Julie Clifford Taylor Endowment for Band and Tuition Assistance

Julie Clifford Taylor was born in Youngstown, Ohio on March 17, 1959 (St. Patrick’s Day) to Teresa Ann Loney and Charles F. Clifford, Jr. She attended St. Teresa Grade School in Lincoln and graduated from Pius X High School in 1977. Her siblings are all Pius X graduates: Marianne Clifford Upton ’72; Charles F. Clifford III ’74; and Carol Clifford Jenkins ’80.

In 1981, Julie graduated from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, and then went on to work for CBS Television in Minneapolis, Minn. She married Michael J. Taylor in 1989 and from this union was born three daughters: Emily Catherine, Carolyn Nichole and Amanda Margaret. Julie was an active parishioner of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church and was a “Super Soccer Mom” for her daughters on Texas state championship teams. As a full-time loving and caring mother, she committed her life to family and raising her three daughters. She loved volunteering at St. Anthony’s School, field trips, Girl Scouts and cooking for anyone in need.

The Julie Clifford Taylor Endowment for Band and Tuition Assistance was established in 2014 by Julie’s father, Charles F. Clifford, to assist the Pius X Band Department and to provide tuition assistance for a Pius X student from St. Teresa parish.

Excerpts from student thank you letters

“I cannot thank you enough for the scholarship money you have granted me towards my education at Pius X High School. I am so blessed to have access to a school that invigorates and edifies my faith while providing excellent academics.

I enjoy how fun, helpful and engaging my teachers are…My journey through high school is going by so quickly. I particularly enjoyed art class last year. I felt right at home because I draw and paint in my spare time at home. I also enjoy playing guitar and piano as well. I also love the natural world. I want to pursue conservation and biology in college.

For now I work part time as a server at [a Lincoln retirement home]. With your generosity, I am closer to achieving my homes and dreams.”

– Recipient of the Julie Clifford Taylor Scholarship

“Thank you so much for honoring [Julie Clifford Taylor] with this scholarship. I am grateful and humbled to be chosen to receive it….I am the youngest in my family and I have 3 siblings that are Pius X alumni. It has always been important to my parents that we receive a Catholic education. My parents have both worked very hard and made sacrifices to make that happen. Music is very important in my mom’s family. [Two of my relatives are in a band]…They both play multiple instruments.

I have enjoyed my Pius X experiences and look forward to [the remaining years of high school]. Being able to study and practice my faith at school every day with other students and teachers that are doing the same is a blessing and I don’t take that for granted. My favorite classes are math and theology. I am not sure yet what I will study in college, but it will most likely be something math focused. Maybe I can play in a college band too.

I am on the drum line at Pius and my goal is to play the snare drum this year for marching band. I love being a part of the drum line. We are really close friends and basically a family. We have drum line parties for Christmas and hang out after games and practices….Everyone strives to be better and push each other to work harder…

When I was [very young] I was diagnosed with [a medical condition that needed many treatments at the hospital], making it more difficult for my parents to afford a Catholic education. This scholarship will help so much and means a lot to me…”

– Recipient of the Julie Clifford Taylor Scholarship