By Iris Serrano
Photos by Kimberly Coffin (CritMedia, StratComm’18)

Programming is more than ones and zeros for Elijah Boykoff.

The blend of technical and social skills his information science major provides helped Boykoff discover his passion for his studies.

“My first info coding class challenged me greatly, but the satisfaction I felt from solving coding errors was like putting in the last piece of a 1,000-piece puzzle,” Boykoff said. “It was an academic rush I'd never felt before.”

He will graduate as the William W. White Outstanding Senior for the Department of Information Science, having been chosen for the honor by CMCI faculty in recognition of his academic accomplishments, professional achievements and service to the college. He earns his bachelor’s degree summa cum laude for successfully defending his honors thesis, in which he observed institutionalized racism among soccer players in the English Premier League to explore how the experiences of minority athletes have changed in the last five years.

That project was especially meaningful to Boykoff, as he hopes to eventually work in data analytics for professional sports teams. For now, he’ll spend the next year completing his accelerated master's degree, also in information science.

What was more impactful than the work itself were the relationships he created in the past four years. Like his classmates, Boykoff’s CU Boulder experience began fully remote, with classes, club meetings and other interactions taking place virtually. But he pushed himself to connect with his classmates and build relationships with faculty despite being behind a screen.

“Professors are people, just like us. If you can resonate with your professors on a deeper level, you will be much more enriched by the knowledge they have to share,” Boykoff said.

Those connections made him feel like there was always someone in his corner.

“At CU, I've learned numerous technical skills—but most importantly, I've learned what it means to be part of a collective,” he said.