Elke Gill
My name is Elke Gill and I grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. As a kid who was by raised two Tarheel parents, attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was always a dream for me. I am now a sophomore at UNC studying Media and Journalism. I came into college with an undeclared major and took a variety of classes hoping to find a passion. I soon realized I was drawn to media and journalism and the ways it allowed me to explore my creativity. Thinking outside the box has always been my strong suit. My parents, teachers, and mentors a long the way always encouraged me to embrace this gift I had and let it inspire my life. Over the years, I have learned so much about myself by being open-minded to all experiences and opportunities that have shaped who I am today: a journalist, a designer, and an artist.
After taking several courses in history, math, political science, and more throughout my freshman year at UNC, I quickly realized I was not passionate about any of them. I was anxious about finding a major that appealed to me and took introduction classes in various departments. I found myself engaged and interested in my first media and journalism class, so enrolled in a few more. I was able to explore things about myself and my writing while also absorbing so many new skills. The broad range of material these classes offered felt like the perfect fit for me. Now, as a media and journalism major, I have studied advertising and public relations principles, the foundations of writing and reporting, digital storytelling, advertising and public relations research, and more. I am thrilled to continue my studies as a journalist at UNC and carry the skills I am attaining into my career.
My passion for designing began in middle school with jewelry. I was constantly saving allowance to buy rings or bracelets and borrowing my mom’s necklaces. Once I realized this was an expensive habit to uphold as a middle schooler, I decided to make my own jewelry. I started by selling to friends and then via Instagram. I held a trunk show at my house and made over $1,800. In 2020, I began interning for Erin Gray Jewelry Design over the summer and now am doing work full time. I help fill orders by hand-making different styles in bulk. At the end of certain seasons, I am able to get creative and make my own designs for sample sales. I have also attended and worked at the Atlanta Gift and Apparel Mart with the Erin Gray team. Through this experience, I have started to learn about the wholesale and retail side of the business, their social media activity, and their e-commerce platform.
My love for art has been a part of life from as far back as I can remember. Starting as a kid who loved to draw and paint, I spent hours and hours playing with leftover crafts laying around the house. As I got older and spent more time being artistic, my parents created an art studio in my basement where I paint canvases for friends and to hang around the house. However, my favorite skill that I took up was photography. I developed a strong appreciation for beautiful architecture, nature, fashion, and more and channeled that through photographing them.