At 86, Hurl Taylor remains the oldest graduate at Emory University’s Goizueta School of Business yet, this is not his first time topping the age chart. In 2016, Taylor blew away expectations with an MRPL degree from the Candler School of Theology. Now, he celebrates an MBV degree in Business for Military Veterans as part of the programme’s inaugural cohort.
His academic résumé extends beyond Emory: a JD and master’s in litigation from Emory Law (1985–86), and five other postgraduate degrees from other institutions. “I’ve always been a lifelong learner,” Taylor says, crediting childhood curiosity sparked by reading works like Pride and Prejudice from his mother’s small home library.
Taylor applied his business learning to support veterans, friends, and family in registering businesses, creating business plans, and navigating compliance. The MBV programme appealed deeply because of its veteran cohort. A former Vietnam combat veteran, Taylor found an instant kinship.
“As veterans, we have our own language,” he says, smiling. In class, he and colleagues supported each other both as peers and as brothers-in-arms.
Victoria Johnson, a U.S. Air Force veteran and Taylor’s classmate, says: “I was nervous on day one, but sitting beside Hurl calmed me. His courage after a life of service and struggle put my own doubts in perspective.”
Taylor embraced technology to stay current: “I’d never owned a computer before the MBV.” Between classmates’ tips and his own determination, he learned fast how to navigate digital tools. Associate Dean Ken Keen applauds his tenacity: “He showed us we’re never too old to learn.”
Taylor places equal value on observation and people skills as on coursework. Reading remains central to his life. He follows legal journals and theology, but also reads mysteries and spy fiction for leisure. Ever curious, he absorbs lessons from peers and campus life.
Taylor’s degrees have been more than academic achievements—they’ve shaped his work. As an Emory law graduate, he served as a professor at John Marshall Law School in Atlanta and co-founded a legal aid clinic for homeless veterans. The MRPL deepened his ability to counsel incarcerated youth with faith-sensitive insight: “They asked hard questions. I needed more training to answer.”
Now “semi-retired,” Taylor plans to integrate his MBV skills into business and legal community ventures. He jokes about pursuing nursing next to better care for himself. “If Emory offers something I like,” he says, “you’ll have to keep me away.”
