AMES, Iowa – From the moment he discovered he’d received the Hixson Opportunity Award at Iowa State University, Elijah Moore was determined to make the most of his college experience—and he did exactly that. Now graduating with a double major in psychology and philosophy, Moore leaves behind a legacy of involvement, leadership, and enthusiasm.
“I encourage people to take advantage of Iowa State and all the opportunities that are available here,” he said. “There are so many clubs, departments and faculty that are here to support what you want to do. I can’t really imagine that you could come here and not take advantage of something that you’re really interested in.”
By sparking up conversations with people across campus, he realized there was a lot going on at Iowa State and he felt passionate about sharing what he’s learning, so he launched a podcast, Spotlight with Elijah Moore.
“People are doing really cool things here at Iowa State,” he said.
He interviewed more than 90 faculty and students for episodes on his podcast series, including Iowa State President Wendy Wintersteen and Athletic Director Jamie Pollard. Moore enjoyed using the skills he was learning in psychology and philosophy to question and sometimes analyze his guests. Each episode was recorded in ISU’s state-of-the-art digital studio below the Student Innovation Center.
Moore shared his wit and charm to welcome thousands of new ISU students to campus as a Cyclone Aide. The organization is a group of student leaders that assist in guiding new students, families, and guests during orientation sessions in the fall and spring semesters.
“That program cares so much about their employees,” he said. “The job was hard. It was a little exhausting. You had to smile and give tours, but I think that the vibe that they built there for what I thought was a job, was actually an experience, should really be mentioned as something this university does really well.”
He also helped with several other new student programs, served as a resident assistant in the dorms, participated in the philosophy club and volunteered at the student union board.
“I thrive on being busy,” he said. “I’m not sure if it’s the chicken or the egg—but I knew I wanted to do everything I could in four years.”
He made the dean’s list several times, assisted in three psychology labs and gained acceptance to the University of Oklahoma to continue his studies in social psychology. But Moore’s journey hasn’t been defined by accolades alone. Moore said most of what he’s learned so far has come outside the classroom.
In early high school, Moore became interested in the self-help books his father was reading, especially on mindset and motivation. But it was his junior year of high school when tragedy struck in the middle of winter. He and two of his brothers were in a severe car accident that claimed the life of his twin brother and left his older brother in a coma for a month and a half.
“That made all of the stuff we’d been learning real,” he said. “That was the test. We had studied up to turn things around—and the most horrific thing you can imagine happens.”
He credits the emotional groundwork his family laid before the accident—through reading, learning, and conversation—as a key reason they were able to endure the grief and trauma. “If we hadn’t worked on ourselves the way we had, we’d be in an infinitely worse position today.”
Rather than let tragedy define him, Moore used it to fuel his interest in psychology and philosophy, especially in how people respond to trauma.
“You can’t control the bad things that are happening, but you can control how you respond,” he said.
This question—how we prepare ourselves mentally and emotionally for the unthinkable—has driven much of his academic and personal work. “OK, fine,” he recalls thinking. “I’ll answer the question and figure it out.”
Despite his jam-packed schedule on campus, Moore found a little time to decompress through music and comedy. He plays guitar and has performed stand-up at open mic nights, viewing both as forms of expression and connection.
“Comedy is important because it’s a chance to be humble, to laugh at yourself and to connect with people in a really honest way,” he said.
Moore was accepted into a Ph.D. program at the University of Oklahoma for social psychology, where he will continue the "Spotlight" podcast. When asked what advice he’d offer incoming students, Moore kept it simple: “Take advantage of opportunities. Be a jack of all trades, even if you’re a master of none.”
He also speaks to the deeper motivations that keep him going: “I wanted to uphold my brother’s legacy, make him proud, and make sure I’m getting my money’s worth,” he said, half-smiling. “At least at the end of the day, I can know I did a good job.”
