Dr. Jocelyn Elliott is a shining example of the greatness that departs from the halls of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore during commencement season.
After a decade on this campus, she became a three-time graduate of this historically Black institution after walking across the stage and being hooded for her Ph.D. in food and agricultural sciences Friday.
Although originally interested in pre-vet studies when she arrived as a freshman in 2012, she earned her bachelor’s degree in general agriculture and her master’s degree in food and agricultural sciences. “I love animals but I have worked with goats, cows, and chickens,” she said about her farm experience at UMES.
“I was just the person in the background and went to being the voice of graduate students, getting married, having a newborn. Being at UMES taught me how to multitask and be successful,” Elliott said about the impact of her UMES experience.
“It taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to doing, don’t sell yourself short, and to be a good example for my daughter. It was hard, there were tears.”
The 28-year-old is the Graduate Student President of the Student Government Association. In this role, she was involved the increase of graduate student stipends, printing assistance for graduate students, and improving the experience inside and outside of the classroom for graduate students.
Her educational journey wasn’t without challenges as she gave birth to her daughter in spring of 2020 and she survived a car accident in 2021, which resulted in her being diagnosed with occipital neuralgia (severe migraine from a pinched nerve in the neck and herniated disc in her lower back) for which she continues physical therapy and wears a back brace.
There was good along the way as she met her husband, Javier Elliott as a sophomore and they married in 2020.
“I learned to be resilient, the importance of hard work and dedication, and to be passionate about the ecosystem, the pesticides used on our foods, and to find a better and safer way to produce food for the growing population,” Elliott said about her experience and studies at UMES.
Elliott earned her Ph.D. studying food science by concentration on plant science (corn earworm and sweet corn plant). She studied the effects of specific bacteria on the corn earworm to keep it from destroying the sweet corn plant so it can grow.
She gave advice to those considering UMES for their educational pursuits saying, ”UMES has the right tools for everyone. Keep your options open because everything may not turn out as you planned. Always believe in yourself. Take this experience and your classes seriously.”
The Long Island, N.Y. native’s goal is to pursue more research in her field as there is more she wants to do. Elliott is the youngest of three children, she has two older brothers.
By Tahja Cropper
