When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Sean Taylor and his team were tasked with leading TCU’s efforts to maintain a safe environment. Now, 18 months later, he’s still leading the charge.
“We’ve essentially created our own health department,” said Taylor, director of emergency management. “Everybody here has done so much that it really just comes down to the team effort that we have.”
For this effort, Taylor is the inaugural recipient of the TCU Impact Award, which recognizes the extraordinary service of an individual who has made a tremendous impact on the lives of others in the TCU campus community.
“Given the past year, and all that we have endured during the pandemic, I am recognizing an individual who went over and beyond the call of duty,” said Chancellor Victor J. Boschini, Jr. when he announced the award to the campus. “Sean has worked 24/7 to stay on top of conditions nationally, regionally and campuswide in order to provide sound guidance that has dramatically contributed to the stellar safety record that TCU has accomplished.”
Others noticed as well.
“Sean led our university through an international pandemic, extreme winter weather, multiple vaccination clinics and care coordination/contact tracing for thousands of students,” wrote a nominator. “As an office of one, he built relationships with several university leaders to develop communication efforts, recruit contact tracers, assist in care coordination and several other distinctive tasks to lead us in the pandemic.”
Pre-pandemic, Taylor’s role focused primarily on preparedness, including writing plans for the campus response to possible disasters and hazards.
“During the pandemic, obviously none of that stops. It’s just a lot more response focused. Now every day we’re in response mode,” he said. “Just to know that people appreciate the work that went into it means more than anything else could. I’m just very honored.”