Taylor Anderson continues her busy schedule from AU to the Hall of Fame Village
When Taylor Anderson was a student at Ashland University, she often woke up at 4 a.m. to coach a few CrossFit courses at A-Town Strength & Conditioning Gym before attending classes at AU, followed by working as an event planner for Ashland Golf Club on several evenings and weekends.
Her schedule is just as busy as a recent AU grad, working full-time as a private events coordinator for the Hall of Fame Village in Canton, selling real estate on the side and still regularly working out.
“I am very much the type of person who would rather be busy and overwhelmed than bored,” said Anderson, a December 2023 AU graduate. “Anything I can do to keep that up, I’ll do.”
Likes to speak to AU classes and clubs
To show her gratitude to AU, where her father also attended, as well as her sister while in high school taking CCP classes, for helping her young career get off to such a successful start, Anderson said she likes to return to campus to speak to classes and clubs, and help as many students as she can with their career aspirations.
“I have always loved public speaking and I remember being in college and realizing how important those connections are with people out in the industry,” Anderson said. “So, I want to be that outlet for other individuals looking to get out there. I know it’s not easy. I think I applied to over 150 jobs and internships.”
In addition to sharing how she overcame her frustrations with finding a job after college by leaning on her former AU professors for advice, to review her resume and for any other feedback they could offer, Anderson said she likes to tell current students to be open to any opportunity, even if it doesn’t totally fit their major.
“I always thought marketing was what I would do for a career because that’s what I went to AU for,” she said. “I loved event planning as I was doing it through college for Ashland Golf Club and I never really thought of it as a full-time career, but I like that every day is different with this job.
“This is one of those opportunities where you get to meet a lot of really awesome people and you get to do a lot of really cool things,” she added. “I don’t want to be anywhere else.”
Invites AU students to see her on the job at the Hall of Fame Village
Senior Nicole Garrett, a marketing and fashion merchandising major, has been a current AU student Anderson has helped. Garrett found out more about Anderson’s job after Anderson spoke in one of Professor Kenneth Brubaker’s marketing classes in early January.
“Putting yourself out there and making connections can be daunting, but I immediately felt a connection with Taylor,” Garrett said. “She is kind, ambitious and I truly resonated with how she described her strengths and how they come into play in her role as a private events coordinator at the Hall of Fame Village (HOFV) in Canton, Ohio.
“I was fortunate to spend a day with her, touring the incredible event and office spaces and even getting a sneak peek at the setup for an upcoming event,” Garrett added. “This experience has truly inspired me and has me excited about potential career opportunities in event planning or other exciting roles the HOFV has to offer. Taylor is such a great role model and someone to look up to.”
Loves the people she works with at the HOFV
Once a contract for an event at the HOFV is signed, Anderson said she works with the client to make sure they receive everything they want from their event.
Those events, which she coordinates about seven to eight a month, are mostly corporate events and banquets, but also birthdays, wedding rehearsals and holiday parties.
Where she works isn’t the Pro Football Hall of Fame Museum like most people think even though she often plans events for a banquet room overlooking Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, said Anderson, who added that even though the HOFV is a sports facility, it’s also an entertainment center, offering the events she plans, as well as a play zone with a Ferris wheel and other rides, restaurants and a variety of shops.
“We’re like cousins,” she said about the HOF Museum and the HOF Village. “We work together for some things, but for the most part we are separate. We have our own staff and they have their own staff.”
The part of the HOFV staff Anderson works in, private events, has two other employees, a sales manager and director – a team Anderson said she loves working with and they enjoy working with her.
“Working with Taylor has been wonderful,” said the sales manager, Erin Kell. “Her dedication, creativity and positive attitude make every project we tackle together both successful and enjoyable. Our teamwork not only enhances our work environment but also ensures we deliver exceptional experiences for our clients here at Hall of Fame Village. I’m grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with such a talented individual and look forward to many more successful ventures together.”
Working at the HOFV has been a dream come true
With her interest in sports, Anderson said in high school and college she dreamed of someday working at the Hall of Fame Village. It was one of the many places where she interviewed for an internship and didn’t get. She didn’t give up hope, though, checking for HOFV job openings until her job became available.
Before that, she eventually landed a marketing assistant job with Wayne Homes after her AU graduation.
While she said she learned a lot working for Wayne Homes, Anderson said she wanted something where she was out and about more than working at a desk most of the day like she does for her part-time job with NextHome Next Stepp in Ashland, where her mother also is a broker/owner.
“When I saw this job and I had done events in the past, I knew I would love it,” Anderson said.
