Dylan Taylor has been enthusiastic about travel since he was a young child.
And now, the St. Clair College Tourism - Travel program graduate has earned some pedigree to back up his passion for travel and golf.
Taylor was recently profiled in Travel Courier Magazine's list of 2025 Baxter Student Ambassadors (Travel Courier-CA), alongside 17 other students who graduated from similar College programs across Ontario.
Dylan Taylor poses for a photo at Mettawas Station Mediterranean Restaurant in Kingsville, Ont. on April 3, 2025. which appeared in Travel Courier Magazine's Baxter Student Ambassador Program profiles. (Dylan Taylor/St. Clair College)
"I've always enjoyed history and geography, and I've been fortunate to travel quite a bit as a kid and young adult," said Taylor. "I loved exploring new places, learning about different cultures, and seeing how geography and history shape the world."
"Even though I never expected to study it in school, those experiences stuck with me and eventually, I realized that travel and tourism was the perfect fit," he said.
Every year, one Baxter Student Ambassador is selected to represent each College, and the successful student-ambassadors are awarded with a prize package which supports the launch of their careers as they graduate and begin job hunting.
"We are proud to support the Baxter Student Ambassadors and look forward to their thriving careers and contributions to the industry," said Mitchell McClung, publisher of Travel Courier.
The prize package includes a $500 bursary, a certificate of achievement and ambassador distinction on their resumes and social media.
"Being featured in this magazine also means a lot because it could open doors beyond just golf. It's a way to get my name out there in the broader tourism industry," Taylor said. "Maybe someone reads it and sees potential in me for a role I hadn't even considered yet. This feature could be the start of something really exciting."
According to Taylor, the most appealing aspect of the recognition is mentorship with an industry professional who is hand-selected according to his unique career goals.
"I've been matched with two mentors who are both working in the tourism industry, specifically in golf, which is perfect for where I see myself heading," Taylor said. "I definitely see a future in selling travel within the golf industry, so having mentors with experience in that space helps make what used to feel like an unclear path much more achievable."
Taylor completed his studies at St. Clair College during the Winter 2025 semester and has already found employment that will help him toward his career goals. He's working at Essex Golf and Country Club and is in the process of becoming a PGA of Canada Golf Apprentice Professional. His short-term goal is to work toward earning his Class A membership, getting his Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) certification and grow his golf instruction business.
"As things progress, I plan to apply what I've learned from Event Management, Sales, and Social Media Marketing to further develop my career in the golf and tourism industry," said Taylor.
"The students who are awarded the Baxter Student Ambassador distinction will have an amazing head start on their industry chosen careers with the assistance of this program," said Stephanie Middleton, the program Coordinator for Tourism-Travel at St. Clair College. "To have our students participate and be recognized for their passion for the tourism industry is something that we hope to make an annual tradition within our program."
"Goals are great to have but sometimes hard to achieve without the proper support and coaching after graduation," said Prof. Middleton. "We provide that support and coaching while they are in school but to have that mentorship when school is done will be crucial to his overall success."
Taylor is highly active on social media to help market his golfing exploits, a marketing tool he utilizes to help attract new audiences and followers. You can check out his Instagram and TikTok pages here.
"Our team is very proud of Dylan and his accomplishments, and we have no doubt that Dylan will use the resources he has earned to do great things - on and off the course," Prof. Middleton said.
You can check out the full Travel Courier publication here, and Dylan Taylor's profile is on page 44.
