Cincinnatus Presidential Scholar Taylor Daugherty finds joy in all aspects of campus life

Daugherty, from Union, Kentucky, graduated from Randall Cooper High School in 2022 with a 4.0 GPA (4.5 weighted). Her interest in computer science, she says, came from taking an introductory and Advanced Placement computer science course there. 

She says she learned a deeper level of understanding computer science in the AP course, but also saw the obvious: that there are few women in the field. “The only two women in the class were me and the teacher.”

Instead of feeling diminished, she says she felt empowered.

“It really taught me how to become confident and make sure that I’m heard, even when it’s a little difficult.”

The specific field of computer science she is most interested in, she says, is software coding; and she has already received kudos for her abilities. In 2021, she competed in the VEX Robotics competition, where teams are charged with building and programming a robot. Her team won the Excellence Award, out of 10,000 entrants from more than 75 countries, and went on to win additional competitions.

Although Daugherty describes herself as “an introvert,” she is thriving in her classes and in the Marian Spencer residence hall , where her floor is mostly occupied by other engineering students.

“The professors are amazing. I’ve made a couple of friends, and the friends I have made have been really great.”  

For now, she’s just taking it all in and continuing with the skills — self-discipline and time management — that got her to UC and to a scholarship.

The campus views, however, can be distracting: “Being able to walk around Nippert Stadium is just amazing!”

Featured photo at top provided by Taylor Daugherty.