The Magazine of Elon, Winter 2012

M A G A Z I N E

O F

W I N T E R   

T H E

Celebrating

the Impact of Ever Elon

I AM ELON Anthony Phillips-Spencer is a man with a plan. No, make that a lot of plans. Choosing tactical moves during ballroom dancing competitions. Arguing through resolutions in Model United Nations.

Working toward a career in the government of Trinidad and Tobago, his homeland. Anthony’s always thinking ahead.

A junior political science and international studies double major, he’s spending the spring semester in Costa Rica. Though he’s thrilled to return to the Caribbean, he hates to leave his job in Elon’s Office of International Admissions, where he speaks with prospective international students.

“Talking to them, then seeing them come to Elon, is one of the best experiences,” he says.

Anthony’s father, himself a diplomat, always closes their phone conversations by reminding his son: “Don’t forget, be FAB this week:” Focused, Accurate and Balanced.

Anthony, always up for the challenge, affirms, “Yes, Dad.” Anthony is Elon. Visit elon.edu/magazine to see more of Anthony’s story, part of our “I am Elon” multimedia series featuring Elon students in their own words.

Contents

 BLACK OAKS RISING INTRODUCTION BY ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR PRUDENCE LAYNE

Six Elon alumni reflect on the shifting tides of the black experience at Elon over the past four decades as part of the university’s Black History Month observances.

Cover Story

 FOREVER ELON INTRODUCTION BY PRESIDENT LEO M. LAMBERT ARTICLE BY DANIEL J. ANDERSON, JALEH HAGIGH & KRISTIN M. SIMONETTI ‘05

Ever Elon drew to a close in December, but the profound effects of this historic campaign will live on in the people, programs and places it has transformed.

Alumni Profile

 PLAYING IT BY EAR

BY DAVE HART

An innovative spirit honed early in life helped Jesse Meredith ‘4 4 make groundbreaking achievements throughout his remarkable medical career in Winston-Salem, N.C.

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Under the Oaks Phoenix Sports Alumni Action Class Notes

About the Cover

On Oct. 21, the Elon community gathered in Rhodes Stadium to kick off Homecoming Weekend and celebrate surpassing the Ever Elon Campaign’s 100 million goal with a spectacular light and fireworks show.

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The Magazine of Elon winter 2012 | vol. 74, no. 1 The Magazine of Elon is published quarterly for alumni, parents and friends by the Office of University Communications.

EDITOR

Kristin M. Simonetti ’05 DESIGNERS

Christopher Eyl Carolyn Nelson PHOTOGRAPHER

Kim Walker EDITORIAL STAFF

Holley Berry Keren Rivas ’04 Eric Townsend STUDENT WRITERS

Kellye Coleman ’12 Caitlin O’Donnell ’13 VICE PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

Daniel J. Anderson

EDITORIAL OFFICES

The Magazine of Elon 2030 Campus Box Elon, NC 27244-2020 (336) 278-7415 elon.edu/magazine

BOARD OF TRUSTEES, CHAIR

Mark T. Mahaffey p’97 p’01 St. Petersburg, Fla. ELON ALUMNI BOARD, PRESIDENT

Chris Martin ’78 p’13 Manasquan, N.J. YOUNG ALUMNI COUNCIL, PRESIDENT

Michael Bumbry ’07 Philadelphia, Pa. PARENTS COUNCIL, COPRESIDENTS

Kelly & Meredith Graves p’12 p’13 Charlotte, N.C. BOARD OF VISITORS, CHAIR

Clifford B. Hardy Jr. ’62 Tampa, Fla. SCHOOL OF LAW ADVISORY BOARD, CHAIR

David Gergen Cambridge, Mass.

SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATIONS ADVISORY BOARD, CHAIR

Brian Williams p’13 New Canaan, Conn.

LOVE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS ADVISORY BOARD, CHAIR

William S. Creekmuir p’09 p’10 Atlanta, Ga. PHOENIX CLUB ADVISORY BOARD, CHAIR

Mike Cross Burlington, N.C.

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{ Glenda Crawford }

Glenda Crawford named North Carolina professor of the year Professor Glenda Crawford in the School of Education was selected the 2011 North Carolina Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.

Crawford joined the Elon faculty in 1990 after receiving her doctorate from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

She previously taught in the AlamanceBurlington School System, working with grades 4 through 12. Her research focuses on adolescent learning and cognitive development.

She has served Elon as chair of the education department and coordinator of its middle grades education program. The author of five books that address the unique relationship between adolescents and learning, Crawford has presented or participated in more than 50 professional meetings.

“When asked to comment on Professor Crawford’s teaching, colleagues and students use words such as ‘inspiring’ and ‘innovative,’” Elon President Leo M. Lambert wrote in a nomination letter. “Among a university faculty that is characterized by great teaching, Professor Crawford stands out.”

Crawford is the second Elon professor to receive the award from CASE and the Carnegie Foundation, which have offered the U.S. Professors of the Year awards program since 1981. Tom Arcaro, professor of sociology, received the award in 2006.

Elon MBA ranked #1 in the nation Bloomberg Businessweek has named Elon’s part-time MBA program the nation’s best, giving Elon top scores in student satisfaction and outcomes, and A+ grades in teaching quality and curriculum.

The #1 national ranking follows Elon’s #6 ranking in the same publication in 2009.

Bloomberg Businessweek surveyed students in part-time MBA programs about all aspects of their academic experience, and those results are combined with data on rage student average GMAT scores, average centage of work experience, the percentage teachers who are tenured,, average class size in core business classes, the number of business electives available to t t d t part-timers and the percentage off students who ultimately complete the program.

The report rates Elon’s MBA program as the best for both job changers and career switchers. Ninety-two percent of students complete the program and 74 percent of its graduates reported a salary increase.

“We are thrilled to have such a vote of confidence from the professionals we are working with,” says Bill Burpitt, chair of the MBA program and associate dean of graduate studies.

UNDER THE OAKS

upcoming speakers

Nobel Peace Prize winner headlines Convocation for Honors

Dell executive Steve Schuckenbrock ’82 to give Commencement address

Muhammad Yunus, a pioneer of microfinance in the developing world and recipient of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize, will be the featured speaker at Convocation for Honors on April 3.

Yunus and the Grameen Bank received the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts to combat poverty via small loans that require no collateral from the rural { Muhammad Yunus } poor, especially women, who use the funds for self-employment and to establish credit. Since then, Yunus has been one of the world’s leading voices for social business, a way to “use the creative vibrancy of business to tackle social problems” that include poverty, pollution, lack of education and inadequate health care.

Yunus’ book, Creating a World Without Poverty, is Elon’s 2011–12 Common Reading selection. During his visit, Yunus will receive the Elon University Medal for Entrepreneurial Leadership.

Tickets to Convocation will be available to the public beginning March 13. Please call the university Box Office at (336) 278-5610 for more information.

Steve Schuckenbrock ’82, president of Dell Services, the global IT services and business solutions unit of Dell, Inc., will deliver Elon’s 122nd Commencement address on May 19. Schuckenbrock, Elon’s 2010 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year, has spent nearly three decades as a leading executive in the IT field. { Steve Schuckenbrock ’82 } In 2006, Michael Dell, Dell’s founder and chief executive officer, chose Schuckenbrock to help lead the reorganization of the company. Schuckenbrock has facilitated Dell’s transition from a hardware producer to a business solutions company and since 2009 has managed nearly a third of Dell’s business, focusing on the company’s largest corporate customers.

Schuckenbrock played on Elon’s golf team and graduated in 1982 with majors in business administration and mathematics. He lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife, Becky, and the couple have five children.

University announces retirements & promotions Susan C. Klopman, Elon’s vice president for admissions and financial planning, will retire June 1, and Greg L. Zaiser ’90 G’95, who currently serves as dean of admissions, will be promoted to succeed her.

Klopman began her Elon career in 1985 as assistant director of the Department of Publications and Public Relations. She later became director of foundation and corporate relations before joining the president’s office in 1993, serving as assistant to President Emeritus J. Fred Young and the board of trustees.

In 1996, Klopman moved to the admissions office as assistant dean, overseeing application reviews and annual communications with more than 60,000 prospective students. She was promoted to dean of admissions

in 2000 and vice president in 2006.

Thanks in large part to a sophisticated strategy Klopman developed, Elon has seen admissions applications grow from 5,600 in 2000 to more than 9,000 in 2011.

Zaiser joined the admissions office as an assistant director and admissions counselor. He moved to Elon’s advancement office in 1995 as director of reunion giving and assistant director of annual support. Two years later, he returned to admissions as director of international admissions. In 1999, Zaiser was named director of graduate admissions and promoted to associate dean in 2000. He became director of undergraduate admissions in 2003 and was promoted to dean of admissions in 2006.

Klopman’s retirement and Zaiser’s promotion were among several recent personnel moves at Elon. In November, Daniel J. Anderson was promoted to vice president, heading the newly named Office of University Communications. Anderson had directed the Office of University Relations since coming to Elon in 1998 and was named assistant vice president in 2004.

In December, Thomas M. Brinkley, a former partner with one of the Southeast’s top international executive search firms, joined the Elon staff as executive director of corporate and employer relations. Brinkley will lead the university’s new Student Professional Development Center, which opened this winter in Moseley Center.

{ Susan C. Klopman }

{ Greg L. Zaiser ’90 G’95 }

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UNDER THE OAKS

School of Communications celebrates HD conversion The School of Communications held a ribbon-cutting ceremony in December to formally debut the school’s transition to high-definition, tapeless video recording and editing systems. The ceremony also honored the work of Troy Senkiewicz ’98 and several business partners who made the conversion possible.

Senkiewicz, owner of California-based DigiMax Consulting, worked with several vendors to secure donated materials to the university. He visited Elon in August to install many yards of cable donated by GEPCO International in studios A and B in McEwen. { Troy Senkiewicz ’98 } The rewired building brings state-ofthe-art broadcasting technology to Elon communications students, who can now record in high-definition without using tapes, streamlining the production process and providing superior television images.

The donation of the cable, plus Senkiewicz’s services, which also were provided for free, saved Elon more than $20,000. The university saved tens of thousands of dollars more by purchasing high-definition Sony cameras through an agreement Senkiewicz brokered with ClarkPowell, a national audiovisual company with offices in Winston-Salem, N.C.

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NORTH CAROLINA CHRISTENS ELONAFFILIATED FERRY In November, the N.C. Department of Transportation christened a 13 million ferry affiliated with Elon University.

The new Motor Vessel Swan Quarter was decked out with Elon’s logo and its maroon and gold colors for a ceremony that attracted 200 people to the state ferry division’s shipyard at Mann’s Harbor.

The 220-foot Sound Class ferry carries up to 50 vehicles and 300 passengers on the Pamlico Sound routes from Swan Quarter and Cedar Island to Ocracoke Island. It will make four to six trips a day, with each leg of the voyage taking up to three hours.

The new vessel meets the Americans With Disabilities Act by featuring an ADAcompliant elevator; moves 25 percent faster than existing Sound Class boats; and meets Environmental Protection Agency standards for diesel emissions. All of North Carolina’s ferryboats are affiliated with colleges or universities in the state and display the schools’ colors and logos.

UNDER THE OAKS

SYLLABUZZ

BY KEREN RIVAS ’

{ POL : India and Pakistan }

O

n the eve of India’s independence from Great Britain – Aug. 14, 1947 – Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru delivered the following words: “Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially.”

Years of internal conflict had culminated in the division of the country into two territories: India and Pakistan. Though there was a sense of great optimism for what lay ahead, 64 years later, relations between the two countries continue to be delicate at best.

Was the partition really destiny or would the outcome have been better had India taken a different route? How is it that India has managed to embrace democracy while Pakistan has remained largely under military authoritarianism? Assistant Professor Jason Kirk explores these and other questions as part of his India and Pakistan political science course.

Students spend the first third of the course learning about India’s colonial past and the events, ambitions and fears that led to its independence from Britain and the creation

of separate countries. They also participate in a historical role-play exercise to better understand the process and the motivations driving the different political actors. The rest of the course is spent looking at what happened after India and Pakistan separated – the international wars, territorial conflicts and other factors that have helped define each nation’s identity. Current events shed light on the United States’ relationship with both countries.

Kirk says the class attracts students with mixed motivations. There are those who are interested in India as an emerging power while others want to learn more about Pakistan from a military perspective and its role in the War on Terror. For all students, Kirk’s goal is to explain that the consequences of India and Pakistan’s relationship are not isolated to South Asia.

“We need to understand one another better. It’s not just Pakistan’s or India’s story, it’s our story, too,” Kirk says. “This is not some exotic place in another part of the world. Through our country’s involvement with Pakistan, we have shaped history, both for South Asia and us. We continue to do that today.”

{ Jason Kirk }

About the professor Jason Kirk has taught political science and international studies courses at Elon since 2008. Much of Kirk’s scholarship focuses on India, an interest he developed after spending a semester in that country as an undergraduate student.

Recommended readings The Great Partition: The Making of India and Pakistan by Yasmin Khan In Spite of the Gods: The Strange Rise of Modern India by Edward Luce Pakistan: Between Mosque and Military by Husain Haqqani

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT Students in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business won top honors in two recent competitions. Seniors Lindsay Richardson and Allison Kutz excelled at the 2011 Russ Berrie Institute National Sales Challenge at William Patterson University in New Jersey. Richardson placed first in the sales call role-play portion of the competition. Kutz competed against 54 students to win the speed-selling event.

Senior Alex Carberry, junior Oliver Goddu, and sophomores Michael Small and Nick Unkovic won first place at the Dalhousie Business Ethics Case Competition in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The competition, hosted by Dalhousie University, involved three rounds that tested knowledge of all aspects of business, from finance and accounting to marketing and entrepreneurship.

Elon placed third this fall in the NASCAR Kinetics Marketing Competition, which invited teams of students to compete in marketing case studies and host promotional events for NASCAR. Students Ryan Vet, Eric Carroll, Alyssa King, Michelle Nadler and Kevin Simon competed against teams from 20 other universities.

{ l-r, Lindsay Richardson & Allison Kutz }

The Pendulum, Elon’s print and online newsgathering organization, was honored with Best of Show awards from the Associated Collegiate Press on the last day of ACP’s joint convention last fall. The Pendulum Online placed first in Publication Website Small School, and The Pendulum placed third in Four-Year Weekly Tabloid. The website’s 10th anniversary coverage of Sept. 11 placed ninth in the Multimedia Package category.

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FACULTY/STAFF SPOTLIGHT

{ Alexander Yap }

Associate Professor Alexander Yap has authored his first book, Information Systems for Global Financial Markets: Emerging Developments and Effects. Published

by Premier Reference Source, the textbook explores the systems and technologies that automatically execute stock, bond and other financial product transactions based on complex formulas involving prices and trends.

David Levine, assistant professor of law, made national headlines in November when he co-authored an open letter to Congress with colleagues from Stanford Law School and Temple University School of Law. Levine and his peers detailed their concerns about the Stop Online Piracy Act, which they deemed a “dangerous” federal bill that threatens Internet commerce. Their efforts led to coverage in the Chronicle of Higher Education, CNET, TechDirt and Talking Points Memo, among other news organizations.

Pam Brumbaugh and Ross Wade in the Office of Career Services received awards from the North Carolina Career Development Association for their contributions to Elon students. Brumbaugh, Elon’s director of experiential education, received the 2011 Roy N. Anderson Award, which recognizes longtime professionals in the field. Wade, who serves as assistant director of career services for the School of Communications, received the organization’s 2011 New Professional Award.

Darris Means ‘05, associate director of the Elon Academy, received the Bobby E. Leach Award this fall from the Southern Association for College Student Affairs. The award recognizes recipients who significantly contribute to the development of multicultural relations on a college or university campus. Means has shared his experiences and research with colleagues in more than 27 presentations at the local, state and national levels.

He is pursuing a doctorate in educational research and policy analysis at North Carolina State University.

A new award given by North Carolina Campus Compact bears the name of John H. Barnhill ’92, assistant vice president of university advancement.

The John H. Barnhill Civic Trailblazer Award recognizes Barnhill’s professional accomplishments and his service as founding executive director of N.C. Campus Compact in 2002. The award will be given annually to a student at a N.C. Campus Compact member institution who demonstrates innovation in civic engagement.

FRANCIS CENTER OPENS FOR BUSINESS The Gerald L. Francis Center opened its doors in January following a year of renovations to the property adjoining Danieley Center to the east of Elon’s main campus.

The Francis Center houses the doctor of physical therapy program and the new master of physician assistant studies program, which will launch in January 2013. The facility, only half of which has been renovated to date, is named to honor Executive Vice President Gerry Francis, who

6 the magazine of elon

has dedicated his entire academic career to Elon. Additional space in the building is being planned for undergraduate student programs and other uses.

The Francis Center features three classrooms dedicated to the DPT program and two classrooms for the PA program, three clinical laboratories, five simulation/ exam rooms, two observation rooms and additional labs for research and practice. A large commons area, student lounge and fitness facility on the first floor will serve

as a gathering place for the hundreds of students who will fill the facility in the years ahead.

“They really do spend their entire day in this building,” said Professor Stephen Folger in the Department of Physical Therapy Education. “We want to make this a very vibrant part of the building.”

The space formerly occupied by the DPT program in McMichael Science Center will be used for expanded undergraduate science facilities.

CAMPUS UNCOMMONS

BY KRISTIN M. SIMONETTI ’05

Catherine McNeela distinctly remembers the day more than 20 years ago when she realized her purpose in life. She had just decided to leave her acting career in New York to teach at Elon. She was sitting in baggage claim at LaGuardia Airport on her way to North Carolina, holding Blanche DuBois, her West Highland Terrier named for the female lead in Tennessee Williams’ “A Streetcar Named Desire.” Out of nowhere, a woman approached her.

“She asked me where I was going, and I said I was going to Elon to start a music theatre program,” recalls McNeela, the William S. Long Professor of Performing Arts. “Her eyes filled up with tears and she told me that while she wasn’t a drama major in college, it was a drama teacher who had made the biggest difference in her life.

“She told me: ‘if you can influence your students’ lives in the way that teacher influenced my life, you’ll know you’re doing the right thing.’”

If the multitude of alumni who consider her a best friend, invite her to stand as a bridesmaid in their weddings or ask to Skype with her on Thanksgiving morning are any indication, McNeela’s been doing the right thing for more than two decades.

“To see my students succeed every day is my success,” she says, her eyes filling with tears. “I look back on that day in the airport and I see that woman as an angel. I was meant to be here.”

What faculty or staff member do you think is uncommon?

Send a suggestion to alumniclassnotes@elon.edu.

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PHOENIX SPORTS ▶ elonphoenix.com

A TEAM SPIRIT OF GIVING

BY PAIGE FREDRICKSON

{ Student-Athlete Advisory Council leaders (l-r) Tomeka Watson ’13, Dale Riley ’13, Katelyn O’Dunne ’12, Alli Nogi ’13 & Haley Hawkins ’14 led a fall coat drive that amassed more than 150 garments for local families.}

R

eturning to campus after a visit to As co-president of Elon’s Student-Athlete neighboring Elon Elementary School, Advisory Committee, Riley is tasked with Phoenix linebacker Dale Riley does his leading his fellow student-athletes in service best to suppress a smile. initiatives that include adopting families dur“I’ve been helping teach third-graders about ing the holidays, volunteering with the Special money,” the Elon junior explains. “It was a little Olympics, leading sports clinics at area schools, bit frustrating, but I think they got it.” hosting the annual spring Phoenix Field Day for Visiting local elementary and middle schools local children and working with agencies that for a few hours is a weekly responsibility for assist the needy in Alamance County.

Riley and several other student-athletes, right up Monty Sanders ’09, director of men’s basketthere with practices, games, classes and home- ball operations, recalls service as an integral part work. It’s also just one of the many ways Elon of his experience as a Phoenix student-athlete student-athletes take part in Elon’s mission to and is pleased to see current students continuing build global citizens motivated by concern for the tradition. He was one of the Elon studentthe common good. athletes who five years ago founded Phoenix And, Riley adds, it’s one of the highlights of Field Day, which benefits children from the Burlington Housing Authority. his Elon experience.

“I love seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces “The most important thing for the children is when I walk into the classroom,” he says. “They to see that it’s not far-fetched to get to where we tell me about how they saw me on the field last are as collegiate student-athletes. It’s a more proSaturday and I realize how much they look up found impact for them than just being told that to me.” by a teacher,” Sanders says. “For student-athletes,

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it’s a life experience that complements what they learn in the classroom or on the court.”

Like Sanders, Riley sought to expand his peers’ impact on the greater Burlington community. Last fall, he helped initiate a coat drive that collected more than 150 new and gently used coats at Elon athletics events in November and December.

“While I was volunteering at (Allied Churches of Alamance County’s) Good Shepherd Kitchen, I saw that some children weren’t wearing proper clothes for the weather outside,” Riley says. “I wanted to do something, so I took the idea to SAAC and we started the coat drive.”

Tomeka Watson, a junior outfielder on Elon’s softball team who has volunteered alongside Riley at Allied Churches’ facilities, was equally pleased with the coat drive’s success.

“It makes us as student-athletes thankful to be at a school like Elon,” she says. “As a team, we become closer every time we go out into the community. It helps us learn more about each other.”

PHOENIX SPORTS

FROM OBSTACLE TO INSPIRATION

S

am Coffer ’15 brought an impressive basketball pedigree to Elon last fall. The Greensboro, N.C., native and Northern Guilford High School alumna is the four-yearold school’s leading scorer in girls and boys basketball, and she was a finalist in the voting for the 2011 North Carolina Wendy’s High School Heisman Award. She already has delivered on that promise for the Phoenix, scoring a team-high 20 points in Elon’s 69–44 rout of defending Southern Conference champion Samford on Dec. 5.

While Coffer’s skills are readily apparent, her driving force isn’t as obvious: Coffer has diabetes, and her condition has influenced not only her athletic ambitions but also her choice to study biochemistry at Elon. She shared her story with Magazine of Elon editor Kristin M. Simonetti ’05.

How did you find out that you were diabetic?

I was 14, and I kind of diagnosed it myself. I had all the symptoms – I’d lost weight, I was tired and I was hungry. I also had leg cramps, so I went online and looked up information about leg cramps. I found the symptoms of diabetes and saw that they were similar to what I was having.

You’ve decided to study biochemistry at Elon.

How does your condition relate to that?

I’ve been to a lot of endocrinologists, and I always ask them a lot of questions. One of the doctors I went to once said, “Thank God I’m not a diabetic,” and that really bothered me. I think I could be a much more empathetic person with my patients, so I want to go to med school to become an endocrinologist. And I’ve always liked math and science. { Sam Coffer ‘15 }

Did you ever consider dropping basketball because of your condition?

No. I was in a daze after I found out, but it never crossed my mind to stop playing basketball. My parents might have thought about it, but I never did.

How do you manage your diabetes, both as a college student and an athlete?

I have to be a little more on top of things – make sure my prescriptions are filled, and I eat right as much as I can. I have to check my blood sugar about 10 times a day. Sometimes I have to get up in the middle of the night and have a drink of soda. It’s taught me a lot of discipline.

How has your team supported you through everything?

They’ve all been really great. They are always asking if I’m OK, but they treat me like I’m normal. I like for people to be interested and involved, not just to stare at me like I’m an alien or something. That’s part of why I came here.

I love the players. When I came on my official visit my senior year, I had a lot of fun and felt I’d fit in. Since I’ve been here, it’s surpassed my expectations. The team is so fun – everyone is great friends with each other.

SIGNATURE WIN The capacity crowd attending the Nov. 15 Phoenix men’s basketball home opener against the University of South Carolina observed two firsts. For the first time, Elon hosted a major-conference basketball team at home in Alumni Gym. And for the first time, the Phoenix knocked off an opponent hailing from the Southeastern Conference.

“We talk a lot about wanting to elevate this program,” Phoenix Head Coach Matt Matheny said after his squad defeated the Gamecocks, 58–53.

“While this is just one victory, it gives our guys the belief that it can be done.”

A smothering Elon defense stymied the visiting Gamecocks, who led for just a few seconds in the game. Freshman point guard Austin Hamilton, who contributed 12 points in his Alumni Gym debut, saw foundations of a bright future for the Phoenix.

“We played great team defense,” Hamilton said, emerging from the mass of students who stormed the court after the final buzzer. “If we play like that, we can be competitive with anyone in the country.”

{ Freshman Kevin Blake (11) splits two Gamecock defenders during Elon’s victory over South Carolina. }

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BLACK OAKS RISING The legacy of black students, faculty and staff at Elon

INTRODUCTION BY PRUDENCE LAYNE, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH AND COORDINATOR OF ELON’S AFRICAN & AFRICANAMERICAN STUDIES PROGRAM HISTORIC PHOTOS PROVIDED BY KATIE NASH, UNIVERSITY ARCHIVIST

S

ince Elon’s earliest days, black students, faculty, staff and alumni have been crucial threads in the fabric of our institutional history. This February, the university community celebrated Black History Month with expanded cultural and educational programming, recognizing black achievements on Elon’s campus and in our alumni family.

Clockwise from upper left: Celebrations after Commencement in 1998; Black Cultural Society members gather in 1979; Mary Carroll ‘81, who in 1979 was crowned Elon’s first black homecoming queen; The Rev. Marvin L. Morgan ‘71, an Elon trustee, and Eugene Perry ‘69, Elon’s first black graduate, at the African-American Alumni Summit in 2010; a campus conversation near Alamance caught on film in the 1970s.

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The year 1963 is often used to note the entry of black students and faculty into Elon’s 123-year history. Yet as we celebrate the achievements of our students and faculty, we should not forget the contributions of black staff members such as Andrew Morgan, who served Elon faithfully in the campus maintenance department from 1926 until his death in 1964.

From dusting shelves, attending to our beautiful campus and maintaining our living and working spaces, they share in our success, offering a “high-five” as black faculty don their academic regalia and black students, sometimes their own children, cross the stage at Commencement. You can learn more about these special members of the Elon community by visiting the Black History Month website: elon.edu/blackhistorymonth.

In the following pages, six accomplished black alumni reflect on their Elon experiences over the past four decades. Three themes emerge from their collective voices: that help, seen or unseen, can always be found to face any challenge; that fierce determination can overcome any obstacle; and that an Elon education breeds excellence.

Though the black Elon experience has improved in many ways in recent generations, the paths to these alumni success stories have not been easy. For current black Elon students, too, significant challenges remain.

Many of the departments and programs that produced the alumni who wrote these essays have not changed considerably in the representation of black students and faculty. Racial integration has not yet come to other facets of the university.

But as the struggle goes on, the hope that makes the improbable possible continues to soar.

For their contributions to the university’s intellectual and cultural fabric, we salute these and all black Elon alumni, students, faculty and staff. And to Elon, for your “unprecedented commitment to diversity” and contributions to our lives, we salute you.

Gail Fonville Parker ’70 Owner, Love-a-Lot Daycare and Preschool, Inc. The summer of 1966 was an exciting time for me, leading to my first semester at Elon. Upon my arrival at Elon College, I discovered that my living assignment was an ironing room in West Dorm with a scenic view of the parking lot. My parents and I were extremely disappointed, but never disheartened. After a brief discussion with the less-than-empathetic dean at the time, my parents and I decided that I would commute from my home approximately 12 miles away.

After a few days on campus, I discovered I was the only African-American female student at Elon. I was neither deterred nor did I accept defeat. Instead, I embraced the challenges and became involved in my biology studies.

Most of my time was spent in a lab or studying, with little time to make new friends. But I found that students from the North engaged in conversations with me more readily than students from the South. I had the privilege of meeting two extraordinary women during my time at Elon, Donna (Hill) Oliver and Diane Gucker, who remain close friends of mine.

 BURLINGTON, N.C. 

Having supportive peers, especially another student of color, helped me continue to pursue my degree.

I established a relationship with one of my biology professors, Voight Morgan, who was the most objective professor I encountered during my studies. He treated me as an equal in his class, which allowed me to focus on the content material instead of whether people stereotyped me based on my race. If I ever needed to consult a professor about social or academic issues, Dr. Morgan was always ready to assist me.

I take great pride in having attended and received my degree in biology from Elon and especially in being the first African-American female to graduate from the university. I hope that my story can serve as a testament to what others can achieve if they believe in themselves and work hard to pursue their dreams. I am thankful that Elon gave me the opportunity to pursue a higher education, and I hope it continues to offer more students of color the same opportunity.

Donna Hill Oliver ’72 President, Mississippi Valley State University My educational journey has taken me from helping to integrate Elon College, to being named National Teacher of the Year, to leading one of the nation’s youngest historically black universities.

Being a pioneer at Elon prepared me for a future beyond anything I’d ever dreamed of when I was a freshman, one of a handful of African Americans to step over the color line.

With so few blacks on campus, I was lonely and often felt invisible. There were no AfricanAmerican professors or administrators. With no black sororities, black cultural events and few if any opportunities to feel welcomed into existing college organizations, it was hard to feel a real part of campus life.

We were there strictly for academics, and even that was challenging because none of the students invited me into their study groups. As a biology major, I worked in the lab – alone – while everyone else had partners or discussion groups. Still, I had outstanding faculty, some of

 ITTA BENA, MISS. 

whom seemed to understand my plight. It was great to be invited back to Elon in the 1980s to speak when one of those professors, Voight Morgan, was honored.

The good in my Elon experience truly outweighed the bad. Thanks to the biology and education departments, I was well prepared to pursue my academic ambitions. In 1986, I was named North Carolina Teacher of the Year, and in 1987, I was named National Teacher of the Year.

I credit Elon with giving me the foundation to earn two masters degrees and a doctorate, and to build a successful career in education.

Most importantly, the challenges I faced while a student at Elon helped me develop interpersonal communication skills that enabled me to interact with diverse groups of people. The isolation taught me to work and think independently and to persist even when the journey seemed too difficult to continue. Finally, learning that excellence has no barriers when you are determined to succeed; that’s priceless.

winter 2012 11

Darryl Smith ’86 Vice President of Sales, East Region, UPS Capital North America My experience at Elon in the 1980s was the best era of my life. I was fortunate to have a chance to play football, and I began to create lifelong relationships with some of the finest men and women you could ever meet. We each took it upon ourselves to have each others’ backs. No one ever could imagine how simple gestures such as $5 here and there, home-cooked meals and words of encouragement could shape someone’s life. These things were provided by dormitory custodians, cafeteria cooks, coaches and others who pushed their hidden hopes and dreams through the few African-American

students like myself at Elon. This was mainly because they were proud to see the progress we made that they may not have made.

Behind the scenes, they lived through us. It was a time of community and togetherness that was expressed often. Today, we seem not to have many of those moments unless there’s a natural disaster, a terrorist attack or when some other hardship arises and we need to adapt.

You are only as good as your legacy, and I’d like my legacy to be centered around faith, family, friends, fellowship, community and compassion. These values were influenced

 RALEIGH, N.C. 

by my experience at Elon, because if it had not been for these few community members who were concerned about my success or failure in college, I would not be who I am today. I would encourage current and future Elon students to remember these things – don’t forget where you came from and keep your vision in reach. Learn from those around you and listen when someone wants to share. The most important lessons that have shaped my career are not the ones that I learned in the Elon classroom but those learned by my Elon relationships, the hardships and perseverance.

Priscilla Awkard ’95 Relationship Manager for Business Development, Coastal Federal Credit Union I can’t imagine how my life would have turned out had I not chosen Elon College.

When I came to Elon, I had grown up a military kid. I was accustomed to being a minority, so much of a minority that I didn’t know much about my culture nor did I feel comfortable being in a setting with other blacks. I remember like yesterday when that changed. It was my freshman year living in Staley. I connected with four of the most diverse black females. Everyone came from different backgrounds and the combination of the five of us made for some very interesting adventures. I can truly say that I found my soul with these sisters of mine.

Elon provided the blank canvas where I drew out my own course. I felt there was nothing that I couldn’t do to better myself or a situation. If I had an idea or a desire to do something, the tools to nurture and see that idea through to the end were only a phone call, meeting or field trip away.

Part of that philosophy was due to my strong will to see every project through to the end and to never accept “no” as an answer. But it also came from working for two of the strongest women on Elon’s campus: Jana Lynn Patterson (assistant vice president for student life) and Janice Ratliff (program assistant for student development).

 RALEIGH, N.C. 

Janice’s phrase “Stop popping that gum!” still resonates in my head when I mentor young people who come in chewing gum. The life lessons I learned working with them in student affairs still govern the way I carry myself at work.

Elon has given me so much over the years, but these things mean the most: A solid education that taught me there’s nothing that I can’t learn; sisters, brothers, mothers and fathers who love me unconditionally and whom I love unconditionally; and last, but not least, the confidence to know that if I believe, I can definitely achieve.

Randy Evans ’98 Actor Being a minority on Elon’s predominantly white campus, I sought groups that had singular and multiethnic roots. I became a member of the noble Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and, later, an officer of its governing body. But I also took roles in theatre productions, served in the Student Government and Resident Student associations and worked as an Elon tour guide. My experiences interacting with students of all backgrounds at Elon prepared me for the “real” world.

One of those experiences was learning about a famous member of Kappa Alpha Psi named Hilary H. Holloway, or “Hip” for

12 the magazine of elon

 LOS ANGELES, CALIF. 

short. Hip was a pioneer – the first black man to become an officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, a partner at his law firm, chairman of the board of trustees at his undergraduate institution and president of the National Interfraternity Conference. Hip held the latter position while I was a student at Elon. His story inspired my desire to shine my light the same way Hip has, the same way Elon strives for “Numen Lumen” – spiritual and intellectual light.

My Elon lessons came to my mind in a recent meeting I had with a major studio executive. I was pitching a film that needed a black male lead. The executive said, “If it’s

not Denzel (Washington) or Will Smith, it won’t do well in foreign sales. I hate to say it, Randy, but the world is racist.” While his words reflect a truth in our industry – for each handful of black men who have their films made, it seems as if 40 of their white counterparts do – the paradigm is shifting.

Ultimately, I believe this film will be made because it’s a great script and a story that needs to be told. I’ll continue to push it forward and passionately shine a light on the world. The lessons I learned at Elon give me confidence that I can.

Clockwise from upper left: Daniel Watts ‘03, Elon’s 2011 Young Alumnus of the Year, returns to campus to teach a master class; the Gospel Choir performs in the 1980s; sorority members participate in the 2010 Homecoming Yard Show; students take part in the 2012 Beloved Community Peace Journey and Candlelight Vigil.

Lundon Sims ’02 Spanish Teacher, R.J. Reynolds High School As a freshman and a North Carolina Teaching Fellow, I did initially note that most of my classes lacked racial diversity, but it never overshadowed my overall experience.

I immediately felt the sense of community evident at Elon. I never felt isolated. (Former Elon staff member) L’Tanya Richmond ’87 was a vital “welcoming” committee unto herself. And while I did not interact a lot within the groups largely populated by African Americans (Black Cultural Society, Gospel Choir), she would always check in with me, in a way saying to me, “you be you.”

I appreciated that not all black students were expected to “stick together” but to simply be ourselves and participate in those

 WINSTONSALEM, N.C. 

activities that were of interest to us. I joined a historically black sorority, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., and enjoyed the sisterhood and camaraderie within the organization, but I also enjoyed the same Midnight Meals, College Coffees and dinners at professors’ houses that all students enjoyed. (Former Elon staff member) Ray Compton, the leader of the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, frequently expressed his desire to see the group become racially diverse and exposed the group to all genres of the Christian ministry, from conservative white preachers to energetic black ones – the whole gamut. My Elon experience was a quality education full of numerous opportunities to shine on

a campus where there were equal expectations for all students.

Today, as a high school teacher, I challenge my students to expand beyond their textbooks and the walls of the classroom to explore opportunities in their community and the world. The global perspective at Elon that encouraged me to study in Spain as a student and serve in the Peace Corps in Nicaragua after graduating is evident in my classroom today as I encourage my students to participate in mission trips, exchange programs and microfinance endeavors such as KIVA.org. Unbeknownst to them, many of my students today benefit from the solid foundation crafted by my Elon experience years ago.

winter 2012 13

A HISTOR IC I N V E STM EN T I N STU DEN TS

Forever

ELON

In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.

– Dietrich Bonhoeffer

O

ne of my happy and constant tasks at Elon (and one on which I am almost never fully caught up) is writing thank-you notes to many individuals who have been generous to Elon with their leadership and financial resources.

I write these notes by hand at all hours of the day – on airplanes, at the kitchen table, in my office – and for each one, I try to summon the words to express how much meaning the donor’s gift bestows.

To scholarship donors, my thanks might be centered on the real lives their gifts transform, with unimaginable good consequences for all of our futures. To alumni, I attempt to convey how critical their partnership is to Elon’s success and how they are the bearers of Elon’s values

14 the magazine of elon

for future generations of students. To parents, I stress how crucial their support is at a time in Elon’s history when nearly 60 percent of our alumni are in their 20s and 30s.

To all, I recognize with humble gratitude that my work as president would be impossible without their caring personal support, selfless generosity and, most important of all, shared belief that we are building a truly distinctive and extraordinarily fine university that produces the leaders, creative thinkers and citizens the world requires.

SURPASSING OUR CAMPAIGN GOAL As the final hours of 2011 waned, the historic Ever Elon Campaign concluded, totaling more

than $107 million in commitments. We publicly launched Ever Elon during the darkest days of the financial crisis in 2008 with hope and conviction that our community could build an even stronger university. Ever Elon was the first campaign in Elon history to emphasize building the endowment, particularly for student scholarships, and we can take pride in this important, successful step toward securing Elon’s future.

We have completed fundraising for four major capital projects: the construction of Lindner Hall, Alumni Field House, the Numen Lumen Pavilion for our multi-faith center and the renovation of Alumni Gymnasium. We have built a significant portfolio of estate and other planned gifts that will bolster the endowment in coming years. Thousands of alumni, parents, friends, students, faculty and staff joined the campaign by making annual gifts, supporting current operations of every imaginable type. It was a joy to join hundreds of you in Rhodes Stadium for a memorable evening at Homecoming when we announced “crossing the goal line” for the campaign.

A N D OU R FU T U R E

{ At an Oct. 21 event that marked the passing of Ever Elon’s 100 million goal, President Leo M. Lambert called the campaign’s success “just the beginning of the tremendous impact that philanthropy is making on the people and programs of our university.” }

THE DEFINITION OF LEADERSHIP The leadership, vision, generosity and passion of the board of trustees, the campaign leadership committee and especially its chairs – Mark Mahaffey P’97 P’01, Allen Gant and Kerrii Brown Anderson ’79 – never wavered. They understood deeply that Ever Elon was about supporting students and creating the preeminent environment for engaged learning in the nation. I do not have the words to describe how fortunate we are to have such exemplary voluntary leaders at the university.

Finally, to each of you individually, I send my warmest thanks for believing in Elon, for supporting the university constantly and for investing in young minds and hearts. When you look back upon what was most significant about your life, I hope that your commitment to Elon will be high on your list and that you will take personal pride in the role you have played in shaping the university during an important and formative time in its history.

Leo M. Lambert President

EVER ELON campaign facts June 1, 2006 – Dec. 31, 2011

Total raised: $107,333,426 Donors: 28,268 Campaign chairs

{ Mark Mahaffey P’97 P’01, Chair of the board of trustees & CEO of The Mahaffey Company }

34 Parents 33 Alumni 17 Friends 7 Students

{ Allen Gant, Immediate past chair of the board of trustees & CEO of Glen Raven, Inc. }

4 Corporations & Foundations 3 Faculty & Staff 2 Grandparents

{ Kerrii Anderson ’79, Trustee & former CEO of Wendy’s International, Inc. }

winter 2012 15

P R OV I D I N G O P P O R T U N I T Y T H R O U G H S C H O L A R

“The university { Zana Milak ’12 }

Z

ana Milak was only 3 when the war in “I was so happy when I received the Susan Bosnia forced her family to flee their Scholarship, because it meant I could attend the homeland. As Muslims, the Milaks had university of my dreams,” she says. become targets in the bloody conflict that folFurman C. Moseley Jr. ’56 endowed the lowed the breakup of the former Yugoslavia.

Susan Scholarship in 2007 to honor his wife, “One night a group of men took all the Susan Reed Moseley, and help women of promMuslim men in my neighborhood to a concen- ise attend Elon. The Moseleys are among Elon's tration camp,” Milak says. “What really hurt was most generous donors and previously endowed the men who pointed out all the Muslim houses the John L. Georgeo Scholarship, which also and took my dad, my grandfather and my uncle assists students with financial need. were my neighbors. They used to be our friends.”

Milak is grateful to the Moseleys for their Fast-forward to 2012. Milak, now 22, is generosity. She gives back to the university by looking forward to graduating in May with her serving as a mentor with the Elon Academy, father, Melik, mother, Asja, the university’s college-access program for and brother, Amir, looking local high school students with high financial on. She credits the Susan need. In Elon’s Multicultural Center, she helps Scholarship with making coordinate the Watson and Odyssey programs, her Elon education and which include some of the university’s largest a bright future possible. need-based scholarships, including the Susan

and Georgeo scholarships. These experiences have inspired her to pursue a master’s degree in higher education administration.

“I can see myself in each and every one of those students because I was in their shoes coming to Elon,” Milak says. “I’d like to work at a university helping multicultural students with financial need. They need to know they are not alone.”

Eleven years have passed since Milak and her family settled as refugees in Burlington, N.C., just a few miles from Elon’s campus. Gone is the scared girl who spoke no English on her first day of elementary school and feared for her future.

“I never thought I’d be where I am now,” Milak says. “I can actually say I’m successful. I’m ready for my next challenge, and I know with the help of Elon I can meet that challenge. I know it’s just the beginning.”

Elon enabled me to accomplish things I would not have been able to had I not had that education. When conditions permitted me to help others the way others helped me, it was the natural and right thing to do.

It was my way of saying, “thank you.”

Furman C. Moseley jr. ’ with wife Susan Reed Moseley

16 the magazine of elon

SHIPS

of my dreams”

M

ark York L’12 thinks of himself as an expert problem solver. He’s certainly got the credentials – he spent 20 years in the United States Army working in special operations, where the gravity of the problems he solved frequently involved consequences of life and death.

It’s that penchant for finding answers to complex questions that inspired York to study law after retiring from active service.

“In my vision of the law, every day is different,” he says. “You’re solving problems within constraints for people. It’s similar to what I did in the military.”

148

We are producing a different kind of lawyer at Elon. They are not serving themselves.

They have a broader view of the impact they can make on the community.

gail M. Lane Elon trustee

“Elon has meant so much to our family.

We wanted to make a real impact at the law school,” says Gail M. Lane, an Elon trustee and daughter of longtime Elon benefactor Dalton L. McMichael Sr. She sits on the family foundation’s board with her brother, Elon trustee Dalton L. McMichael Jr., her sister, Flavel Godfrey, and several other family members.

In addition to the McMichael Family Foundation’s gift, Lane and her husband, Beau, endowed the Gail Lane Annual Scholarship to increase access to Elon Law’s innovative law program.

“We are producing a different kind of lawyer at Elon. They are not serving themselves. They have a broader view of the impact they can make { Mark York L’12 } on the community. It’s very exciting to watch,” Lane says.

York was based at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, York, who has met Lane on several occasions, N.C., for much of his military career and wanted is the epitome of that kind of lawyer. Months to find a law school in North Carolina – his before his graduation, he’s already secured a wife’s home state. He chose Elon University position in civil litigation for the Greensboro School of Law over nine other institutions firm of Carruthers & Roth. He looks forward to primarily because its downtown Greensboro bringing Elon’s ethic of leadership and service location offered easy access to the practicing to his new position. bar and government entities. He also received “Individuals can make a difference in peothe first McMichael Law and Leadership Fellow ple’s lives,” he says. “You don’t have to make big Scholarship, an award endowed by a generous changes, and you don’t have to be involved in a gift from the McMichael Family Foundation to lot of people’s lives to make change. Take time the Ever Elon Campaign. One student from each to make a sincere involvement with one person, class at Elon Law is chosen to receive the full- and that can have a great impact not just on that tuition scholarship. person but on many others.”

NEW SCHOLARSHIPS, including :

7

scholarships at Elon Law

34

scholarships for studentathletes winter 2012 17

M A K I N G E N G AG E D L E A R N I N G P O S S I B L E

There’s nothing like seeing it and doing it with your F

rom the moment Hilary Griffin heard about Assistant Professor Kristen Sullivan’s winter term public health studies/human service studies practicum course in India, she knew she just had to go. An Elon senior with a passion for helping those facing disadvantages, Griffin wanted to see firsthand the struggles of the poor in developing nations.

“I thought the experience would be amazing and beneficial for what I want to do for my career,” she says, adding that there was just one hitch: “I just couldn’t afford it.”

After speaking with Sullivan about financial aid possibilities, Griffin applied for and received a grant from the Mark T. and Marianne Mahaffey Scholarship. While it did not cover all of her expenses, Griffin says, “it encouraged me that I could find a way to make it happen.”

Increasing access to study abroad, a hallmark Elon experience, was an institutional priority that received strong support in the campaign.

“The benefits that all students receive from interacting with people from other backgrounds, including different socioeconomic backgrounds, are significant,” says Bill Sprague P’11 P’14, who along with his wife, Liz, endowed the Sprague Family Study Abroad Scholarship. “Targeting our gift where it could help the entire student body was important to us.”

In January, Griffin and her Elon cohort spent three weeks at the Comprehensive Rural Health Project in Jamkhed, India, a village more than eight hours from Mumbai. They shadowed doctors and other health personnel working to improve the quality of life for villagers through medical care, education and economic opportunity.

“I learned that you really need to commit to change for five to seven years. You can’t just go into a village and distribute immunizations for a year and think you’ve helped. It’s completely changed my career perspective,” says Griffin, who adds she is considering returning to Jamkhed and the Comprehensive Rural Health Project after she graduates from Elon in May. “I feel it’s my duty to apply what I’ve learned here at Elon in meaningful ways,” she says. “It’s inspired me not to settle for what’s easy.”

The benefits that all students receive from interacting with people from other backgrounds are significant.

Targeting our gift where it could help the entire student body was important to us.

Bill & Liz Sprague P’ P’ {Hilary Griffin ’12 } 18 the magazine of elon

with your own eyes own hands.

Engaged learning is the #1 element that makes Elon different from all other universities.

allen gant Elon trustee *Doctor of Humane Letters ’10

{Brett Schuchardt ’12 }

B

rett Schuchardt ’12 was already planning his research project on the effect of oil dispersants on marine life when the BP oil spill happened in spring 2010. With the environmental disaster in the Gulf of Mexico requiring massive cleanup efforts, Schuchardt’s topic became urgently relevant.

How would fish and other animals be impacted by the chemicals being used to combat the oil sludge? As a young scientist with a passion for molecular biology and toxicology, Schuchardt was ready to get to work in the lab.

“I wanted to find out how the chemicals

ENGAGED LEARNING

affected fish gill physiology. I was looking at the molecular level,” Schuchardt says.

The key missing ingredient was funding to buy the necessary scientific supplies, including enzyme activity and testing kits, special chemicals, glassware and an aquarium filled with zebrafish.

Working with his mentor, Associate Professor Linda Niedziela of the Department of Biology, Schuchardt soon had his support: a $1,500 grant from the Glen Raven Endowment for Undergraduate Research in the Sciences.

Elon trustee Allen Gant, chief executive

47

scholarships for study abroad

24

officer of the international textile company, is among the strongest advocates for Elon's engaging approach to education. He was more than happy to target his personal gift and his company’s support to benefit students such as Schuchardt.

“There is nothing more valuable in life than opening students’ minds and allowing them to innovate,” Gant says. “Innovation is the lifeblood of success.”

Schuchardt will present his findings this spring at Elon’s Student Undergraduate Research Forum and the National Conference on Undergraduate Research in Utah. The project is important preparation for his next goal: entering a doctoral program in biomedical science.

“Without this research experience, I would never have been so independent,” Schuchardt says. “I wouldn’t know how to troubleshoot, how to be patient and how to use my scientific skills.”

And Schuchardt quickly adds that without the Glen Raven grant, none of this would have been possible. “Anybody who does scientific research needs funding. It’s essential.”

grants for undergraduate research, leadership, service learning & internships

winter 2012 19

S U P P O R T I N G FAC U LT Y S C H O L A R S A N D M E N T O R S

{ Elingburg Professor Art Cassill, center }

To be the best, you have to break take some risks and challenge I

t’s tax season, and Art Cassill is smiling.

Soon, he and 30 students will set up a free income tax clinic at Holly Hill Mall a few miles from campus. It’s one of the ways Cassill extends learning beyond the classroom and serves the community.

“There’s no substitute for sitting across from a client whose tax return means the world to them,” says Cassill, professor of accounting. “It’s rewarding to see students using their learning to serve the community. That’s one of the reasons we do what we do.”

Launching the IRS VITA program at the university is one of the many things Cassill has

20 the magazine of elon

accomplished as Elon’s first Wesley R. Elingburg Professor. Elon trustee Wes Elingburg and his wife, Cathy, endowed the professorship in 2007 to help Elon recruit and retain top faculty in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business.

Resources from the Elingburg professorship have enabled Cassill to attend conferences on the latest tax developments, publish papers and travel to Capitol Hill in 2009 to watch congressional committees discuss the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). Riveting stuff? It was for Cassill, who returned to Elon with timely material for his tax course and for seminars that Elon hosts for local CPAs.

“All of it comes back into the classroom to benefit students,” Cassill says.

One of the the most rewarding parts of it all, Cassill says, is seeing the difference experiences such as the VITA program have on his students and the citizens they serve – something he wouldn’t have the time or resources to do without the professorship’s support.

“The Elingburg Professorship has helped me be a better citizen. Elon promotes engaged learning and service, and this is one of the ways students and I can fulfill that mission,” he says. “I know I’ve become a better teacher because of it.”

The faculty are so easily accessible. It takes students willing to do the work and professors willing to guide us in the right direction to achieve this success.

charley costa ’ Winner of the 2009 and 2010 Eller Ethics Case Competitions

T

he full effects of the 2008 economic criIf the results of those competitions are any sis may not be known for years, but Ed indication, Elon’s business is booming.

Doherty P’07 knows one thing: America “Within the entrepreneurship program, I am constantly making presentations, introducing needs entrepreneurs.

“With traditional corporations downsizing speakers and fielding questions,” says Brian and cutting back because of the recession, the Serow ’12, who won the elevator pitch competiimmediate future needs entrepreneurship to tion at the 2011 MIT Global Startup Workshop in with mentors in the Doherty Center and similar take over and create job opportunities and new Seoul, South Korea. “This prepared me well for programs for his success. businesses to propel the economy,” says Doherty, the competition.”

“The faculty are so easily accessible,” Costa who leads Doherty Enterprises, Inc., a leading Teams of Elon students took top honors at said. “It takes students willing to do the work franchisee of family restaurants. the 2011 Russ Berrie Institute National Sales and professors willing to guide us in the right To spur interest in entrepreneurship at Elon, Competition at William Paterson University direction to achieve this success.”

Doherty and his wife, Joan, made a $1 million gift in New Jersey for the second consecutive year.

Graduates carry the fruits of these experiences to endow the Doherty Center for Entrepreneurial A few weeks later, four Elon students won the well beyond graduation. Two of the program’s Leadership in the Martha and Spencer Love Dalhousie Business Ethics Case Competition at earliest alumni, Ian Baltutis ’08 and R.J. Yozwiak School of Business. The Doherty Center has estab- Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada. ’08, own The Vibration Solution LLC, which they lished strategic partnerships with institutions Charley Costa ’11 won consecutive titles at founded at Elon with a fellow student. The comsuch as Stanford and MIT, sponsored lectures from the prestigious Eller Ethics Case Competition pany markets Silent Feet, vibration-dampening top entrepreneurs and funded student participa- sponsored by the University of Arizona in 2009 coasters for washing machines.

“The company’s been doing well,” says tion in national and international competitions. and 2010. He credits the relationships he’s built Baltutis, who began managing The Vibration Solution full-time last year. “We’ve had excellent sales, and we’ve been profitable since our second month of operation.”

That’s exactly the kind of result the Dohertys had in mind when making their gift to the Ever Elon Campaign.

“Elon is a perfect setting for students to spread their wings,” Joan Doherty says. “It empowers them to become independent learners and global citizens.”

out of the pack, yourself.

PROGRAMS funded through EVER ELON

doherty center for entrepreneurial leadership Ed & Joan Doherty p’07 chandler family professional sales center Thomas E. & Lynn B. Chandler porter family professional development center David C. & Jennifer Porter p’11 student professional development center Anonymous, Wes & Cathy Elingburg p’11 elon academy Edna ’44 & Douglas Noiles, Frank ’71 & Natalie Lyon, Labcorp, Inc.

EXCELLENT TEACHING

7

$1.2 million

new professorships

in faculty development endowment

winter 2012 21

C R E AT I N G T H E N AT I O N ' S B E S T L E A R N I N G E N V I

This campus expresses who we are and what

{Ruth Robbins ‘12 }

R

Psychology Amy Overman, she established the Aging Academy, a 10-week program that uses specialized games to sharpen elderly adults’ short-term and long-term memories. Already she is seeing measurable results in many of the people with whom she works.

Robbins is the kind of student that donors Martha and Carl Lindner, of Cincinnati, Ohio, envisioned when they spoke at the building’s ribbon-cutting ceremony in 2010. Voicing the sentiments of the many people who supported the project, Carl Lindner put it simply: “What a tremendous resource and facility. This is so much more than we could have ever imagined.”

uth Robbins ’12 remembers the first time well-appointed academic department offices. lindner hall she and her friends stepped through the She loves to brag about the building’s “green” front door of Lindner Hall, which opened designation, with its Leadership in Energy and in summer 2009 as the anchor building in the Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification.

Academic Village, Elon’s arts and sciences quad. The building includes solar panels to generate “We walked into the Inman Reading Room electricity, Energy Star windows and insulation, and all of us were in shock. It was like a story- energy-saving lighting, water-conserving plumbbook place, peaceful and serene,” Robbins recalls. ing, and a building dashboard in the lobby that “That’s when someone said we should call it the lets visitors track such things as gas, electricity Harry Potter Room. The name stuck. Everyone and water consumption.

“This building feels clean,” Robbins says. “I says it’s just like Hogwarts.”

The beautiful dark wood, large study desks, really like the environmental awareness that went elegant table lamps and cozy furniture provide into Lindner Hall.”

Martha S. & Carl H. Lindner III the kind of environment that inspires Robbins to Robbins is busy this spring planning to purPatricia & William J. “Bill” Inman P’00 do her best. “The fact that Elon designs a beauti- sue a doctorate in psychology, building on her Ash & Brad Reifler P’12 P’14 ful place for us to study shows that there is an work as a Lumen Scholar, Elon’s top prize for emphasis on scholarly work. It says a lot about undergraduate research. She has spent more the priority on academics here.” than two years studying strategies to help senior Robbins is proud to give visiting friends a citizens fight the effects of memory loss. With tour of Lindner Hall’s spacious classrooms and help from her mentor, Assistant Professor of

22 the magazine of elon

RON M E N T

we value. {Alexander Dawson ’15 & Head Football Coach Jason Swepson }

S

ince Elon’s Department of Athletics moved Alumni Field House ranked among the best he its headquarters to Alumni Field House in saw. He now enjoys being on the other side of January 2011, the facility has become some- the process, giving recruits tours of the building thing of a second home for Elon’s coaches and and showing them all Elon football has to offer. student-athletes.

“It’s fun to see how they react to and appreci“During the season,” Phoenix defensive back ate everything,” he says.

Alexander Dawson says, “we’re in there every For Swepson, what sets Alumni Field House day, working out, watching film and taking ice apart is not only how it improves Elon’s performance on the field but also how the facility, baths. It’s about four to five hours a day.”

The more than 30,000-square-foot facility, especially the players’ lounge, fosters the stumade possible by major campaign gifts from dent-athletes’ development off it.

“They have a place to relax with each other Amy T. ’69 and Jay ’71 Hendrickson and Dot and Zac Walker III ’60 , was one of the reasons even when they’re not scheduled to have team Head Football Coach Jason Swepson signed on activities. They can have lunch or watch some to lead the Phoenix just days before Alumni SportsCenter between classes and workouts,” he Field House opened for business. says. “It’s a nice touch, and it’s rare to see some“Elon needed this,” says Swepson, who adds thing like that at this level.” the facility is a major asset to all of Elon’s athletics teams, not just his. “Every piece of equipment alumni field house and technology is state-of-the-art, and we didn’t have that here before.”

Alumni Field House has become an important recruiting tool for Swepson and his fellow coaches. Visits by potential players begin in the building and focus on the myriad resources student-athletes have at their disposal.

Dawson, who visited several top teams in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Dot S. & Zachary T. Walker III ’60 Subdivision during his recruiting period, says Amy T. ’69 & Jay A. Hendrickson ’71

OTHER FACILITIES FUNDED THROUGH EVER ELON numen lumen pavilion

Gifts from Elon trustees & parents gerald l. francis center

Alamance Regional Medical Center Moses Cone Health System alumni gym renovation

Read more about the transformative impact of the Ever Elon Campaign at elon.edu/magazine Article by Daniel J. Anderson, Jaleh Hagigh & Kristin M. Simonetti ’05

Jeanne & Jerry Robertson P’89 w. cecil worsley iii golf training center Joanna ’87 & W. Cecil Worsley III ’86 latham park renovation Janet & Bryan Latham hunt softball park Vicky & Sam Hunt

The Flatley Foundation/ Mr. & Mrs. Ralph Darling Barry Frank & Eugenia Leggett Mr. & Mrs. William A. Frank Charles A. Frueauff Foundation, Inc. Mr. & Mrs. John Gaither Golden leaf Foundation M. William Grant Thomas J. Grathwohl The Hearst Foundations, Inc. Elon is grateful to the 28,268 donors who enabled the university to exceed the William A. Hopkins Ever Elon Campaign goal. More than $54 million was committed to Elon’s Dr. R. Leroy Howell endowment. Annual and unrestricted gifts amounted to nearly $37 million.

Ernest C. Hunt, Jr. Gifts designated for facilities totaled $16.4 million. This Honor Roll recognizes ing Foundation benefactors who committed $25,000 or more to the campaign in cash, pledges Mr. & Mrs. Geoffrey H. Jenkins or planned gift commitments.

Mr. & Mrs. Walter C. King Estate of M. Camille Kivette $2,000,000 or more Dr. & Mrs. Leo M. Lambert Phyllis S. Pruden Mr. & Mrs. William J. Inman Mr. & Mrs. John N. Landi Mr. & Mrs. Bradley Reifler Dr. & Mrs. W. Bryan Latham Anonymous Linda M. Lashendock Mr. & Mrs. Milton T. Schaeffer, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Robert E. Long, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Carl H. Lindner iii Adrienne Livengood-Baker & The McMichael Family Foundation Martha & Spencer Love Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Eric Sklut Tony Baker Estate of Kathleen M. Stevens Mr. & Mrs. Walker E. Love, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. John Godfrey Estate of John M. Lowry F. Davis Turnage, Jr. Estate of Clara E. Lowry Mr. & Mrs. Edward Lane iii The Thomas Allen Manfuso Mr. & Mrs. Arthur T. Ward iii Mr. & Mrs. Dalton McMichael, Jr. E. Boyce Maness Foundation Arthur T. Ward iv Mr. & Mrs. Allen J. Martin Mr. & Mrs. Furman C. Moseley, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Tom Faries Charles E. Ward Mr. & Mrs. James W. Maynard $1,000,000 to $1,999,999 Yardley M. Manfuso Christopher V. Ward Mr. & Mrs. David C. Porter Dr. & Mrs. Harold E. Maxwell Dorothy M. Ward The Riversville Foundation Anonymous Mr. & Mrs. Thomas J. McInerney Mr. & Mrs. W. Hunt Ward Lettie Pate Whitehead aramark Corporation Mr. & Mrs. Willard L. Mills, Jr. Thomas C. Watkins Foundation, Inc. Mr. & Mrs. Howard F. Arner Mr. & Mrs. Jerry L. Moore, Jr. Nancy Turner Watson Dr. Deborah Yow-Bowden & The Joseph M. Bryan Foundation William T. Morris Foundation, Inc. Mr. & Mrs. H. Michael Weaver Dr. William Yow-Bowden Mr. & Mrs. Edward W. Doherty New Leaf Society Estate of Ann F. Whitesell Mr. & Mrs. Wesley R. Elingburg $250,000 to $499,999 Mr. & Mrs. C. Ashton Newhall Mr. & Mrs. W. Cecil Worsley iii Mr. & Mrs. Allen E. Gant, Jr. Oak Foundation, usa Estate of William A. Graham, Jr. Anonymous $100,000 to $249,999 Sunshine J. Overkamp Mr. & Mrs. Jack Hazel Dr. & Mrs. Irwin Belk Dr. & Mrs. Paul F. Parsons Mr. & Mrs. James A. Hendrickson Mr. & Mrs. John H. Cavanaugh Alamance County Economic Mr. & Mrs. Igor V. Pavlov Estates of James W. & Robert A. Clohan iii Development Foundation Howard Pickett Edwina H. Johnston Mr. & Mrs. Francis Craig Mr. & Mrs. Noel L. Allen Judith Pickett LabCorp Mr. & Mrs. William S. Creekmuir Lucile Stone Andes John William Pope Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Frank R. Lyon Estate of J. C. Dillingham Andras Foundation The Redwoods Group/ Mr. & Mrs. Thomas P. Mac Mahon Mr. & Mrs. B. Kelly Graves, Jr. Cody J. Andras Mr. & Mrs. Kevin A. Trapani Mr. & Mrs. Mark T. Mahaffey Adele Gray Mr. & Mrs. David S. Andras Mr. & Mrs. Charles H. Revson Mr. & Mrs. Douglas Noiles John B. Gray V Mr. & Mrs. Dewey V. Andrew Mr. & Mrs. Warren G. Rhodes Dr. & Mrs. Jerry R. Robertson Dr. & Mrs. William N. P. Herbert Anonymous Dr. & Mrs. William S. Roberts Dr. Royall H. Spence, Jr.* Mr. & Mrs. John R. Hill Anonymous Sapphire Foundation/ Rear Adm. Edward K. Walker, Jr. Bonnie McElveen-Hunter & Mr. & Mrs. Robert P. Badavas Mr. & Mrs. Daniel J. Woods Mr. & Mrs. Zachary T. Walker iii Bynum Hunter A. Christine Baker Mr. & Mrs. Bennett B. Sapp Mr. & Mrs. Robert E. Hutchinson, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. John M. Barry $500,000 to $999,999 Mr. & Mrs. Steve J. Schneider Images for Change/ Leota T. Beisinger Mr. & Mrs. Donald E. Scott Mr. & Mrs. Douglas Bruns Dr. Janie P. Brown Alamance Regional Medical Center Richard H. Shirley, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Maurice N. Jennings, Sr. Cannon Foundation, Inc. Mr. & Mrs. Douglas Anderson Eloise E. Smith* Mr. & Mrs. Maurice Jennings, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Damion Carufe Anonymous Louise T. Smith* A. Michelle LaRose Moses Cone Health System Anonymous Smith Family Foundation R. Scott LaRose Mr. & Mrs. John R. Congdon, Jr. Dr. & Mrs. James H. Baird Mr. & Mrs. Richard C. Sneed, Jr. Lincoln Financial Group Douglas H. Cox Mr. & Mrs. Walter H. Bass iii Mr. & Mrs. William W. Sprague Mr. & Mrs. Jack R. Lindley, Sr. Mr. & Mrs. Donald R. Dancer Mr. & Mrs. Thomas E. Chandler Charles C. Springs Mr. & Mrs. Christopher P. Martin Arthur Vining Davis Foundations Louis DeJoy & Dr. Aldona Wos George M. Steinbrenner iii* Mr. & Mrs. James D. McCauley Mr. & Mrs. F. Leary Davis, Jr. Joshua S. Felix Joan Z. Steinbrenner Mr. & Mrs. Harold V. McCoy, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. John Deford Glen Raven, Inc. Mr. & Mrs. George Nall Estate of The Rev. Dr. Robert W. Delp Katherine G. Stern The Hall Family Foundation/ William M. Stewart North Carolina Open Mr. & Mrs. Anthony D. Duke, Jr. Michael T. Hall Algernon Sydney Sullivan Government Coalition, Inc. Mr. & Mrs. Bruce A. Edwards Jeanne H. Harrell Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Robert Patrick Dr. & Mrs. Robert N. Ellington Dr. & Mrs. Richard R. Henderson Mr. & Mrs. R. Christopher Teter Mr. & Mrs. Gary W. Evans The Hon. & Mrs. R. Samuel Hunt iii Estate of Peter D. Pruden, Jr.

Honor Roll

24 the magazine of elon

Mr. & Mrs. Demus L. Thompson Dr. Martha Smith Trout & Jack Trout The Rev. & Mrs. John G. Truitt, Jr. Mary S. Underwood The Wachovia Foundation Cynthia F. Ward Weaver Foundation, Inc. The Weezie Foundation/ Mr. & Mrs. H.S. Graham McBride Odell L. Welborn Dr. & Mrs. Fred Young William C. Zint, Jr.* Margaret J. Zint

$50,000 to $99,999 R. H. Barringer Distributing Co. David L. Beahm Andrew G. Bennett Mary Duke Biddle Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Donald K. Blalock Blue Cross & Blue Shield of North Carolina Mr. & Mrs. Robert Boal Mr. & Mrs. David O. Bowden Dr. & Mrs. James A. Buie Mr. & Mrs. Samuel L. Burke Dr. & Mrs. Robert M. Califf Capital Bank Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Alfred I. Capuano Dr. & Mrs. Ross Cohen Mr. & Mrs. Luther R. Conger, Jr. Soraya Cricenti & William Collins Mark Craig Dr. Lawrence D’Angelo & Dr. Dolores D’Angelo Carolyn L. Fleming* Mr. & Mrs. Ronald J. Foresta Mr. & Mrs. Donald S. Galante Anna L. Gerow Doris C. Gilliam* Emery K. Gilliam The Hon. Elmon Gray* Estate of Pamela S. B. Gray Mr. & Mrs. James D. Henderson, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Richard F. Hendrickson Dr. Steven House & Dr. Patricia House Mr. & Mrs. George J. Kilroy Mr. & Mrs. Bradford A. Koury Mr. & Mrs. Robert D. LeBlanc Ikey T. Little Evelyn P. Lloyd Mr. & Mrs. Robert J. MacDaniels Frank Mangano Foundation/ Margaret E. Mangano Carol Marrion Mr. & Mrs. Malcolm L. McAllister Mr. & Mrs. James C. McGill, Sr. Mr. & Mrs. John McGovern Mr. & Mrs. John J. McMackin, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Norris P. Moses Mr. & Mrs. Peter J. Murphy Mr. & Mrs. James L. Myers, Jr. Kathleen M. Niple Dennis J. O’Connell

Mr. & Mrs. David P. Osborn Mr. & Mrs. Donald S. Pennington Mr. & Mrs. Paul L. Perito Mr. & Mrs. Edward T. Perkins Dr. & Mrs. James B. Powell Mr. & Mrs. T. Scott Quakenbush Mr. & Mrs. Jerry D. Richardson, Sr. Mr. & Mrs. Harry T. Rose Clyde W. Rudd, Sr.* Nancy Rutland Gavin Sands Mr. & Mrs. Terry Shore Vickie L. Somers Mr. & Mrs. Robert Sperry Mr. & Mrs. John Staley Mr. & Mrs. Charles T. Steele, Sr. Mr. & Mrs. Charles Steele, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. David Tabor Tannenbaum-Sternberger Foundation, Inc. Mr. & Mrs. Robert A. Team, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. R. Alston Team iii Estate of Cleo Thomas Dr. Richard Thompson & Dr. Peggy Thompson Mr. & Mrs. John H. Vernon iii Mr. & Mrs. Winston Weinmann Wendy’s International Mr. & Mrs. Joseph H. White Mr. & Mrs. James Wilen Dr. & Mrs. William E. Wilkinson, Sr. Mr. & Mrs. Wade Williamson, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Russell R. Wilson The Rev. & Mrs. Edward C. Wilson Estate of Charlotte H. Wyatt Alan J. Young Mr. & Mrs. David Young

$25,000 to $49,999 Alamance County Area Chamber of Commerce Dr. & Mrs. Millard Alexander Mr. & Mrs. J. Douglas Amick Mr. & Mrs. William T. Amick Mr. & Mrs. Prescott Ammarell Mr. & Mrs. Richard W. Anderson Anonymous Anonymous Anonymous Mr. & Mrs. Andrew J. Armstrong, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Dwight I. Arnesen Bank of America/Merrill Lynch Mr. & Mrs. Robert G. Barker Mr. & Mrs. A. M. Barnes iii Mr. & Mrs. James A. Barnwell, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Thomas R. Bartley Raymond Beck & Dr. Deborah Hatton-Beck Belk Foundation Amy Berry Mr. & Mrs. Munroe Best, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Clement M. Best iii Mary Hope Best-Crocker & Blain Crocker Mr. & Mrs. Donald Bolden *deceased

Mr. & Mrs. James A. Bollenbacher Mr. & Mrs. Brian K. Branson Suzanne M. Broyhill Bruce B. Cameron, Jr. Capital Bank Charitable Foundation The Cemala Foundation, Inc. Dr. & Mrs. Paul H. Cheek Mr. & Mrs. Jin S. Chung Estate of J. Beverly Congleton Vera W. Congleton Mr. & Mrs. Charles E. Cooper, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. James L. Correll, Jr. Dr. & Mrs. Donald V. Covington Mr. & Mrs. Michael S. Cross Mr. & Mrs. Alan H. Crouch Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence F. Cruise Dr. J. Earl Danieley Verona Daniels Danieley* Dell, Inc. Mr. & Mrs. Joseph DiFiglia Dr. & Mrs. F. Gerald Dillashaw Mr. & Mrs. James A. Drummond Mr. & Mrs. M. Kevin Dugan Duke Energy Foundation Nancy Dunn Dr. & Mrs. Gerald L. Francis Estate of Maud F. Gatewood David R. Gergen Mr. & Mrs. M. Lee Gibson Mr. & Mrs. Douglas Glass Janice G. Glazer Steven M. Glazer Mr. & Mrs. Douglas Goldstein Ellen Gregg & Michael Lebo D. H. Griffin, Sr. Mr. & Mrs. Gilbert M. Grosvenor Mr. & Mrs. John P. Hamill Clifford Hardy & Judy Morris-Hardy Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey Harris Mr. & Mrs. William T. Harris Mr. & Mrs. Paul Hartley Mr. & Mrs. James S. Hilboldt Hillsdale Fund, Inc. Peggy B. Hinkle Vera E. Hirsch* Victor H. Hoffman Dr. & Mrs. Earl D. Honeycutt, Jr. Kenneth Horsburgh & Jean McGinnis Lisa Huntting The Hon. Jeanette Hyde & Wallace Hyde Dr. & Mrs. G. Smith Jackson Laurie Jarrett Mr. & Mrs. Horace M. Johnson, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. James R. Jones Mr. & Mrs. John M. Jordan Mr. & Mrs. David B. Kay Mr. & Mrs. Gaither M. Keener, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Roy E. Keeny, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. James E. Killorin Jean Killorin Mr. & Mrs. Robert V. Kirchen The Hon. Horace R. Kornegay* Eugene M. Lang

Margaret B. Langfitt Dr. Cliff Lilly* Agnes Lilly Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Lindquist Thomas L. Lively Mark London & Dania Fitzgerald Dr. Deborah Long & Dr. Eugene Long Mr. & Mrs. Thomas J. Madden iii Mr. & Mrs. Brian W. Martindale Mr. & Mrs. William M. Matthews Dr. Joseph Mattioli * & Dr. Rose Mattioli Mr. & Mrs. Michael J. McGlinn Mr. & Mrs. Hugh J. McIlrevey Mr. & Mrs. Brian J. McMerty Mr. & Mrs. E. S. Melvin Kenneth D. Miller Mr. & Mrs. Gary L. Minson Cmdr. Alan C. Moore E. A. Morris Charitable Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Ocie F. Murray, Jr. The Rev. Joyce Myers-Brown Mr. & Mrs. Robert B. Norris The North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Thomas O’Brien Mr. & Mrs. Timothy O’Connor Dr. & Mrs. Patrick M. O’Malley Kelli E. Palmer Mr. & Mrs. Richard W. Parker Mr. & Mrs. David B. Plyler Caroline M. Plyler Dr. & Mrs. Thomas E. Powell, iii Sharon H. Price Mr. & Mrs. Bruce B. Proctor Dr. Jeffrey Pugh & Dr. Janice Rivero Estate of Harvey P. Rawls Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, Inc. Mr. & Mrs. James E. Robertson William G. Rudd, Jr. Gordon C. Russell Mr. & Mrs. Leonard Y. Safrit Dr. & Mrs. Richard B. Simpson J. Lowry Sinclair iii S. Sonjia Smith David Spina & Victoria Mars Mr. & Mrs. David A. Stevens Gary Stevenson Hattie M. Strong Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Philip D. Stuart Mr. & Mrs. David Sussan Mr. & Mrs. James M. Theiss Times-News Publishing Company W. Campbell Tims Mr. & Mrs. David Turner Pamela B. Vinson Henry M. Vinson, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Clyde E. Welch, Jr. The Rev. Dr. & Mrs. Nelson A. L. Weller Mr. & Mrs. T. Conrad Wetterau James W. White Sara R. White* Mr. & Mrs. Samuel W. White

Mr. & Mrs. C. Grayson Whitt Col. & Mrs. Jonathan W. Willard Sally G. Williams Mr. & Mrs. Larry S. Wilson Mr. & Mrs. Martin R. Wise Mr. & Mrs. Alan D. Woodlief, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Ralph Yarwood Mr. & Mrs. David Yearwood Youths’ Friends Association

The following have made estate commitments.

Jessie T. Hook Dr. and Mrs. Yoram Lubling Dr. Nancy S. Midgette & Charles O. Midgette Dr. Wayne T. Moore

I feel like it is critical for me to support scholarships because I received grants and other aid, and I want others to have the opportunity to experience Elon.

Ike Credle ‘83 supports his alma mater every year and helped endow the Black Alumni Scholarship during the campaign.

Photo by Bill Wood

winter 2012 25

PLAYING IT BY EAR JESSE MEREDITH ’ REFLECTS ON AN INNOVATIVE CAREER IN MEDICINE

BY DAVE HART

L

ast November, when the American innovator, I said, ‘I’ve been doing that since I Medical Association presented Jesse was 15 years old.’”

Meredith is two years shy of 90, but he still Meredith ’44 its highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award, they teaches classes and makes occasional rounds at invited him to make a speech but asked that he Wake Forest Baptist, always wearing his white lab coat. His smile remains infectious. A gifted keep it brief.

“The best way I know to do that is to tell you raconteur, he needs only the slightest nudge to that I was born in Appalachia, and I’d better spin one of his trove of stories. The only visible revert to my native tongue,” Meredith recalls concession to the years is a walking cane. telling the audience. “So let me just say, ‘it don’t “I’ve got a bum knee,” Meredith says. “I haven’t performed surgery here in 18 years. They get no better’n this.’”

The prestigious AMA award was the lat- show you the door when you hit 70. I think that’s est in a long string of accolades Meredith has a policy dreamed up by 35-year-old Ph.D.s.” accumulated during a decades-long medical Ph.D.s or any other degrees were a long way career notable for numerous innovations. He’s from Meredith’s mind growing up, when he received the State of North Carolina Award for attended a one-room schoolhouse his mother Public Service and been inducted into the Order established. But a preacher named Earp from the of the Long Leaf Pine, both among the state’s Christian Congregational Church in Danville, highest honors. In November 2010, Wake Forest Va., saw promise in the young man. When University Baptist Medical Center’s Institute Meredith finished high school, Earp took him for Regenerative Medicine named its surgery to Elon College. research center for Meredith, who spent more than 40 years teaching and practicing at the hospital.

He was the first surgeon to successfully reattach a severed hand. He established the state’s first intensive care unit and directed the first biomedical engineering department to serve an entire medical school. He launched the organ transplantation program at Wake Forest Baptist and was a charter member of the Southeastern Organ Procurement Foundation, which became a national model. He established and directed North Carolina’s first burn unit and tissue bank, and helped develop the first comprehensive training course for ambulance drivers.

Not bad for a kid who grew up during the Great Depression as the son of a “bright but “I hadn’t applied for school anywhere,” barely literate” father deep in the Appalachian Meredith recalls. “The preacher took me to meet Mountains of Virginia on a farm so hardscrab- the president. I don’t know what he said behind ble his family had neither electricity nor indoor my back, but the president said, ‘Go to the regplumbing and considered its most important istrar and get signed up.’” priority keeping its mules fed.

The president, Leon Edgar Smith, helped “Because if the mules don’t eat, you’ll have Meredith arrange housing near campus in the no crop next year,” Meredith explains. “Living basement of a local woman’s house in exchange like that helped me a lot. We had to innovate. for the chore of keeping her furnace fed. In his We couldn’t call somebody to do carpentry or freshman year, Meredith met legendary chemblacksmithing. We had to do everything our- istry professor Ned Brannock, who introduced selves. So when somebody once called me an him to the wonders of science. Meredith was

“You have to know how to do some things, but a lot of it is figuring out what has to happen.”

26 the magazine of elon

captivated. Though he had never articulated it, he may already have begun preparing himself for a career in medicine. He lost a sister at 18 months to accidental poisoning and a brother at the age of 9 to an abscess that corroded his carotid artery. The brother bled to death in their father’s arms.

“One stroke of the knife would have saved him,” says Meredith, who can’t say whether that devastating event played a role in his career choice.

Studying medicine, though, would have to wait, as World War II coincided with Meredith’s entrance to Elon. “(The Army) said, ‘We’ll let you graduate if you join the reserves,’” he recalls. “I joined, but they didn’t keep up their end of the bargain.”

He went to engineering school at North Carolina State University for a year and served in mechanized maintenance units in both the European and Pacific theatres before being discharged on Christmas Day 1945.

Upon his return to the United States, Meredith visited the medical school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and made an appointment with the dean. Although he had no undergraduate degree, Meredith was accepted and studied for two years at UNC before finishing his training at Case Western Reserve University outside Cleveland, Ohio. He completed his internship at Bellevue Hospital in New York City, where he recalls he had little supervision.

“You had to learn on your own. You had to think on your feet,” he says.

That ability to improvise proved essential to the innovative nature of his work at Wake Forest Baptist. Wherever he saw a need, he set about finding a way to meet it. That was the case with his best-known single procedure: reattaching a hand severed when a prisoner on work detail caught it in a brush mower.

“We had no microscope to see the vessels and nerves,” Meredith says. “You have to know how to do some things, but a lot of it is figuring out what has to happen.”

Meredith has spent countless hours sharing his experiences and knowledge with others as a teacher, father and surgeon, and through serving

on committees and boards. He spent 40 years years in the Petrous Ridge Boys, a group named on the North Carolina Medical Board and 25 for an anatomical feature above the ear. years as part of Elon’s Health Careers Advisory He is also, of all things, a licensed air conditioner repairman. After he retired, he needed to Committee.

“He was a great teacher,” says William fix his air conditioner, so he took the state’s test Herbert ’68, an Elon trustee and chair and pro- and got a license. fessor emeritus in the Department of Obstetrics “When I went to buy some coolant, the guy and Gynecology at the University of Virginia. behind the counter looked at my license and Herbert studied under Meredith at Wake Forest said, ‘I know you – you put a kidney in my Baptist and served with him on Elon’s Health uncle!’” Meredith says.

Careers Advisory Committee. “He has a great His time at Elon has a special place in his ability to relate to people and such an interest career and his heart. The first day he set foot on in helping them learn. He’s smart as hell, but campus, another family also arrived. Meredith also wise.” saw a young woman step out of the family’s car.

Meredith’s talent transcends the boundaries Her name was Lillian. He was struck by her, got to know her, and when he returned from World of medicine.

“He really is a renaissance man,” says Erika War II, he married her.

Friedel, director of development for children’s “That was 65 years ago, and she still made sure healthcare at Wake Forest Baptist. “He’s revered my tie was straight this morning,” Meredith says here for his great surgical skills, his sense of proudly of his wife and the mother of their three humor, his storytelling skills … and for his skill sons, J. Wayne, Dwight and Michael. as a bluegrass fiddler.”

Although Meredith is considered a 1944 Elon Meredith has played the fiddle since he was a alumnus, he never actually completed his studchild – recordings of him playing old-time tunes ies because of his military enlistment. Many are housed in the Library of Congress – and for years later, Elon officials took note of the more

In April 1945, Meredith and a group of soldiers were searching a Daimler-Benz factory in Mannheim, Germany, that had survived the Allies’ bombings of the city. Meredith found an empty auditorium in the factory and on the stage sat a lone violin. The instrument was damaged but not destroyed.

Meredith brought the violin home with him and plays it to this day, its mended cracks still visible.

than 150 credit hours he’d accumulated in his military training and medical studies and retroactively graduated him as part of the Class of 1944.

In 1980, Elon named Meredith and the late Martin Ritt ’36, best known as the director of the acclaimed film “Norma Rae,” recipients of the Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award.

“At the ceremony, Marty got up first. He made the most eloquent speech you’d ever heard. I was thinking, ‘Oh boy, how do I get out of this?’” Meredith recalls. “I stood up and said, ‘I have only two things to say. The first is what Mark Antony said to Cleopatra: ‘I didn’t come here to talk.’ And the second is, if I have ever done anything to help anybody, it began on this campus.’”

winter 2012 27

ALUMNI ACTION

NEW PROGRAMS FOR A NEW YEAR { Sallie Hutton ’92 }

T

he start of 2012 brings an exciting new resource for Elon graduates – a passwordprotected, searchable online alumni directory.

This database will be a valuable tool designed to help Elon alumni enhance their personal and professional networks. The system will be housed at our Alumni Association website, elon.edu/alumni, and will offer both simple and advanced search options.

Graduates will receive an email or letter with information about how to log in to the system for the first time and to set up a database profile.

I encourage you to update your personal and professional information to help us make this an effective networking tool. If you have questions or concerns, please contact me at (877) 784-3566 or shutton2@elon.edu.

In this section, you’ll find information about this April’s nationwide alumni month of service, Rise Up & Serve. Community service is a hallmark Elon experience, and we’re inviting all alumni and their families and friends to give back to their communities in some form during our month of service.

If you don’t live in an area served by a chapter or club, or if you’re unable to attend your group’s event, I challenge you to seek out an activity on your own. Just sign up at elon.edu/riseupandserve and we’ll send you T-shirts for each participant you register. After you’ve completed your service, send us a note and a photo of you participating in your project and how it impacted the community. We’ll share these online and in the summer issue of The Magazine of Elon. I hope you’ll join me and fellow alumni as we help make a difference in communities far and wide.

Our relationship with Elon is lifelong. Won’t you choose to make yours an active one? Please get involved in all that the Alumni Association has to offer.

Wishing you a joyous, healthy and prosperous year, Sallie

28 the magazine of elon

Honor Elon’s rising stars

J

oin the Alumni Association and the Young Alumni Council as they honor 10 outstanding Elon graduates of the past decade. The 2012 recipients of the Top 10 Under 10 Awards will be recognized at a dinner and ceremony on March 31 at 6:30 p.m. in McKinnon Hall. Tickets are $30 per person and can be purchased at elon.edu/alumrsvp. Please purchase your tickets before March 28.

For all inquiries, please contact Kiley Moorefield ’07, coordinator of young alumni and student engagement, at kmoorefield@elon.edu or (336) 278-7421.

october

2012

30 1

2

3

7

9

10 10 12

8

144 15 21

16 17

4

5

6 13

18 19 20

22 23 24 25 26 27

28 29 30 31

1

2

3

HOMECOMING  … will be here before you know it! Circle Oct. 19–21 on your calendar and plan to join us for a celebration of all things Elon. Special rates at local hotels are already available for early planners – visit elon.edu/homecoming for more information.

LGBTQ community summit Are you interested in learning about the lesbian-gay-bisexualtransgender-queer community at Elon and our developing alumni affinity network? Faculty, staff, students and alumni are invited to attend Elon’s first LGBTQ Summit March 30–31. The weekend will feature numerous sessions focusing on the future and success of Elon’s LGBTQ affinity network, including remarks from Kirsten Ringelberg, associate professor of art history and founding coordinator of Elon’s LGBTQ Office.

If you would like to attend the summit or if you have questions about this new Elon community, please contact Durice White ’09, coordinator of alumni engagement – affinity programs, at dwhite15@elon.edu or (336) 278-7463.

ALUMNI ACTION

S

ervice is among Elon’s most cherished values.

In April 2012, we’re inviting alumni to join us in an unprecedented effort to make a difference in communities near and far as part of Elon’s inaugural nationwide month of service.

Elon’s regional alumni chapters and clubs will sponsor group activities in their regions, but if you don’t live in one of those areas, don’t worry: You can register your own service activity by signing up on our website. After you’ve completed your service project, post a story, photo or both on the Elon Alumni Association Facebook page to let others know about the impact you’ve made.

Learn more about the nationwide alumni month of service at elon.edu/riseupandserve or call the Alumni Association at (877) 784-3566.

travel

SET SAIL WITH ELON Get away from it all this year on one of the Alumni Association’s fabulous trips

BALTIC TREASURES

ALASKAN DISCOVERY

EUROPEAN MOSAIC

ISLANDS OF ANTIQUITY

june –

aug. –

sept. –

sept. –

ports

ports

ports

ports

Copenhagen, Denmark; Gdansk, Poland; Visby, Sweden; Riga, Latvia; Tallinn, Estonia; St. Petersburg, Russia; Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden

Vancouver, Canada; Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Sitka & Anchorage, Alaska { including the Inside Passage, Tracy Arm & Hubbard Glacier }

Lisbon, Portugal; Gibraltar; Casablanca, Morocco; Granada, Valencia & Barcelona, Spain; Marseille, France; Monte Carlo, Monaco; Florence/Pisa & Rome, Italy

Athens, Mycenae, Naupha, Monemvasia, Rethymnon, Rhodes, Delos, Mykonos, Samos & Skiathos, Greece; Kusadasi & Istanbul, Turkey

cost

cost

cost

cost

$3,999 per person and up

$4,999 per person and up

$3,499 per person and up

$4,795 per person and up

For more information or about these voyages, visit elon.edu/alumni or contact the Office of Alumni Engagement at (877) 784-3566 or alumni@elon.edu.

winter 2012 29

ALUMNI ACTION

ALUMNI ON THE TOWN WASHINGTON, D.C.

VISIT

elon.edu/alumni

for the latest news and upcoming events near you

Charlotte

Dallas

Alumni of Elon’s fraternities and sororities gathered in October for the Charlotte Chapter’s annual Greek Mixer at Olde Mecklenburg Brewery.

“I was able to meet with a younger member of my fraternity and share our experiences as Sigma Chis at Elon,” Rob Speir ’95 says. “It was a great time.”

More than 20 Elon grads attended the Dallas Alumni Club’s first official event in October, a happy hour at the Meddlesome Moth.

“It was great to meet new alumni, catch up with old friends and talk about our mutual love for Elon,” Ruth Woodling ’04 says.

Charleston Alumni ushered in the fall with an October pumpkin-picking and carving event at Boone Hall Plantation. Ingram Brooks ’07 reports the event happened “on the prettiest fall day in Charleston!”

“Everybody had a fun time,” she adds, “and I met a fellow music theatre alum who’d just moved to the area, which I’m really excited about.”

30 the magazine of elon

Chicago Elon graduates unable to return to campus for Homecoming gathered for an Elon football viewing party at the home of Katie Reese ’09 and Lauren Nichols ’09, cheering on the Phoenix all the way from the Windy City.

New York City Phoenix fans in New York gathered for two Elon football watch parties this fall, and several alumni traveled to Princeton, N.J., on Nov. 22 to cheer the men’s basketball team to a victory over the host Tigers. In December, more than 75 alumni attended the chapter’s ugly sweater holiday party at Brother Jimmy’s in Union Square.

ALUMNI ACTION

Chapter & Club Notes Atlanta: Graduates gathered in October for a night of fun and games at Dave & Buster’s, then reunited in November to watch the Elon vs. Appalachian State football game.

Baltimore: Alumni participated in the chapter’s October service event at the Moveable Feast food bank.

In November, graduates joined President Leo M. Lambert for an Evening for Elon. “I went with my mom,” Shannon Keeny ’01 says. “We both left with tears in our eyes remembering how magical my four years were there.”

Boston: Jodi Dwyer ’99 helped coordinate the chapter’s participation in the Alliance Against Violence 5K walk in October. The chapter honored Lauren Astley, an incoming Elon freshman who was killed in Massachusetts last summer.

Denver: Alumni enjoyed catching up on Elon news during a visit from some admissions and athletics staff members at an October happy hour.

Triad: In December, Elon graduates in Alamance, Guilford and Forsyth counties joined current students to cheer the Phoenix men’s basketball team to a victory over the rival UNC-Greensboro Spartans at Greensboro Coliseum.

Triangle: Chapter members gathered to enjoy lots of Phoenix sports this fall, hosting an Elon vs. Appalachian State football viewing party and attending the Elon vs.

NC State men’s basketball game on Nov. 25 at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh.

Richmond Alumni manned water stations throughout the route of November’s Richmond Marathon, cheering on the many Elon graduates who ran the race. In December, chapter members gathered to welcome the holidays at the historic Jefferson Hotel.

“Everyone enjoyed the festive setting, delicious Southern food and exquisite decorations,” Julia Strange Chase ’84 says.

CHARLESTON

DALLAS

Washington, D.C. Eighteen alumni and their families rolled up their sleeves for a November service event at the D.C. Central Kitchen.

“Everyone helped in peeling and chopping vegetables, sorting food and cooking chicken for the next day’s meal,” says Jaclyn Jensen ’07, chapter president. “We’re looking forward to making an impact on the D.C. community again soon.”

CHICAGO

NEW YORK

Wilmington About two dozen graduates attended an Elon vs. Appalachian State football watch party in November, marking Elon’s first alumni event in the city.

“We had a great turnout, including alumni from five different decades,” says Rob Smeaton ’09, club president.

RICHMOND

TRIANGLE

winter 2012 31

CLASS NOTES



joyed many fun times at Elon.

He remembers practicing and playing basketball in the North Dorm gym, then Alumni Gym. His most vivid Elon memory is the camaraderie enjoyed by the returning World War II veterans.

William lives in Annapolis, Md. ■ John D. Vance looks back on his time at Elon with pride. He recalls Elon as a small school struggling to come into its own after the Great Depression and World War II and is pleased to see how the school has grown and the status it has achieved among Southern universities. John lives in Leesburg, Fla.

 WHERE IN THE WORLD… …Is your oak sapling?

We want to know!

Did it travel with you around the globe? Get planted in your parents’ back yard?

Survive a hurricane? Grow big and beautiful?

32 the magazine of elon

For Thomas E. Wright and Ann Stewart Wright, Elon is

an extension of their family. The Wrights attended Elon on the G.I. Bill after World War II and lived in the veterans’ apartments with their three sons. Both Wrights had to work part-time jobs to supplement their income and they proudly made it to graduation. They loved their time at Elon and marvel at how beautiful the campus is, and they share Elon ties with their son, Stephen Wright ’74, and grandson, Ben Wright ’07. Thomas is a retired pastor living in the Roman Eagle Nursing Home in Danville, Va., and he would enjoy hearing from his old classmates. Ann lives in Danville.



Ava Bowen ’75

Edwin L. Smith remembers

how, back in the day, it was easy to park his car in the circle drive right in front of Alamance Building. He is delighted at the high level of education Elon students are receiving today as they are the future leaders of our great country. Edward lives with his wife, Ann Shoffner Smith ’52, in Burlington, N.C.



Send your photos and stories to Kristin Simonetti, editor of The Magazine of Elon, at themagazineofelon@gmail.com

by March 26. We’ll choose the best submissions about this special Elon tradition for an upcoming magazine story.

Bill Ruth ’66, Mary Coolidge Ruth ’66 & family

William A. Hopkins has en-

Homer F. Hobgood remem-

bers how lucky he was to be

Prince Deese ’77

on a football scholarship during legendary Coach Sid Varney’s tenure. He says he was equally lucky to win the heart of cheerleader Sylvia Grady ’58, and he has cherished her for more than 55 years.

As he reflects on his days at Elon, he says that no trip down memory lane would be complete without a stop at the Senior Oak and West Dorm. Homer and Sylvia live in Jacksonville, N.C.



Anthony J. DeMatteo is

proud to say that he played on the only undefeated football team in Elon’s history. He’s equally proud when remembering the day he received his diploma from Elon. Anthony lives with his wife, Lucretia, in Estill Springs, Tenn.



Bill Ruth and Mary Coolidge Ruth hosted Thanksgiving



Daniel L. Hulseapple took

for their family in their home at the Uplands Retirement Village in Pleasant Hill, Tenn. Their son, David, is married to an Elon alumna, Christy Chappell Ruth ’95.

The Ruth family has much to be thankful for and had a wonderful time celebrating the holiday. the scenic route to his Elon degree and an even more circuitous path to his career in the ministry. He enrolled at Elon in 1959 and failed out in his third year, and he returned in the spring of 1963 before leaving a second time at the end of that semester. Later that year, he enrolled in the Bangor Theological Seminary, where he studied for a theological degree.

Yet upon graduating in 1967, he had to settle for a “seminary diploma,” as he could not receive the degree without obtaining a baccalaureate degree first. He returned to Elon in the fall of 1967 and, finally, received his bachelor’s degree in 1970. Nearly four decades later, and after completing one career retiring, Daniel returned to

Megan Law Brewer ’91

Jen Kolb Edwards ’95 & James Edwards

Bangor to complete his Master of Divinity degree in 2001. He was ordained by the United Church of Christ in 2003 and agreed to become a pastor of a small, rural church.



Robert R. “Bob” Lane was ap-



Ava Bowen is a writer and re-

pointed a lecturer and faculty adviser in the finance department at The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business. Bob served on the Elon University board of trustees from 1996 to 2001 and currently serves on the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business advisory board. He lives with his wife, Karen Paulos Lane, in Powell, Ohio.

source educator for Bowen’s Unfinished Frog Publications/ The Original Curiosity Camp. She recently published a collection of inspirational short stories called Season of Joy. The stories are about Ava’s love for helping others, teaching children and her passion for God’s word. You can order your copy of the book online at westbowpress.com or your local Barnes & Noble bookstore. She lives in Charlotte, N.C. Prince E. Deese is owner of A.C.T. By Deese Inc., a fitness studio in Greensboro, N.C., that specializes in training programs for special needs clients. The program Deese developed for people suffering from Parkinson’s disease is one of the first of its kind and has received international recognition. After an injury ended his football career, Prince was motivated to help people overcome physical disabilities. A proud graduate, Prince attributes much of his success to the education and preparation he received at Elon.

He lives with his wife, Gina, in Greensboro.





Peter Roughton has opened

his own insurance agency, The Roughton Insurance Agency LLC, which specializes in all types of insurance. He lives with his wife, Patricia, in Manakin Sabot, Va. ■ Lawrence Sondhaus is a professor of history at the University of Indianapolis. His latest book, World War I: The Global Revolution, has been published by Cambridge University Press. He lives in Indianapolis, Ind.

CLASS NOTES

Shelia Bumgarner was inducted into the Society of North Carolina Historians in October at its annual dinner held at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She was nominated by former Elon professors George and Carole Troxler.

Shelia is a librarian and archivist in the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.





Donna Lynn Whitfield was

selected by her colleagues as the Plymouth (N.C.) High School Teacher of the Year and was named Washington County Teacher of the Year for 2011–12.

She has been teaching U.S. history and social studies for 27 years and serves as social studies department chair and graduation adviser for the senior class. Donna lives in Plymouth.



Henry W. “Bubba” Ayer

served as the voice of the 2011 UFL Champion Virginia Destroyers in the team’s inaugural season. Henry works with Pomoco Auto Group, and his wife, Karen Parks Ayer ’82, is a kindergarten teacher at Poquoson Primary School. They live in Poquoson, Va.



Chris Roe and Alisa “Lee” Mann were married on

10/15/11. The couple reconnected on Facebook 24 years after graduation, and a year later they were married. Fellow Elon alumni Jim English and Tommy Neese served as witnesses. Chris is an operations manager for Ford Motor Company and Lee is a nuclear cardiology technologist for North Memorial Heart & Vascular. The couple live in Chanhassen, Minn.



John E. Reid was named a

senior vice president and regional commercial executive for corporate banking at HSBC Bank and will be serving clients in the Mid-Atlantic region. He lives with his wife, Michelle, in Charlotte, N.C. John A. McCormick owns Rowena’s Specialty Foods, a provider of fine cakes and other foods. For more information about the store, visit rowenas.com. He lives with his wife, Melissa Privett McCormick, in Norfolk, Va.





Megan Law Brewer and

her family have moved

to Apex, N.C. She is working as an educational consultant with Math Solutions, a partner of Scholastic, which provides workshops, courses and coaching for elementary mathematics teachers nationwide.



Chuck A. Walker spent the



Timothy Brown has been

past 19 years working for Wikoff Color Corporation and recently was promoted to district manager of the Carolinas. He and his wife, Jodi, now live in Waxhaw, N.C.

named the girls’ varsity basketball coach at Brentsville District High School in Nokesville, Va. He and his wife, Katie Brock Brown, live with their daughters in Gainesville, Va. ■ Laura Foster was named head women’s basketball coach of the West All-Stars in the annual North Carolina EastWest All-Star game. The game will be played in Greensboro on July 16, 2012. Laura lives in Wilkesboro, N.C. ■ Jennifer Herold Garcia and Alberto Garcia welcomed a daughter, Carla, on 7/14/11. She joins big sisters Claudia and Eva. Jennifer is a partner at Nurture Marketing, and the family lives in Red Bank, N.J. ■ Mary Slaughter Wilson has been promoted to assistant vice president/agency counsel/agency manager with BridgeTrust Title Group in Fayetteville, N.C. She lives in Raleigh.

Scott Ryan and Trammell Bristol were married on 11/12/11. They live in Lawrenceville, N.J. ■ Amy L. Staubs was selected for a competitive detail assignment as a policy advisor for the Office of the Assistant Attorney General, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. She is working to develop a technical assistance center for the chief executives in government and law enforcement to improve the quantity and quality of evidence that the Office of Justice Programs generates through its research, evaluation and statistical functions.

Amy lives in Alexandria, Va.

CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITIES CAN PROVIDE INCOME FOR LIFE a charitable gift annuity of $10,000 or more to Elon will guarantee you a fixed income for the rest of your life. With market interest rates near historic lows, a gift annuity is an attractive way for you to increase your income and make a gift to Elon at the same time. You will receive immediate tax benefits and can defer capital gains. The payment rate of a charitable gift annuity depends on your age at the time of the gift – the older you are, the higher the rate.





Kristin E. Hayes and David

Hartnett welcomed a daughter, Story Grace, on 4/14/11. She joins older brother Maguire. The family lives in Long Branch, N.J. ■ Bryan D. James has been promoted to manager of reporting

rates as of january ,  ONE BENEFICIARY

T WO BENEFICIARIE S

AG E

ANNUIT Y R ATE

AG E

ANNUIT Y R ATE

60 65 70

4.4% 4.7% 5.1%

60/65 67/67 71/73

4.0% 4.4% 4.7%

Annuity rates are subject to change. The annuity rate remains fixed once your gift is made.

To calculate a gift annuity for you, your spouse or a family member, visit elon.edu/giftplanning.

Talk with us today about how you may benefit from a life income gift to Elon and other gift planning opportunities. please contact: Chuck Davis, Assistant Vice President, University Advancement (877) 784-3566 • cdavis11@elon.edu • elon.edu/giftplanning

winter 2012 33

CLASS NOTES

{ Amanda Portoghese ’11, left, & Leland Giddens }

Dabbling in the fast lane

BY CAITLIN O’DONNELL ’13

A

manda Portoghese ’11 fondly remembers the first time she drove a truly fast car. It was a Mazda RX-7, and she drove it with her father.

She also distinctly remembers her second time – and that she kept it a secret from her dad for a long time.

About three years ago, while studying at Elon, Portoghese began tagging along with her best friend, Leland Giddens, to watch him race autocross – a sport in which drivers race the clock on a course marked with cones. When she eventually decided to try her hand behind the wheel, she was sold. But she was afraid her parents wouldn’t approve.

“My dad is a doctor, and he never liked me doing anything too risky,” Portoghese says. “When I won my first race, I came home and showed them my trophy. They were kind of shocked, but my dad was so proud, and now he comes and watches me race.”

It’s not quite a common hobby for a young woman and her presence has elicited a few strange reactions – especially from other women (“Girls think it’s really funny,” she says). Yet it’s the men in the sport who truly underestimate what Portoghese is capable of, especially on the course.

“When we’re at an event and I talk about cars, guys are a little taken aback. They don’t expect women to know what they’re talking about,” she says.

34 the magazine of elon

Racing was part of Portoghese’s life that the Orlando native strove to keep separate from her studies at Elon. Pursuing a degree in sport and event management, she also served as a university tour guide and participated in the Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity. That left little time for her racing hobby.

Now a graduate assistant in the athletics department at the University of Central Florida, Portoghese races with Martin’s Sports Car Club about once a month. She doesn’t plan to become a professional racer – though she appreciates that it gives her an escape from the day-to-day routine of her studies and her job. But she does have an interest in the business; she’s pursuing a master’s degree in sport leadership and coaching and is considering working in operations for a race track.

Because she picked up the sport relatively recently, Portoghese is still learning its ins and outs.

She currently drives her own everyday car, a 2006 Mazda 3 automatic, on the track, but she’s also learning how to drive a manual transmission car with Giddens’ help.

“You’ve got to be dedicated,” says Giddens, who began racing as a child with go karts and has been racing autocross since he was 16. “I expected Amanda to go out there twice, maybe, say ‘it’s cool,’ and then it would go away. But she’s stuck with it.”

and analytics at Independence Blue Cross in Philadelphia. He lives in Wilmington, Del. ■ Jen Leigh Kolb and James R. Edwards Jr. were married on 5/6/11 in Charlotte, N.C. Alumni in attendance were Rachelann DeGregoris and Sarah Wright Tate. Jen works as a nanny and the couple live in Charlotte. ■ Ken Logerwell earned a master’s degree in acquisition and contract management from Bellevue University in November.

He is director of contracts for CACI. Ken lives with his wife, Molli, and their sons, Nate and Zach, in Centreville, Va. ■ Stephanie Taylor and Stephen Hirsch were married on 11/16/10. Stephanie works in finance for Cybex International. The couple reside in Boca Raton, Fla.



Liz Babb is an account



Aimee Dick Carter has ac-

coordinator for G-Force Marketing Solutions Inc. and works part-time assisting a real estate agent. She lives in Greensboro, N.C. ■ Jay D. Sheffer Jr. is an analytical chemist. He lives with his wife, Bridget, and their daughter, Katherine, in Parrish, Fla.

cepted a position with the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia as associate director of development and alumni engagement. She lives in Palmyra, Va. ■ Tara A. Hackenberg has taken a position with the University of Virginia as an associate director of development in the health system development office. She lives in Culpeper, Va. ■ Erin Luby Melhuish and Geoff Melhuish welcomed a daughter, Brynn Morgan, on 1/31/11. The family lives in South Portland, Maine. ■ Rebecca Romig Parks was promoted to Burlington unit office manager for the State of North Carolina Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, for which she has worked for 14 years. She lives in Snow Camp, N.C. ■ Patrick Singleton was elected treasurer of the executive committee of the World Olympians Association, a partner of the International Olympic Committee. Patrick was one of nine officers elected by the WOA’s more than 130 member nations. From his base in London, he will be tasked with overseeing the Olympic Reunion Center, a facility

CLASS NOTES

serving the Olympic athletes, their families and visiting dignitaries during the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games. Patrick represented Bermuda in the 1998, 2002 and 2006 Winter Olympic Games in the single luge and the skeleton.

■ Racheal Lee Stimpson and Matt Stimpson welcomed a daughter, Emily Ann, on 8/17/11. Emily joins older siblings Will and Abby.

Racheal is a women’s studies instructor at Alamance Community College, and the family lives in Whitsett, N.C.



Kelly Bollinger Burke and



Kristine Sweeney Carroll and Rich Carroll welcomed

Timothy Burke welcomed a daughter, Elizabeth “Libby” Flynn, on 9/27/11. She joins older sister Ella. Kelly is an attorney, and the family lives in Baltimore, Md. ■ Dustin R. Smith and Elizabeth Smith welcomed a son, Lukas Reid, on 6/21/11. The family lives in Cary, N.C.

a son, Patrick Ryan, on 11/14/10.

He joins older sisters Kaidyn and Hailey. The family lives in Phoenixville, Pa. ■ Christina M. Graham has been named a partner at Morris, Manning and Martin LLP in Atlanta, Ga., where she lives. ■ Amy Brechka Mammano and Erik Mammano welcomed a son, Cole Robert, on 10/22/11. He joins older sisters Sophia and Kylie. The family lives in Ocean, N.J. ■ Kristen Shenkus and Brendan Westlund ’01 were married on 10/15/11 in Baltimore, Md. Alumni who participated in the wedding were Jessica Zito, Joe Brown ’96, Brad Rodier ’01 and Simon Majak ’01. Alumni in attendance were Brian Baham ’01, Brian Simpson ’01, Brady Nelson ’01 and Mark Woodling ’01. Kristen works in human resources for DRC and Brendan is an IT manager for MicroStrategy. They live in Falls Church, Va. ■ Molly Whitlatch was named a partner at Wishart Norris Henninger & Pittman, P.A., in Burlington, N.C. She specializes in commercial and real estate litigation for the firm and sits on its charitable foundation’s board of directors. Molly serves as president of the board for the Humane Society of Alamance County and was named the organization’s volunteer of the year in 2010. She will serve as the president of the

board for Family Abuse Services of Alamance County for 2012-13.

Molly and her husband, Jonathan, live in Burlington. ■ H. Todd Wirt is pursuing a doctorate in education from Wingate University.

He is the executive director for Mooresville Graded School District in Mooresville, N.C. His wife, Kelly White Wirt ’98 is a real estate agent with Keller Williams Realty Burlington Market Center.

They live in Salisbury, N.C.



Holly Briel earned her

doctorate in educational leadership, curriculum, technology and higher education from the University of Delaware in Jan. 2011. She lives in Milford, Del. ■ Joel Munns and Nicole DeMaio Munns ’02 welcomed a daughter, Kaitlin Paige, on 8/24/11. Nicole is a teacher for Little Acorns Early Learning Center and Joel is a branch manager for Sherwin Williams. The family lives in Gaithersburg, Md. ■ Elizabeth Shames Reiss and Daniel Reiss welcomed a daughter, Isabella Ann, on 4/21/11. The family lives in St. Petersburg, Fla. ■ Katie Williford Surgala and Philip Surgala welcomed a daughter, Emmeline Dean, on 7/22/11. Katie is a homemaker and Philip is vice president of sales for Ingenious Med. The family lives in Woodstock, Ga. ■ Jason S. Thomas is a project manager in the United States Army Corps of Engineers. He has accepted a position in the Middle East District and will be managing engineering and construction projects in Jordan, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. Jason lives with his wife, Emily, and their daughters, Jadyn and Elle, in Barboursville, Va.



ELON REUNION IN JAPAN Associate Professor of Communications Glenn Scott received a Fulbright lecture grant for the 2011–12 academic year and since August has been teaching at the University of the Ryukyus in Okinawa, Japan. During his Fulbright orientation in Tokyo, he met with three Elon alumnae – Amy Jo Jenkins ’05, Asami Sudani ’06 and Keiko Sudani ’08, who are living and working in Japan. In this photo, taken in September, the group is at the Marunouchi Building in the Tokyo financial district. Behind them is a banner that reads “Genki! For Japan.” “’Genki’ means healthy or energetic (in Japanese),” Scott says. “The banner is there to help encourage the people after the disaster” – the March 11, 2011, earthquake, tsunami and subse{ l-r, Amy Jo Jenkins ‘05, Asami Sudani quent nuclear catastrophe.

‘06, Keiko Sudani ‘08 & Glenn Scott } Keiko Sudani has worked in recent months to establish Wa-Navi Japan, a nonprofit organization that offers translation services for foreign professionals and families living in Japan. Proceeds earned by the organization are donated to support families struggling in the aftermath of the earthquake. Learn more about Wa-Navi at wa-navi.org.

Jenkins recently accepted a new position as recreation director aboard the U.S.S. Essex, which is based in Sasebo on the island of Kyushu, the most southwestern of Japan’s four main islands. She had worked as a civilian aquatics director at the U.S. Navy Base at Yokosuka, near Tokyo, and shared her reactions to and observations about the Japanese earthquake with The Magazine of Elon (see “Life blossoming in Japan” in the spring 2011 issue).

Scott will remain in Okinawa through the spring semester with his son, Kevin, and his wife, Misako, who is a native of Kyushu. He shares photos and writes about his experiences living and working in Japan on his blog at gwscott.tumblr.com.

Carrie Moffett Blankenship

and Jack Blankenship welcomed a daughter, Eden Frances, on 7/12/11. She joins older brothers Caleb, Noah and Josiah. The family lives in Rock Hill, S.C. ■ Hilary Brown Boone and Mark R. Boone welcomed a son, Andrew Michael, on 2/14/11. The family lives in San Diego, Calif. ■ Erin Lynch Cockman and Rob G. Cockman welcomed a daughter, Meghan Elizabeth, on 8/8/11. She joins older siblings Will, Ben and Kate.

Erin is a financial advisor for Wells Fargo Advisors-Burlington. The family lives in Whitsett, N.C.

Ken Logerwell ’95, wife Molli, & sons Nate & Zach

Elizabeth Shames Reiss ’00, husband Daniel & daughter Isabella

Molly Whitlatch ’99

Joel Munns ’00, Nicole DeMaio Munns ’02 & daughter Kaitlin

Carrie Moffett Blankenship ’01 & husband Jack with their children

Mikaela Frazier Michalopoulos ’01 & son Caleb

winter 2012 35

CLASS NOTES

Q:

■ Natalie Strickland Maness {DPT’04} and Brian Maness wel-

What do Elon’s MBA, M.Ed., MPT/DPT, J.D. & M.A. graduates have in common?

A: This magazine!

Mikaela Frazier Michalopoulos

The Magazine of Elon isn’t just for undergrads. It’s here for you, too!

Please send us a Class Note today so we can share your news with faculty, staff and fellow alumni. Just visit elon.edu/ classnotes or send an email to alumniclassnotes@elon.edu.

We look forward to celebrating your achievements and life milestones!

Maureen Hass Maurano ’01, husband Drew, & daughters Claire & Meghan

and Greg Michalopoulos welcomed a son, Caleb, on 5/24/11.

Mikaela is a senior marketing coordinator for EYP Architecture & Engineering. The family lives in Natick, Mass. ■ Alicia DeHart Theriault and Patrick Theriault welcomed a son, Jaxson, on 9/26/11. The family resides in Canada. ■ Cory Wilkinson has been promoted to senior marketing manager for IRWIN Tools in the European Division. He and his wife, Madalyn, live in Switzerland.



Hilary Brown Boone ’01 & children

Katie Sullivan Corrigan ’02, Dan Corrigan & friends

Kathleen Iwancio Lovin ’03 & son Michael

comed twins, Sydney and Jacob, on 5/24/10. Natalie is a pediatric physical therapist. ■ Maureen Hass Maurano is a nurse supervisor in the neonatal intenstive care unit at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. She lives with her husband, Drew, and their daughters, Meghan and Claire, in Silver Spring, Md. ■

Marcie Foley Addy ’03, husband Bryan, & sons Zachary & Nathan

36 the magazine of elon

Andrew Arico {MBA} has

been working for the past

Andrew Arico ’02

Erin Facciolo Wehler ’02, husband Clyde & children

Erica Stanley ’02, Ted Jutras & friends

Allison Jones Marsh ’03 & Ryan Marsh

several years as an actor in the Southeast. Though not an actor by training, Andrew reports that it’s been a pretty easy transition. He has appeared in films, television shows, commercials and other productions in North and South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. ■ Joy Blackwell Hampson and Thomas J. Hampson welcomed a daughter, Sophia Elizabeth, on 6/17/11. The family lives in Newerry, Fla. ■ Alan F. Medeiros is an attorney with Brennan, Medeiros & Brennan. In November 2011, he was elected to the Taunton (Mass.) Municipal Council and assumed the office in January. His wife, Sharon Blatt Medeiros, is vice president and comptroller for Mechanics CoOperative Bank. ■ Erica Stanley and Ted Jutras were married on 9/10/11 in Corolla, N.C. Alumni in attendance were Lauren Cooper, Maggie Houts Donley, Josh Donley, Becky Farris, Elise Davis Hurst, Hillary Rogers Kestler, Ryan Hall McCormack, Jennifer Umpleby McLaughlin, Shawn McLaughlin

Meggan Sullivan ’03

Joy Blackwell Hampson ’02, Thomas Hampson ’02 & daughter Sophia

Lisa Purtz Keegan ’03, John Keegan ’96 & daughter Kylie

Adam Acosta ’04, Suzanne Speed Acosta ’04 & friends

and Malissa Zimmerman ’92. The couple live in Washington, D.C., where Erica works as a communications consultant at The Glover Park Group. ■ Katie Sullivan and Dan Corrigan were married on 7/23/11 in Burlington, Vt. Alumni in attendance were Kylle Hall, Justin Mallory, Donald Wickline, Nikki Cervelloni Wickline, Seth Moriarty, Katie Previc Ballengee ’03, Whitney Lesch ’04, Cori Weatherald ’04 and Heather Baldwin Canfield ’97. The couple live in Washington, D.C. ■ Erin Facciolo Wehler and Clyde B. Wehler welcomed a daughter, Ginger Lotus, on 9/7/11. Erin is a teacher and director of education at Starmaker Montessori School.

The family lives in Great Mills, Md. Sara Beaty was promoted to director of marketing at Dynamic Logic, a leading digital advertising research firm in New York City. She lives in Astoria, N.Y. ■ Stephen C. Charles is the new director of medical education at the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Wichita, Kan., where he lives. ■ Ryan R. Craig and Carolina C. Froc were married on 6/5/10 on the island of Marie Galante in the French West Indies.

The couple reside in Lynnwood, Wash. ■ Marcie Foley Addy and Bryan Addy welcomed a son, Zachary Bryan, on 9/2/11. Marcie is a manager of medical education for Eastern Connecticut Health Network. The family lives in Rocky Hill, Conn. ■ Theresa Marie Gosnell and Adam J. Raper were married on 7/9/11 in Angier, N.C., with Jonathan Rahilly ’04 serving as a groomsman. Other alumni in attendance were Amanda Conti Cyr, Bob Davis, Kelly Lawson Roberts, Sarah Spence Whitley ’01, Carrie Ryan ’02, Carrie Johnson Gref ’02 and Jessica Gagne Cloutier ’04. The couple live in Lebanon, Ohio. ■ Stacey Schultz Groebner and Jeffrey Groebner welcomed a son, Joshua James, on 8/3/11. The family lives in Andover, Minn. ■ Allison Jones and Ryan Marsh were married in Raleigh, N.C., on 4/2/11, with Lt. j.g. Gregory Jones ’08 serving in the wedding party. Allison is a marketing and event planner for the City of Raleigh. The couple reside in Garner, N.C. ■ Lisa Purtz Keegan and John Keegan ’96 welcomed a daughter, Kylie Ann, on 5/25/11. Kylie donned her maroon



CLASS NOTES

and gold and joined her mom and dad for many Phoenix football Saturdays at Rhodes Stadium last fall. ■ Kathleen Iwancio Lovin and Mark Lovin welcomed a son, Michael Cole, on 7/27/11.

The family lives in Clayton, N.C. ■ Matthew L. Parker and Katie Parker welcomed a son, Oliver Savage, on 3/2/11. The family lives in Olney, Md. ■ Michelle Pautz and Steven Zech were married on 10/8/11, with Andi Petrini, Chrissie Herman and Jennifer Pautz ’07 in attendance. Michelle is an assistant professor of political science at the University of Dayton. The couple live in Beavercreek, Ohio.

■ Meggan Sullivan rescued a Chesapeake Bay Retriever puppy whose litter was dumped in the woods near a popular hunting area in Jacksonville, Fla., where she lives. She named the puppy Abby after a dear Elon friend who passed away the summer before their senior year. Meggan knows that Abby would be pleased to be associated with such courageous and loving dog.



Adam Acosta and Suzanne Speed were married on

7/29/11 in Miami, Fla., where they live. Elon alumna Maria LaBrutto was in attendance. ■ Jamie Wiener Kennedy and Jeff Kennedy welcomed a daughter, Molly Aurora, on 6/10/11. The family lives in Holly Springs, N.C. ■ Lindsey Kinnaird and Bryan Scherich were married on 10/15/11. Lindsey is a project manager for Measurement Incorporated and Bryan is a director of operations and development for Measurement Durham LLC. They live in Durham, N.C. ■ David M. McKnew and Shannon Kilgariff McKnew welcomed a daughter, Caroline Grace, on 6/5/11. She joins older brother Michael. The family lives in Williamsburg, Va. ■ Christopher S. Nave is an assistant professor in the psychology department at Rutgers University in Camden, N.J. He lives in Philadelphia. ■ Sarah Slater and Chris Chesser were married on 9/16/11 in Chicago, Ill. Alumni in attendance were Meredith Pieper Webb, Katie Reese ’09, Jeanette Drake ’06, Erin Casola ’06, Katie Olinger ’07 and Jeanette Olli ’03. Sarah is an event coordinator at Parker West. The couple live in Chicago. ■ Sarah Umberger and Chris Everhart

{ David Gordon ’08 & Carolyn Kurtz Gordon ’10 }

{ Liz Earle Coakley ’07 & Shea Coakley ’07 }

Hitched to a cause Alumni use weddings to support Project Pericles initiatives

BY ERIC TOWNSEND

T

he way they saw it, their guests likely wouldn’t miss wedding favors, so why not allocate that part of the budget toward the charities they supported as Elon students? Carolyn Kurtz Gordon ’10 and Liz Earle Coakley ’07 each used recent marriage celebrations to raise awareness of the causes they championed as members of the Periclean Scholars program during their undergraduate studies.

Gordon wed classmate David Gordon ’08 five months after graduating in May 2010, and the Florida couple earmarked part of their budget, as well as guest donations, for a 3,000 gift to Elon’s Periclean Scholars in support of ongoing relief projects in Ghana.

Working with Professor Heidi Frontani, Carolyn Gordon was an active part of the Periclean Scholars group that helped build a medical clinic in an impoverished area of the West African nation. The Gordons also contributed funds to the Muscular Dystrophy Association in Charlotte, N.C., which supported the family when David’s father died after battling Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

“The money that was raised or given in honor of our guests could have gone to more flowers, or something along those lines, but this would have had an impact for longer than just that one day,” Carolyn Gordon says.

Coakley, too, was inspired by her involvement

in the Periclean Scholars. In lieu of wedding favors, Liz and Shea Coakley ’07 of Boston, Mass., donated hundreds of dollars from their August 2011 nuptials to the Hope for Honduran Children Foundation, a nonprofit that assists orphans in the country.

“I have a huge connection with the kids there,” says Liz Coakley, a regular visitor to the Latin American nation since she began working with Hope for Honduran Children as a Periclean Scholar.

“I like seeing what they’re doing. The other thing, for me, is that it’s a small organization. I know that when I give them dollars, it goes straight to the project.”

Established in 2002, Elon’s Periclean Scholars program is the centerpiece of Project Pericles, which is committed to raising the level of civic engagement and social responsibility of the university community. Students who become part of the Periclean Scholars program take a series of courses culminating in a class project promoting global social change.

“My students’ ongoing efforts and highly creative initiatives, such as the use of a wedding as a fundraiser, make me very proud,” Frontani says.

“The students seem to have taken the lessons from their Global Experience and Periclean Scholars classes to heart. They have remained engaged global citizens.”

winter 2012 37

CLASS NOTES

were married on 9/10/11. The couple live in Cornelius, N.C. ■ Kristin A. White is now a National Board Certified Teacher. She lives in Washington, D.C.



Megan E. Green has been

named Mecklenburg County Air Quaility Employee of the Year for 2011. She lives in Charlotte, N.C. ■ Brandi Webb Little and Daniel C. Hobbs were married on 5/29/11 at the University of Virginia Chapel in Charlottesville, Va. Amy Oliver Nicholson ’04 and Karen Callaway ’04 served as bridesmaids. Brandi is an account executive for the NBC Richmond affiliate in Richmond, Va., where the couple live. ■ Prudence Lyon

Sarah Slater Chesser ’04, Chris Chesser & friends

Lindsey Kinnaird Scherich ’04 & Bryan Scherich ’04

David McKnew ’04, Shannon Kilgariff McKnew ’04, & children Michael & Caroline

Trish Mateer Malseed ’05, Daniel Malseed ’06 & friends

Prudence Lyon Scott ’05, John Scott & friends

John M. Kalas ’07, Meghan Kalas & friends

38 the magazine of elon

Scott Muthersbaugh ’06 & Hannah Cox Muthersbaugh

Megan Scott Guess ’07, Alex Guess ’07 & friends

Bryan Padgette ’07, Elizabeth Sullivan Padgette ’06 & friends

and John H. Scott were married on 10/15/11. Alumni in attendance were Ada Adele Arbuckle, Allison Brown, Chris Morse, Nicole Richie ’04, Jeremy Mason ’03, Cassie Mansbach ’03, Drew Gilliland ’06 and Kendall Bouldin Gilliland ’06. Prudence is a librarian and women’s varsity lacrosse coach for Cardinal Gibbons High School.

The couple reside in Raleigh, N.C. ■ Thomas P. Maier is broker in charge/manager of the Kernersville branch of Prudential Carolinas Realty. He will manage day-to-day operations and recruit and train agents. He lives in Kernersville, N.C. ■ Trish Mateer and Daniel W. Malseed ’06 were married on 8/6/11 in Pikesville, Md., with Amanda Stokes serving as the maid of honor. The couple live in Columbia, Md. ■ Jenni Marie O’Malley and Matthew G. Sherban were married on 5/27/11.

Jenni is a dentist in the U.S. Army.

The couple reside in Columbus, Ga. ■ Courtney Lorraine Tomaini and Stephen J. Ryerson Jr. were married on 10/15/11. Courtney is a teacher, and the couple live in Rockville Centre, N.Y.



Victoria Pirkey Aldridge has

been promoted to general ledger staff accountant at Damuth Trane. She lives with her husband, Kristopher, in Virginia Beach, Va. ■ Christopher D. Ahlgrim’s company, Bergen-Wild Licensing Group, recently joined forces with EMDAL Sports Marketing to create the SignatureART “Champions” series in an effort to raise $1,000,000 for the USO. The project brings together athletes, celebrities and musicians to raise money for programs that support active duty military and their families. For more information about this project, visit signatureart.com. Christopher lives in New York City. ■ Debbie Barabe is a trust analyst in wealth management for Choate Hall & Stewart LLP. She has been accepted into the cross continent MBA program at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. While studying, she will have the opportunity to travel to Beijing, Shanghai, London, Dubai, New Delhi and St. Petersburg.

Debbie lives in Boston. ■ J. Matthew Camp and Amber King Camp welcomed a son, Joseph Benjamin, on 8/4/11. The family lives in Randleman, N.C. ■ Brian

FROM ALAMANCE TO AFGHANISTAN In August 2011, U.S. Army Spc. James Black ’09, right, contacted several of his former faculty and staff mentors at Elon with an idea to collect school supplies for children in schools in the Sangin District of Helmand Province, Afghanistan, where Black served from February 2011 to January 2012. Elon students, faculty and staff responded with gusto, collecting nearly 1,000 pounds of supplies that required two helicopter flights to deliver.

“The children reacted to the simple school supplies as American children would react to Christmas in July; ‘excited’ doesn’t begin to cover their surprise and ecstatic reactions,” Black reports.

“Most of these children have never seen the kinds of supplies Elon donated, nor have they felt encouraged to express themselves. Afghan children left the shura (assembly) giddy, clutching pens, markers, colored pencils and paper as if they’d never let go of them.”

Black shares more reflections about life in Afghanistan and additional photos of the school supply deliveries at elon.edu/ magazine.

C. Grady is pursing a master’s

degree in city design and social science from the London School of Economics. He lives in London, England. ■ Erin K. McEvoy was named the 2011 association/ nonprofit planner of the year in the Bizbash Boston Readers’ Choice Awards. She works for the Boston Bruins Foundation and lives in Boston, Mass. ■ Scott Muthersbaugh and Hannah Cox were married on 10/15/11.

CLASS NOTES

Scott is a photojournalist for the Burlington Times-News. They live in Greensboro, N.C. ■ Sean M. Travers received his doctorate from the University of Florida and lives in Baldwin, Md. Jenna Marie Bailey and Jason M. Rozenblat were married on 7/30/11. Jenna is an operations manager for Yodle Inc., and the couple live in Alexandria, Va. ■ Meghan Partelow Fisher has moved to Hinesburg, Vt., with her husband, James, and their daughter, Madelyn. Meghan is working as the information technology coordinator for the Shlansky Law Group’s Vermont office. ■ Jennie Claire Harrison and Adam E. Young were married on 12/17/10. Alumni in attendance were Quinn Trefsgar Laudermilch, Sarah Dollard Hiester, Lisa Cochran Holt, Jason Eden, Kellie Szabo, Tom Waltermeyer ’02, Jenny Freeman ’06, Cooper Campbell ’08, Martha Montross ’08, Kaity Shaw ’08, Andrew Kay ’09, Jess Sikking Campbell ’10 and Carolyn Klasnick ’09. Jennie teaches second grade for Anne Arundel County Schools, and the couple live in Arnold, Md. ■ John M. Kalas and Meghan Stokes were married in Spring Lake, N.J., on 6/25/11. Alumni who participated in the wedding were Bryan McMinn, Kevin Wellington, L. Alex French, Ashley Crehan ’08 and Christopher Eydt ’09. Alumni in attendance were Adam Pierson, Sarah Eydt, Caitlin Trapani, Elizabeth Colquitt, Kimberly Miller, Kristen Payne, Jami-Lynn Cimino, Kerry Doherty, Alexandra Hostetter ’08, Erin Burgin ’08, Douglas Gatlin ’08, James Frisch ’09, Sean Hetherington ’09, Christopher Bayly ’09 and Colby Hart ’09. John is an associate attorney with Hollingsworth LLP. The couple reside in Bethesda, Md. ■ Grace Fancher Masquelette and Keith A. Ramsdell were married on 10/1/11 in Newport, R.I. Grace is an account executive at Jonathan Adler in New York City, where the couple reside. ■ Bryan Padgette and Elizabeth Sullivan ’06 were married on 4/2/11 in Charlotte, N.C. Alumni in attendance were Ben Wright, Evan Broderick, Stephen Dahlem, Tara Herbert Dahlem, Jon Pharr, Matt Kerley, Mike DeFlaun, Steve Zaicko, Paul Skrickus, Matthew Everett, John Humphrey, J.D. Yearwood, Brittin



Eustis, Jamie Grauel, Mike Byrne, Laura Raskin, Alex Sewel, Katie Bigarel, James Herr, Shannon Jennings, Garrett Turner, Lee Corey, Steve Dewberry, Chad Bradley, Jason King, Adam Graber ’04, Shane Kelly ’05, Brian Hall ’05, Chris Irvin ’08, Scott Gordon ’05, Megan Remshifski Hassold ’05, Gray Hassold ’06, Chris Nolan ’08, Kelly Soth ’08, Jonathan Lindberg ’04, Scott McKenzie ’09, Stephanie Perea ’06, Brian Griffith ’04, Ethan Herr ’06, Lauren Grote ’03, Katie Zach ’03, Logan Mateer Sobonya ’04, Rich Sobonya ’03, Suzanna Jones ’04, Sarah King Lindberg ’02, Mike Ryan ’06, Ryan Cooke ’08, Thomas Pillsbury ’08, Zach Thomas ’08 and Andrew Shaw ’08. ■ Julie Lyn Putnam received

a master’s degree in teaching from George Mason University in August. She teaches third grade for Fairfax County Public Schools and lives in Alexandria, Va. ■ Charlie Remy is an assistant professor and electronic resources librarian at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He lives in Chattanooga, Tenn. ■ Beth Roberts serves as a small enterprise development volunteer for Peace Corps Mali in West Africa. Since July 2010, she has been joined in service by two Elon alumni, Henry Cauley ’10 and Emily Alpert ’10, who are health volunteers with the Peace Corps.

They are enjoying their time sharing Elon’s commitment to global service with the people of Mali. ■ Megan Scott and Alex Guess were married on 10/15/11 by The Rev. Jon Chapman ’07. Alumni in attendance were R.J. LaPorte, Jocelyn Fern, Alisa Pettit, Will Gallimore, Cole Wilson ’08, Ashley Day ’10, Dusty French ’11 and Laura Rand ’08. Megan is a marketing coordinator for ARAMARK at the University Of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Alex is a surgical recovery specialist at North Carolina Eye Bank. The couple live in Raleigh, N.C. ■ Billy Zeigler has been promoted to multimedia editor for the PBS NewsHour. Billy writes copy and edits video for the nightly program. He lives in Vienna, Va.



Christine Monllos Abd El Hadi and Mahmoud Abd El

Hadi welcomed a son, Saleh, on 12/17/10. Christine recently completed her master’s degree in Asian

Henry Cauley ’10, Beth Roberts ’07 & Emily Alpert ’10

Monica Nolden Bickford ’08, Isaac Bickford & friends

Ashley Delmar Lehman ’08 & Westin Lehman ’08

Danielle Gaquin Davis ’08, Timothy Davis ’08 & friends

l-r, Anne Carroll Ratcliffe ’08, Elizabeth Stiles ’08, Lara-Anne Stokes ’08 & Evan Broderick ’08

Ashley Barnett Gaudiano ’08 & friends

Ashleigh Palmer Weathers ’08, Walter Weathers ’08 & friends

studies at Florida State University.

The family resides in Tallahassee, Fla. ■ Ashley Nicole Barnett and Joseph A. Gaudiano were married on 8/20/11. Alumni in attendance were Ashley Arnold, Sarah Sanborn ’09, Bridget Downing ’09 and Lauren Nichols ’09. Ashley recently graduated from Loyola University Chicago School of Law and was admitted to the Maryland State Bar. The couple live in Stamford, Conn. ■ Mark J. Brewin Jr. and Jessica Catherine Keough ’07 were married on 11/11/11. Mark is a lot attendant for Home Depot and Jessica is an adjunct professor for the Community College of Rhode Island. The couple

Jennifer Copeland Shepherd ’08 & Michael Shepherd

Crystal Slate Johnson ’08, Arthur Johnson & friends

Hannah Ford Crafford ’09, Chad Crafford & friends

live in Providence, R.I. ■ Evan Broderick, Anne Carroll Ratcliffe, Elizabeth Stiles and Lara-Anne Stokes ran in the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. They met at a local bar after the race to toast the completion of their first marathons. ■ Jennifer Marie Copeland and Michael G. Shepherd were married on 10/8/11. Michael is the Apple systems engineer for Elon. The couple met while Jennifer was working as a multimedia developer in media services. Jennifer now works in sales for Durham Catering Company.

The couple live in Greensboro, N.C. ■ Ashley Elizabeth Delmar and Westin A. Lehman were

winter 2012 39

CLASS NOTES

{ Rodney Holland ’82, left, & Harold Hill ’83 }

A hometown connection

BY KELLYE COLEMAN ’12

R

odney Holland ’82 left his hometown of Burlington, N.C., shortly after graduation, and the longer he was gone, he thought, the less likely it would be he’d have an opportnity to return home. But thanks to a friendship with a fellow Elon alumnus and a conversation between the two at Homecoming 2010, he’s back in Alamance County.

Harold Hill ’83, president of Glen Raven Technical Fabrics, recruited Holland to serve as director of sales and marketing for the protective division, one of eight product sectors in Hill’s company. Glen Raven Technical Fabrics is a sister company of Glen Raven, Inc., whose headquarters are minutes from Elon’s campus.

Holland and Hill’s friendship dates to their middle school years when they met through school sports. Though a year apart in school, they spent time together on and off the field until they both matriculated at Elon, when their interests began taking them in different directions.

“Harold played football, which took up a lot of his time, and we were in different fraternities,” Holland recalls. Hill was a member of the

40 the magazine of elon

legendary Fightin’ Christian teams that won NAIA national championships in 1980 and 1981.

After graduating, Hill earned an MBA from Wake Forest University and Holland began working in Houston and later Mobile, Ala., for Midstream Marine Services, a provider of offshore logistical support for the oil and gas industry. Yet they always stayed in touch.

“I kept up with Rodney, to see how he was doing,” says Hill, who after completing his degree at Wake Forest worked on Wall Street for seven years. He and his wife, Michelle Feroe Hill ’83, and their children, Harold and MIa, returned to Burlington when he accepted a position with Burlington Industries. Seven years later, he moved on to Glen Raven.

In recent years, Holland and his wife, Stuart Ellis Holland ’83, were living in Birmingham, Ala., with their sons, Ellis and Everett. The move literally brought them closer to Elon, as in previous years they lived too far away to return to campus.

“We went 15 years without attending a single official Elon function until we decided to go to Homecoming in 2010,” Holland adds.

During that weekend, Holland and Hill

reconnected personally and professionally, seeing each other for the first time in years. Their conversation turned from small talk toward the possibility of Holland returning to Burlington to fill an open position in Hill’s company. After the weekend, the discussions continued, and in early 2011, Holland accepted the position.

“We had a long-term relationship and a mutual trust,” says Hill, who adds he’s looking forward to building a strong professional relationship with Holland after many years of friendship.

Holland and Hill are just two of a number of Elon alumni who work at Glen Raven, which has built a strong relationship with the university.

“Elon has grown into a world-class institution of higher learning here in Alamance County, and analogous to that in the business world is Glen Raven,” Hill says. “Those dynamics don’t happen in a vacuum. They’re connected.”

Holland says he’s thrilled to be back in his hometown and is enjoying the opportunity to work with his old friend.

“It was a shock in the beginning that it could happen at all, but now, it feels right,” he says.

CLASS NOTES

married on 10/22/11. Ashley is an electronic media coordinator for IMI Assocation Executives and Westin is a multimedia developer for First Citizens Bank.

They live in Morrisville, N.C. ■ Danielle Louise Gaquin and Timothy A. Davis were married on 8/13/11. Alumni who participated in the wedding were Courtney Engelke, Emily Kahan, Patrick McCamy, Elon Bliden, Austin Dodd, Andrew Gillette, Matthew Lewis and Bana Kopty ’09. Alumni in attendance were John Chiaramonti, Kyle Smith, Meredith Legin Smith, Austin Dodd, David Matz, John O’Brien, Kevin O’Leary, Mike O’Neil, Nick Arcuri ’07, Danielle Ransdell Basham ’09, Ryan Basham ’09, Karen Baum ’06, Jonathan Citty ’10, Kelsey Gilman ’10, Ian Hull ’07, Nick Palatiello ’06, Darrick Penny ’07, David Pugh ’07, Joey Rahall ’06, Lauren Bagdy Rahall ’06, Andy Sadler ’09, K.C. Samuelson ’09, Savannah Crawford Samuelson ’11, Matthew Scoggin ’09, Michael Vivenzio ’07 and Matthew Wasno ’09. Danielle is deputy communi-

cations director for the U.S. House of Representatives and Timothy is in his third year of study at Emory

University School of Law. They live in Atlanta, Ga. ■ Jaclyn Garris works in tournament standards for the PGA Tour. She was named the fourth-highest fundraiser for The Nation’s Triathlon held Sept. 11 in Washington, D.C. She raised more than $11,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The Nation’s Triathlon is an Olympic-distance triathlon. Jaclyn lives in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. ■ Calley Grace is the publications coordinator for the American Society for Radiation Oncology and lives in Falls Church, Va. ■ Katie Kreis completed a 10-month internship with the Miami Veterans Hospital and graduated from New York Chiropractic College as a doctor of chiropractic medicine. She lives in Miami, Fla. ■ Megan Victoria Laird and Nick Boyers were married on 6/4/11. Megan works in events and logistics for 12Stone Church. The couple reside in Suwanee, Ga. ■ Kathryn A. Miller and Lt. Matthew Rouse were married on 5/27/11. The couple live in Jacksonville, N.C. ■ Monica R. Nolden and Isaac Bickford were married on 10/1/11 in North Wales, Pa. Alumni in attendance were Rebecca Kuhn, Brittanie Schroyer,

FOLLOWING UP WITH HILARY CORNA ’ Last we spoke with Hilary Corna ’07 in October 2010, she was writing a book and looking to parlay her experiences as a young professional working in Asia into a career as a speaker helping to bridge the gap between American higher education and the international working world (see “Lessons from the East” in the winter 2011 issue of The Magazine of Elon).

A bit more than a year later, Corna has published her book; launched a book tour sponsored by Toyota, her former employer in Singapore; and delivered invited talks to audiences at about a dozen universities. She has spoken at TED in Columbus, Ohio, and written a guest column for ForbesWoman.com, among other achievements.

“This past year has been a whirlwind of hard work and ideas,” Corna said from her Columbus home in December after

Lauren Bieler Greaves ’09 & Douglas Greaves

Derrick Minor G’09, Lauren Burdette Minor ’03, & children Emery & Landon

Alexa Milan Boschini ’10 & friends

Pam Kopsky, Mary Cunningham, Carrie Ryan ’02, Bethany Swanson ’09 and Catherine Liu ’09. The

couple live in Chevy Chase, Md. ■ Ashleigh J. Palmer and Walter D. Weathers met at the “Freshman Extravaganza” on their first night at Elon. They met a second time the following January at Boney

completing her 2011 slate of speaking engagements. “We just got back from visiting eight states in three weeks, so I’m happy to just be home for a while.”

In addition to continuing her speaking tour in 2012, she’s considering writing another book and exploring the possibility of uniting multinational companies’ needs for culturally fluent workers with the international initiatives of higher education institutions. Cultural awareness, Corna says, is something American colleges and universities are struggling to provide.

“When I speak at a school, I do this activity where I blow up a globe beach ball and I throw it into the audience, asking them to pick out Singapore,” she said. “I’ve had, I think, two students able to find it. That’s a problem.”

Corna added that she remains focused on opening international doors for American college students and finds validation in each interaction she experiences with young adults on the road.

Keadrick Peters ’10

Stuart Richie ’10

Fountain on their way to a S.M.A.R.T. ice cream social. When they got into the car, Ashleigh turned to Walter and said, "We’re going to be friends because you seem like a nice person!" From that day forward, their relationship flourished. They were married on 5/28/11. Alumni in attendance

“When students approach me with their own story, who say there’s something they’ve always wanted to do but haven’t done it because there’s ‘this reason’ or ‘this person’ who’s holding them back, hearing them say they’re not going to let that happen anymore after hearing me speak, it gives me goosebumps,” Corna said.

You can preview and purchase Corna’s book, One White Face, and subscribe to her “Tour Watch” email list at onewhiteface.com.

Follow her on Twitter at @hilarycorna.

winter 2012 41

CLASS NOTES

were Aliana Harrison, Jackie McKinney, Roy Belk, Brandon Shore, Alison Binnie, Ife Balogun, Mary Caruso ’06, Christopher Woods ’06, David Morrow ’07, Sarah Hong ’10, Latwoia Abbott ’07, Sami Leonard ’10 and Rebecca Alten ’09. Ashleigh is a senior tax accountant with Deloitte and Walter is a service representative with the Department of Veteran’s Affairs. They live in Chicago, Ill. ■ Crystal Slate and Arthur Johnson were married on

7/16/11. They reside in Carrboro, N.C. ■ Dwayne W. Waite Jr. is the lead blogger for Talent Zoo’s advertising blog, “Beyond Madison Avenue.” He writes daily articles about what’s hot in advertising and marketing, and tries to challenge the way people think about the advertising industry. Dwayne lives in Charlotte, N.C., where he owns an advertising agency, JDW: The Charlotte Agency. ■ Jarvier T. Young was promoted to financial consultant of the Southeast United States region with Wells Fargo. He lives in Atlanta, Ga.



In Memoriam Blanche Somers Jefferies ’38, Burlington, N.C. 10/1/11.

William H. Maness ’38, Jacksonville, Fla. 10/18/11.

Landon D. Walker ’39, Hickory, N.C. 11/24/11.

Margaret Nash Furness ’41, Marietta, Ga. 9/28/11.

John Lenning Frye Sr. ’43, Robbins, N.C. 10/7/11.

Col. (Ret.) C. Clyde Johnston Jr. ’45, Burlington, N.C. 11/28/11.

Robert W. “Bob” Morton Jr. ’49, Burlington, N.C. 10/7/11.

Mary Lou Muckenfuss Barger Blake ’50, Burlington, N.C. 10/21/11.

Harvey C. Foushee ’50, Augusta, Ga. 12/17/11.

Billy Gordy Love ’51, Greensboro, N.C. 10/14/11.

Mary Elizabeth Lindley McCauley ’51 P’73 GP’02, Elon, N.C. 11/19/11.

McCauley was secretary to President Emeritus J. Earl Danieley ’46 and to former vice president for advancement Jo Watts Williams ’55. McCauley received the Elon Medallion in 2005.

Nat Morton Burwell ’54, Burlington, N.C. 11/21/11.

Norman E. Ray ’54, Burlington, N.C. 12/3/11.

Marion Lee Oakes ’60, Greensboro, N.C. 9/30/11.

E. Grayson Mattingly ’64, Irvington, Va. 11/10/11.

Jerry Randall Osborne ’64, Locust, N.C. 12/5/11.

Edna Okey Paschal ’64, Burlington, N.C. 12/8/11.

William Donald “Don” Richardson ’66, Randleman, N.C. 10/14/11.

Cary Allred ’70, Burlington, N.C., 12/10/11. Allred served four years in the N.C. Senate, 10 years on the Alamance County Board of Commissioners and nearly 15 years in the N.C. House.

Robert Giffin ’94, Fairfax, Va. 10/23/11.

friends Donald J. Kelly, Winston-Salem, N.C. 10/14/11. Kelly served as the

chair of the physical education department and as a coach until his retirement.

Brank Proffitt, Marshall, N.C. 11/10/11. Proffitt was a former Elon professor of public administration and also served as director of deferred giving and estate planning.

Harry E. “Sid” Varney, Columbia, S.C. 11/25/11. Varney was head football coach at Elon from 1953 to 1958 and inducted into the Elon Sports Hall of Fame in 1999.

The Rev. Hoyle Lee Whiteside Sr., Hickory, N.C., 12/27/11. Rev. Whiteside was Elon’s chaplain from 1961 to 1972 and received an honorary doctor of divinity degree from the college in 1968.

42 the magazine of elon

Cheri A. Armour, a pro-

fessional Zumba fitness instructor, taught a session at last year’s Elonthon and has been invited do it again for the upcoming event. She has taught classes in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Cheri lives in Raleigh, N.C. ■ Lauren Nicole Bieler and Douglas S. Greaves were married on 9/25/11. Alumni who participated in the wedding were Liz Lenahan, Carolyn Klasnick, Jessi Dexheimer and Emily Abbott. Alumni in attendance were Becca Mayfield, Sarah Garnitz and Molly Donahue.

Lauren is a freelance writer and editor. The couple reside in Warminster, Pa. ■ Hannah Ford and Chad M. Crafford were married on 10/15/11. Alumni who participated in the wedding were Jenni Kanoy Allen, Megan Sabo Davis, Kyla Mathews, Courtney Latta and Amelia Henderson. The couple live in Raleigh, N.C. ■ Paige Hannah and Zach Taylor were married on 6/11/11. The couple reside in Raleigh, N.C. ■ Rachel T. Kaplan is pursuing a master’s degree in public health from the University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health. She also works part-time as a housing first adherence specialist for the USC School of Medicine Supportive Housing Services, which provides permanent housing for homeless people. Rachel lives in Columbia, S.C. ■ Erika Marie Lamanna and George L. Small were married on 10/29/11 in Nashville, Tenn.

Alumni in attendance were Caleb Beyer, Jeffrey Tente, Michael de Boer, Katie Bishop Edwards, Chris Ford, Alison Billings Lambert, Tyler West, Laura Dailey, Meredith Mosko, Rebecca Hampton, Nathan

Edwards ’08 and Melissa Gaisser ’10. Erika is a concierge banker

for Avenue Bank. The couple live in Nashville. ■ Derrick S. Minor {M.ED.} and Lauren Burdette Minor ’03 live with their children, Landon and Emery, in Gibsonville, N.C. ■ Kenrick “K.C.” Samuelson and Savannah Crawford ’11 were married on 7/30/11 in Whitley Auditorium. Alumni in attendance were Jackie Seisman ’11, Lauren Flood ’11, Lauren Kenney ’11, Caroline Adams ’11, John O’Brien ’08, Patrick McCamy ’08 and Matthew Lewis ’08. Savannah is a social media specialist for Lowe’s Companies Inc., and K.C. is a consultant for Deloitte. They live in Mint Hill, N.C. ■ Jennifer Tucci is the development manager for Easter Seals UCP in Greensboro, N.C. She will be raising funds for support services provided to those affected by cerebral palsy, autism and other debilitating diseases. She lives in Burlington, N.C. ■ Dorian A. Wanzer has accepted a position with Communities in Schools, the nation’s largest dropout prevention organization. She will be developing advocacy campaigns to promote the agency’s federal agenda.

She lives in Washington, D.C.



Amanda Brown graduated

with a master’s degree in epidemiology from the University of Texas in December and will pursue a career in infectious disease control and prevention. She lives in Houston, Texas. ■ Andie Diemer has joined SELF Magazine as a photo assistant for the print department. She lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. ■ Alexa Milan and John Boschini were married on 10/22/11, with Ashley Barnas and Amanda Kennison participating in the wedding. Alumni in attendance were Nichole Rawlings, Jenna McNair, Stephanie Allen, Chris Staskel, Paul Mirek, Sarah Vavreck, Cindy Goodson Blanchard, Laura Wainman, Pam Richter, Sam Calvert ’12 and Kristen Thaxton ’09. Alexa is a reporter for The Sanford (N.C.) Herald. ■ Patrick T. Minnock has been promoted to the pricing team for SAP. He lives in Philadelphia, Pa. ■ Keadrick S. Peters graduated with a master’s degree in African studies and history from the University at Albany, State University of New York in December. ■ Joshua L. Pfeiffer

CLASS NOTES

{ Jeff MacKenzie ’78 & Peter Ustach ’09 }

New kids on the block

BY KRISTIN M. SIMONETTI ’05

T

hree years ago, Jeff MacKenzie ’78 offered Peter Ustach ’09 a unique opportunity. He asked Ustach, who during his time as an Elon student rented a house MacKenzie owned, if he’d like to join a venture he was launching: a restaurant, bar and music venue near campus called The Fat Frogg.

“He said, ‘I can’t pay you anything yet, but I’ll give you part ownership,’” Ustach recalls.

Ustach signed on as The Fat Frogg’s general manager, working with MacKenzie to build it into one of the community’s most popular hangouts. The duo hopes to repeat that success with Pandora’s Pies, a new restaurant they opened in January next to the Barnes & Noble at Elon University store in Elon Town Center.

“Jeff and I cover two different eras of Elon history. We’ve seen what’s been lacking,” Ustach says (read: a pizza joint), “and we’ve also seen what we could make happen.”

MacKenzie, who came to Elon from Virginia as a student in the 1970s and never left, was interested in playing a role in the town’s

and university’s goal to develop a vibrant downtown district akin to Franklin Street in Chapel Hill near the University of North Carolina.

“It’s great to have a place where people, especially alumni, can come and gather,” MacKenzie says, recalling the way the original Brown & Company restaurant attracted crowds connected with the university and families who lived in the surrounding communities.

“We’re bringing in a restaurant that is a different concept from downtown Elon’s existing businesses and would have its own niche.”

Pandora’s Pies – so named for the veritable Pandora’s Box of toppings from which customers can choose for their pizza – offers something for diners seeking a quick, inexpensive lunch near campus and students looking for a place to grab a late-night bite. The menu features salads, soups and appetizers in addition to its made-to-order pizzas, and Ustach says they will use local vendors to supply ingredients as often as possible. For example, the mozzarella cheese is made

in-house, the pizza dough is made with organic flour from Lindley Mills in Graham, N.C., and the beers served are produced by North Carolina breweries. Ustach and MacKenzie lease part of the restaurant’s space to Smitty’s Homemade Ice Cream, a student favorite based in Burlington.

Pandoras Pies’ Elon roots are on full display.

The tables and the bar are built using doors that once hung in Colclough, Chandler and Maynard halls, which were demolished last summer. Throughout the restaurant are photos and short snippets of Elon celebrated past provided by Professor Emeritus George Troxler, who is writing a book about the institution’s history. A large wall serves as a gallery space that Ustach says will host a rotating exhibit of Elon student art.

In short, Ustach and MacKenzie hope their new venture becomes an Elon place for Elon people.

After all, as Ustach asks, “What’s a college town without a good pizza place?”

winter 2012 43

CLASS NOTES

and Leah Fulbright ’11 were married on 6/18/11. The couple met during an Elon Volunteers! trip to Galveston, Texas, and held their reception on campus because they couldn’t think of a more beautiful or fitting place to start their life together. Joshua is an account executive for group sales for Bobcats Sports & Entertainment.

Leah is a choir director at North Gaston High School. They live in Charlotte, N.C. ■ Stuart Richie is a stage manager for the Cirque du Soleil arena show, “Alegria.” She is

on tour with the show in Europe.

■ Barbara M. Smith earned her National Board Certification in exceptional-needs, birth-to-21.

She lives in Cary, N.C. ■ Brynne Sheree Tuggle {M.A.} and Kent M. Miller were married on 9/18/11.

Brynne is a partner and director of creative productions for Firefly Interactive Media LLC. The couple live in Raleigh, N.C. ■ Lynnae Vana has accepted a position as stage manager at the B Street Theatre in Sacramento, Calif., where she lives.



Jonathan L. Bolding and Joanna Mae Patterson met

three days into their freshman year at Elon and were married on 5/15/11. Joanna works in jewelry production for Moon and Lola in Apex, N.C., and Jonathan is applying to graduate school. The couple live in Cary, N.C. ■ Kristin M. Feeney is a cardiovascular research assistant at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Mass.

She serves as deputy editor-inchief on the editorial board of the WikiDoc Foundation, overseeing

the creation of textbook passages and monitoring sitewide content for accuracy, and as the WikiDoc Scholar Program coordinator. ■ Daniel W. Higginbotham is a stage carpenter for Cirque du Soleil’s “The Beatles LOVE,” featured at The Mirage Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nev. He lives in Henderson, Nev. ■ Anna Elizabeth Powell and Brooks M. Schaffer were married on 6/4/11. Anna is a magistrate court clerk for Beaufort County, S.C., where they live.

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The Elon men’s soccer team capped a magical run through the Southern Conference tournament last fall with a 3–2 victory in the championship game vs. the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. The sixthseeded Phoenix – who defeated Georgia Southern and nationally ranked Furman en route to the title game – became the SoCon’s Photos courtesy of the Southern Conference

second lowest-seeded tournament champion in conference history. The victory also gave the Phoenix the SoCon’s automatic berth in the NCAA Division I tournament – the first in Elon men’s soccer history.

Though the team fell days later in its first-round match against No. 17 Coastal Carolina University, Head Coach Darren Powell expressed

nothing but pride for his team, which will return several standout players for its title defense in 2012.

“I am extremely proud not only of our current players, but also everyone who has been a part of this program,” said Powell, in his sixth season at Elon. “All of our former players, coaches and support staff share in this time.”

Office of Alumni Engagement PO Box 398 Elon, NC 27244 Toll Free: (877) 784-3566 elon.edu/alumni Change Service Requested

President Leo M. Lambert and his wife, Laurie, spent more than two weeks in January traveling in India with Elon students on four different international programs. Among their stops was a visit to the Taj Mahal in Agra. Students on two courses examined K-12 education and the business and culture of the Indo-Gulf, while Periclean Scholars organized a conference on rural health in Pune and human service studies students worked with a health program in Jamkhed.

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