BIO
- NAME: Taylor Kerr
- PREFERRED PRONOUNS: she/her
- HOMETOWN: Paducah, Kentucky
- YEAR AT MURRAY STATE: 6th
- DEGREE : Major: Spanish, Minor: French, Certificate: Portuguese
- QUIRKY FACT: I’m obsessed with French bulldogs even though I have a Sheltie at home (her name is Cola). You can identify me by my dog hat that I wear consistently on campus and my French bulldog mask and car keys.
- A FAVORITE BOOK, MOVIE, TV SHOW, or PODCAST: My favorite TV show is “Criminal Minds.” I’m also into “The Handmaid’s Tale,” and I’m currently reading La Cocinera de Castamar.
- FAVORITE FOOD OR DRINK TO GET ON CAMPUS: a spicy chicken burrito with queso from Tres Habaneros. You can find me gorging on them every day!
- FAVORITE CAMPUS EVENT: All-Campus Sing . I just love how all the student organizations come out and produce excellent musical numbers.
Q&A
Why did you choose to attend Murray State?
I chose to attend Murray State because of its proximity to home and its excellent faculty. Smaller classes really help us get to know our professors better. Murray State is really committed to seeing its students succeed. I also was drawn to its music department. I took two years of music classes before switching to education, and finally to Spanish.
Why did you choose your major and minor?
I’ve been speaking Spanish since I was 11 years old. It was kind of a funny story: I wanted to understand the music of Ricardo Montaner, a very famous Venezuelan singer. So, I picked up a book and taught myself Spanish. It just seemed natural to continue to study Spanish. It’s a part of me. I really wanted to learn French, so in the Fall of 2019, I enrolled in FRE 101 with Dr. Saint Paul. From there, my French adventures took on a life of its own as I began working with StarBright Language Center on a French club at Reidland Elementary School. I knew that to become a better French teacher, I had to minor in it.
Tell us about a few of your favorite courses, projects, or mentors.
Dr. Robert Fritz is definitely one of my biggest mentors on campus. I worked with him on the service-learning project at Mayfield High School–and I’m coming back for it this semester. In fact, I completed the entire Portuguese course sequence with him. He gives me great advice and helps me pursue all my language aspirations. Dr. Saint Paul is another mentor to me. She taught me French. She really pushes you to do your best and she doesn’t give up on you. Tanya Romero Gonzalez is my academic advisor and she has helped me so much with the French minor. Finally, I have to give a shout-out to Dr. Meeyoun Park and Dr. Matthew Gianforte, my piano professors in the music department. Even though I’m no longer taking lessons, they’ve been so helpful to me during my years here and are more than willing to knock some sense into my head when needed. My favorite courses have been every French course I’ve had with Dr. Saint Paul. I also took a Global Cinema course last spring with the language faculty. . We watched movies in Spanish, French, and German. The class really helped me practice my Spanish and French listening skills. I’m also learning German on my own right now. I guess I have to give all glory to Ricardo Montaner too–the singer who started me on this journey.
Tell us about any accomplishments you’ve experienced while at Murray State, or any clubs/organizations you’ve enjoyed being a part of.
Getting my Portuguese certificate was a huge accomplishment for me. I enrolled in Dr. Fritz’s POR 101 class in the Fall of 2019. I never thought I would be a Portuguese speaker, but here I am. It goes to show you that when you get called to do something, you have to answer the call. I’m so glad that I got to learn a new language here and be part of a wonderful new program here at Murray State University. I’ve also enjoyed teaching French and Spanish at Reidland Elementary School. Now, I have private students who want to learn French. I tutor them at the library. Just being a Featured Student here is a huge accomplishment for me, too. It really solidifies my place here.
What are your plans for after graduation?
After graduation, I plan to teach Spanish and French and learn how to better work with ELLs. I also plan to break into the world of translation–maybe in the public school systems. I plan to continue acquiring private students and I would love to visit Paris, France, or a Spanish-speaking country. In addition, I would like to build my own private piano studio (I’ve been playing the piano since I was three and I took lessons at Murray State for two years). I would also like to learn more languages. I’m currently learning German on my own with two German books, Duolingo, and the series “Babylon Berlin.” In the future, I’d like to learn Arabic–or maybe Chinese or Japanese (I can sing “Let it Go” in Japanese).
What advice would you give to incoming students at Murray State?
Enjoy the ride. Embrace every second of the experience. Go to class, take every opportunity you can. Go to office hours and get to know your professors. They really do want to help you.
Thank you, Taylor!
College of humanities and fine arts 