“Don’t be afraid to be passionate about what you are passionate about!” - Elle Chavis, ‘27
Elle Chavis, a native of Dallas, TX, is a second-year Duke English major and Robertson Scholar. Chavis has always loved reading and writing, which ties into her desire to pursue a career in sports journalism. Chavis is a sports reporter for the Duke Chronicle covering softball, women's basketball, and women's soccer.
Chavis recently sat down with me to discuss her experience as a Robertson Scholar and Duke English major.
How did you become a Robertson Scholar? Please tell us about the program.
Chavis applied to Duke University for early decision and is a Duke Robertson student, meaning Duke is her base school. As a Robertson Scholar, she has dual enrollment at Duke and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), viewed as her sister school. During the Spring of a Robertson Scholar's first year, cohort members take a "Colloquium" course on ethics and leadership. The teaching of this course is divided equally between the two universities, with the first half taught at UNC and the second half at Duke. Robertson Scholars are also required to take five courses at their secondary institution. Chavis explained that scholars must take most of their major courses at their primary institution. She can only take two courses toward her minor in Journalism and Media at UNC's Hussman School of Journalism. The program requires that she reside at UNC this Spring, 2025.
The Robertson Scholars Leadership Program strives to help create leaders of tomorrow who make transformative contributions to the world. The late Julian H. Robertson, Jr., a North Carolina native and UNC-Chapel Hill alum, and his wife, Josie, founded the program to develop a collaboration between Duke and the University of North Carolina to provide one of the best educational opportunities possible.
Why did you choose English as your major?
Chavis shared that English has always been one of her passions, and she loved the course she took with Professor Michael D'Alessandro during her first year at Duke. In this course, Professor D’Alessandro made the subject of English interesting by breaking the stereotypes surrounding it. His class illustrated that studying English goes beyond reading Shakespeare and can include other genres and mediums, like film, by proving how they are all related.
What have been some of your favorite college courses?
The "Shakespeare" course at UNC taught by Professor Mary-Floyd Wilson taken during the Fall of 2024 is one of her favorites. Chavis said this course built on her love for Shakespeare and allowed her to reminisce about the acting she did before college. Professor D'Alessandro's "Modern American Drama," also taken during the Fall of 2024, is her favorite course at Duke to date. She shared that one of the commonalities both courses have is that they require reading plays, which keeps her love for the theatre near and dear to her and takes her back to when it was a much bigger part of her life.
This Spring, Chavis is excited to be taking "The Black Press and US History," taught by Professor Trevy McDonald at UNC.
"I have particularly enjoyed learning how much African American women played a role in founding the Black Press. Whether that be Ida B. Wells taking a stand and writing against Southern lynching despite death threats or Mary Ann Shadd Cary, who was the first black woman publisher in North America, Black women have been at the forefront of the press for centuries and as an aspiring journalism professional myself that makes me very proud and excited for my own future.”
What is your favorite play?
She could not name just one. After Juliet by Scottish playwright Sharma Macdonald is her favorite play that she performed. The Piano Lesson by American playwright August Wilson, which she read in "Modern American Drama," is the play she enjoyed reading the most. The Mountaintop by American playwright Katori Hall is the play she most enjoyed seeing live.
Do you have any general advice for a student at either university?
Do you have any advice for those interested in applying for the Robertson Scholarship?
