegie Mellon University (Middle States Region), Georgia Institute of Technology (Southern Region), University of Notre Dame (Midwestern Region), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (New England Region), Stanford University (Western Region) or the University of Texas at Austin (Southwestern Region).
Taylor said she has seen robots that can walk across ice, sign language teaching gloves and even work with genes correlated to Alzheimer’s-all by students.
The National Finals or Third Phase is the final step to the competition. Held in New York City, students compete against winners of the other regional events. The top individual and team each receive $100,000 scholarships. $10,000 to $50,000 in scholarships is the prize for runners up.
“The National Finals in New York is a phenomenal experience,” she said. “There is a black-tie gala, students are shown on the jumbo screen in Times Square… it’s an all expense paid trip, as the regional competition. It’s first class.”
The Siemens Awards for Advanced Placement are given each year to students with the greatest number of scores on AP exams taken in grades nine through 11, as well as to teachers and individual schools based on their development, growth and improvement of Advanced Placement instruction, particularly in math, science and technology.
Taylor said she has matured personally and professionally since her experiences at Southern. Some of those memorable experiences include living in suite 301 of Boley Hall, moving to Octavia Hall her sophomore year, going to Mike Anderson’s on a date, working at the local mall and eating in Dunn Hall or occasionally walking over “the hump” to Popeye’s when she and her friends were hungry. Not to mention the trips to “Busy Bee,” a local trailer close to the campus that served hot meals to students because no other eateries delivered on campus.
In the classroom, “I remember Dr. Felicia Rochon,” Taylor said. “She taught us so much. She was caring, but she was tough.”
“Southern was a life changing experience,” she said. “It has provided a basis on all levels: money-management, communication and survival.”
“Southern has laid a foundation that has taken me through the years,” Taylor said.
With Homecoming reflections, “I was at Homecoming three years ago. I went every year until I started working with the Foundation,” she said. “Our regional competitions fall around this time.”
Taylor said she definitely plans to return as soon as she gets into the grove of things and everything is settled.
“Being on ‘the Yard’ were some of the best times of my life,” she said. “You will have friends that will last forever.”
“The same friends I made are the ones who were at my side at my wedding,” Taylor said.
For advice to students, “Enjoy and embrace the college experience,” she said. “Gain as much as you can. Enjoy your time at Southern.”
For more information on the Siemens Foundation, visit www.siemens-foundation.org.