She came to the University of Dayton for the community and left with her dream job in hand. Through hands-on projects, real client work, and the support of faculty and peers who believed in her, senior marketing student Taylor Olsen turned challenges into confidence and accepted her dream role as a brand specialist sales professional at IBM’s Chicago office before graduation. The path there, however, was anything but easy.
Finding her path through experience
Like many college students, Olsen wrestled with finding the right major. After starting in a different program, she found her footing through Pi Sigma Epsilon (PSE), a sales and marketing business fraternity affiliated with the Fiore Talarico Center for Professional Selling, a practice-based, state-of-the-art sales lab.
There, learning was hands-on from day one. Through role-plays, mock interviews and live sales calls with sales experts from its corporate partners, Olsen developed skills alongside upperclass students, faculty and professionals who coached and mentored her. Those experiences sparked a passion for IT sales and led her to add minors in business analytics and insight selling alongside her marketing major.
Resilience built through real-world challenges
Olsen had her future in sight, but her turning point didn’t come from a win; it came from a tough loss.
In Fall 2024, she competed in UD’s Flyer Sales Challenge and didn’t perform as she had hoped, falling short of the top 20 after working toward a win, which ultimately prevented her from being placed on a competition team her junior year.
“That loss was something that obviously hit me close to the heart,” she said, “But I can’t dwell in a bad moment. I need to look at those opportunities to learn from them. What did I do wrong? What could I have done differently?”
Instead of letting the moment define her, Olsen used it to grow. She reflected, adjusted, kept practicing and returned stronger.
- Flyer Sales Challenge, 2025 (Dayton): Placed first among 45 students in an internal sales competition with Crown Equipment Corporation; open to all students trained in the University of Dayton sales process.
- National Collegiate Sales Competition, 2026 (Kennesaw, Ga.): Selected as one of two students to represent UD at its premier external sales competition at Kennesaw State University (Upcoming March 6- 9, 2026).
That mindset carried into her first internship interviews. When applying to Gartner, Olsen didn’t hide her setbacks. She embraced them, showing employers what they value most: coachability, grit, growth and perseverance.
After successfully securing her internship at Gartner, her interest in IT sales deepened as she sat in on calls with analysts and tech startups, learning why founders launched their companies and what they hoped to build. Beyond developing her sales skills, she strengthened her professional confidence.
“I developed a stronger work ethic and a higher standard of personal accountability,” said Olsen. “Being an intern, I went beyond a support role by proactively conducting research and delivering insights that strengthened the sales team’s effectiveness.”
The result: A dream job, earned the UD way
With internship experience and continued growth through PSE, Olsen began preparing for life after graduation. One goal stood out: landing a full-time position at IBM.
“This truly has been my dream job and company that I’ve been wanting to work for over the past couple of years, and I’ve been striving for this,” said Olsen. “One of the things that drew me to IBM, is the way that they embrace AI as an opportunity rather than something to fear, using it to help customers operate more efficiently and effectively.”
Her offer didn’t come from a single application. Olsen built relationships by networking with IBM representatives at the UD Career Fair, attending a guest speaker event with IBM CFO James Kavanaugh (UD ’88), and participating in an IBM networking event hosted by the School of Business Administration. Those connections linked her directly to IBM’s Chicago-area network. After advancing through a two-step interview process, she accepted a full-time offer and will begin her role following her May 2026 graduation.
“Just putting through a resume is not what’s going to get you the position,” said Olsen, “It’s showing that you’re willing to go a step further by networking with individuals at that company. This demonstrates genuine interest in being part of the organization and creates opportunities to learn from professionals in your connected network.”
Taylor’s story reflects a broader pattern of success within the School of Business Administration. 99% of SBA graduates secure a full-time position or begin graduate school within six months of graduation, supported by intentional career preparation through the Career Flight Plan.
A community that supports and stays with you
Taylor never navigated college or career preparation alone. She credits her success to a community of faculty, staff, alumni and peers who consistently challenged her and supported her along the way.
“Securing a full-time position is an amazing feeling to have, and I do credit that not only to our sales program, but to the various faculty, staff, and peers who helped motivate me,” said Olsen.
That support inspired her to give back as Vice President of New Member Education for PSE.
“I had the privilege to work with 30 outstanding UD students to teach them the importance of consultative selling and watching them succeed,” said Olsen.
In the role, she guides new members through a nine-week training program focused on developing confidence and professional skills through weekly business-to-business role-playing centered on building rapport, uncovering client needs through strategic questioning, and delivering tailored presentations.
Experiential learning and a deeply invested support system across the university shaped Taylor’s journey, building skills, confidence, resilience and career readiness.
“Going to college is a big decision and at the end of the day, people want to go to places where opportunities are presented, and that was something I didn’t fully know when coming into Dayton. This truly is an incredible community, and everyone here wants to see you succeed, whether that's alumni, peers, faculty - everyone will do what they can. It is by far the best decision I’ve made.”
