Elon
s tr & s e c Aien c S accomplishments
ELON UNIVERSITY
Arts & Sciences Every year, the faculty in the Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences accomplishes great things. From implementing new technologies in the classroom to engaging in creative work, to sharing their expertise with media outlets and presenting at local and national conferences, they give the College of Arts and Sciences many reasons to celebrate. Below are just some of their accomplishments for the past academic year. Innovative and dedicated teachers Of 100 faculty: n 87 % revised course curriculum to enhance student learning n 82 % participated in assessing student learning n 75 % received an Elon grant, sabbatical, course release or other award n 56 % learned or implemented a new pedagogy n 32 % wrote or received a grant n 14 % taught a study abroad course Scholars in their fields Of 100 faculty: n 82 % gave a professional conference presentation or performance, workshop or performed/delivered an invited talk n 71 % mentored undergraduate research n 59 % published, exhibited or performed scholarly or creative work n 41 % supervised an independent study n 63 % engaged in creative work/scholarship Leaders on and off campus Of 100 faculty: n 92 % served on department, college or university committee n 81 % engaged in research n 43 % served in an administrative role n 38 % chaired a department, college or university committee n 30 % mentored internships n 23 % appeared in the media as an expert or had scholarship appear in the media n 19 % taught or mentored academic service learning
Innovative Curriculum • A cutting-edge Art History program with thematic foundations courses and special topics seminars taught using current and engaged pedagogies. • An innovative B.F.A. degree for studio artists who want to prepare for BA Thesis Exhibition Arts West, 2011.
advanced studies in art. • A B.A. degree in Art featuring high level studio instruction that can be blended with other majors and skill sets. This curriculum includes classes in Time Arts, Video and Animation, and Installation Art. • Art & Art History faculty also teach courses in the General Studies program, such as Aspects of Laughter,
Upper-level Art History course ARH375: Patronage or Plunder?, 2011.
The Global Experience, The Camera Eye: The Camera I, and Virtues and Vices in the Arts. Amazing Opportunities • Art & Art History faculty and students have participated in short-term and semester-abroad programs in Italy, France, Greece, Scotland, Ghana, The United Kingdom, China, Japan, Costa Rica, Guatemala and India. • All Art & Art History students participate in public presentations of their research and/or exhibitions of their artwork. •Art & Art History students regularly present at national conferences and in national exhibitions. Engaged Faculty • Art & Art History faculty are active scholars, who publish regularly in their fields and present at national and
POKE! Public Internet Performance, 2011.
international conferences, have
received prestigious grants, exhibit in national and international shows, present their artwork in solo exhibitions and highly selective group shows, and have won many awards for their work. These teacher-scholars consistently engage in peer-reviewed activities and embrace the Elon standard of the teacher-scholar. Mentoring • The core of Art & Art History instruction is the individually mentored relationship with students. Students work closely with their teacher/mentor to prepare for the senior year wherein they produce a body of work and/or high-level scholarship. These relationships continue in and out of the classroom and studio, including during the department’s annual visit to some of the world’s finest museums in Washington, D.C. Well Prepared for Further Academic Challenges • Art & Art History students have been consistently accepted to top graduate programs. These include: American University, Corcoran College of Art and Design, Florida State University, Harvard University, New York University, Parsons, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Virginia Commonwealth University, Wake Forest University, Kansas City Art Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC State University, George Washington University, University of Colorado, Drexel University, and Sotheby’s Institute of Art, among others.
E
L
O
N
U
N
I
V
E
R
I
S
T
Y
Biology Department
Successful Students 35-40 Biology Majors annually participate in faculty-mentored undergraduate research experiences.
Outstanding Faculty
Students present their research to the
Biology faculty are extremely diverse with a variety of research interests spanning from evolutionary ecology, dendrology, microbial ecology, and toxicology to cancer biology, immunology and bioinformatics.
regional and national conferences and have won awards for their presentations.
Biology faculty publish their research - most of which involves undergraduates - in
Students obtain competitive research internship at a variety of organizations throughout the nation including; the New England Primate Research Center, Chesapeake Biological Laboratories , New England Wildlife Center, and the International Human Cadaver Prosection Program at Indiana University School Of Medicine. Biology students have gone on to both medical and graduate schoolfrom some including Johns Hopkins, University of North Carolina, Marshall University, East Carolina University and Columbia. Biology alumni have found successful jobs, including laboratory technicians, high school biology teachers, research assistants, and emergency medical technicians.
Biology faculty are active in their greater professional appointments with a variety of organizations including; the American Society of Plant Biologists, the North Carolina Academy of Science, the Association of Southern Biologists, the American Physiological Society, National Association of Biology Teachers, and the National Tropical Botanical Gardens. Faculty have served as editors for professional journals Copeia , the Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, the Journal of NC Academy of Science, and the Journal of College Science Teaching .
Interactive and Exciting Curriculum We offer a variety of exceptional courses inquiry and creating a solid foundation of skills that extends beyond the classroom. The beautiful McMichael Science Center features state-of-the-art equipment including a DNA sequencer, realtime-PCR machines, and a fluorescent microscope . In addition, we have a lush and lively greenhouse that frequently contributes to hands-on course activities. All biology majors complete at least one internship or an independent research project prior to graduation. research programs to Belize and Peru where students collect data, record observations and conduct experiments in tropical rainforest and coastal habitats. Biology electives include microbiology, animal physiology, advanced genetics, developmental biology, animal behavior, and biochemical basis of diseases. Sophomore and senior seminar classes
instructors that are dedicated to teaching and have been recognized with teaching awards .
communication.
Faculty members receive grants from internal and external sources such as NC Biotechnology Center and American Society of Plant Biologists.
The Elon Biology Department is one of just a few undergraduate programs in the United States with a human cadaver lab.
ELON UNIVERSITY
Chemistry
The Chemistry Department at Elon offers an engaging, challenging and rewarding curriculum geared toward postgraduate success in graduate school, professional school or professional work.
Professors with a focus on educating eager and open minds Our faculty regularly attend and make presentations at national and international conferences on undergraduate education in chemistry. Students conduct undergraduate research with faculty
They mentor undergraduate research projects to develop inquiry-based experiments that allow our students to actively participate as scientists. The department dedicates one section of general chemistry class and two sections of laboratory to exploring innovative teaching in the discipline. The department shelters chapters of the chemistry honor society Phi Lambda Upsilon, the Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society and the Iota Sigma Pi Women Chemist’s honor society.
Students present their research during SURE
Students and faculty continuously engaged in novel, noteworthy scholarship In the past three years, more than $250,000 in funding (internal and external) awarded to support mentored undergraduate research. In the past five years, students and faculty made more than 30 research presentations at professional regional, national and international conferences. Chemistry/biochemistry faculty members are recognized institutionally as scholars and mentors, and have served as:
n Rawls Professor for Undergraduate Research n Hook Emerging Scholar n Elon Senior Faculty Research Fellow Chemistry/biochemistry student researchers are recognized institutionally; in the past three years: n More than 30 chemistry and biochemistry majors participated in undergraduate research experiences (both on- and offcampus) n Eight Lumen Prizes were awarded to chemistry/biochemistry majors n More than $10,000 in research and travel grants awarded to chemistry/ biochemistry majors The department enjoys dedicated laboratories for undergraduate research and a wealth of high-quality instrumentation for hands-on use by students.
Successful graduates In the past three years, of the 38 chemistry graduates in chemistry / biochemistry: n 20% went on to graduate schools n 13% went on to health-related professional schools n 30% are employed in the chemical/ biochemical profession n 8% opted to engage in service activities before continuing their education.
www.elon.edu/compsci
Elon Computing Sciences students are excelling in undergraduate research. In the past year, student research projects have included: a Virtual Patient project to allow nurses to train by asking questions of a computer, an augmented reality application for mobile smart phones to persuade people to spend more time outdoors, and a study of the collaborative use of large displays for sense-making and visual analytics. One student co-authored a paper accepted at a professional conference, and another won the LIN Television Corporation Minority Scholarship for 2009, a national award that will pay up to $20,000 annually for his continued education. Our students are active on Elon's campus through a student chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). The student club sponsors an annual video game night at Belk Library. In addition, students compete yearly in the regional Mid-Atlantic programming contest, and last year placed in the top 20% of programming teams. Most impressively, Computing Sciences students are successful beyond Elon. Five students were awarded paid summer internships at Credit Suisse, when only thirty total positions were offered. Ninety percent of 2009 graduates in Computing Sciences were either employed or accepted into graduate school by graduation. Recent graduates are employed at IBM, Credit Suisse, UNCG, Red Hat, Lockheed Martin, Clarkston Consulting, and Verizon.
Computing Sciences boasts caring, innovative faculty. Computing Sciences professors have won two Elon College teaching awards, one Elon College research award, one universitywide service award, and one professional service award. Our professors carry out worldclass research. Two have received funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF). In 2009, faculty published in international journals, conferences, and books on topics such as creating digital games, teaching mobile computing, humancomputer interaction, open-source projects, and financial transactions through mobile devices.
“The department is strong and benefits from well-qualified, hardworking faculty, excellent leadership, a student-centered vision for its educational programs, and good facilities... it provides an atmosphere that fosters learning and success for its students.� - Dr. Don Bailes, former president of the Computing Sciences Accreditation Board
Computing Sciences majors have exclusive access to a lab with Mac pro machines, dual monitors, and dual booting capabilities as well as a separate networking lab. There are five department servers and a ninemachine Grid Computing Node. Software includes the latest operating systems, and software packages are upgraded twice annually.
Our cutting-edge curriculum includes courses not yet taught at most institutions, including mobile programming, Xbox 360 game development, and building collaborative environments. Other courses central to computing are offered, such as Operating Systems, Database Management, Algorithm Analysis, and Web Development.
ELON UNIVERSITY
Elon College Fellows The Elon College Fellows is a four-year program for students who are passionately committed to the Arts and Sciences. Fellows classes, an annual scholarship, a travel grant, research funding, events and mentoring are just some of the benefits of being an Elon College Fellow. In May 2011, 30 Elon College Fellows graduated, representing 19 different majors and 16 academic departments. Below are some of their accomplishments:
Elon College Fellows visit Washington, D.C.
n 30 % had double majors n 90 % had at least one study abroad experience in locations including France, Italy, Greece, Ghana, New Zealand, China, Sri Lanka, Costa Rica, Australia and London n 100 % did a two-year research experience in the major. Examples of their research topics include:
Elon College Fellow Kaitlyn Fay ’11 worked with professor Matt Buckmaster for her research on jazz improvisation & learning a language
n
Directional Selection in the Mitochondrial DNA of Lizards Caused by Living in Extreme Environments
n
The Influence of Memory on the Returned Chilean Exile Experience in PostDictatorship Chile
n
Online: A Case Study of Nonprofit Communication Strategies in the United States and the United Kingdom
n
The Effects of Learning Jazz Improvisation on Student Performance in Second Language Acquisition
n
Curious: Dynamic Theoretical Perspectives on the Nature of Art Collecting
n 100 % did a professional presentation or performance of their research n 10 % were Periclean Scholars n 17 % participated in Elon’s Summer Undergraduate Research Experience n 87 % presented their work at Elon’s Spring Undergraduate Research Forum n 30 % presented their work at the National Conference for Undergraduate Research n 63 % completed an internship n 30 % will attend graduate or professional school n 34 % have a accepted a position For more information, visit our website, http://www.elon.edu/e-web/academics/ elon_college/fellows/
English Our faculty are… Award-winning teachers Five faculty members have received the Daniels-Danieley Award for Excellence in Teaching—more than any other department on campus. Essayists, novelists, poets, literary critics, legal experts, editors, textbook authors, as well as language, writing and rhetoric scholars In the past two years, five faculty have published new books, including works of literary criticism and biography, a resource about late-stage breast cancer, a textbook for Elon’s nationally renowned The Global Experience course, and a novel.
Leaders on campus and in their disciplines Faculty have coordinated more than a dozen interdisciplinary programs and serve on boards of national organizations in their disciplines. Extending their expertise abroad Sixteen faculty have led study abroad classes to South Africa, Costa Rica, Australia, Ireland, Poland, Germany, England, and Italy.
Our students are… Receiving prestigious scholarships and fellowships Including awards associated with Elon College Fellows, Honors Fellows, North Carolina Teaching Fellows, and the Lumen Prize. Conducting, presenting, and publishing research In the past two years, more than a dozen students have presented at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research. Writing and editing campus publications, including Colonnades, Elon’s literary journal and winner of the national Pacemaker Award in 2010. BA/BS, an online journal created by and for students in the Arts and Sciences. Projects for the Center for Undergraduate Publishing and Information Design (CUPID), such as the departmental newsletter and children’s books for the Conservators’ Center.
Our graduates are… Rewarded with highly selective post-secondary learning and volunteer opportunities Fulbright U.S. Student Grants, Peace Corps, and Teach for America. Working and excelling in a variety of careers Teaching, publishing, library science, law, technical writing, and journalism. Admitted to prestigious graduate programs Recent graduates are attending Columbia University, the University of Iowa’s Writers’ Workshop, Harvard University, and Emory University Law School.
ELON UNIVERSITY
Center for Environmental Studies
Promoting Community Outreach and Education n
Fall Environmental Forum – Annual attendance of 200 to 400 people including students, faculty and community leaders.
n
Heal the Land – 4000 oak seedlings planted on public lands Heal the Land project – 4,000 oak seedlings planted and coordinated by Elon students. Read more: www.elon.edu/pendulum/Story. aspx?id=145
n
Professional development workshops
n Envirothon
Regional Envirothon – 250 middle and high school students participate in this environmental competition. Read more: www.ncenvirothon.org/
Championing Conservation
Haw River clean-up
n
Haw River Riparian Corridor Environmental Assessment and Protection Plan for the NC Clean Water Management Trust Fund. Read more here.
n
Haw River Conservation Corridor project, a partnership between Elon University, the cities of Burlington and Graham and Alamance County. Read more: www.thehaw.org/
n
Haw River Land Stewards, funded with EPA grant for public outreach
n
Shallow Ford Park, Altamahaw Paddle Access, and Great Bend Park – three new parks on the Haw River for recreation and research. Read more: www. alamance-nc.com/d/recreation-andparks/parks-and-facilities.html
Outstanding Research n
53 Students doing research and internships, including: research on riverbank assessment, algal toxin production, wetlands ecology, invasive plant species, water contamination in Ghana, biogeochemistry of stream soils, economic impact of Haw River conservation projects, water/energy conservation. Read more http://org.elon.edu/ urp/. Biodiversity inventories at the N.C. Zoological Society , the new Shallow Ford County Park and Elon Forest. Read more: http://facstaff.elon.edu/jkapfer/ index_files/Page349.htm
n
Study of stream bed soils to determine stream health and restoration potential
n
Restoration of maritime forest ecosystems on the NC coastal plain
n
Publication of 20 peer reviewed research articles and 10 externally funded grants
More student initiatives n
Vision Magazine, a student written and edited publication. Read more: www. elon.edu/docs/e-web/academics/ elon_college/environmental_studies/ visions2010.pdf
n
The Elon Community Garden, student planning, planting and maintenance.. Read more: www.elon.edu/pendulum/ Story.aspx?id=1683
Department of Environmental Studies Community Interac?on The Department partners with a variety of outside en**es to create learning opportuni*es for students and ci*zens. • Faculty members are oPen involved in public outreach and educa?onal seminars regarding topics related to the environment. • Faculty work with Elon University’s
Center for Environmental Studies to
Engaged Learning We offer excep*onal experien*al classes and interdisciplinary learning opportuni*es meant to expose students to professional ac*vi*es and allow them to gain real skills.
• Diversity of Life allows students to assess
the microbial ecology and water quality across a local urban watershed.
• In Wetland Ecology students learn to assess wetlands (including hydrology and vegeta*on), using standard field techniques and write professional‐style reports. • As part of Wildlife Ecology students learn about inter and intra‐specific animal interac*ons and conduct a variety of standardized field surveys for vertebrates in the lab and analyzing their own data.
• Environmental Law and Policy
organize educa*onal workshops and seminars for the general public, as well as professionals in the fields of environmental science and ecology. • In courses such as Diversity of Life, we partner with City of Burlington officials to answer important environmental ques*ons related to local watersheds.
• As part of coursework (such as Wildlife Ecology) and research, students and faculty oPen work in conjunc*on with Alamance Country Recrea*on and Parks department to assess species assemblages and the impacts of adjacent land‐use. • Faculty and students partner with employees at the North Carolina Zoo to monitor na*ve wildlife on zoo property. • Students par*cipate in a variety of internship and volunteer opportuni*es at the Conservator’s Center, Inc., a large exo*c carnivore rescue facility.
familiarizes students with the role of government in managing environmental resources & quality in the United States.
Collec*vely, primary, secondary and affiliate faculty members have:
• Published 43 papers, technical reports, books or book chapters , 14 of which had student co‐authors.
• Given 25 professional presenta?ons and exhibits, 9 of which involved student researchers were given by departmental faculty. • Received over $29,000 in grant funding from external and internal sources. • Received pres?gious professional recogni*on and awards. • Held professional appointments or were involved in professional services of note with organiza*ons outside of the university. Students are involved in projects including: • Coastal mari*me swamp restora?on in North Carolina’s Outer Banks. • Explora?on of the rela*onship between poverty and environmental issues in Africa. • Influences of human scent on wildlife capture rates with mo*on sensing camera traps. Their scholarship work includes:
• Many students complete research projects or internships with agencies (government and NGO) involved in environmental, ecological, conserva*on, sustainability and sociological issues.
• Senior Seminar provides seniors the opportunity to take on real projects related to the environment and sustainability.
Scholarship & Research
.
• Ecophysiological responses of five emergent‐wetland plants to diminished water supply. • Long term impacts of service learning in environmental studies. • Modeling the rela?onship between habitat preferences and home‐range size on a large mobile colubrid snake from North America. • Strategic Narra*ves and Environmental Security.
EXERCISE SCIENCE STUDENTS
FACULTY Faculty consistently publish SCHOLARSHIP in top journals in exercise science and neuroscience including: Biological Psychology Experimental Brain Research Journal of Gerontology Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise Faculty provide LEADERSHIP to the university by serving on a variety of committees including: Advisory Boards for Neuroscience, Pre-Health Professions, Honors and Undergraduate Research Budget Chair (and members) of Academic Council Director of Undergraduate Research Faculty Athletics Representative Long Range Planning Promotion and Tenure Task Forces for Scholarship, Service, Shared Governance and Staff Development Faculty are involved with INTERDISCIPLINARY collaboration with athletics, dance, physical therapy, psychology, the local health community and non-profit organizations promoting a healthy lifestyle across a variety of populations. Faculty are FUNDED for their Interdisciplinary collaborative research with faculty from Physical Therapy to examine “The Influence of Concussion History on Cognitive Performance in Student-Athletes.” Faculty have been AWARDED University honors for their teaching, scholarship, mentoring and service.
Approximately 200 students major in Exercise Science with CAREER interests in health professions (medical school, occupational therapy, physician assistant, physical therapy) and graduate programs (clinical exercise physiology, neuroscience, nutrition, and strength and conditioning) 10-15% of Exercise Science students are MENTORED in undergraduate research from designing the project to presenting and publishing findings Over 90% of students participating in undergraduate research PRESENTED their research at international, national, regional and local conferences during the 2010-11 academic year Students have been AWARDED for their research at international and regional conferences. Students have PUBLISHED their research in top journals of exercise science. Approximately 80-85% of Exercise Science graduates attend GRADUATE SCHOOL at top institutions including: Columbia Duke Eastern Carolina Elon Emory Mass General Ins. of Health Professions Medical University of South Carolina New York College of Medicine
Tulane University of Florida University of Miami University of Illinois UNC– Chapel Hill University of Texas Villanova Vanderbilt Wake Forest Washington University
ENGAGEMENT All students engage in a minimum of 80 hours shadowing experiences for academic and career DEVELOPMENT in a variety of professions early in the curriculum. Student engagement in the classroom includes exposure to a variety of SKILLS relevant in exercise science and health professions such as: Aerobic Fitness/Stress Testing Balance Testing Biomechanical and Movement Analysis Body Composition Analysis Cardiac Function Cognitive Function Fitness Assessment Muscle Function Strength and Power Testing Faculty and students have access to state of the art EQUIPMENT for teaching and scholarship including: Biodex Isokinetic Dynamometer Dartfish, HuMan, and MovAlyzeR movement analysis software Delsys Wireless 6 Channel Electomyography / Electrogoniometer Electrical Geodesics Electroencephalograph (EEG) Monark Ergomedic Peak Bike Parvo Medics Metabolic Cart Southern Vision Systems High Speed Video Capture System Veltron Electrical Bicycle Ergometer Vitros Blood Analyzers Wacom Digitizer
EXCEPTIONAL Faculty MENTOR Students to become LEADERS of the future
ELON UNIVERSITY
Foreign Languages
Creating Global Citizens and Scholars
Professors and students use their language skills for local outreach to international communities through the Amigos Club.
From French film festivals to Italian music concerts, from celebrations of the Chinese New Year to modern versions of Euripides, the Department of Foreign Languages brings the global community home to our Elon community. Our multi-lingual, multi-cultural faculty hail from nine different countries and teach eight different languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Latin and Spanish), offering students international prospects for their future academic and professional lives.
Our faculty: n have been recognized for outstanding teaching and service to the community by the university, and for service leadership and excellence in teaching by the College of Arts and Sciences, as well as received multiple internal and external grants to fund their disciplinary research and their scholarship of teaching and learning.
Students create their own international communities on campus through learning communities.
n have published textbooks for language teaching, books of literary criticism and are in the process of publishing an encyclopedia of hispanophone literature. n regularly publish peer-reviewed articles in books and in top journals and present their research at national and international conferences. n are outstanding mentors to Elon College Fellows, Honors Fellows, and budding undergraduate researchers. n travel abroad frequently, developing and leading study abroad programs in Mexico, Honduras, Spain, France, Peru, Costa Rica and Japan.
The students who pursue advanced study in foreign languages at Elon exemplify the model of the Global Citizen. Since Fall 2009, n 490 students have gained cultural and linguistic competency abroad in non-Anglophone countries. n At least 10 students mentored by DFL faculty have presented at SURF, many in their foreign language of study, and several more have presented at national or international conferences. n Nine students have pursued graduate study using their language skills in language and literature, international relations, business, law, etc. n 17 students have worked, interned or pursued graduate study abroad during or after Elon.
Engaging with the world at home: n With our faculty’s support, students create their own international communities on campus through learning communities as well as at weekly conversation tables. n Professors and students regularly use their language skills for local outreach to international communities through the Amigos Club and volunteering with the Avalon African Refugee Center in Greensboro, N.C. n Spanish and education students also work with the Spanish-immersion program at Elon Elementary School.
Since 2004, Elon students have matriculated to • • • • •
Allopathic (MD) medical programs (30) Osteopathic (DO) medical programs (12) Physician Assistant (PA) programs (15) Nurse Practitioner (MSN) programs (9) Dental medicine (DDS) programs (2)
They came from
They attended
Art Biology Business Chemistry Communications Economics Environmental Studies Exercise Science Psychology
Albert Einstein, Arizona COM, Case Western, Boston University, Drexel ECU, Emory, ETSU, George Washington, Howard, Johns Hopkins, Marshall, Marywood (PA), Methodist College, MUSC, Ohio St, PCOM, Philadelphia Univ, St. Louis University, Towson, Tulane, UF, UK, UMd, UNC, UNJMDSOM, UT‐Galveston, Vanderbilt VCOM, VCU, WVCOM
Elon GPA and MCAT scores compared to the national average
Year 2009 2008 2007
National Matriculant GPA 3.66 3.66 3.65
Elon Matriculant GPA 3.75 3.50 3.76
National Matriculant MCAT 30.8 30.9 30.8
Elon Matriculant MCAT 29.33 28.2 26.75
Value Added • • • • • • • •
Health Professions Advising Committee Volunteering opportunities (Kernodle Center) Shadowing and internship opportunities (Career Center and student initiative) Interview skills (Lincoln Pre‐health Society and Career Center) Licensure opportunities (EMT course through ACC) Personal statement help (Lincoln Pre‐health Society and the Writing Center) Research experience (URP) Experience with cultures different from their own (Study Abroad)
For more information, contact Dr. Robert Vick, vickrs@elon.edu • Dr. Tonya Train, ttrain@elon.edu or visit the program’s website www.elon.edu/e‐web/academics/elon_college/health_professions/
Department of HISTORY & GEOGRAPHY
A Distinguished Faculty with a National Reputation From 2008-10, our department’s faculty has received 100 percent of the university’s full-year sabbaticals and 67 percent of the institution’s Senior Faculty Research Fellow Awards. Among our full professors, 71 percent have been the recipients of the university’s highest honors for research, teaching or service, and many have been recognized nationally and internationally for the same. One hundred percent of our full-time, permanent Africa experts have been awarded titles as honorary chiefs by communities on the continent.
Our Department’s Faculty Members are Leaders …. … as Scholar‐Mentors •
•
•
•
•
Primary authors of two dozen published or contracted books in English and foreign languages on topics ranging from the Holocaust, Roma (Gypsies), and Oscar Schindler to German colonialism in Africa, and U.S. history and culture, including: Southern culture, southern scientists, race relations in southern churches, history of a southern institute of higher education, Alamance County, N.C., loyalists in North Carolina, the history of women in sports, agrarian socialism, and Native American education, hymns, dances and powwow culture. Recipients of major national-level awards and/or grant reviewers for competitive awards from the Department of Education, National Endowment for the Humanities, Fulbright, Rockefeller Foundation, Social Science Research Council, National Science Foundation, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, College Board and other sources. Mentors of more than two dozen published student authors and co-authors of peer-reviewed journal articles, scholarly magazine articles, encyclopedia entries and book reviews, co-presenters of scholarly papers at regional, national, and international conferences, and applicants seeking national and international fellowships and awards. Visiting faculty and invited speakers at the finest institutions, including Columbia, Duke, Dartmouth, Notre Dame, Mount Holyoke College, University of Virginia, West Point, the British Museum and Southeast University (China). Professionals active in scholarly communities as conference organizers, expert witnesses, guest speakers on radio and television, and editors and manuscript reviewers of national and international journals.
… in Study Travel/Study Abroad •
80 percent of our full-time, permanent faculty regularly lead study travel courses and 20 percent are foreign born, offering students first-hand opportunities to learn the history, geography and culture of Britain, Germany, China, Honduras, Costa Rica, Ghana, Greece and Italy from faculty who speak foreign languages and have lived overseas.
… in Interdisciplinary Studies and Premier Campus Programs •
100 percent of our full-time faculty serve or served as coordinators, directors, chairs, advisors, or mentors for student organizations, inter-disciplinary majors and minors (African/African-American Studies, International Studies, GIS, Classical Studies, Leadership, Women’s & Gender Studies), committees (Academic Council, Promotion & Tenure), and premier programs (Honors, Periclean Scholars, Elon College Fellows, Lumen Scholars, Undergraduate Research, Faculty Research & Development, General Studies, Center for Teaching & Learning).
We excel in the areas in which Elon is nationally recognized.
ELON UNIVERSITY
Human Service Studies
Providing an innovative program for students who wish to pursue careers in helping professions, nonprofit and public agency administration, and public service.
Outstanding Students n HSS students are routinely accepted for highly competitive awards and recognitions including the Lumen Prize, the Ward Scholarship and the Jack Kent Cooke Fellowship. n Many alumni have been accepted into graduate programs at prestigious schools and have gone to work for institutions such as Teach for America, AmeriCorps and Peace Corps, as well as nonprofit and public health organizations, the juvenile justice system, and schools.
Linking the Classroom to the World n The HSS department leads the way in excellence in internships and community-based learning. All HSS majors complete n One or more semester long service-learning projects in community agencies n 3-week full-time practicum n 7-week, full-time internships n The department also provides opportunities for students to conduct study abroad in such countries as Guam, London, Ghana, India and Costa Rica.
Undergraduate Research n 90 % of HSS faculty mentor undergraduate research in a given year. n Over 20 % of HSS majors participate in undergraduate research on topics including HIV/AIDS, intimate partner violence, school policy, child mental health and international research. n HSS undergraduate researchers regularly participate at the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience and the National Conference on Undergraduate Research, and co-author multiple publications.
Accomplished Faculty n Faculty are widely recognized for their expertise, leadership and service at Elon and in communities outside the university both local and international. n HSS faculty have published in prestigious peer-reviewed journals, including Human Services, Academic Exchange Quarterly, Anthropology & Aging Quarterly, Violence and Victims, Psychology, Health, and Medicine, AIDS Care, Journal of Human Services, Planning in Higher Education, and Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement.
Mathema;cs and Sta;s;cs Faculty Poster Session at the 2010 MAA conference held at Elon
Our Program:
• We offer Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in applied mathema;cs, pure mathema;cs, sta;s;cs, and teacher licensure. • Our B.S. degree is designed for a stand-‐ alone degree or for those pursuing graduate studies. Our A.B. degree is structured to work well as a double major with related Elon programs, for careers in industry, and for teaching at the secondary level.
Our Faculty:
16 full-‐;me professors including 12 with terminal degrees 2010 Awards: • Daniels-‐Danieley Award for Excellence in Teaching, the third in the department (Todd Lee); Staff Member of the Year (Bernice Foust); and Faculty Excellence Award College of Arts and Sciences (Helen Walton)
• We also offer minors in mathema;cs, applied mathema;cs and sta;s;cs.
In 2010 our faculty: • Taught study abroad courses in Greece, India, and Sri Lanka
• Our faculty use the latest technology combined with tradi;onal and experien;al learning techniques.
• Selected as Scholars for the Center for Teaching and Learning (2)
• Our faculty are known for their excellence in teaching and their focus on student success. They are suppor;ve mentors who inspire students to tackle challenging assignments.
• Gave 7 presenta;ons at regional, na;onal, and interna;onal conferences
• Students use the latest high-‐tech tools and master soIware packages such as Excel, Fathom, LaTeX, Geometer’s Sketchpad and Mathema;ca. • Our students are encouraged to conduct original research with faculty mentors who pride themselves on being accessible to students. • Our students rou;nely present their research at na;onal and regional conferences and have published in na;onal journals.
• Named visi;ng scholar for Educa;onal Tes;ng Service
• Served on panels and led workshops on campus and in the community • Published three ar;cles in na;onal journals and updated a sta;s;cs text • Served as webmaster in the regional MAA • Served as chair of the Curriculum Commi^ee at Elon • Served as chair of the North Carolina Mathema;cs contest • Par;cipated in academic service learning • Partnered with three school systems in NSF math/science partnership grant
Our Students: The twenty 2010 gradua;ng seniors included: • 2 Lumen Scholars ($15,000 research award) • 7 Phi Beta Kappa inductees • 7 a^ending graduate school at NC State, Duke, Wake Forest, Ohio State, South Carolina, and Houston • 10 presenta;ons at state, na;onal, and campus conferences including the regional MAA, North Carolina Council for the Teachers of Mathema;cs, and US Conference on Teaching Sta;s;cs. One student received the Pa^erson prize and another received a research award at the MAA conference. • The2010 NCCTM outstanding math educa;on student (the 13th Elon recipient since 1986)
Ac;vi;es: • Hosted the annual mee;ng of the Southeastern sec;on of the Mathema;cal Associa;on of America in March 2010 • Sponsors a chapter of Pi Mu Epsilon, a honorary society focusing on excellence in mathema;cs • Has a weekly “math tea” where students and faculty gather for informal discussions • Has ac;ve student chapters of the Mathema;cal Associa;on of America and the North Carolina Council of Teachers of Mathema;cs (NCCTM)
!
!
Department of Music
!
www.elon.edu/music
Committed to Excellence in the Arts The Elon Department of Music may very well be the best kept secret at the University...and beyond. ✓More than half the music faculty have had a book or composition published or released a major recording within just the last two years. ✓ Teaching the most courses on campus, the
Department of Music is a highly successful, fully engaged, and vibrantly active team that boasts 100% placement for its music education graduates, regular acceptance into top graduate programs, national winners of song-writing competitions, and the highest honors each year at the National Association of Teachers of Singing Conference.
✓ Within the last five years, music major
enrollment has increased 45% (from 48 majors in 2005 to 87 in 2010). With this growth, the department continues to pride itself as a model of engaged undergraduate teaching, learning, and mentoring, maintaining a 6:1 major to faculty ratio.
✓ The Department of Music is
currently the only department at Elon with custom iPhone and Android apps, active Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, and multimedia blog accounts, as well as a dedicated YouTube channel; all at www.elon.edu/music.
✓ Last year, the Department of Music sponsored
32 different student ensemble performances, 4 world-renowned guest artist performances or masterclasses, 19 faculty and student recitals, 7 undergraduate research presentations (including one selected for the National Conference for Undergraduate Research), and an international jazz ensemble tour.
✓ With a newly rebuilt nine-foot grand piano (one of three Steinway grands), an updated music technology lab and recording studio running ProTools HD, and record demand for the annual Jazz Festival and Piano Pedagogy program, keep an eye (and ear!) on the Elon
Music Department. 2010
ELON UNIVERSITY
Philosophy Philosophy at Elon University: The Pursuit of Wisdom What does it mean to pursue wisdom? At Elon’s Department of Philosophy, it means to build an intellectual community where critical and creative thinking are cultivated, enduring questions are rediscovered and reanimated, and theoretical and practical knowledge enhance each other. The Department of Philosophy at Elon is known and celebrated for:
Innovative approaches to learning
The Only Sin is Limitation, a compilation of student essays
n Students in an American Philosophy class wrote essays related to Ralph Waldo Emerson, and then edited and published the best of those essays in The Only Sin is Limitation: Essays on R.W. Emerson’s Multi-faceted Influence on America. www. amazon.com/Only-Sin-Limitation-multifaceted-influence/dp/1449019692 n As part of a class assignment, students undertook a service learning project, building bunkbeds for a local homeless shelter. www.elon.edu/e-net/Note. aspx?id=941493 n Students taking an Environmental Ethics class interacted with servals as part of their final exam.
Students taking an Environmental Ethics class interact with servals as part of their final exam
n An Elon philosophy professor crafted a class, Reclaiming Democracy, in which students and faculty from several local universities and local activists discuss the region’s struggle with civil rights, social justice and democratic practice. www. elon.edu/e-net/Note.aspx?id=926061&se archTerms=reclaiming+democracy
Influential, high-quality scholarship n Faculty write on such diverse topics as the future of environmentalism, history and the ethics of memory, the scholarship of teaching and learning, pragmatism, feminism and democratic theory.
n During the past academic year, the six fulltime and two limited term members of the Department of Philosophy published three books and thirteen articles, book chapters, book reviews or translations, and presented 22 conference papers. n Faculty also obtained funding for two Summer Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE) applications. n The department houses two winners of the university’s Distinguished Scholar Award, plus a Senior Faculty Research Fellow.
An emphasis on philosophy as a way of life n Understanding the importance of being part of the public discourse, philosophy majors have published in external venues. www.elon.edu/docs/e-web/ academics/elon_college/philosophy/ OpenMind_0411.pdf n A rising senior philosophy major was accepted into the Philosophy in an Inclusive Key Summer Institute, a competitive two-week seminar held at the Rock Ethics Institute at Penn State, designed to encourage members of groups currently underrepresented in philosophy to consider graduate careers in the field.
ELON ELONUNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY
Physics Physics LEADERS IN PHYSICS EDUCATION
The Great Pumpkin Smash
The Elon University chapter of the Society of Physics Students (SPS) was selected as an Outstanding SPS Chapter based on the depth and breadth of student activities. Notable SPS events at Elon included the Great Pumpkin Smash, the Physics Bridge Challenge, and the hosting of the Zone 5 SPS meeting in the spring. Read more: http://www.elon.edu/enet/Note.aspx?id=940957 In 2010, the Department of Physics hosted a sectional meeting of the American Association of Physics Teachers. The conference piloted a new, workshop-centered format for the 100 physics professors, high school teachers, and students that attended. The two keynote speakers were 2002 Nobel laureate Wolfgang Ketterle and winner of the 2009 Millikan Award for physics education, Arthur Eisenkraft. Read more: http://www.elon.edu/enet/Note.aspx?id=944877
INNOVATIVE PHYSICS CURRICULUM
The Elon Physics Phenomena Photography Project
In 2010, Elon University will adopt the new Matter & Interactions freshman physics curriculum, the first private college in the state to do so. This curriculum introduces students to relativity and computing as freshman where most traditional programs do not cover this until the sophomore and junior years. General Physics students also put knowledge to practice during “The Elon Physics Phenomena Photography Project,” of a photo contest and multimedia show for undergraduates taking General Physics classes.
Read more: http://www.elon.edu/enet/Note.aspx?id=937454&type+atom &departments=PHY&max=25 Students taking introductory astronomy classes learn what it is like to be a scientist through a new role-playing game, “The Pluto Debate.” This project, funded through a $190,000 grant from the National Science Foundations, builds upon the well-established Reacting to the Past pedagogy created at Barnard College. Elon faculty are writing and assessing the learning that takes place in such games. Read more: http://www.elon.edu/enet/Note.aspx?id=946442 Our faculty have reconfigured our two primary classrooms from a “face forward” setup to one that promotes discussion and lab work in groups of three. This room layout is patterned after the successful “Workshop Physics/ SCALEUP/ TEAL” rooms at several other institutions, including MIT and NCSU.
WORLD-CLASS RESEARCH Our faculty recruit physics students, including freshmen, into research programs such as nanotechnology, magnetics, and high-energy astrophysics All physics majors conduct research by their junior year and many receive regional and national awards for their work. Elon faculty have also received several grants averaging $1 million annually from the National Science Foundation and private donors. Read more: http://www.elon.edu/enet/Note.aspx?id=941340
HUMANITIES FOUNDATIONS - COLLEGIATE TRIAL EXPERIENCE - PREPARATION FOR LAW SCHOOL PRELAW CERTIFICATION PROGRAM • • • • • •
Experiential Education – law‐related internships and volunteer opportunities, plus collaborations with Elon School of Law Recommended Courses – courses throughout the university to enhance critical thinking Phi Alpha Delta prelaw fraternity National competition with Elon Mock Trial Ongoing advising and intensive preparation of law school applications and statements Access to research, scholars and national guests of the Center for Law and Humanities
LAW SCHOOL ADMISSION RESULTS 2006 ‐ 2007 • 26 Senior and Post‐graduate Applicants • 17 Acceptances to one or more law schools • 1.77 Acceptances per student 2007 ‐ 2008 • 31 Senior and Post‐graduate Applicants • 28 Acceptances to one or more law schools • 2.94 Acceptances per student 2008 ‐ 2009 • 33 Senior and Post‐graduate Applicants • 30 Acceptances to one or more law schools • 2.97 Acceptances per student 2009 – 2010 • 24 Senior Applicants • 24 Placements in top 50 or top 100 programs • 3 Senior Acceptances to graduate school • Scholarship awards of $1,264,600 VALUE ADDED • • • • • • •
Prelaw Advisory Committee Center for Law and Humanities Collaboration with Elon Law School Internship and volunteer opportunities Application advising Engaging the legal community ‐ Phi Alpha Delta National competition – Mock Trial
SELECTED LAW SCHOOLS ATTENDED (Since 2004) • American University • Campbell University • Case Western Reserve • Chicago – Kent College of Law • Duquesne University • Elon University • Emory University • Florida State University • George Mason University • Georgetown University • John Marshall Law • Loyola University • Michigan State University • New York Law School • Penn State ‐ Dickinson • Rutgers University • Seton Hall University • Stetson University • SUNY ‐ Buffalo • University of Arkansas • University of Maryland • University of Miami • University of Mississippi • University of North Carolina • University of Richmond • University of South Carolina • University of Tennessee • Wake Forest University • College of William and Mary
STUDENT MAJORS SINCE 2004 • • • • • • •
Business Communications Economics English Finance History International Relations
• • • • • •
Journalism Marketing Philosophy Political Science Psychology Public Administration
Prelaw Program Website: http://www.elon.edu/e‐web/academics/elon_college/prelaw/default.xhtml
ELON UNIVERSITY
Psychology Using scientific expertise to make discoveries about human beings, applying psychological science to better the human condition Expert Faculty
Psychology students present research at Summer Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE)
Faculty expertise in subfields including… Social/Personality Psychology Developmental/Cognitive Psychology Neuroscience/Clinical Psychology Organizational/School Psychology Experimental Psychology
n 200-level foundations courses in Lifespan Development, Cognitive Psychology, Social Psychology, and Behavioral Neuroscience
For more, see link http://www.elon.edu/eweb/academics/elon_college/psychology/ fac.xhtml
n 300-level advanced topic courses
Faculty who are Teacher-Scholars In the last three years our faculty have achieved the following: n 52 scholarly publications n 76 professional presentations
Psychology student presents research at Summer Undergraduate Research Forum (SURF)
n Campus leaders: Associate Dean of Elon College, the College of Arts & Sciences, Director of the Honors program, Director of the Lumen Prize program, Coordinator of the Criminal Justice Studies minor, Coordinator of the Leadership minor, Coordinator of the Civic Engagement Scholars program, Associate Director of Center for Advanced of Teaching and Learning, Editor-in-Chief of Perspectives on Undergraduate Research and Mentoring n Recipients of Elon College and University awards in teaching, scholarship and service/leadership
Outstanding Facilities Students conduct research alongside faculty
Our innovative curriculum includes:
Research takes place in four separate laboratory suites occupying over 2200 square feet. For more see link http://www. elon.edu/e-web/academics/elon_college/ psychology/labfacilities.xhtml
Innovative Curriculum Students are fully prepared for graduate school or careers in many fields such as psychology, counseling, education, law, social work and others. For more see link http://www.elon.edu/e-web/academics/ elon_college/psychology/careertools.xhtml
n Experimental and Nonexperimental Research Methods courses n Senior Capstone Seminar
Engaged Students n 47 students mentored in undergraduate research last year n 7 – 8 Honors and Elon College Fellows mentored each year n 12 students mentored in Summer Undergraduate Research Experience in last two years n 4 Lumen Prize Scholars mentored in last two years n 3 Rawls Undergraduate Research Scholarship students mentored in last two years n 10 students mentored in internships last year
Accomplished Students n Elon psychology seniors outperform 80 – 85 percent of students across the country on national test n Elon psychology students co-authored 48 publications and presentations with faculty in the last three years n Approximately 50 percent of Elon psychology seniors in 2010 had been accepted into graduate programs at schools such as Auburn University, Brandeis University, Pepperdine University University of California – Riverside, and Wake Forest University n Elon psychology graduates enter a variety of careers, including Family Services Coordinator, Program Analyst, Risk Management Analysts, Intake Interviewers and Outreach Associates for health and rehabilitation facilities, Teachers, Police Officers, and AmeriCorp and Peace Corp Members
The Religious Studies Department 207 Spence Pavilion, Academic Village
Expert Faculty •Our faculty have worked, taught and presented research in 18 countries •They have wriQen and edited 12 academic books •They have published 6 academic arCcles and book chapters, and presented 15 scholarly papers and lectures naConally and internaConally in 2009-‐10 •85% hold leadership roles in prominent scholarly and professional socieCes •They have received grants to fund research in Bhutan, Germany, Greece, India, Russia and Turkey
Outstanding Mentoring •Our faculty have received two naConal grants to promote excellence in undergraduate research in the field of Religious Studies •Our faculty are recognized naConally as experts on undergraduate research •18 students have completed mulC-‐year research projects in the last ten years •61% of mulC-‐year student researchers have presented their research at regional and naConal conferences
Faculty Leaders at Elon •Three department members chair or have chaired the Asian Studies, Classical Studies and Women’s & Gender Studies programs •One department member serves as Faculty-‐in-‐ Residence for the InternaConal Pavilion •One department member has received the Daniels-‐Danieley Teaching Award and the DisCnguished Scholar Award •Two department members have received the Elon College Excellence in Scholarship award •department members have received CATL grants, Fund for Excellence grants, served as Service-‐ Learning Scholars and mulCple Faculty Research & Development grant
Innova&ve Curriculum Our curriculum offers: •A 100-‐level course that introduces students to the study of religion and a variety of religious tradiCons, pracCces, and texts • 200-‐level courses focused on a parCcular religious tradiCon • 300-‐level courses that explore enduring and emerging global issues (e.g. wealth and poverty, religion and consciousness, gender/ sexuality and religion, religion and empire) • 400-‐level seminars that prepare students for graduate-‐level work
Successful & Commi7ed Alumni •50% of Religious Studies graduates in the past five years have aQended graduate school (including top-‐Cer programs at American University, Duke, Emory, Fordham, Harvard, Indiana, Michigan, Princeton, Wake Forest, and Yale) •Alumni have worked for AmeriCorps, Hillel, Peace Corps, Presbyterian Young Adult Volunteers, Jesuit Volunteers and Teach for America •Alumni have made careers in diverse fields including business, chaplaincy, community organizing, government, higher educaCon, IT, law, ministry, social work and teaching . http://www.elon.edu/e-web/academics/elon_college/religious_studies/.
Department of Sociology and Anthropology Exemplifying Elon's commitment to diversity, global citizenship and civic engagement through: The Program for Ethnographic Research and Community Studies (PERCS), which now includes membership and contributions across a variety of disciplines. Last year, students participating in PERCS gave five conference presentations and published a journal article. For more, go to http://org.elon.edu/percs/ne.htm. Elon’s new Archaeological Field School in Belize, which enabled six students to participate this summer in field‐based research in Belize. For more, go to http://facstaff.elon.edu/rtrachman/. Project Pericles at Elon, which continues engaging cohorts of Elon students in a three year commitment to civic engagement and social responsibility. Eleven members of the 2012 class of Periclean Scholars travelled to India to work with the Comprehensive Rural Health Project. The annual Winter Term study abroad course in Aboriginal Australia, which allows anthropology faculty and students to study and conduct research together. Contributing exemplary interdisciplinary service and leadership throughout the University: Former dean of international programs Former dean of social sciences Current associate dean of Elon College of Arts and Sciences Co‐chair of the task force on scholarship Founder and Director of Elon University’s Project Pericles Director of the Social Sciences Fellows Program, a branch of Elon College Fellows Outstanding faculty with a strong focus on mentoring: Faculty include two recipients of the Daniels‐Danieley Teaching Award, the N.C. Teacher of the Year, Distinguished University Professor, and a recipient of the Distinguished University Scholar award. Faculty produced four book publications, 18 peer reviewed publications and 16 paper presentations at professional conferences in 2009‐10. Faculty mentored numerous students research projects, Honors Fellows theses and Lumen Scholars projects.
Curriculum
Operations
•
•
Elon completed a Climate Action Plan in spring 2010, which will serve as guidance for the university’s carbon neutrality goal.
•
Lindner Hall, Elon’s first LEED building, received a LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED certification is the standard for future construction. The university is the recipient of federal grant money, which will help fund the installation of solar thermal systems for heating water on the Colonnades Dining Hall and some residence halls.
•
•
An environmental and sustainability studies minor was recently approved. In 2010, the Sustainability Faculty Scholars Program welcomed seven new scholars from diverse disciplines, bringing to 25 the total number of participants in the program, which helps faculty incorporate or enhance a focus on sustainable principles and practices in their courses. A student sustainability scholars program will likely be added this year.
Co‐Curricular •
•
More than 20 students contributed research, poetry, book reviews and photography to the fourth edition of Visions Magazine, a faculty‐student collaborative publication focused on environmental and
sustainability issues. A team of nine students edited and produced the magazine. The Eco‐Reps (sustainability peer educators) increased environmental awareness on campus and provided 22 Sustainable Living Lessons reaching over 300 first‐year students.
To learn more about Elon’s Sustainability Program visit www.elon.edu/sustainability.
•
•
A geothermal system currently under construction will be the primary source of heating and cooling in three new Colonnades residence halls and two existing Colonnades residence halls. The system will reduce the need for fossil fuel based energy for these buildings.