Young named JSCC Foundation Executive Director

Jackson State Community College (JSCC) has named Taylor Young the JSCC Foundation Executive Director, bringing eight years of grant and program management in the non-profit sector to the role.

“Taylor has a unique background that I know will be valuable as she leads our Foundation to new heights,” said Dr. Carol Rothstein, JSCC President. “She is a Jackson native with deep family roots and an eagerness to make an impact in the West Tennessee community through higher education. Our Foundation is a pillar in serving our students through scholarships, student relief, and beyond, and I’m confident with Taylor at the helm, she will serve and better their mission.”

Young, a Jackson, Tennessee native, comes to JSCC from the Civic Design Center in Nashville where she served as the Research and Grants Manager, overseeing a $1 million grant portfolio along with attracting multi-year programming sponsors.

During her time at the Civic Design Center, she helped oversee the annual grant process   for the BETTER CITIES FOR PETS^TM program, an international program that provides toolkits and recommended practices to cities around the world to champion the improvement of shelters, homes, parks and businesses on ways cities can be more pet-friendly through policy change, civic layout, and more.

Young oversaw the funding and worked closely with the team to execute the “Design Your Neighborhood” and “Nashville Youth Design Team” which are programs that provide opportunities for middle and high schoolers to better their communities. The Design Your Neighborhood initiative focused heavily on project-based programing for middle schoolers, teaching them ways to problem-solve affordable housing and transportation issues seen throughout the country. The “Nashville Youth Design Team” program for high schoolers uses real-world data for students to learn about the needs within their own communities and how to create actionable change through short-term design and advocacy projects. This paid internship program was a continuation for students in middle school to continue to grow and make change when they move into high school, expanding on the foundation of the “Design Your Neighborhood” program.

“Jackson is home, and I’m grateful to join such an incredible team here at Jackson State that shares the same vision of empowering students through higher education,” said Young. “Jackson State is a pillar of the West Tennessee community, and I’m excited to expand the foundation’s horizons so that students throughout West Tennessee know we are here, we are ready to help, and we’re here to partner with the college to change the lives of our students.”

For nearly a decade, Young has served as a tnAchieves Mentor, assisting high school students with the college-going process to make going to college as seamless as possible for those that want to pursue higher education. She has also served as a volunteer for the Down Syndrome Association of West TN for several years.

Young holds a Master of Public Health, specializing in Veterinary Public Health from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from Austin Peay State University.

For more information on the JSCC Foundation visit jscc.edu/foundation.

About the Foundation

Jackson State Community College has educated over three generations of West Tennesseans since opening its doors in 1967. The JSCC Foundation was later established in 1977 to support the college’s mission and enhance the growth and development of JSCC. Since then, the Foundation has financially impacted the lives of countless students through its fundraising efforts.

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