| Spring 2026 Grad Spotlight |
A dream delayed is not a dream denied. And Spring 2026 graduate Ethan Kelly’s path is a testament to that.
When he crossed the Florida A&M University commencement stage on Saturday, May 2, it represented more than academic achievement. For him, it was a celebration of what happens when a community comes together to help you realize your dreams.
Kelly, a multisport athlete, was not only a standout golfer among Atlanta-area high schoolers; in the state of Georgia, he was recognized as a “first-place finisher.” So, it was no surprise that he was offered scholarships to attend schools with top golf programs.
But shifting NCAA regulations in the COVID-19 aftermath left Kelly unsure about his path in collegiate golf as he prepared for the pros. He had to defer accepting his scholarship opportunities. He was left on hold by his dream schools due to eligibility guidelines that shifted to allow extended access to students who missed opportunities to play in previous years, leaving him searching for another route to realize his dreams.
However, Kelly’s faith and tenacity kept him playing in tournaments as he decided what to do next.
“I really had to lock in on faith and really understand that golf was not my everything. It was a piece of the puzzle of my life that God was putting together,” Kelly said.
His new mindset and decision to refocus and “follow God’s plan” paid off. As he remained focused and undeterred by what felt like someone “pulling the rug out from under him,” HBCU golf coaches were taking notice of Kelly’s situation. During a tournament, a fellow teammate introduced him to Mike Rice, the head men’s golf coach at Florida A&M University.
“The coaches in the HBCU community were encouraging me and telling me I was just too good to stop. They saw that I was hard-working,” Kelly said. “They came together to come up with offers for me to join a team. Coach Rice knew my story, and he invited me to consider FAMU, which was the best place for me because of its standard of excellence.”
Kelly enrolled at FAMU, and he once again became a “first-place finisher.” As a member of FAMU’s golf team, he went on to garner multiple championship rings, including the team winning the national PGA WORKS Championship and the Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship.
“These experiences help you realize that life is not just about you, it’s about what you build, the legacy that you leave, and how many people can say you impacted them before you leave this earth,” Kelly said about the turn of events in his life. “It helped me remember what my mom taught me that was most important: the value of collaboration, teamwork, and family.”
But as his golf destiny aligned, he had another passion on hold, waiting to flourish.
In high school, Kelly took to visual communication, creating art for his sports teams. Growing up, he had an early love for creating and building. He loved seeing what his hands could make, whether it was origami, LEGOs, or art.
While his original major at FAMU allowed him to work with his hands, he found himself searching for more. He was looking for a program that would allow him the flexibility to embrace, balance, and marry his passions — and that would offer the same sense of community he felt in golf. It was his roommate who helped him find his way and make one of the “best decisions” of his life.
“My roommate wanted me to have the best experience as a student-athlete,” Kelly said. “He was an athlete as well, and he told me about the School of Journalism & Graphic Communication (SJGC). I learned that the graphic design program allowed you to build and create with your hands, but on a different scale.”
The graphic design division at FAMU SJGC became the next piece of his life’s puzzle — one Kelly believes was being put together by divine intervention.
He said the attention to detail and importance of consistency he learned from his classmates and professors helped him not only hone his creative gifts but also strengthen his understanding of what it means to be part of a team, helping him further excel in the classroom and in the game.
Like the HBCU coaches he met in high school, the graphic communications division quickly embraced him and exposed him to new opportunities.
“We have a great, tight-knit community in graphic design,” Kelly said. “We critique each other, and we build each other up, as we create work for our school, the campus, and the community. We encourage each other to be the best versions of ourselves.”
Ethan Kelly found not only a creative community at FAMU SJGC, but a support system.
That encouragement became a lifeline for Kelly as he faced the loss of his grandmother, whom he cared for alongside his mother. The moment, once again, required him to lean on his faith as he battled the fear of not having someone he loved around to support him. But it also presented an opportunity for the graphic design community to show him he could lean on them, too. He pointed to design Professor Alicia Hope.
“She’s been very helpful, not only in helping me develop my visual work, but in showing me understanding and helping me emerge as a better person throughout the course of the trials and tribulations I faced,” Kelly said.
Hope said Kelly’s resilience in times of uncertainty stems from the hard work and discipline he has consistently shown.
“He understands that growth requires challenging yourself to become the next best version of who you are,” Hope said. “I’ve seen this mindset applied in both his dedication as a golfer and in the way he approaches his development as a graphic designer. Ethan knows how to take criticism and apply it productively. I’m so proud of all that he’s accomplished.”
The strength and confidence he gained in the graphic design community helped him revisit his desire to merge his artistic talents with his athletic abilities. He earned an internship with the FAMU Athletics Department, where he mastered the power of versatility by creating visual content and cinematic promos for student-athletes, including his teammates, while still playing the game.
“The internship was a powerful opportunity for me. It not only gave me an opportunity to display my talent, but to highlight the talent of my teammates and the HBCU golf community.”
Kelly leaves FAMU knowing that with the support of community, the strength of his faith, and a willingness to persevere in pursuit of his passions, the sky is the limit.
He is now preparing for a career in professional golf, but, as with his FAMU experience, that path will be unique. He plans on playing multiple roles in the PGA, with the goal of creating more opportunities and moments for HBCU talent to shine in all areas of the sport.
“I want to showcase to other people who are in my shoes that we have the possibility to do anything that we want in this world,” Kelly said.
Balancing his talent on the green with his eye for design, Kelly is shaping a future that allows him to compete, create, and lead.
“I still have a year of eligibility left, and I’m hoping to continue playing golf while pursuing a master’s degree, to increase my qualifications for competing professionally by the time I’m 23 or 24,” Kelly said. “At the same time, I want to use my graphic design skills within the PGA and pursue opportunities on the creative side of the organization as I continue to build my professional golfing career. Long term, I want to become a certified Class A PGA coach, allowing me to play, teach, and mentor at a high level.”
According to Dennis Driscoll, FAMU’s senior associate athletic director for brand advancement, Kelly’s multi-hyphenate goals are well within reach.
“Ethan Kelly is exactly the kind of young man who makes FAMU Athletics proud. His eagerness to apply his media talents in a professional setting, combined with his character and work ethic, made him a genuine asset,” Driscoll said. “We congratulate him on his graduation and wish him every success as he pursues his aspirations in the PGA and beyond.”
Gallery
Ethan Kelly leaves "The Hill" with confidence about his future and the force of the FAMU and HBCU Community behind him.
