May 5, 2001 – Forever 23
David Mykel Taylor
David Mykel Taylor carried himself like someone who already knew what he was becoming. Long curls, wide-brimmed hat, a suit he wore like armor. He moved through the world with the quiet confidence of a man who had been tested and refused to stay broken.
Born in Atlanta on May 5, 2001, David was a student at Georgia State University, Class of 2027. He worked at the GSU bookstore and at the Morehouse and Spelman bookstores, showing up for his community in the most grounded way: present, consistent, dependable. He played the violin and guitar. He gamed. He volunteered. He was in the mix, always.
What David understood, and what most people take years to learn, is that being fractured is not the end of the story. It is the forge. Every setback became material. Every closed door sharpened his focus on the ones still open. He was not defined by what broke him. He was defined by what he built from the pieces.
This scholarship exists to honor that spirit. It is awarded to students who have faced real adversity and chosen to keep building anyway. Students who bring grit, creativity, and purpose to the work of AI and robotics, not because the road was easy, but because they decided it was worth walking. If you carry that same refusal to quit, this program was made with you in mind.