Gamer Earns MBA At Age 17

At age 17, Ian Taylor Schlitz has become the youngest African American to earn an MBA.

Taylor Schlitz, who graduated from Tarleton State University this spring, says a passion for video games ultimately led him to B-school.

A LOVE FOR GAMING

As an avid Esports enthusiast, Taylor Schlitz noticed there was an absence of kids his age in local and regional Super Smash Bros. Ultimate tournaments, a popular crossover fighting game series from Nintendo. So, he started Kidlamity Gaming with the goal of reintroducing gaming to children.

During the pandemic, he adjusted his business strategy, shifting his focus to the creation of BeinBian Studios, a boutique animation studio that specializes in crafting custom block animations. Taylor Schlitz credits business school for helping shape his skillset and providing him with the building blocks to succeed.

“I am thankful for the opportunities that the Tarleton State University MBA program has provided me. The program and faculty provided me with a great foundation of business fundamentals and helped me develop my critical thinking, leadership and communications skills. I appreciate that they embraced me holistically and did not let my young age be a deterrent from being able to continue my education,” Taylor Schlitz tells The Black Wall Street Times.

THE ROAD AHEAD

Taylor Schlitz earned his first degree, a bachelor’s in Integrative Studies, in 2020 after starting college four years earlier. Despite being the youngest African American to earn an MBA, Taylor Schlitz’s journey is just beginning. After business school, he plans to enroll in the Learning Technologies Ph.D. program at the University of North Texas, where he will begin his studies this Fall. Taylor Schlitz plans to explore how gamification can captivate students in learning and how the use of technology in education can be designed to actively engage and embrace the diverse communities across Texas and the entire nation.

“I am excited to be returning to the Mean Green and being able to pursue my passions in the areas of technology,” he says. “One thing the global pandemic has taught us is that we must continue to explore how technology can be further utilized to help all students and individuals learn. The Ph.D. in Learning Technologies at UNT is a world-renowned program with amazing faculty, and I am grateful to have this opportunity.”

Sources: The Black Wall Street Times, Yen.com.gh

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