ATLANTA, GA -
Andre Elam wants to be known as more than just a basketball player. It is written into the bio on his Twitter account, where you can find "It's bigger than basketball". As his college career winds down, Elam is flourishing off the court and preparing for what's next in his life. After graduating South Georgia College, a junior college in Waycross, GA, Elam continued his education and enrolled at Florida Southern State College, where he now studies computer science. While he has developed an exceptional work ethic, Elam believes there is always room to learn more. He has shown that he is not afraid to take risks. I sat down recently with Andre to talk about basketball, education, and his roll as a father.
Q: Why Florida Southern? How did this relationship with the school come about?
A: Last year when the season was about to end, I started to look at some of the things I wanted to do for the summer, and one of those things were to educate myself a little bit more in computer science. A friend of mine, Jared Gordon, went to this course at FSC and told me about it. He sent me the book of the professor and told me I should read it, and if I liked it, it should be something I look into.
Q: You received your first degree in criminal justice. When did your mindset change? Was there a specific time when things just clicked for you?
A: Well, after graduating SGSC I was confused about what school I wanted to attend, let alone what I wanted for a major. I have a son now, so I had to grow up a little faster. I had to start looking at my financials differently. I've had some injuries in the past couple of years which made me think, "what if I don't have basketball".
Q: What is some advice you would give young guys like yourself trying to find their way?
A: The biggest thing is to work at what interests you. Don't do a lot of things because of the dollar amount in the end. First of all, find something to that YOU are interested in. You have to make sure you have people you trust in your corner, because this athletic lifestyle does get a bit overwhelming. Just enjoy it, and that's why you need to find something that is authentic to you.