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A Hybrid of Liberal Arts & Business

Taylor Porter loves traveling, leading the Finance Academy, and taking courses in Economics and Finance, as well as Theater and Speech. How has this combination of liberal arts and business prepared her for Investment Banking?

Through her IPS, aylor Porter has discovered a passion for traveling!
About Me

I was born and raised in Bentonville, Arkansas—the world headquarters for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. I’m a huge Arkansas Razorback football fan (WOO PIG SOOIE!) and loved watching the Hogs reclaim the Golden Boot from LSU during Thanksgiving break this year.

In an attempt to drop my southern drawl and pursue my passion for theatre, I have taken several non-traditional classes such as Voice Training and the Actor, Musical Theatre, and Accents and Dialects. Over the summer, while I interned with J.P. Morgan in New York, I managed to sneak in a few Broadway shows, including Memphis!

Pairing these interests with my Economics major and Finance minor results in an Individual Program of Study (IPS) that is a hybrid of liberal arts and business. This allows me to take courses in disciplines such as Theatre, Philosophy, and Speech; while simultaneously providing me with occupational training opportunities through my Finance courses.

Taylor Porter has been very involved with the Finance Academy and served as President of the organization.Impact & Engagement

The Howard J. Busbee Finance Academy has been one of the most significant organizations in my college experience. Serving as President, I have worked with the group to provide numerous educational programs. From Training the Street, a two-day financial valuation and modeling seminar, to DoG Street to Wall Street and our Alumni Mentor Program, the goal of the Finance Academy is to connect students and alumni.

Additionally, a large part of my academic career has been spent completing research in the William & Mary Economics Department under the guidance of Prof. Lisa Anderson. As a James Monroe Scholar, I spent a summer conducting research. This has contributed to my honors thesis addressing investor behavior theory in several experimental “run on the bank” scenarios.

Taylor Porter participated in a service trip to Guatemala through W&M's Global Village Project.I have also had the opportunity to serve as the Director of the Experimental Economics Laboratory. This allows me to assist with many other research projects lead by professors. Some of the topics have addressed Cournot market pricing, retirement investment considerations, and various risk profiling.

Outside of the Business School, I’ve been involved in William & Mary’s Global Village Project, the international division of Habitat for Humanity. My freshmen year, I worked with a small group of classmates to raise over $27,000 and build two homes for families in Guatemala.

W&M business students while abroad in Southeast Asia.Highlights

Between research and part-time jobs, I quickly realized I wanted to add a study abroad experience to my IPS. My senior year, I participated in the William & Mary Global Immersion Program for a three week abroad experience in Southeast Asia. Over winter break, our group travelled to Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia to study and tour local businesses. Hands down, it was the trip of a lifetime!

It also helped me realize that, within some frame of reason, I have the ability to do or visit anything or anywhere I want. This epiphany has created an unprecedented passion for travel. Over spring break, I visited England and France, and I’m anxiously awaiting an upcoming hiking trip in Arizona. The Undergraduate Business Team, unlike any other advisory program, works to encourage students to discover their own passions and prepare students to make them happen.

Next Steps

I recently completed J.P. Morgan’s Investment Banking Summer Analyst program and received a full-time offer to rejoin the bank after graduation. Soon I will be moving to New York to begin the Investment Banking Analyst program. Previously I worked with the Natural Resources industry group, and I am very excited to rejoin them, specifically focusing on the Metals and Mining sub sector.