As the crowd roars with excitement in Sanford Stadium, Baylie Jade Phillips’ baton arcs through the air. On game day, she leads the majorettes through Dawg Walk performances, pregame sideline routines, and halftime shows. But for the future pharmacist, twirling is just one of her passions.
A baton twirler since she was 2 years old, she always told her mom she wanted to be a UGA majorette. She looked up to the majorette line for their talent and the legacy they represented. Now she’s living that dream while pursuing her degree.
“I’ve learned that you don’t have to choose between your passions,” she says. “It lights a spark in me. I’m going to go out there and do it.”
Creating core memories
As captain of the majorettes, Phillips is a mentor for the team. It’s unusual for graduate and professional students to be part of the majorettes due to the time commitment, and she takes her leadership role seriously. For younger teammates especially, she regularly calls, texts, and meets with them outside of practice to help them learn the routines.
“I was in their shoes a few years ago, so I want to make sure that everyone feels like they’re ready to walk out on that field,” she says.
Her proudest moments as a majorette are when young girls walk up to the team to ask for a photo, an autograph, or to watch them practice. Every time it happens, it’s a reminder to Phillips of her own story.
Phillips was 8 when she first had the chance to perform with the UGA majorettes at Junior Auxiliary Day, an annual event for young twirlers to shadow the majorettes for a day. From learning the routine to performing at halftime, the experience planted a core memory that she’s delighted to recreate for the next generation of twirlers.
Phillips has been teaching baton since she was a teenager and credits the experience for developing many of her leadership skills. Whether she’s mentoring young twirlers or helping future patients, she’s passionate about helping others reach their potential.
A different kind of practice
Off the field, Phillips balances her role in the majorettes with a full course load at the College of Pharmacy. Her typical day includes rigorous classes from morning to afternoon, followed by practice in the evenings, and studying in the library until bedtime. Rather than feeling overwhelmed, she finds that the schedule keeps her motivated.
“If you’re ever doubting yourself or wondering whether you’re putting too much pressure on yourself, you just need to remember your why,” she says.
“If you’re ever doubting yourself or wondering whether you’re putting too much pressure on yourself, you just need to remember your why.”
Her “why” came from watching her grandfather be hospitalized when she was in college. An undergraduate nursing major at the time, Phillips knew she wanted to work in health care, but as she researched the medicines being given to her grandfather, pharmacy piqued her interest. She changed course to complete pre-pharmacy classes at a technical college and was accepted to UGA’s Doctor of Pharmacy program.
After graduation and residency, Phillips’s goal is to work as a pediatric pharmacist in a hospital.
“Kids are a population that can’t speak for themselves, and I want to be an advocate for them,” she says.
From performing between the hedges to studying for pharmacy exams, Phillips never stops pushing for excellence. It’s a mindset that connects all aspects of her life at UGA.
