A clear thread runs through all 100+ of Taylor University’s academic majors and programs: our faith is the bedrock of everything we study, and that foundation keeps us centered on Christ.
Peyton Nill, a 2019 Marketing graduate agrees: “Intellectual curiosity is to be prized. You should not be afraid of digging in.”
Nill is now a paid media specialist at a marketing firm in Salt Lake City, Utah. She chose Taylor for several reasons, one being a desire for a Christian education after having gone to public schools. The other? Her parents were Taylor alumni and loved telling Peyton and her siblings stories of their special moments at Taylor in the 1990s.
“I had heard about how much fun they had, the close relationships, and all the ways they would entertain themselves. I knew that was the kind of school environment I wanted,” she said.
Nill loved living in English Hall, just like her mother had. She was involved in the women’s rugby team, participated in Taylathon, and went to Israel during J-term for a Historical and Geographical Foundations of the Bible class. She found that the practical emphasis of the Foundational Core allowed her to add depth to how she thought about her faith.
“The classes about Bible and theology were impactful because that was the education I didn’t get growing up. Actually being taught theology and Christian belief was fascinating and eye-opening. That really formed my theological worldview today. For me, it was very practical.”
The marketing world changes rapidly, and Nill said that for her current role in paid media advertising, she had to learn on the job. In fact, studies show that 85% of the jobs that will exist in 2030 haven’t been created yet. That’s why it’s so important to choose a college that will give a foundation that can flex and adapt to a changing career landscape.
Nill’s classes in the Business Department still set her up for success, as well as her two minors: Sociology and Corporate Communication. Her fascination with consumer psychology led her to her current role.
“Vetting products, curating products—it’s all rooted in the psychology of how people make decisions. Marketing is essentially applied psychology.”
In her role in digital marketing at a media agency, she handles media negotiations, strategy placements, and measures outcomes across her portfolio of clients. She ensures campaigns are running correctly, communicates with clients, and plans for performance improvement.
Originally from Jacksonville, Florida, Nill moved to Salt Lake City after the pandemic when her company went fully remote. She loves being surrounded by the natural beauty of Utah, and friendly Salt Lake City reminds her of living in the Midwest during college at Taylor.
Nil’s company was originally based in New York City, and many of her coworkers live in that area and bring significant energy into their work. Nill is also a high-achieving individual who cares deeply about giving her absolute best to what she does.
“Work is everything to Americans, but being healthy as a person—spiritually, mentally, personally—is just as important as work. It’s counter-cultural to orient your life towards that.”
Nill admits that there will always be tension in working to maintain that balance. At one time, she experienced burnout and became very unwell in her push to achieve more. She finally realized that this was not sustainable, and she is grateful to the gentle guidance of Christ to remind her of who she is, and what truly matters.
“Doing work well for its sake has value,” she said. “However, that can be taken to an extreme. It’s very easy to hear over and over that work is what matters most, that your value is wrapped up in the work you produce. It’s simply not true, and you need to have something else that stands up to the weight of that.”
“I find my work very fascinating. People were created to work, and it’s a good thing. However, I also know that living well is more important than only pouring oneself into work. That was clarified and crystalized living on Taylor’s campus. Living in an environment that’s focused on your relationship with Jesus and who you are—that changes how you approach the world and puts everything else into perspective.”