Scholar Stories: Grad Student Rooks Brings Positivity, Energy to Classroom, Court
2/20/2019 12:47:00 PM | Women's Basketball, Features
Continuing the popular series that began in 2016-17, each Wednesday MGoBlue.com will highlight a Michigan student-athlete and their academic pursuits. These are our Scholar-Athlete Stories, presented by Prairie Farms.
By Steve Kornacki
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Taylor Rooks has gone from Stanford to Harvard to the University of Michigan, studying and earning degrees at the nation's top institutions of higher education while playing basketball at all three.
"It's funny because I try to reflect on doing that," said Rooks, who is pursuing a one-year Master of Management degree in the Ross School of Business as a graduate transfer. "I come here with a different perspective. I played in California in the Pac 12. I played in the Ivy League, and now I'm playing in the Big Ten in the Midwest.
"Every coach had a different style. Each conference has been very different. It's all really given me a wider perspective not only in college athletics, but in academics. I'm just grateful to have that. Nobody's been able to say that they've been as many places as I've been. I'm thankful to have been each place, learned how to balance each of these unique schools and learned a lot."
Rooks averaged 12.5 points and 7.3 rebounds last season as a senior at Harvard, where she earned a degree in economics.
She secured a full-time position at Credit Suisse on Madison Avenue through an internship, but wanted the post-graduate degree and an opportunity to play one more season for the Wolverines.
"This program here really allows me to get that business acumen," said Rooks, "and get used to Excel, which is huge. This experience is going to help me in all the years that I go on with my career."
Wolverines head coach Kim Barnes Arico had Rooks in her basketball camps while coaching St. John's, and eventually recruited her to play at Michigan. Rooks chose Stanford before transferring after one year to Harvard, but the coach and player eventually got together when Barnes Arico learned Rooks wanted to pursue a post-graduate degree.Â
"She's in the Ross School of Management and comes to practices with fire and energy every day," said Barnes Arico. "She just puts a smile on my face every day, and I'm so happy that she's a part of our program.
"People don't see it in minutes or the box score, but what she's brought this year is invaluable. She's a positive spirit, is confident and keeps people engaged. She tries to coach up the younger kids. She's going to be successful in whatever she does in life. She's a complete energy giver. You just want to be around her. You gravitate to her."
Rooks, a 6-foot swing player, has played in only 11 games this season, scoring five points with 10 rebounds, three assists and one steal. It's not easy to bring it hard in practice when game minutes aren't coming in your final collegiate season, but Rooks brings it.
"I love having her around," added Barnes Arico. "She's left her impact on our team. In the locker room, she is respected by everyone and everyone loves having her a part of our program."
The feeling is mutual for Rooks.
"I love it," said Rooks. "This year has been so much fun. It's been a roller coaster in terms of all the teams we've been playing, and traveling and seeing all the Midwest schools I haven't been to. And playing with the team for Coach Arico, I'm so thankful to be a part of all this.
"It's one thing to play in the Big Ten, but it's another thing to play at Michigan. There's a lot of pride and it's a very cool experience. People told me when I went to Harvard, 'That's really cool.' On Michigan, they say, 'That's awesome.'"
What's the most important thing she's gotten out of Ross?
"It sounds corny," said Rooks, "but it's the connections with people, the professors. Even though I've already accepted a job, all the networking events Ross has gets me connected with a lot of different people from a lot of different fields. It's expanded my own personal network, and the Michigan network is huge and invaluable.
"When I was in the (Credit Suisse) offices this summer and they knew I was coming here, another employee who went here 20 years ago said, 'Go Blue!' That just doesn't happen everywhere."
John Branch's marketing class has made an impact.
"Marketing is not a field I see myself going into," said Rooks, "but marketing is sales, and he taught the course and made it engaging. It was invaluable because I've taken what I learned in that class and applied it to every single class I've taken since."
Rooks attended Gill St. Bernard, a private prep school in Gladstone, New Jersey, and blossomed there. She was a Parade All-American, a two-time New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year, and averaged 23.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2.8 steals and 1.9 blocks as a senior.
"I am just so thankful I went to Gill," said Rooks. "The student-teacher dynamic was very much like college, and I graduated in a class with 64 or 66 students. My classes usually had 10 in them and I took independent study courses with some professors. I took eight AP (advanced placement) classes just so I'd be prepared, and it helped me out a lot."
Her family also prepared her well. Both her father, George Rooks, and grandfather played in the NFL before becoming business successes. Dad was the Big East's Co-Defensive Player of the Year in 1991, started four years at left tackle, and played briefly for the New York Giants. Her younger brothers are accomplished high school football players.
Her maternal grandfather, Ammon "Bob" Barksdale, twice won the high jump at the Penn Relays and pioneered a sideway-backward jumping style that became known as the "Barky Roll." He appeared destined for the Olympics until a hamstring injury ended that pursuit.
She credits both Dad and Mom, Talayia Brooks, for their nurturing and support.
"I don't want to say it's family pressure," said Rooks, "but it's almost an expectation to excel in some way, shape or form. I wanted to follow in my dad's footsteps. I'm just trying to do my part."
Rooks visited Michigan, Stanford, Princeton and Harvard.
"It's funny how I ended up going to three of them," she said.
She chose Palo Alto, but left after playing in 12 games with 0.8 points and 0.6 rebounds per game.
"Stanford was great," said Rooks, "and it allowed me to put into practice what I did at high school. But at the same time, there were certain summer basketball commitments. And my goal necessarily wasn't to play professionally. For several of my teammates, that was their goal.
"For me, getting into banking and finance, it would be easier for me to have extended summer internships. I wasn't going to be able to get that at Stanford. Harvard gave you your entire summers off to do those types of internships."
She interned at Northwestern Mutual in Boston and became a licensed life, accident and health insurance sales agent. She went to client meetings. Her next internship was at Credit Suisse in Manhattan, where she got into its gold market sales and trading division.
"I got an offer from Credit Suisse to come back and work full time," said Rooks, "and that's what I'll do after I graduate." Â
 Barnes Arico has known Rooks for 10 years.
"When she committed to Stanford and then transferred to Harvard," said Barnes Arico, "I always followed her career. She comes from a tremendous family. Her parents are outstanding people.
"When she had that fifth year available and was looking for somewhere to go to grad school, I immediately was interested because I knew what kind of person Taylor was – whether or not she had an impact on the basketball court (in games). I knew the attributes she would bring. She's an incredible woman who is driven in everything she does and brings a spirit to our practices each and every day."
How's she managed to make it all work?
"I think I'm very efficient with my time," said Rooks. "There are windows of time early in the morning, between classes or late at night that I try to utilize to get ahead of schedule.
"I'm so thankful. All of my college experiences have led me on a very winding path to where I'm at. But I'm glad it's happened the way it's happened."
