Q: How did you choose to attend Harding University and how did you pick your major?
A: When I visited Harding, the head of the communications department dropped everything he was doing and took me on a tour. That was the main thing, I felt at home and I wouldn’t change a thing.

I decided that I wanted to do web design. The reason I chose interactive media, which was my major, is because it was something that intrigued me and that I enjoyed.

Q: What have you been up to since graduation?
A: When I graduated, I worked as a graphic designer for a bank in Arkansas for about a year. Then I started doing freelance web development. I was offered a fulltime job in 2007, and now I’m a web developer for Vital Source. We work with electronic books for higher education, and I love it.

Q: What did your ENF scholarship mean to you?
A: Everything. It allowed me to focus on the things that I enjoyed most in school because I didn’t have the same responsibilities I would’ve had if I didn’t have the scholarship. My family didn’t have a whole bunch of money. We had five kids, so it was hard for mom and dad to commit to paying for college—that was something we had to do on our own. Not having to worry about the financial concerns because of the Elks was huge. I feel blessed because of it and it really allowed me to get to where I am today.

Q: What was your favorite memory from attending the Elks Convention?
A: It was in Reno, and we would walk in and out of the lobby where people always wanted to chat, so I had some very enjoyable conversations.

Q: What does being an Elks scholar mean to you?
A: Click here to watch a video of Philip discussing what being an Elks scholar means to him.

Q: What advice do you have for other Elks scholars?
A: Take advantage of what you have right now because the opportunities that you’ll be presented with through the connections you make in college are unlike anything else. Don’t waste the opportunity to further dreams and hopes that you have.

Q: What is an interesting fact about you that most people would find surprising or unexpected?
A: I make music—some serious some not so serious. I have a band, which is just myself called the PhilHarmonic, and a friend and I have another band called the Merry Gentleman’s Club. We just record Christmas music.