Taylor Anne Adams

Rice University, Jones Graduate School of Business

“Elle Woods meets Leslie Knope with a touch of Beyonce.”

Hometown: Houston, Texas

Fun Fact About Yourself: In high school, I was a commercial actress and was in a Spanish-speaking Wal-Mart commercial and a Dr. Pepper commercial.

Undergraduate School and Major: Wake Forest University, Communications, Sociology and Film Studies

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Managing Director, The Cannon

What has been your favorite part of Houston so far? What has made it such a great place to earn an MBA? As a native Houstonian, the best part about Houston is the diversity that exists in this city. Not only in terms of cultures, but the sheer amount of arts, sciences, and technology that circulates makes this an incredible place to pursue an MBA.

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of the Rice University MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? Rice’s support of entrepreneurship and out-of-the-box thinking. This school has poured so many resources into building up its entrepreneurial programming, and I have noticed that even once you graduate, they are still there to support you. I know some Rice MBA grads who are still involved with the university in major ways. There’s a big culture of paying it forward which is the kind of community I want to be a part of.

What course, club or activity have you enjoyed the most so far at Rice Business: Not shockingly, being a first-year representative for the Entrepreneurship Association has been such a treat. Our team meetings and dinners always leave me thinking about the world in a different way. There is a common understanding of respect for one another, and our conversations are honest and transparent. It’s a really special group of people.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I’ve had a few different careers in my short life (I guess that can be attributed to my entrepreneurial spirit?). However, I would have to say that my biggest accomplishment thus far has been helping plan and execute a Women’s Leadership Conference back in Los Angeles while working at Fullscreen (acquired by AT&T). I worked directly with the CEO of HelloSunshine and was able to support in building out programming, sponsors and event logistics for 500+ women.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far? My biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far has been securing a dream internship at The Artemis Fund, a female-focused VC here in Houston. Being able to work directly with women who are changing the face of investment and venture capital has been such an honor.

What has been the most surprising thing that you’ve learned as an MBA student so far? Anyone who says “getting an MBA is easy” is lying. While I’ve only been in the program for one semester, it’s already flown by. I haven’t had one easy day in this program, but the reason I’m getting this degree isn’t to goof off for two years or take a break. It’s to challenge myself, push my limits and be surrounded by classmates who encourage me to think well outside my comfort zone.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into the Rice University MBA program? Build relationships with the admissions team. They are there to help you and will provide honest feedback about your resume and your experience. We are lucky at Rice to have such a passionate admissions team that strives to get to know the applicant outside of test scores and prior experience. They want you to succeed.

DON’T MISS: MEET THE RICE JONES MBA CLASS OF 2023