TJ Kilbride
Name: TJ Kilbride
Hometown: Hackettstown, N.J.
Year in School: Senior
Major: Health Communication
Minor: Public Health
To explain TJ Kilbride, let’s take a look at his past, present and future.
TJ grew up in a New Jersey farm town called Hackettstown, the home of M&M’s. While in elementary school, he heeded the advice of his principal who routinely told the students to “Be kind. Work hard. Have fun.” The administrator’s guidance didn’t just stay with him through his childhood…
Since TJ enrolled at Coastal, he has constantly practiced kindness. Why else would he work for the Wally Social Norms Campaign, an initiative where students bring awareness to other students by proving that conventional wisdom concerning college-age behaviors are exaggerated? There is no question that TJ has worked hard. In addition to succeeding with his academic load all four years on campus, he has also held down an internship that has turned very fruitful for him (more on that in just a minute). It hasn’t been all work and no play, however. Describing Coastal Carolina with the word “family,” he has had fun with the people he has met and the numerous trips to the beach he has taken.
TJ’s future is extremely bright. He has already accepted a job with Tidelands Health, the same employer he is currently interning with. His fulltime position will start after he graduates in May. There is little doubt that he will navigate a successful professional career using the same “Be kind. Work hard. Have fun” advice he received many years ago.
Q&A with TJ
How did you hear about Coastal?: CCU representatives came to a college fair at my high school.
Why did you come to Coastal?: I came to coastal because of its small student size and how it felt like a community. Although, it has dramatically changed in the four years I have been here.
Favorite professor: Mark Flynn, Ph.D. He no longer works here but he was the one who introduced me to my love for health communication and had been my advisor for the last 2 years.
Favorite class: Social Media in a Health Context with Mark Flynn
Favorite aspect of Coastal?: My favorite aspect of Coastal is how clean and well-kept it is. There is never any trash on the sidewalks, which makes walking to class that much better.
Favorite aspect of living in the Conway/Myrtle Beach area? Easy access to the beach but also to all major roads in case I am itching for an adventure.
Clubs/Intramurals/other extracurricular activities involved in? I am a member of Lambda Chi Alpha and the Wally Social Norms campaign.
Do you work anywhere currently (either on or off campus)?: Currently I work for Counseling Services for the Wally Social Norms Campaign and I work for Tidelands Health as a marketing and communications intern.
Plans after graduation?: Tidelands Health has offered me a job, so I will continue to work there for experience and eventually look for other opportunities to advance my career in hospital marketing and communications.
What are your hobbies? My hobbies include hanging out with brothers, adventuring/off-roading in my green Jeep Wrangler named Reptar, and visiting/camping in national parks.