If Carson-Newman College offered an award for enthusiasm, recent graduate Okitta Elliott would have been a likely candidate. The 22-year-old bundle of energy is the most-decorated black student in the history of the Jefferson City, Tenn., school.
With her bachelor's degree in hand, Ms. Elliott said she's heading out into the world to make a difference. Judging by her awards and credentials, she's well on her way.
"It has always been my goal to accomplish what I set out to do," she said. "I put my heart into everything."
Q: You earned multiple awards at Carson-Newman. What do you consider the top honor?
A: There are two top awards that Carson-Newman presents to one male and female senior, the Edward Glover Senior Alumni Award. It is given to students who are loyal to Carson-Newman, exhibit Christ-like character, have noteworthy achievements in college and are friendly. When I received that award, it was a dream come true. On graduation day when they announced my name, I screamed. I cried. The award shows who I am. It shows that I can accomplish what I set out to do.
Q: Why did you chose Carson-Newman?
A: Being at Grace Academy, I knew what it was like being at a small Christian school, and I loved it. I applied only to Christian colleges, and, at the time, I had never heard of Carson-Newman. I'm not really good at writing essays, and when I heard that if you applied to Carson-Newman by a certain date, you didn't have to submit an application, I applied and got accepted. When I was offered an academic scholarship, I thought, 'Why not?' Being at a Christian school was important to me. My mother taught me the importance of service and giving back. I have moral standards and values that I hold to. Everything that I do, I strive to put Christ first.
Q: Now that you have graduated, what's next?
A: I'm going to take a year off to focus on myself, get grounded and do a year of local community service. After that, I will probably get a master's degree and then a doctorate.
Q: Of your many accomplishments during your college years, what would you say is the most important to you?
A: I don't want to pull the 'race' card, but it is hard being a minority student, when we are really culturally different. I've been breaking barriers since high school when I was the only African-America freshman. When I graduated from high school, I was the only African-American to graduate with honors. I was the first minority senator in Carson-Newman's Student Government Association. I was the first African-American nominated for the homecoming court.
Q: Where do you hope to be 10 years from now?
A: I want to be a teacher but not in a school. I want to teach people life skills. I want to work with children. I want to teach fathers how to relate to their children. And I would like to work with felons ... teaching them job-readiness skills to help get them employed when they're released from prison. I want to be an educator and advocator for people. My doctorate will be in counseling and clinical psychology.
DID YOU KNOW?
ABOUT HER
* Name: Okitta Elliott.
* Age: 22.
* Education: 2006 graduate of Grace Academy, Chattanooga; Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Science, Carson-Newman College, 2010
* Among her awards: Dean's List recipient all four years, National Mortar Board Honor Society, Omericon Delta Kappa, Kappa Omicron Nu, the Campus Advocacy Award, the Family and Consumer Science Alumni Award, the Bonner Foundation Award and the Edward Glover Senior Alumni Award.
FAVORITE MOVIES
"Avatar" and "The Lion King."
FAVORITE BOOK
"Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man" by Steve Harvey. "That book will get you a man in five minutes."
SOMETHING PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU
"I have a cylinder tooth; it's round and long. My dentist said he could fix it when I turned 16, but when I turned 16, I was afraid replacing it with another tooth would change my smile. So I have and will always have a cylinder tooth."