Franklin College Welcomes Alumna Taylor McElwain ’19 as Director of Belonging and Community
Franklin College has welcomed alumna Taylor McElwain ’19, Ph.D., back to campus as director of belonging and community in the Division of Student Development.
In this role, McElwain supports student engagement, belonging and success while creating opportunities for students to connect with campus life and the surrounding community. Her work also includes an increased focus on community engagement and volunteerism.
For McElwain, the opportunity represents a full-circle return to Franklin. A first-generation college student, she served as a new student mentor and held a work-study position in Student Development — the same division she now serves as a professional.
“It’s so cool how things come full circle,” McElwain said. “The role I am currently in was so niche and aligned exactly with what I was looking for post-Ph.D.”
McElwain said her experience as a Franklin student will help shape her approach to the position, particularly as she works with student leaders and develops opportunities for students to become more engaged with the College and broader community.
“As a student, I did a work-study position in the very same division I am now in as a professional,” McElwain said. “I am so excited to engage FC student leaders and help cultivate them as strong leaders both on and off FC’s campus.”
McElwain also looks forward to building upon the sense of connection she experienced as a student.
Andrew Jones, Ed.D., vice president for student development and dean of students, said McElwain brings a valuable combination of academic and professional experience as well as a firsthand understanding of the Franklin student experience.
“Taylor brings a unique perspective to this role as both an accomplished professional and someone who knows firsthand what it means to be a Franklin student,” Jones said. “Her commitment to helping students build meaningful connections, develop as leaders and engage with the broader community will be an asset to our students and the College.”
Since graduating from Franklin in 2019, McElwain has earned two advanced degrees. She received a Master of Arts in Education in higher education from Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio, in 2021 and a Ph.D. in sociology from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia, in 2026.
She also started a consulting firm serving global technology companies.
McElwain said returning to Franklin after completing her doctorate was an opportunity that arrived at just the right time.
“Fate brought me back,” she said.