Taylor Lamb

Taylor (she/her) has had various involvements during her time at UVA, including as a language consultant for Volunteers with International Students, Staff, & Scholars (VISAS); a senior peer advisor of academic support for the OAAA Peer Advisor program; an engagement manager and general manager with College Mentors for Kids; an intern at Atlantic Union Bank, and a soccer referee. Taylor is in the McIntire School of Commerce studying information technology, business analytics, and marketing.

Taylor shared the following story with us:

During the summer that I was an Orientation Leader (OL), [the card game] spades provided a quick reprieve from the exhausting yet rewarding honor of being an OL. To my surprise, these rather intense games of cards taught me a great deal about strategy, the individual, and the team. By mid-July, I could determine rather quickly who had the ace of spades: one girl forcefully fought a grin, the senior leader coolly slid his cards onto the table, another girl's face briefly froze as if she was confused by her own luck. However, I learned that people’s tells are not as obvious when it comes to real life. At lulls in the game, I learned a lot about how the other OLs grew up, their plans for the future, and their loved ones (none of which could be learned through a quick observation). By mid-August, I could understand why almost all of us moved through the world as we did. These impromptu spades discussions significantly improved my interactions with my orientees, because they allowed me to know which OL would be open to discussing UVA’s mental health services, the struggles of an international student, or navigating college as a first-generation student.