From small-town Junction City, Kansas, to nose guard of Washburn University football team, Elijah Clarke-Boyd, a sophomore majoring in finance and accounting shows pure determination and accountability both on and off the field.
“His greatest quality would probably be his time management,” said Leahna Barber, sophomore radiologic technology major and former high school classmate of Clarke-Boyd.
This is just one testament of many to Clarke-Boyd’s hard working spirit. From debate team to a part-time job as a waiter, to jazz band and football, Clarke-Boyd stays busy while still maintaining a 3.0 GPA and attending practices three times a week.
Not only does Clarke-Boyd excel on the field, but he is also a personable and kind peer to those around him.
Despite only meeting Clarke-Boyd within the past year, Garrett Ross, junior business and marketing major, considers him a good friend.
“He’s pretty cool. He’s easy to talk to. Even when you don’t know him you don’t feel very awkward [around him],” Ross said.
Clarke-Boyd’s home life is what he attests to his ability to connect with his team and those around him. He comes from a family of five. His mother, Karina Clarke, works in human resources while his father, Marcus Boyd, is a cook at Stacy’s, a local diner in Junction City. He has two younger brothers, Angel and Rashad, who are both attending Junction City High School in their freshman and sophomore years, respectively.
When he’s not on the field, he enjoys filling his time with hobbies and spending time with friends.
“My favorite thing to do is watch anime, ‘One Piece’ is probably my favorite,” Clarke-Boyd said.
Clarke-Boyd shared that he’s proud of himself in the past years for being able to play collegiate football.
“I’m most proud of making it here and playing football,” Clarke-Boyd said. “[Because] a lot of people will never be able to. It’s just a blessing to be able to play at this level.”
Most of the time Clarke-Boyd can be found on the football field or attending the meetings of Washburn’s Black Student Union on campus.
Edited by Morgan Albrecht and Jayme Thompson
