Great Grads: Taylor Proffett-Brooks

Proffett-Brooks Lands Job with Red Ventures

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Detroit native Taylor Proffett-Brooks always knew she wanted to attend an HBCU, but she didn’t know Johnson C. Smith University would serve up the amazing opportunities she was afforded throughout her four years here.

Her high school served more than 3,000 students, so she was excited to find a university that was smaller and would allow her to have a more personalized experience with her professors.

“When the tennis coach reached out to me with interest in recruiting me for the team, at first, I was a bit hesitant because I wasn’t familiar with Johnson C. Smith University,” said the Business Administration major, who will also earn a concentration in Marketing. “I was also nervous about the idea of being eleven hours away from my home and family. These feelings of hesitation and nervousness all melted away after I went on my first tour of JCSU.”

Proffett-Brooks spent much of her time at JCSU on the tennis court as a member of the University’s women’s tennis team. She received the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Scholar-Athlete honor in the 2019-20 and 2021-22 seasons, Ortho Carolina Athlete of the Week, 2020 Food Lion Rookie of the Week, 2023 Most Outstanding Offensive Player and a consecutive JCSU Academic Champion.

She said a standout memory of her time as a student-athlete was her final match in the 2023 CIAA Tennis Championships.

“Although we lost, we had a really tough season, and just making it to the championships was something to be proud of,” she said. “I played a really tough match, and we were so close to beating our rival, Shaw University. I’ll never forget the feeling of being on the court with my team for the last time and, at that moment, I had never felt so proud to be a Golden Bull.”

Off the court, Proffett-Brooks continued to shine. She maintained a 3.9 grade-point average, earning her a spot on either the Dean’s List or President’s List each semester. She also joined the Gamma Delta Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., served as president of the American Marketing Association, a Delta Mu Delta Scholar, a McNair Scholar and an ambassador for the 2021-22 Society for Financial Education and Professional Development.

But during her junior year, she connected with Red Ventures through the HBCU Fellowship Program. The global company headquartered in Fort Mill, S.C., that focuses on sites that dispense news, advice and reviews.

After Proffett-Brooks crosses the stage, she’ll begin a full-time job with the company as a digital marketing coordinator.

“I’m looking forward to starting my career and having the opportunity to learn and grow my technical skills as well as continually develop my professional skills,” she said.

Proffett-Brooks says she feels JCSU taught her the skills she needs to not only be a highly qualified employee, but one with leadership potential.

“While I’ve learned a lot as it relates to my major, I think the most important thing that being a student at JCSU has taught me is how to be a leader and the importance of taking advantage of every opportunity.”