Taylor Maggiore Feature 2018

University of Georgia student passes along her experience as an Orientation Leader to new recruits as she reflects on her time in the program.

Taylor Maggiore, a fourth year journalism student with a minor in communications and a certificate in sports media, was accepted in fall 2017 to be a UGA Orientation Leader for summer 2018.

Maggiore said she was excited to pass along what she learned during her time as an Orientation Leader to her sorority sisters that were recently accepted into the program for summer 2019.

She knew she wanted to leave a lasting impression on campus before graduating in May 2019.

She became involved with the program when friends of hers told her that she should apply because of how personable she is.

“And I just went for it,” she said.

Maggiore said her favorite memory was when the team went to a conference for spring break before orientation to learn more about specific leadership skills.

“We were pretty close before that, but I think we bonded so much more during that trip. We all stayed on the same hall in a hotel, and all eight of us girls were up in one room so late that we all fell asleep there,” she said.

Maggiore was in charge of leading a small group of 20-23 students at each of the 25 orientation sessions.

Orientation Leaders are also in charge of being a liaison between a college and the incoming students with that declared college, she said.

Maggiore and the other Orientation Leaders wrote the script for Orientation Live, a skit performed during orientation. They wrote all of the introductory songs included in the skit.

“The most interesting part of the orientation is sitting on a panel answering any questions that the parents have,” Maggiore said.

Maggiore told her sorority sister, Haley Chishom, who was recently accepted to be a summer 2019 Orientation Leader, what to expect.

She told Chishom, 20, that she wanted to be able to connect with a group of students who she normally wouldn't be able to get to interact with, and that it’s fun to learn more about UGA and spread the traditions and spirit at UGA.

“Cherish every single moment with your team,” Maggiore said, “Stay up super late, fight through the exhaustion, because this experience is so unlike anything else you will ever experience.”

Maggiore said that being an Orientation Leader was special because she was able to see the impact she had on new students and their families.

“Some of them come in to orientation nervous and apprehensive about college and watching them become more comfortable and excited about UGA in just one day is my favorite part of the entire experience,” she said.

Maggiore is highly involved on campus, participating in UGA HEROs, Association of Women in Sports Media and Gamma Phi Beta sorority.