Taylor Nishimura '20 Takes Her Business Degree Into the Fast Lane

Taylor NishimuraFrom internship to manager in training, Taylor Nishimura '20 has glided from one to the next like a driver accelerating into a higher gear.

Nishimura got her internship with Enterprise Rent-a-Car while she was still at Pacific University, majoring in business with a concentration in marketing. She has finished the management trainee phase of her work at Enterprise’s Hillsboro, Ore., branch, and she is preparing to take a corporate test that will let her advance become an assistant manager.

The internship gave her a head start.

“It was a preview of the duties that management trainees learn,” she said. “I am so thankful for my internship because it brought me on this journey of endless opportunities.” 

When deciding what college to attend, softball and an exercise science program were priorities for Nishimura, because at the time she wanted to be a physical therapist. Originally from Hilo, Hawai'i, she also focused on West Coast schools to stay closer to home. She knew family and friends who had attended Pacific and had positive experiences at the school. A trip to Oregon for a softball tournament got her thinking more seriously about attending Pacific. 

“It was breathtaking,” she recalls fondly about visiting Pacific. “There were so many students from Hawai'i on campus … I had a feeling that this was the school for me.” While touring the campus, she also met with softball coach, Liz Yandall. 

Taylor Nishimura Studying As a student, Nishimura transitioned to a business major. She chose to concentrate in marketing because it combined her desire to be creative and enjoyed leveraging technology to advertise. 

“Marketing is more than just advertising. Advertising is just a fraction of what marketers do,” she said. “They also analyze performance by monitoring where customers are dropping off in the conversion funnel to improve.” 

Nishimura found the real value of a Pacific University education within the faculty. 

“My professors helped me understand the course context a lot more than just reading the textbook. Classes are very interactive, and I was constantly challenged by the material.”

On campus, Nishimura was an active member of Nā Haumāna O Hawai‘i, where she performed in the Lū‘au. She also participated in NCAA Division III athletics as a softball team member. She credits faculty for helping her balance business school and extra-curricular activities. “They understood that I might miss a class or two for softball, and allowed me to take a missed quiz/test in other ways." 

As with her peers, Nishimura’s final year at Pacific was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But the internship with Enterprise helped her move easily into her career.
Moving forward Nishimura would like to pursue a career in the travel industry — specifically in the airline industry, “for their employee benefits. My main goal is to be able to travel,” she said.

At Pacific, “the four years flew by,” she said. Even with the cold winters, leaving home, and the sudden changes due to the pandemic, Nishimura says she wouldn’t change a thing.

Nishimura has already started to give back to undergraduate students by participating in Placement Services workshops offered by the College of Business.

If you're interested in joining the College of Business, connect with Director of Admissions Ryan P. Garcia for more information.

Monday, Nov. 16, 2020