As the founder and head of The Aldwyn Institute, William Taylor combines research expertise, teaching experience, and a deep understanding of the social and professional challenges faced by young people to offer a course designed to prepare them for successful transitions into adulthood. For his PhD at UNC-Chapel Hill, Dr. Taylor explored how personal identity and choices of self expression shape the way we are experienced and understood by others. This insight into human interaction forms the foundation of his approach to teaching social and professional skills.
His years of teaching and studying guitar have taught him the necessity of extended practice for developing reliable muscle memory. Teaching foreign languages has further shown him that interactive practice is critical to developing fluency in interactive skills, and his graduate-level training in foreign language pedagogy has given him expertise in designing classroom activities that optimize interactive practice. Dr. Taylor believes that students not only need to understand social concepts but practice them with each other in activities intentionally structured to maximize learning. In his work in career advising, he has developed hands-on programs that allow college students to engage with peers to practice skills that are essential for academic and professional success—skills including communication, etiquette, and collaboration.
In addition to his teaching and advising roles, Dr. Taylor has worked in university admissions and seen firsthand which applicants succeed—and it isn’t just the ones with the highest grades. Those who excel are consistently able to communicate effectively, present themselves with confidence, and build strong relationships. All of these experiences have encouraged him to produce a course addressing the deficit in these critical skills he has observed among a growing proportion of the students he works with. He hopes the early adoption and embodiment of these skills can help make the critical transitions in near future of adolescents enjoyable and manageable and will contribute to fulfilling and enjoyable lives.
At The Aldwyn Institute, Dr. Taylor brings all of this experience and more together to offer Interpersonal Success Training, a course that emphasizes interactive learning to help students internalize the skills they’ll need to succeed in college, career, and life. For parents looking for the best preparation for their children’s transition into adulthood, Dr. Taylor has leveraged his experience to shape a course unlike any other.
He currently directs graduate student affairs at one of UNC’s professional schools.