Erin Taylor

Director of Communications, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs
Age: 33
Hometown: Newtown, Pa.
Time at Georgetown: 2 years

How did you become interested in working in communications and working at Georgetown?
I’m interested in the intersection of international affairs and communications — so, interested in how governments and organizations can explain their messages to the wider public. I’ve worked at the German Embassy and for the British Consulate. So, when I got the opportunity to come here and work at the Berkley Center — also looking at issues of world affairs and religion and helping to promote that from a communications point of view — I was very excited.

What was your perception of Georgetown when you went to GW and how has it changed (if it has) since then?
I think Georgetown and GW, from my international affairs perspective, were both two of the well-respected international-affairs schools in Washington, D.C. and in the United States. So, I thought a lot of the School of Foreign Service while I was at GW because it was similar to my program. And, now being here on campus, I think the neat difference to see is how engaged the student body is in being a Hoya and being on the Hilltop. I think it’s a neat and unique environment where kids really do seem to be interested in world affairs and interested in Georgetown and interested in discussions about the wider world and the Washington, D.C. community around them.

What does your day at the Berkley Center entail?
My day can really vary. Everything from helping to run an event about some of the topics we cover. So maybe an event on politics and Islam, maybe an event on the impact of Pope Francis on world affairs, tweeting or posting Facebook messages about Berkley Center material, making a summary of religion and world-affairs news for our faculty and staff, interacting with journalists, working on publishing reports and event material for staff and students.

What’s the most exciting thing you’ve done recently at work?
I would say two things we’ve done at the Berkley Center recently. The first event was Faith, Culture and the Common Good, which was an event that Georgetown co-hosted with the Vatican and the Archdiocese of Washington. And that was a three-day event that brought academics, journalists, politicians, students and the wider Georgetown community together for discussions about enriching civic life in America from various faith and non-faith traditions and backgrounds. So, that was an incredible event to be a part of. The other event that was wonderful for us was the Opus Prize — the awards ceremony. Georgetown hosted a million-dollar prize that was given to an unsung hero, who could be from any faith tradition. This year’s winner was Sakena Yacoobi, who runs a variety of programs for women and children in Afghanistan. So, both of those were fun events that brought a lot of great people to campus for some really important and interesting dialogues. 

What challenges do you face while doing your job?
I guess the challenging — but also exciting — part of my job is that it can change from hour-to-hour or day-to-day. So, I might be doing news and social media in the morning and then switch quickly over to an event and then switch to a meeting with a professor and then go back to another evening event. So, it keeps me on my toes, but that’s also a fun part of the job because there are so many interesting things happening at the center as well as on campus.

How have you seen the Berkley Center grow in the past two years you’ve been here?
The center continues to grow a lot under Tom Banchoff’s leadership, who is still director of the center and now also vice president for global engagement at the university. We have added some new members of faculty who are working on all sorts of exciting projects like The Catholic Church and the World. We’re doing some more on Islam and world politics, more on religion and culture with Paul Elie. So, the topics that the center covers at its core are still the same, but we continue to expand and continue to have more discussions and dialogues and events with people, which is really exciting. 

What do you think you would be doing if you weren’t working at the Berkley Center?
I always hope to be somehow involved with world affairs and communications. I would love to be a spokesperson or work in communications for an international-aid agency, helping at the site of natural or man-made disasters.

Other than work, what interests you?
I love to travel and had the opportunity to go to Japan and Thailand in the last year. I enjoy running. And I’m trying to pick up the ukulele. 

What’s your favorite Washington, D.C. running spot?
I love to run through Rock Creek Park.

Interview by Ian Tice