JJ Elliott ’25

Growing up, JJ Elliott ’25 had wonderful teachers and faculty who showed him diverse experiences through literature, making him want to see more of that kind of world and share it with others.

“I want to help others use English as a tool for themselves rather than think of it as some immovable and endless subject that no one can ever master,” Elliott said. “Language can be used to experience and understand so many different things, and it’s so interdisciplinary that I believe I will be able to use my degree for more than just teaching.”

Elliott is an English major with a concentration in secondary education, with hopes to possibly teach after his graduation in December 2025. He is thankful for his English studies and believes it has equipped him with a diverse skill set that will translate well into the professional world.

“I think that I have a degree that is more interdisciplinary than some people think because I can teach—which is what I am the most excited for—or do a menagerie of other things,” he said. “I can act as an editor for several different types of text, help compose research into a readable format, or I can work with marketing and media to use language to target a specific audience.”

Through the Watson College of Education, Elliot had opportunities that enabled him to connect with students and fueled his passion for creating a great high school experience for as many students as possible.

“I have had some field work experience with the Watson College of Education because they make sure to not throw you in the deep end before your full-time internship,” said Elliott. “This means that I was put back into high school for three semesters in different contexts to help prepare me for when I would have my own classroom in the future.”

Elliott is a student worker at the Mohin-Scholtz LGBTQIA Resource Center, serving as a center ambassador, and is also an active community member. Elliott, who is also a first-generation college student, is grateful for the supportive communities at UNCW.

“I think that the experience has been a lot about perseverance and finding the resources that are there to support me,” Elliott said.

When Elliott transferred to UNCW, he was excited about being in a bigger, busier environment than he was used to.

“UNCW is somewhere where I can still meet new people on campus. Even after having gone to the school for two years now, there are still so many new faces for me to get to know, and I kind of love that.”