A Winning Combination
Track & Field and an Embry‑Riddle Education
Makenna Pringle
Georgia native Ta'Leah Adams (’23) recently graduated from Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University with her Master of Business Administration in Aviation with a Human Resources specialization — a step toward her dream of becoming an HR expert who leads in the field.
Track & Field at Embry‑Riddle
After her time as a student-athlete was unexpectedly cut short by the rise of COVID-19 and having already completed her undergraduate degree, Adams was keen to remain involved with collegiate track and field in any way possible.
When she started her master’s degree at Embry‑Riddle, an opportunity arose. She reached out to Embry‑Riddle's Track and Field team about the possibility of coaching and discovered she was still eligible to compete in college athletics due to the years lost to the pandemic.
“I ended up coming and being an athlete for Embry‑Riddle Daytona Beach... I was number five in the nation, in the hammer throw, the entire time. That was probably the most successful season I've ever had in my entire career,” she beamed.
Adams went on to offer advice to other student-athletes, emphasizing the importance of resilience and persevering through challenging times.
“The biggest thing is to just keep going. I didn't think that I would ever find myself as a graduate from Embry‑Riddle, from a school like this,” she said. “I never thought I would even be here. So, I think my advice is to just be courageous and always keep going.”
Master of Business Administration in Aviation
After competing for two years, Adams dedicated her time to completing her master’s degree.
She was drawn to Embry‑Riddle's Master of Business Administration in Aviation program because it provided a niche focus on aviation, allowed her to specialize in HR and included risk management elements in the curriculum. These factors aligned perfectly with her goal of becoming an HR expert.
“I enjoyed my time here at Embry‑Riddle. It was really fun at Worldwide. Usually when people do online stuff, it's like you don't meet people, you don't get to network” she said. “I was able to do all of that and meet so many different people with how the Worldwide master's program is run. I was able to meet many people via Zoom and to do a lot to make great connections.”
Adams cites her inspiration as coming from within her own goals and desires.
“What inspires me is just continuous success. I'm always kind of looking for something else; to take the next step, thinking how I am going to get through that next step,” she shared. “Right now, I’m just infatuated with the ideas of what am I going to do next and how am I going to be great at it?”
Finding Her Future
The experiences Adams had in collegiate athletics, from team building to mastering coachability to learning invaluable leadership skills, are also powerful assets that give her a competitive edge in the job market.
Armed with a top-tier education and the motivation to keep moving up and onward, Adams is currently interviewing for HR positions at various commercial aviation companies. As she searches for her place in the industry, she keeps a particular quote from Steve Jobs in mind:
"Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know it when you find it."