CONTENTS T M of E | F
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FROM THE ARCHIVES
ELON’S FIRST HOTEL BY GEORGE TROXLER
Before East Dormitory became a men’s dormitory in 1906, many students lodged at the Elon College Hotel on Trollinger Avenue.
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COVER STORY
BOLDLY EMBRACING ELON’S FUTURE
The inauguration of Connie Ledoux Book as the university’s ninth president marks the beginning of Elon’s next chapter.
28 AN AGING QUESTION BY OWEN COVINGTON
How an NIH grant is opening new doors for memory and aging research at Elon.
30 LEARNING HUB BY MADISON TAYLOR
With the addition of the two-story Koenigsberger Learning Center, Elon is redefining how to serve the needs of all students.
35 PRESCRIBED REALITY BY ALEXA BOSCHINI ’10
Elon experts weigh in on the state of the U.S. opioid crisis and what can be done to curb it.
52 BEHIND THE NUMBERS Learn about the impact your gifts made on the Elon community during the 2017–18 fiscal year.
2 Under the Oaks 11 Long Live Elon 14 Point of View II of
15 Phoenix Sports 39 Alumni Action 43 Class Notes
I AM ELON BY KIM WALKER
Emma Ott ’19 hates to be idle. “From a young age, my parents challenged me and my sister, and when things are easy, I lose interest.” She’s definitely challenged herself at Elon. In addition to the coursework for her finance and statistics double major, Emma tutors in five different subjects, works in the Student Professional Development Center, mentors first-year students as an Elon Academy teaching assistant and leads admissions campus tours. Transitioning from a small high school to Elon was tough, and she says it took some time for her to learn to balance all that the university offers. But she’s thrived, making close friends who are equally driven and also supportive rather than competitive. She says drawing from her experience to mentor new students is her favorite part of being an Elon 101 teaching assistant. “Since my transition wasn’t easy, I enjoy connecting with first-year students, helping them find their place at Elon.” In her two years as a tour guide, she’s known many visitors who end up as Elon students. She receives grateful emails, and students often stop her around campus and tell her that they remember her. Besides allowing her to use her own
school involvement to illustrate life at Elon, the position also allows her to stay connected with the growing campus. “Being a tour guide brings me to cool parts of campus I wouldn’t normally visit, like the School of Communications. I get to show those spaces to prospective students who are so excited about them, just like I am about finance.” Emma knew from the beginning she needed to plan for a career after graduation. She attributes her successes to a long relationship with the SPDC’s staff, especially Associate Director of Corporate and Employer Relations Brooke Buffington, who Emma considers a personal and professional mentor. In 2018 Emma landed a summer internship at Goldman Sachs that translated into a job offer. She’ll be moving to New York City to work for their credit risk group after her upcoming graduation. “Being from a small town in Pennsylvania, I never expected I’d live in New York City. But I found Goldman Sachs to be a company full of other individuals who are driven and enjoy a challenge. After interning there, I can’t think of a better place to begin my career,” Emma says.
Emma is Elon. Visit elon.edu/magazine to see more stories that are part of our “I Am Elon” series. I
PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS | OCT. 18, 2018
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Always Becoming Elon
y heart is so full of thanks today in this beautiful new Schar Center, exactly as we had imagined as a gathering space. Just beautiful. I have a deep appreciation for each of you, for this great university and its student-centered mission. Elon University’s story is one of aspiration, of reaching, of always becoming. In 2015 I went on a professional journey of my own— an always-becoming journey—and left Elon to become This is the full text the provost at The Citadel. While there, a faculty memof President Connie ber shared the book “Small Craft Advisory” with me. “A Ledoux Book’s must-read for any transplant Charlestonian,” he told me. inauguration speech. The autobiography is by Charleston native Louis D. Rubin, an English professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who was considered one of the great scholars of Southern literature. Rubin loved sailing. In 1937, at age 13, he got it in his head to build a boat and sail into the dangerous confluence of the Ashley River and the Atlantic Ocean. He didn’t have much money, so he rounded up discarded wood, nails, tar, and, in just a few months, crafted a sailboat. The day he tested the waters, his mother watched, hands on her head, worried about her son, but not intervening. As he courageously navigated the rough waters and guided his boat to the calmer sea, he felt an overwhelming sense of power. At 13, he had learned the valuable lesson of having an idea, a dream, grabbing hold, not letting the naysayers or his own poverty stop him. He called it his Liberating Act. He even capitalized that term in the book. A Liberating Act. As I read, I felt the strength of a dream realized, facebook.com/ElonConnieBook through hard work and effort—a lesson so powerful this young man would write about it more than 50 years twitter.com/ElonConnieBook
2 the MAGAZINE of ELON
later. I was so excited by what I had read that I stepped across the hall to General Rosa’s office to share the story. When I explained Rubin’s concept of a Liberating Act, General Rosa pointed to the model of the stealth fighter, the f-117 Nighthawk, that he kept on a stand, and said, “Like the day I first climbed into that, leaving my wife and two sons behind?” And I said, “Yes—like that.” I was so moved by these moments of human courage, when people followed their minds and hearts that I started asking everyone, “What was your moment? What was your Liberating Act?” This state of always becoming, where we grow to understand that our lives are a continual process of reaching ever higher, of learning and growing, our personal power, our choices, how we see the world and, ultimately, how we then decide to change it. Always becoming is Elon’s story—this great institution recognizing the strength of setting our own course, our own sails, a perpetual state of always becoming more, better, stronger. Today, many of my colleagues from The Citadel are here and I am so grateful for the lessons about leadership I learned from them—for their constant guidance and support. I think of Ms. Eartha Brown, seamstress supervisor in the tailor shop, who on my first day measured me for my uniform, a 1954 Women’s Army Corps uniform. And trust me when I say this is a no-nonsense, no-frills, skirt and blouse. So in an effort to modernize just a little, I asked Ms. Brown if I could have my skirt two inches above the knee. Without missing a beat she said, “No ma’am.” How about a little tighter here in the hips? “No ma’am.” Ms. Brown was taking the time to set me up for success. She
UNDER THE OAKS knew that if I reported to my new duties wearing the general’s uniform incorrectly that my credibility would be diminished. She didn’t want that for me, for her or The Citadel. She was leading from her position. She was my teacher and I listened as I became. In fact, wearing my uniform correctly became a group activity. Everyone invested in my success so that nothing I was wearing could distract from the work we were trying to accomplish together. So thank you General Rosa, Ms. Brown, who is here today, all my uniform checkers. My own father and mother left impoverished Opelousas, Louisiana, in a Liberating Act, when they packed up the family station wagon in 1970. All nine children were in the car, including my newborn brother Paul, and we headed to Corvallis, Oregon, so my dad could continue his education. That Liberating Act would change all nine of their children’s lives, forever better, forever richer, and all of our children’s lives. I am enormously proud and grateful that my parents faced their fear and in an act of courage pulled out of that driveway and pulled our futures forward. My father, who passed away in 2015, would have been so excited to be here today and be a part of these events. In fact, he’d be telling us all what to do at this very moment, wouldn’t he, mom? Please join me in welcoming my mother and all eight of my brothers and sisters who made that station wagon journey with me and have joined us today. You see, I believe Liberating Acts break us out of the status quo. They do away with the expected and open wide the horizon to a bolder future that we hadn’t previously imagined. And yes, this state of always becoming helps us understand that the most meaningful part of our lives is not about the finish line. The richness of life is in the next, the hope of becoming better, brighter, stronger, wiser. As F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote in his first novel, “This Side of Paradise,” “It was always the becoming he dreamed of, never the being.” My own dreams of becoming started when my mom would pile us all into that same station wagon and head to the public library. The back bookshelf, lower third to the left in the children’s section, was my favorite. There were the biographies of courageous women: Amelia Earhart, Annie Oakley and Louisa May Alcott. Each had their own story of moving beyond the expected. Amelia Earhart, whose father’s alcoholism created fear and anxiety, so much so that flying into the unknown felt comfortable. As a result, she had the courage to do what no one had done before—fly the Atlantic and the Pacific. Annie Oakley’s father died young. Left in poverty, she began hunting at age six to feed her sisters and brothers. She became such a sharpshooter she would earn enough money to pay off her mother’s mortgage at age 15. And Louisa May Alcott, who taught herself to write with both hands so she could write for longer periods of time, publish more, feed and educate her family. From that service to her family sprang one of the world’s greatest literary accomplishments, “Little Women.” Not because she loved to write, but because she had to write. And I have found those same inspiring stories here at Elon. Many of you remember Isabella Cannon, Elon class of 1924. At age 96, she gave Elon’s Commencement address in 2000. During her long life, Isabella Cannon was always becoming. Born in Scotland, her family traveled to Alamance County so her father could work in the textile mills. The Great Depression changed her life and in a series of unexpected events her husband would enter diplomatic service that led them around the globe, to Liberia and Iraq. She was even in China when the Tiananmen Square uprising took place. Then in her own story of always becoming, at age 73, widowed and
without children, she aimed to be elected the first woman to serve as mayor of Raleigh. Her campaign slogan—“the little old lady in tennis shoes.” Against all odds, she won that election. It was a grassroots effort, built on her strong belief that the community power of welcoming neighborhoods was the best ingredient for a successful city. In her Commencement address, Isabella Cannon told Elon graduates to embrace the unexpected opportunities in their lives. A great message. Jump ahead to 2005, to Trustee Jeanne Robertson’s remarks to the graduating class, one of my favorite Commencement addresses. Prince Hussein of Jordan was scheduled to speak and a conflict arose. Jeanne embraced being the stand-in. She told the crowd that instead of a prince, they had a queen—1963 Miss North Carolina. For those of you who don’t know Jeanne, she makes her living as a humorist, has a popular show on SIRIUS/XM radio and travels the world sharing her stories. She told Elon students that she had spent her life searching for good material, humor, the positive in everyday life. And she said when you go looking for good things, you find good things. I still chuckle when I remember Jeanne describing her son Beaver’s time as an Elon student as “the six best four years of his life.” Earnest and striving, these are the stories of becoming that inspire me and this is Elon University’s story as well. Elon was established by the Christian Church in 1889, and you can still feel the legacy of our founders’ faith and principles here on campus. A faith that describes itself as united and uniting. Dynamic—always becoming and evolving—with greater understanding from life lessons. Elon’s historian and professor of history, George Troxler, summed it up beautifully in his work, “From a Grove of Oaks: The Story of Elon University,” when he wrote that Elon’s powerful trajectory in higher education had not been from a single act or a single transformative financial gift. Instead Elon’s “commitment to community, openness to new approaches and a penchant for planning ... have been essential.” The broader effort of “we” versus “me,” the firmer foundation of collective action and change, advancing a new model of teaching and learning that celebrates engagement and relationships as the essential ingredients. This is Elon. A community of courageous and determined educators, dedicated to liberating acts and always becoming better. One of the things I have so admired about each of you and Elon is, when faced with challenges, we get to it and work to improve, to listen to each other, and with our new understanding advance our community. I was moved this semester when Don Chaplin and Andy Hunt of Burlington, North Carolina, shared with me how they had witnessed firsthand that Elon commitment to our LGBTQIA students. That experience led them to make two generous gifts to support the students in those programs. In making this gift, Don remarked on not only the academic quality of the students and their Elon education but on their hearts as well and said, “These students are people who will make the world a better place.” I couldn’t agree more, Don and Andy. Thank you for your inspired gift. Dr. Earl Danieley, Elon’s sixth president, wrote about these Elon constant values and their intersection with teaching and learning in his inaugural address in 1958. He said, “great teaching is our high calling, and that “a liberal education must help a student to find themselves in concerns, causes and ideas which are more important than individual gain.” In 1973, Dr. Fred Young, Elon’s seventh president, here with us with his wife, Phyllis, also arrived on campus in a station wagon
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The Magazine of Elon | . , . The Magazine of Elon is published quarterly for alumni, parents and friends by the Office of University Communications. © , Elon University EDITOR
Keren Rivas ’ DESIGNERS
Garry Graham Bob Nutt Billie Wagner PHOTOGRAPHY
Kim Walker E D I T O R I A L S TA F F
Alexa Boschini ’ Owen Covington Roselee Papandrea Taylor CONTRIBUTORS
Belk Library Archives and Special Collections Oliver Fischer ’ Noah Zaiser ’ Leila Jackson ’ V I C E P R E S I D E N T, U N I V E R S I T Y C O M M U N I C AT I O N S
Daniel J. Anderson EDITORIAL OFFICES
The Magazine of Elon Campus Box Elon, NC - () - elon.edu/magazine BOARD OF TRUSTEES, CHAIR
Edward W. Doherty ’ Saddle River, New Jersey ELON ALUMNI BOARD, PRESIDENT
Michelle Wideman Snavely ’ Boulder, Colorado YO U N G A LU M N I C O U N C I L , P R E S I D E N T
Webb Bond ’ St. Petersburg, Florida PAR E NT S CO U N C I L , CO PR E S I D E NT S
Paul & Mindee Blanco ’ Fairfield, Connecticut SC H O O L O F CO M M U N I C ATI O N S ADV I SO RY B OAR D, C H AI R
Roger Bolton New Canaan, Connecticut SC H O O L O F L AW ADV I SO RY B OAR D, C H AI R
David Gergen Cambridge, Massachusetts MARTHA AND SPENCER LOVE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS BOARD OF ADVISORS, CHAIR
Patricia Chadwick ’ Old Greenwich, Connecticut PHOENIX CLUB ADVISORY BOARD, CHAIR
Mike Cross Burlington, North Carolina
4 the MAGAZINE of ELON
and through his 25 years as president, Dr. Young understood the importance of always becoming. He loved to say he had been president of “four different Elons.” He led the effort to expand Elon’s admissions footprint, reimagine the campus master plan and invest in foundational buildings such as McMichael Science Center. He famously turned the parking lot in front of Alamance Building into Fonville Fountain. And he personally took a sledgehammer to start demolition of the power plant where Belk Library now stands. Now I’m sure that was a Liberating Act. In 1999, Dr. Leo Lambert, Elon’s eighth president, with his wife, Laurie, here today, and two daughters, arrived in—you guessed it—a tried and true station wagon. Are we sensing a theme here? In his inaugural address a few months later, Leo reminded us that, “Elon is not a place of polar opposites, of either-ors. It is a place with a can-do spirit that seeks integration rather than separation.” President Lambert invested in academic excellence, establishing professional schools, expanding facilities and sheltering a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa to advance Elon nationally. Critically, he also led growth in scholarships to create greater access to Elon for students of all backgrounds. Presidents Danieley, Young and Lambert built this university on the foundation prepared by their predecessors and on the power of a committed community, a vision realized by Elon’s founder William Samuel Long, a college for the world, “firmly established in the hearts of the people.” The trustees have provided remarkable leadership, challenging Elon to reach and then to reach again. You only have to spend a day on campus— their names appear on buildings and centers, programs and scholarships. They represent generations of families who believe so strongly in Elon that they invested personally their time and resources. In truth, I can’t stop smiling when I think of each of you here today—trustees, faculty, staff, students and friends—of the enormous gifts you all contribute to Elon’s community. And today, on this historic occasion for the university, I am pleased to announce a new gift: the establishment by Trustee Louis DeJoy and his wife, Dr. Aldona Wos, of a new series of scholarships that will open doors to an Elon education to students from Title I schools in neighboring Greensboro. This generous gift will establish the DeJoy-Wos Scholars in our Odyssey Program, and will grow to 12 full scholarships in a few short years. This dedication of personal resources by the DeJoy-Wos family represents the hope and confidence in an Elon education and in the future of our local communities. Louis and Aldona are creating opportunity where little was imagined through the power of education. Louis and Aldona—please stand so that we can thank you for this remarkable commitment in endowing new scholarships for our collective future. For 129 years, young men and women have come to this place to gain the education, experience,
determination and spirit they need for a lifetime of growth. Elon graduates stand out. They are humble, hardworking, resilient and inspired to make an impact in the world. I could tell you more than 33,000 stories of Elon alumni always becoming and achieving. But let’s settle on just one example. With us at the head of the Long Maroon Line today is Dr. Charles Kernodle. Dr. Kernodle, could you please stand? Now Dr. Kernodle, Class of 1938 and 100 years young—Dr. Kernodle’s lifetime of becoming has included service as the U.S. Army chief surgeon in Frankfurt, Germany, during World War II. After the war, he returned to Burlington to establish Kernodle Clinic with his brother and cousin and he was always on call, providing family health care for generations. And that includes being the football team physician for our local Williams High School for nearly seven decades. Dr. Kernodle continues to be always becoming. Thank you, Dr. Kernodle. On the strength of the mighty oaks for which Elon is named, and the people who stood in that grove and determined that a new college be built on this spot, I stand before you today as Elon University’s ninth president. Our strength for tomorrow depends on each of us—our dedication and our talents in support of Elon’s future—and our students’ futures. We will hold tight to our student-centered mission—to develop the mind, body and spirit—understanding that this is Elon’s foundational strength, captured in our motto, Numen Lumen. We will deepen and advance our curricular and experiential offerings here at Elon and around the world—the mastery of powerful and ethical teaching against a backdrop of vibrant and innovative engagement; the teacher-scholar-mentor model that leads our nation in student success. We will expand our facilities and programs in science, technology, engineering and math to advance entrepreneurial graduates prepared to solve the world’s most challenging problems. We will build upon our residential success and advance our relationship-driven model that transforms lives. We will deepen our commitment to the Town of Elon, Alamance County and Greensboro. From this diversity of people, from all walks of life, the collective energy and inspired wisdom of our community will be our powerful guiding lights. Elon, we are the people who will do the work with passion and compassion. Today, we boldly embrace Elon’s future, knowing there is no endpoint to this journey of always becoming—each of us, always becoming. Elon, always becoming. That’s who we are. That’s why we soar. Long Live Elon!
Connie Ledoux Book P R E S I D E N T, E L O N U N I V E R S I T Y
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The Highest Honor
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wo emeriti faculty members and a couple known for their philanthropy and steadfast support of Elon University were honored for their years of service and generosity with the presentation of the Elon Medallion, the university’s highest honor. The medallions were awarded by President Connie Ledoux Book at an Aug. 20 event that marked the beginning of the academic year. Recognized were:
• Deborah Long, professor emerita of education and founding director of the Elon Academy. Long served as a member of the National Teacher Corps and an elementary school teacher in Durham City Public Schools before she came to Elon in . Ten years later, and following the threatened closure of an underperforming high school close to Elon’s campus, then-President { Medallion recipients Deborah Long, Jo Anne Maynard, James Maynard & Helen Walton } Leo M. Lambert appointed Long as a faculty administrative fellow and assistant to the president to consider ways to help. With the generous support of donors and Long’s guiding hand, the Elon Academy opened a year later and has since helped more than Alamance County students pursue college degrees. She retired in . • Helen Walton, instructor emerita of mathematics. Walton joined the Elon faculty in and helped bring a chapter of the national mathematics honor society, Pi Mu Epsilon, to Elon in . She was later selected by Provost Steven House and Distinguished University Professor Russell Gill to lead Elon’s successful effort to shelter a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, which signifies the highest standards of excellence in arts and sciences. Her deep institutional knowledge and writing talents were essential in rewriting the faculty handbook and crafting Elon’s SACS reaccreditation report in . She retired in . • James “Jim” and Jo Anne “Joie” Maynard, local business and civic leaders and philanthropists. Jim Maynard was first elected to Elon’s board of trustees in and used his business knowledge and leadership skills to serve the board for nearly three decades. Following the death of his parents, Reid and Grace Maynard, Jim and his siblings played an instrumental role in donating their family’s two-story Georgian home, Maynard House, to the university in to serve as the residence of the university’s president. The recipient of Elon’s Frank S. Holt Jr. Business Leadership Award, Jim was elected life trustee to the university in . He and Joie made gifts to support Rhodes Stadium, the Ernest A. Koury, Sr. Business Center and the Elon Academy. They endowed a Business Fellows scholarship in memory of Reid and Grace Maynard and a Teaching Fellows scholarship in memory of Joie’s parents, Dr. John H. and Jane Albers.
{ President Connie Ledoux Book with Russell B. Gill, G. Smith Jackson & Nan Perkins. }
A Recognition for Service
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hree of the five residence halls that make up the Global Neighborhood have been named for retired faculty and staff members who served the university for decades. In an Oct. 9 ceremony, the university community celebrated the contributions of Professor Emeritus of English Russell B. Gill, Assistant to the President G. Smith Jackson, who retired last year as vice president for student life, and Nan Perkins, vice president emerita for institutional advancement. “This really has become a central place on campus,” President Connie Ledoux Book said of the neighborhood on the shore of Lake Mary Nell that features five residence halls and the 50,000-square-foot Global Commons building. “So how appropriate is it that we name the Global Neighborhood residence halls in honor of three outstanding educators at Elon.” Surrounded by friends, family and former colleagues, Gill, Jackson and Perkins talked about the influence that Elon has had on their lives while they served the university in different capacities throughout their careers. Gill joined the university in 1976, and would go on to serve as chair of the department of literature, languages and communications, which was the predecessor to the Department of English. He received the Daniels-Danieley Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1986 and would later be named a Distinguished University Professor. He was awarded the Elon Medallion, the university’s highest honor, in 2015. Jackson joined Elon in 1994 as dean of students. He was promoted to vice president in 1998 and concluded his service as vice president for student life and dean of students in 2017 to become an assistant to the president. During his tenure, he built a student life program that is a national model, fully integrated with the intellectual life of the campus. Perkins joined Elon in 1976, starting as a part-time English instructor before joining President J. Fred Young’s staff as the director of communications. In 1985 she launched the Office of Publications, the predecessor of today’s Office of University Communications, and later became the university’s dean of admissions and financial planning. She was awarded the Elon Medallion in 2011. FALL 5
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Groundbreaking held for LaRose Student Commons the Historic Neighborhood who gathered by the building site for an annual cookout to mark the start of the academic year. Construction of the building is underway and expected to be complete within a year. It will provide a place for students to socialize, study, listen to speakers and host small dinners and other residence hall programs. During the past five decades, the LaRose family has been one of Elon’s most devoted and generous families. The impact of gifts from Bob ’, Gail ’, Michelle and the couple’s son, Scott, can be felt across Elon’s campus, from the LaRose Resources Center to the LaRose Digital Theatre in the Ernest A. Koury, Sr. Business Center and the Gail H. LaRose Odyssey Scholarship, which enables talented students with significant financial need to attend Elon and pursue studies in education. “It’s really especially meaningful for us to be able to donate the building that is going to stand right here where my parents met in college, and we would like to honor my dad’s memory by putting this building in this { Michelle LaRose, Gail H. LaRose ’64, President Connie Ledoux Book & Scott LaRose break ground for the new LaRose Student Commons. } spot,” Michelle LaRose told the crowd. The building will include a ,-square-foot activity room on the new student gathering space is being built within the Historic first floor, study nooks, a ,-square-foot event space on the second Neighborhood thanks to a $. million gift by Gail H. LaRose ’ floor and office space for the Historic Neighborhood faculty director and and her daughter, Elon trustee Michelle LaRose. To recognize their Residence Life staff. “It will be a place for people to come together,” said generosity, Elon celebrated a groundbreaking ceremony Sept. for President Connie Ledoux Book. “It signals the importance of relationships the LaRose Student Commons. here at Elon.” The LaRoses were joined at the event by hundreds of students living in
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Three professors in Elon College, the College of Arts & Sciences and a professor in Elon’s Law School were appointed to named professorships this fall. Professor of Anthropology Tom { David Levine, Jen Dabrowski, Cynthia Fair & Tom Mould } Mould became the second faculty member to be named the J. Earl Danieley Distinguished Professor since the honor was created in . The professorship, which honors the service to Elon by the late J. Earl Danieley ’, is awarded to an outstanding professor in any field. Professor of Public Health Studies Cynthia Fair was named the Watts-Thompson Professor at Elon, an endowed chair that is designated for the promotion of quality teaching and instruction. Assistant Professor Jen Dabrowski in the Department of Chemistry was named the A.L. Hook Emerging Scholar in Science and Mathematics. The three-year term professorship is awarded to a member 6 the MAGAZINE of ELON
of the faculty who has ongoing, active scholarship and a demonstrated history of mentoring undergraduate research. Associate Professor of Law David Levine was named the Jennings Professor and Emerging Scholar of Law, which recognizes and supports the work of a law school faculty member with fewer than years in the profession who has shown extraordinary promise as a teacher and a scholar. Brian Kremer, assistant professor of music theatre, co-authored “The Singing Teacher’s Guide to Transgender Voices,” the first comprehensive resource developed for training transgender and nonbinary singers. The book aids in the development of voice pedagogy tailored to the needs of transgender singers, informed by cultural competence and bolstered by personal narratives of transgender and nonbinary singing students. Ann Bullock, dean of the Elon School of Education, has been named a member of Deans for Impact, joining a national network of leaders committed to transforming how the United States prepares future educators. Bullock is one of eight new members, bringing the total membership in Deans for Impact to . This small group works collaboratively to advise and design programming that today reaches more than additional leaders and , teacher-candidates.
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LIFELONG connections Eric Hall BY MARK SUNDMAN ’12
A dedicated teacher and mentor, Professor of Exercise Science Eric Hall has provided many Elon students with high-quality research experiences throughout the years, particularly when it comes to the effects of concussions on student-athletes. He has received multiple recognitions including Elon’s Ward Family Excellence in Mentoring Award in 2010; the Japeth E. Rawls Professor for Undergraduate Research in Science, an endowed professorship for mentorship of undergraduate students, in 2013; and Elon’s Distinguished Scholar Award in 2016.
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n my chosen career path, folks are often described as “lifelong learners.” And while people are rarely described as “lifelong teachers,” those who quietly fulfill this complementary role are the unsung heroes of the field. Dr. Hall is exactly that. As a mentor and educator, he went above and beyond during my time at Elon, and his genuine interest in my professional growth hasn’t faded in the six years since I graduated. Our relationship began in the lab where he was my adviser for an undergraduate research project on sports-related concussions. We were investigating whether specific genotypes would influence an athlete’s susceptibility to a clinically evident head injury and their cognitive recovery thereafter. This was back in , when sports-related concussions were just gaining saliency as a major public health issue. I don’t think I realized at the time what a unique position I was in to be under Dr. Hall’s guidance. He gave me a remarkable amount of agency in the project from the top down as we collectively reviewed the literature to ascertain which genes to hone in on for the project. This ultimately lit a spark of curiosity in my mind that has only grown stronger over the years. Since leaving Elon, the confidence Dr. Hall instilled in me has springboarded my career in research. It’s safe to say I was rarely, if ever, the smartest person in the room, but thanks to Dr. Hall’s mentorship I was never afraid to question or introduce unorthodox ideas when discussing with colleagues. Throughout this time Dr. Hall has remained my most trusted sounding board, as we’ve stayed in contact by email and phone, and at infrequent meals whenever our geographic paths happen to cross. Beyond our personal interactions, Dr. Hall’s teachings trickle down through his actions. I was always impressed by his ability to tackle the big questions with tenacity and grace. He’s also been able to elegantly enmesh a social mission with his research interests by creating an infrastructure that immediately translates lab findings into tangible benefits for the community. For instance, he transformed our concussion research into a larger organization known as Elon BrainCARE. Initially, its primary function was to build a framework that would bring athletic trainers, sports coaches and the student-athletes themselves into the fold with an educational component to make sure all were properly informed on sports-related head injury. This has since grown into an organization with its sights set on improving the mental health and wellbeing of all of Elon’s students, irrespective of athletic affiliation. I have no doubt Dr. Hall’s impact on the Elon campus will be felt for many years to come.
Since graduating from Elon in 2012 with an exercise science degree, Mark Sundman has conducted medical research at Harvard and Duke universities. He is a doctoral student at the University of Arizona studying cognition and neural systems. FALL 7
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{ Kaitlin Laureano ‘18 } Kaitlin Laureano ’18 was awarded the 2018 Public Company Accounting Oversight Board Scholarship. The merit-based scholarship is worth $, and awarded to one student at each of the colleges and universities who is enrolled in an accredited accounting degree program. Laureano is pursuing a master’s degree in accounting at Elon.
Students at Elon News Network and the organization itself were recognized as finalists in several competitions of the Associated Collegiate Press and College Media Association, the nation’s two premier college journalism organizations. ENN was a finalist in the ACP Newspaper and Online Pacemaker competitions and in the CMA Four-Year TV Station of the Year Pinnacle contest. ENN’s weekly newspaper, The Pendulum, was one of student newspapers in the country and Canada to be recognized as a Newspaper Pacemaker finalist. Students and alumnae finalists included Elizabeth Bilka ’, Stephanie Hays ’, Erik Webb ’ and Anton Delgado ’20. Trés McMichael ’ won first place in the national Hall Johnson Spirituals vocal competition. He received a monetary prize and a scholarship to study at the Bay View American Spiritual Intensive in Michigan. McMichael, a double major in music theatre and arts administration with minors in leadership studies,
{ Trés McMichael ‘19 } African and African-American studies and business administration, competed with other students from around the country. Sam Jenkins ’ received the Chambliss Astronomy Achievement Student Award. He was one of only four students nationally to receive the award. Jenkins has been conducting research about galaxies with supermassive black holes and presented his research at the American Astronomical Society’s nd annual meeting over the summer.
ANT 326 Forensic Anthropology BY OLIVER FISCHER ’19
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dead body is discovered in a ditch by a jogger. It has been there for months and started to decompose. The face is barely discernible. The jogger calls the police, but they can’t identify the body. Area residents are worried. At this point, it is up to forensic anthropologists to solve the mystery. Elon students can take their own jab at learning how to solve such cases in ANT Forensic Anthropology: From Crime Scene to Laboratory, a course taught by Associate Professor of Anthropology Rissa Trachman that specifically focuses on human remains and making a positive identification of a person who died under mysterious circumstances. Students spend the first half of the course out in the field before heading to the human anatomy lab. There they get to look for identifying characteristics on deceased individuals and learn how to remove muscle tissue. Since forensic anthropologists often work with bodies that are at various stages of decomposition, examining the skeleton can be a vital source of information. “The skeletal body is what tells us the most information when you have decomposition,” Trachman says. “If you don’t have an identifiable face, then we need to go to the skeletal body.” In the second half of the class, Trachman focuses on human osteology and odontology, which is the study of bone structure and dental records, respectively. “Once we get down to the
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bone, then we have to be able to say something about a person from that,” Trachman says. By analyzing the bones, forensic anthropologists are able to come up with a life history for an individual, including age, sex, certain types of diseases, trauma and ethnic ancestry. While most students who take this class are pursuing careers in biology, the course attracts students in a variety of majors. Forensic anthropology is often associated with legal and murder cases in the United States, but its concepts can be applied more broadly. “Very importantly, it can be applied to human rights atrocities,” Trachman says. Mass graves resulting from genocide or civil war are still being unearthed across the world. Trachman hopes that, among the test tubes and tissue samples, students will keep the humanistic aspect of forensic anthropology in mind. “I hope they achieve a very respectful and very ethical approach to understanding how forensic anthropology is applied worldwide,” Trachman says. About the professor Rissa Trachman joined the Department of Sociology and Anthro pology in . Intrigued by ancient life and culture, her research interests include households, complex societies, identity, ideology, gender and mortuary practices, among other areas. Suggested materials • “The Bone Lady: Life as a Forensic Anthropologist” by Mary H. Manhein • “The Bone Woman: A Forensic Anthropologist’s Search for Truth in the Mass Graves of Rwanda, Bosnia, Croatia, and Kosovo” by Clea Koff
A WELCOMING PLACE
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lon University celebrated the generosity of the donors who have lent their support to The Inn at Elon project at an Oct. ceremonial groundbreaking for the -room hotel. Construction of the project, which is located next to the Koury Business Center, served as the backdrop for the celebration that offered a “thank you” for the individuals and families who have contributed to make The Inn at Elon possible. “We firmly believe that The Inn at Elon will make a difference—a big difference—and will further advance Elon in its rise to national and, yes, world prominence,” said Elon parent and trustee Mark Mahaffey P’ P’, who with his wife, Marianne, made the lead gift for the project. “We are so proud of this effort and look forward to the opening of this wonderful facility a year from now.” An on-campus hotel and conference center is an idea Elon has been considering for close to two decades. The goal is to create a place that will attract alumni, parents and friends who come back to Elon for a wide variety of events including Homecoming, Family Weekend, Commencement, athletics events and performances. Having an inn on campus allows the university to offer nearby lodging for visiting scholars and speakers, prospective students, business recruiters and travelers. Once complete, The Inn at Elon will offer suites and rooms as well as a restaurant and lounge, ballroom, conference rooms, a fitness room and outdoor gathering spaces. Being able to host higher education conferences on campus represents a big leap forward for Elon, said President Connie Ledoux Book. “This will position us to be able to share Elon’s story across higher education.” The Inn at Elon will be owned by the university and operated by Charlestowne Hotels. Revenue above operating expenses will be used to fund student scholarships, an innovative approach to expanding educational access and a model that adds to the inn’s appeal, Book said. “That will give people a real sense of meaning when they stay there and are engaged with the students on this campus,” she added.
WHAT’S IN A CLASS? This fall Elon welcomed 1,698 students to the Class of 2022—the largest class to date and quite an increase from the university’s initial enrollment of 76 students in 1890. Below are some facts about the makeup of the class.
10,729
The number of applications received for enrollment in the fall.
17%
The number of students in the newest class who identify as Asian, African American, Hispanic, Native American or multiracial.
NC
17%
The percentage of students who come from North Carolina. Next on the list are Massachusetts (11%), New Jersey (10%), Connecticut (8%) and New York (8%).
1243
The class’s average SAT score. The average GPA is 3.98.
Psychology The most popular intended major among members of the class. Finance, marketing, biology and international business complete the top five intended majors.
{ President Connie Ledoux Book with Elon University Trustees Mark Mahaffey P’97 P’01 & Ed Doherty P’07 }
Source: Office of Admissions
FALL 9
UNDER THE OAKS
FALL
A celebration of philantropy
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4
Festival of Holiday Lights Lights and luminarias, hot chocolate, cider, music and merriment mark Elon’s annual holiday festival.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 10
Anita Hill, “From Social Movement to Social Impact: Putting an End to Sexual Harassment in the Workplace” Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Lecture Elon University Speaker Series A groundbreaking attorney, professor of law and advocate for equality and human rights, Anita Hill sparked a national conversation about sexual harassment with her testimony during the U.S. Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Clarence Thomas in 1991.
FRIDAYTUESDAY, JANUARY 1822 TUESDAYSATURDAY, FEBRUARY 59
Department of Performing Arts presents “Trojan Barbie” Past and present violently collide when Lotte, an English tourist who repairs dolls, is captured while on a tour of current-day Troy and flung back into the ancient camp of Euripides’ “The Trojan Women.” Written by Christine Evans.
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early families, individuals and businesses who contributed to construction of Schar Center, Elon’s new convocation center, were honored at a special appreciation event on Oct. . The donors gathered on the main court of the ,-seat arena for a ceremonial ribbon-cutting. In her remarks, President Connie Ledoux Book recalled the origins of the Schar Center when work on Elon’s strategic plan was underway a decade ago. At that time, the vision was to create a facility where the entire Elon family could gather for convocations, commencement and athletic events. She recalled how powerful it was to walk up to the podium in the Schar Center for her inauguration the previous day. “I felt overwhelmed with a sense of gratitude for our community’s vision and ability to
{ Elon celebrated the generosity & vision of the nearly 30 families, individuals & businesses whose gifts made the Schar Center possible at an Oct. 19 ceremony. }
execute,” Book said. “How powerful for our community to be gathered in one space yesterday celebrating Elon.” Book offered specific thanks to Dwight and Martha Schar and their sons, Stuart ‘ and Spencer ‘, whose support was integral to the construction of Schar Hall, an expansion of the School of Communications that opened in , and to Schar Center. “Because of their generosity and vision, we are standing today in a beautiful convocation center that bears their name,” Book said. “We are deeply grateful for your generosity and your outstanding commitment to the Elon community.” The Schar Center will serve as a venue for convocations, speakers and other major campus events. It is also the new home court for Elon’s basketball and volleyball teams.
‘Honor President Book Drive’ supports Elon, local schools
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aculty, staff and students attended a Special College Coffee Oct. to start the celebration of the inauguration of President Connie Ledoux Book and honor the strong relationship between the university and the Alamance-Burlington School System. The event highlighted a unique fundraiser in honor of President Book’s inauguration. The “Honor President Book Drive” built support for Elon programs while providing new books to Alamance County schools. For each donor who made a gift of $ or more to Elon during inauguration week, the university donated a book to local schools with each book containing a sticker noting that it was donated in honor of President Book on her inauguration. By the end of the drive, gifts supported the donation of books. “There’s no better way to kick off Inauguration Week than to begin a book fundraiser,” Book told the crowd gathered for hot beverages and sweet treats. “Reading is one of the most powerful tools we have in our lives to imagine more than where we are. We often take access to books and reading for granted.” Elon has a significant presence in Alamance County schools, where nearly alumni are employed and students are involved in a variety of ways as student teachers, tutors and volunteers.
LONG LIVE ELON
Improving the playing field BY MADISON TAYLOR AND DAN WYAR
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ore than a dozen of Elon’s most loyal donors, including alumni, parents and trustees, have made generous gifts to fund installation of the university’s first synthetic multisport field, marking a major step forward for Elon athletics. The new synthetic surface at Hunt Field, along with renovations to adjacent Tucker Field, will benefit all student-athletes. The facilities serve as practice fields for Elon’s football, men’s and women’s soccer and women’s lacrosse programs, and as training and conditioning space for all varsity teams. “The renovations to Hunt and Tucker practice fields are a true game-changer for our athletics programs, and we’re very appreciative of everyone who provided the funds to make this project a reality,” said Elon Director of Athletics Dave Blank. “This project enhances the practice fields for nearly 200 student-athletes, allowing them greater flexibility to prepare for competition in nearly all weather conditions.” Hunt Field now features FieldTurf 2.5 artificial turf with permanent lines for football, soccer and women’s lacrosse, and a new drainage system. Tucker Field also received a facelift with the installation of new sod and improved drainage and irrigation systems. “We are big believers in Elon, and we feel that firstclass facilities add a great deal of value to the campus and student-athlete experience,” Trustee Vicky Hunt said.
{ Vicky & Sam Hunt } Vicky and husband Sam Hunt of Burlington, North Carolina, have been devoted supporters of need- and talent-based scholarships, as well as Phoenix athletics and the Elon Academy, the university’s successful college access and success program. They have also made lead gifts to Hunt Softball Park and to support construction of Schar Center, the university’s new convocation center, and the renovation of Rudd Field, which included a new drainage system and playing surface, press box with a state-of-the-art video platform and team benches for the Phoenix and visiting teams. They have endowed the Sam and Vicky Hunt Scholarship to assist two students each year in Elon’s Odyssey Program, serving students with exceptional ability and high financial need. Elon is also grateful to the following donors to the project:
{ The new synthetic surface at Hunt Field is the first of its kind at Elon. }
Trustee Jeanne Robertson and husband Jerry Robertson P’89 GP’17 GP’22 of Burlington, North Carolina, have supported Elon and its athletics programs for more than 30 years. The Jerry and Jeanne Robertson Track and Field Complex and Robertson Court in Alumni Gym are named in their honor following their gifts to fund renovations to both facilities. Faithful Phoenix Club members, the couple supported construction of Schar Center; the main court is named Robertson Court in their honor. They also made gifts to name the Dr. Alan and Norma White Field at the track complex and the Alan J. White Bell Tower in honor of their friends and Alan White’s 11
LONG LIVE ELON scholarships through the Phoenix Club. Trustee Zac Walker ’60 and wife Dot Walker of Raleigh, North Carolina, have endowed several scholarships at Elon, including the Catherine N. Walker Scholarship, the D.C. “Peahead” Walker Athletic Scholarship and the Zachary T. Walker Jr. Football { The new Koenigsberger Learning Center opened this fall. } Scholarship. They also made major gifts to longtime service as athletics director. In the Ernest A. Koury, Sr. Business Center, addition, they have endowed four scholRhodes Stadium, Alumni Field House and arships for softball, men’s tennis, women’s Hunt Softball Park, and have been longtennis and women’s track and field. time members of the Phoenix Club. The Trustee Dave Porter P’11 P’19 and wife Walker Room and Terrace in Alumni Field Jen Porter P’11 P’19 are among Elon’s bigHouse and the Walker-Chandler Lounge gest champions. They established the Porin Woods Center at Rhodes Stadium are ter Family Professional Development Cen- named in their honor. ter in the university’s Martha and Spencer Trustee Jay Hendrickson ’71 and wife Love School of Business to support Amy Hendrickson ’69 of Raleigh have student participation in internships and been committed donors to the Phoenix networking and job placement activities. Club and endowed the James A. and Amy The couple have also supported scholarT. Hendrickson Engineering Scholarship. ships; the Numen Lumen Pavilion, which Th ey also made a lead gift to fund the houses the multi-faith center; and The Inn Horace J. Hendrickson Football Center at Elon, currently under construction. in honor of Jay’s father, one of Elon’s most Mark and Kathryn ’91 Richardson successful football coaches. of Charlotte, North Carolina, supported construction of Rhodes Stadium Miller-Morris family supports and established the Kathryn and Mark new learning center Richardson Endowed Football ScholarGail Miller P’19 and husband Richard ship. Kathryn serves on the Elon Alumni Morris P’19 of Charlotte, North Carolina, Board. In March the couple made a gift to have made a gift to support the new Koehelp endow the Elon Alumni Board Elon nigsberger Learning Center, which brings Engagement Scholarship. Elon’s academic advising, learning assisIn addition to the field turf project, Elon tance and disabilities resources programs grandparent Ernest C. Hunt Jr., along with under one roof for the first time. The Morris-Miller Endowment for Learning daughter Amy Roberts and her husband, will support software and other priorities Bill Roberts P’13, have contributed to the of the center’s assistive technology lab. E.C. Hunt, Jr. Performing Arts Scholar“More and more, students today are ship. The family also made a gift to name being diagnosed with learning disabilities. the 200-seat Roberts Studio Theatre in These are smart kids who can succeed in Scott Studios, giving students expanded college. They just need a little support,” rehearsal and performance space. said Miller, an independent guidance John and Robin Fox P’11 P’14 of Lake counselor who helps students with learnForest, Illinois, were among the early ing disabilities prepare for college. “The donors to the project, helping to inspire KLC provides that support so they can be additional support among Elon families. successful in college and beyond.” The two-story Koenigsberger Learning The couple have also supported student 12 of
Center is an addition to the Carol Grotnes Belk Library that provides services to all students. The assistive technology lab includes specialized keyboards, mice and LiveScribe pens, as well as magnification software, screen readers and text-tospeech tools (read more about the center on page 30). The couple’s gift will help ensure that students have the latest technology in the lab. Morris is co-founder of Tresata LLC, a predictive analytic software company. The couple’s son, James, is an Elon senior.
DeStefanos make gift to Inn at Elon Michael and Marie DeStefano P’21 of Colts Neck, New Jersey, have made a gift to The Inn at Elon, helping to meet the university’s long-standing need for on-campus lodging and conference facilities. The three-story, 80-room inn will be located beside Koury Business Center. It will be an endowment-owned asset of the university whose revenue following expenses will support need-based student scholarships, a top priority of the university. The inn is expected to open in 2019. The couple said the inn’s connection to scholarship support inspired them to give. “I took out every loan I possibly could to get to college,” Michael DeStefano said. “Who knows what would’ve happened to me if I hadn’t had the opportunities I’ve
{ A rendering of The Inn at Elon } had. This gave us an opportunity to support the school and help future students who may not be able to go to a university like Elon.” The DeStefanos are members of the Parents Council, and Michael is a member of the Love School of Business Advisory Board. The couple’s daughter, Julianna, is an Elon sophomore.
LONG LIVE ELON
▶ MAKING A DIFFERENCE
The art of generosity BY MEGAN M CCLURE
{ Barbara Rhoades is supporting multiple priorities at Elon through an estate gift. }
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ou can cover a lot of ground in a single conversation with retired Elon fine arts professor Barbara Rhoades. In a few hours, you might discuss the foundations of geometry, turning points in American modern art or even her latest ballroom dancing routine. But Rhoades’ passion is most visible when she is talking about art and teaching. A lifelong educator, she has shared her knowledge with students of every age at a number of schools and universities, including Elon. “I was 16 when I had my first official teaching experience,” says Rhoades, who tutored fellow students at her New Jersey high school. “Providing experience, knowledge and skills that help open windows and doors became my purpose and joy.” Her chosen career path made her deeply familiar with the struggles and triumphs many students encounter, inspiring her to help however she can. She is bringing this dream to life by making a generous estate gift that will support multiple priorities at Elon in the future. Among them is global education. Her planned gift will expand the impact of the Rhoades Endowment for Global Education, which she first established in 2013. It will allow additional students to participate in transformative study abroad experiences in honor of her father, who instilled the value of gaining new perspectives through experiencing and understanding other cultures. Rhoades’ gift also creates two new endowed scholarships. Both reflect her belief that every student can find success at Elon by harnessing his or her own initiative and potential, the supportive environment on campus and the university’s myriad academic resources. One of the awards, the Road to Resilience Academic Improvement Scholarship Endowment, is inspired by Rhoades’ interactions with students who have overcome challenges to achieve significant progress in a specific course or subject. “I see students who, by innocent or intentional comments, have been told they can’t succeed in whatever challenges them,” she says,
recalling student-athletes who struggled with writing and art students who believed they couldn’t grasp math. “What I see in the students, and in part credit to Elon’s supportive spirit, is a resilience to rise above self-doubt and ask for guidance. At other times, it may be the students’ ability to change the paradigm of how they listen. In those students, you see an ‘aha’ moment, which they use to propel forward.” She has also created the Road to Resilience Changed Circumstances Scholarship Endowment to support students who are working one or more jobs or experience unexpected situations, like the student she met in the wake of 2008’s widespread economic downturn. Although the young woman was thriving at Elon, she faced the possibility of leaving because of her family’s financial situation. “Those are the ones we can’t afford to lose,” says Rhoades. The final piece of the gift honors both Rhoades’ time and relationships at Elon as well as a family member who played an integral role in her connection with art—her grandaunt, Katharine Nash Rhoades, an early 20th-century American painter and poet. The Barbara H. Rhoades Art and Art History Department Endowment will continue Rhoades’ legacy of sharing art with others by providing resources for the department to pursue capital improvements, expand programming such as hosting guest artists on campus, and fund collaborative projects or research for faculty and students, among other uses. Rhoades’ generosity will continue making an impact on generations of students. “I believe everybody has the gift for creativity and humanity within them,” she says. “I want to ignite that in students.” LEARN MORE about making a planned gift to Elon by contacting Carolyn DeFrancesco, director of planned giving, at (336) 278-7454 or cdefrancesco@elon.edu. You can also visit elonlegacy.org for more information. 13
POINT of VIEW
The power of civil action BY LINELLE GORMAN ’14
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t was a typical Tuesday night in my Raleigh, North Carolina, apartment. My floor was covered with construction paper, markers, glue sticks and other miscellaneous school supplies, which was not unusual. But the project I was working on was unique. I was creating a poster to bring to the “March for Students and Rally for Respect” event the following morning. On the morning of May 16, I was bursting with an overwhelming amount of excitement and adrenaline. When the first raindrop hit the top of my head, I knew I had made the right decision to laminate my poster and buy myself a rain poncho. I was sprinting through the streets of downtown Raleigh dodging puddles and using my handmade rally sign as a makeshift umbrella. As I was searching for other educators in rally-themed red shirts, I became nervous. I was concerned the unpredictable weather would chase away participants from attending the event. I was uncertain how the event would turn out and if it would be successful. When I turned the corner, I was immediately taken by the powerful image of a sea of red-clad marchers. The positivity was unmistakable. I immediately realized that this would be a day that would not only help shape North Carolina policy but would serve as my personal inspiration to become a vocal advocate for education reform. As an education major and North Carolina Teaching Fellow, Elon gave me a strong foundation for understanding the importance of education. My professors always demonstrated how education could be a powerful tool for an increased quality of life. The Elon Teaching Fellows program taught me the work done in the classroom provides a strong foundation for individual success. Elon’s education program set rigorous goals, ensuring that every future teacher was well-prepared to collaborate, think critically, communicate effectively and creatively solve problems. I also learned the importance of the entire community and ultimately society becoming invested in education. During my four years at Elon, I worked at five elementary schools in Alamance County. My mentor teachers modeled how to build relationships with students, the school and the community. Through these experiences, I learned the vital skills to become a teacher and advocate for all learners.
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As a fourth-grade teacher in North Carolina, my goal is to provide every student with the appropriate tools to achieve academic excellence. However, our state lacks adequate funding and resources. I participated in the statewide march that day in May to advocate for change. I called for action from elected officials and spoke with legislators to demand policies that would grant every child in the state access to a better education. I marched so my students receive the tools they need to reach their full potential. I am taking civil action because my students deserve to have the required resources needed to be successful in the classroom. Our schools are impacted significantly by the loss of teacher assistants, large class sizes and outdated textbooks. North Carolina must invest in the health and well-being of students and make school safety a priority by increasing school nurses, social workers, psychologists, counselors and other critical school personnel. We need to boost per-pupil spending to the national average. Being surrounded by 20,000 courageous and strong advocates demanding change in North Carolina was inspirational. We gathered to have our voices heard and to create a powerful movement for change. I learned through this experience that great things can happen when you bring a community together. Concerned citizens from diverse backgrounds were willing to work together for a better future for students. Nearby employees cheered and supported the march from the sidewalk and office buildings. Local businesses in the area provided free water bottles, umbrellas and special restaurant discounts to participants. Through these actions, the community demonstrated their support to educators. I hope to inspire my students and show that when people pull together for a united cause, their power becomes unlimited. As I embark on another school year and look out at the eager faces of my new students, it is easy to make a connection between my preparation at Elon and my hope to continue to push for a better future for all students. At Elon, I learned that advocacy is an important catalyst for the change we want to see. Elon encourages students to speak up and be passionate in their beliefs. I am jubilant and hopeful the momentum from the march will continue. Public education is our highest priority for the state government and we must continue to invest in our future. Not all the lessons that we share with our students are taught in the classroom. Linelle Gorman ’14 is a fourth-grade teacher in Wake County, North Carolina.
PHOENIX SPORTS
▶ elonphoenix.com
A MARINE MENTALITY The Elon women’s basketball team got a chance to train with the Marines and practice mental strength and collaboration. BY LEILA JACKSON ’22
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lon’s women’s basketball team is no stranger to hard work. After all, they train five days a week during the preseason. But on an early Saturday morning this fall they headed to Elon’s Robertson Track and Field Complex for an unfamiliar exercise—a workout with two members of the U.S. Marines that would not only test their physical abilities, but their mental strength as well. The workout started with an 800-meter run and got more difficult from there as the team took part in drills typical of Marine training. This included push presses with boxes filled with fake ammunition, different types of crawls and a relay in which they carried their teammates and threw fake grenades. Women’s basketball head coach Charlotte Smith got the idea for this training after she saw the Marines give a presentation at the NCAA Final Four tournament. She gave Stephen Fishler, director of women’s basketball operations, the task of bringing the Marines to Elon to conduct a workout for the team. The focus of the training was building mental resilience, a component of playing any sport. “We always talk about how basketball is 90 percent mental and there are times in the game where you’ll feel like you’re hitting a wall,” Smith says. “You have to find a way to push through, and in order
{ The Elon women’s basketball team took part in Marine training drills earlier this fall. }
to push through sometimes you “We bonded more have to think outside of yourself and what you’re experiencing and and learned about what you’re feeling physically.” positivity, picking Another aspect of the workout was finding ways for the team to each other up support one another. A concept when times are the team used last season to help with teamwork was the “V” pattern kind of down.” that geese create when they fly in —Jada Graves ’20, pictured a group. “When you’re seeing the above carrying teammate geese in the ‘V’ formation, the lead Ariana Nance ’21 goose, when it tires out, it goes to the back and somebody else rotates to the front and then when the geese are honking, scientists say that they are actually encouraging each other,” Smith says. “So when things got tough, you could see the ‘honking of the geese,’ so to speak, ramping up and them encouraging each other when things got challenging.” The facet of teamwork was especially prevalent during the relay race as the players had to rely on and trust each other. They had to carry and drag a partner, pretending they were a wounded soldier. “What you do is a lot more than just for you; it has to do with your whole team,” guard Lexi Mercer ’20 says, adding the exercise allowed her to focus on her partner as much as herself. Smith believes leaders should embody the characteristics they want in their team, so the coaches also participated in the training. “I wouldn’t ask anything of you that I’m not willing to do myself,” she says. For the players, having their coaches involved in the workout was impactful. “Seeing our coaches lead by example encouraged us to want to do it more,” says guard Jada Graves ’20. “We bonded more and learned about positivity, picking each other up when times are kind of down. It just made us communicate better as well.” The players want to take what they learned about mental strength and looking out for each other from the workout into their season. And although they probably will not regularly train like the Marines, it was a beneficial learning experience for them. “I think even though it was challenging, we were having a lot of fun doing it and I think that was really important to bring us into our preseason, like working really hard but having fun at the same time,” Mercer says. 15
PHOENIX SPORTS
▶ elonphoenix.com
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT NYAH SPEARMAN ’19 BY NOAH ZAISER ’20
Senior Nyah Spearman’s accomplishments at Elon go beyond her skills as a midfielder on Elon’s women’s soccer team. An economics major, Nyah received the 2015–16 and 2016–17 Commissioner’s Academic Award for her work in the classroom. She appeared in more than 15 matches during her first year as a Phoenix while also being a starter for much of her career. The Magazine of Elon met with Nyah to get the inside scoop on her talents both on and off the field.
She’s not afraid of challenges. Nyah was unable to walk for 13 weeks after a surgery in 2017, but she didn’t allow this to stop her and began to take violin lessons. “I could still move my upper body, and I wanted to take advantage of that,” she says. “I just loved how the violin sounded, so I knew I had to play.” After a full recovery, she still continues her newfound hobby. She’s a multi-sport athlete. When she wasn’t playing varsity basketball in high school, Nyah was running track or playing lacrosse. Before that, she enjoyed horseback riding for 12 years. While she loves playing soccer, basketball is a close second favorite. She loves dessert. Even as an athlete in peak shape, Nyah makes sure to treat herself every once in a while. “I love chocolate, and especially Linda’s Fudge Cake from the Cheesecake Factory. It’s the most amazing way to finish off a meal.” She is a bookworm. An avid reader, Nyah is in the middle of a few books at any given point. “I don’t have too much free time, but I really get into my books when I’m able,” she says. Her recent favorites are “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot and “Democracy in Chains” by Nancy MacLean. She’s left-footed. Much like her idol Megan Rapinoe on the U.S. women’s national soccer team, Nyah is dominant with her left foot. She closely follows her favorite player for inspiration. “She and I are very alike—Megan’s a midfielder like me—and I really respect her because she’s a great athlete,” Nyah says.
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From the ARCHIVES
Elon’s first hotel Before East Dormitory became a men’s dormitory in 1906, many students lodged at the Elon College Hotel on Trollinger Avenue. BY GEORGE TROXLER
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provided for male students f the Southern Railway’s Piedmont Air Line No. 35 were the unoccupied rooms on was on time Wednesday, the third floor of the AdminSept. 2, 1891, then S.M. istration Building. By the time Smith arrived at the Mill Point Elon’s first students arrived depot at around 6:35 p.m. to in August and September of enroll at Elon College. Smith 1890, the Smiths had added a was an active member of the two-story, eight-room addition Hayes Chapel Christian Church to their home, according to near Auburn, North Carolina, local historian Walter Boyd ’76. nine miles east of Raleigh. He Thus, the Elon College Hotel had waved goodbye to his family was born. It provided room two and a half hours earlier. and board to both traveling At 20 years old, Smith businessmen and students, but had graduated from the it was only opened to Auburn Academy, a private male guests. classical school that was the An ad for the hotel equivalent of a high school. in the first issue of the He had taught for one year at Elon College Monthly the public “common school” published in June 1891 he had attended as a youth. advertised “meals at The $125 he had earned from any hour.” Rates were teaching school was sewn 25 cents for transients in the inside pocket of his and 50 cents for drumnew coat. To take care of mers (traveling salesincidentals, he had the income men). Monthly board from a patch of sweet potatoes he was $10 for students and { The Elon College Hotel provided lodging for Elon’s male students during its early years. had grown that summer on his $15 for others. Male students It wasn’t until 1906 that East Dormitory (room pictured above) became a male dorm. } family’s farm. who were not living in the For Smith and several other students like him who arrived on temporary dormitory rooms on the third floor at the college rentthat train, their first stop was the Elon College Hotel on Trollinger ed rooms from local residents or contracted for a monthly rate at Avenue, where many male students stayed prior to registering for the hotel. The college’s dining hall, a one-story frame annex to the classes. The hotel was owned and operated by Walter L. “Buck” women’s dormitory, was not large enough to seat all the students. Smith (no relation) and his first wife, Alice Phipps Smith. A native As a result, only the female students and faculty who lived on camof eastern Guilford County, Smith was hired in the spring of 1888 pus ate in the dining hall. Male students who did not board at the as depot agent for the new railway freight station at Mill Point. hotel contracted for their meals with families in the community. That October he purchased land and built a small one-story frame It wasn’t until 1906 that East Dormitory was renovated to house a short distance west of the depot on what is now Trollinger become a men’s dormitory. Central heat and electricity were Avenue. By the time his house was finished early in 1889, Smith installed and bathrooms connected to the college’s new water and realized that businessmen who stopped at the depot to visit the sewage systems were added to each of the three floors. While the Altamahaw, Ossipee and Alamance cotton mills needed a place to Elon College Hotel eventually stopped operations, it continued to spend the night. But the Smiths’ decision to enlarge their house to be the homeplace for Smith’s descendants for many years. Known serve as a hotel may have been influenced more by the Southern as the “W.L. Smith House,” it’s still standing at 113 W. Trollinger Christian Church’s decision to build Elon College in the area. Avenue. The house is listed in Alamance County’s inventory of Construction of the college had begun in the spring of 1889, historic properties, which noted that the rear one-story portion with no immediate plans to build a men’s dormitory. When of the house is possibly “the earliest dwelling still in use in the Elon College opened the following fall, the only accommodations Town of Elon.” 17
Boldly embracing
Elon’s future
It
“In the words of Thad Eure, who authored the phrase ‘Long Live Elon’ and served 47 years as a member of the board of trustees and 52 years as North Carolina’s Secretary of State: ‘May our blessings be upon you as you undertake this sacred trust.’” — ED DOHERTY, BOARD OF TRUSTEES CHAIR, WHILE ADMINISTERING THE OATH OF OFFICE
was perhaps fitting that the stage was set for the first 21st century inauguration of an Elon University president by a post on social media. “She may not be the first female university president, but Dr. Book is the first female Elon president, and seeing a woman hold one of your dream jobs that’s so typically held by men is inspiring,” Elon junior Susan Derasmo tweeted the morning prior to the Oct. 18 ceremony. That tweet inspired one of the blessings bestowed on Elon’s ninth president at a special Numen Lumen spiritual observance held before the inauguration ceremony. Senior Lecturer in English Paula Patch had read Derasmo’s tweet and adopted the sentiment: “President Book—Connie. Since 1889 women have been welcome at Elon,” Patch said. “Until today women have been able to look to the side and see another woman. Starting today they get to look to the top and see a woman.” The excitement over the first female president in Elon’s 129-year history continued at the formal inauguration ceremony in Schar Center with an invocation by the Rev. Jessica Patchett ’05. “Today we gather for a profound milestone in our Elon University’s life. We will celebrate the unique gifts and contributions of Dr. Connie Book and the inauguration of her leadership among us.” The emotions burst into the open with loud cheers filling the new arena after Elon University Board of Trustees Chair Ed Doherty formally administered the oath of office. “On behalf of the board of trustees and the entire Elon University community, I proudly declare you, Connie Ledoux Book, officially invested as the first woman president of Elon as well as the ninth president of Elon.” The ceremony concluded with remarks by two female alumnae separated by generations but united in their admiration of President Book. “Today, our hearts are bursting with pride and optimism about the future,” Lauren Brown ’18 said. Vice President Emerita Jo Watts Williams ’55, long considered among the most influential figures in Elon history, echoed the sentiment. “After witnessing more than seven decades of growth and change at Elon, I feel a great sense of pride and anticipation as we begin this next chapter in Elon’s unique story,” she said. “Open your minds and dream big, Elon. We’re just getting started.”
* * * The presidential inauguration—Elon’s first since Leo M. Lambert was installed in 1999—provided the opportunity for members of the Elon community to reflect on the institution’s values and assets, reconnect with one another and celebrate what
I N AU G U R AT I O N W E E K E V E N T S :
Inauguration College Coffee
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Oct. 16 – The festivities kicked off Tuesday with the launch of the “Honor President Book Drive” at a special College Coffee (read more on page 10). During the event, Ashley Billie ‘21 presented Bruce Benson, superintendent of Alamance-Burlington School System, with the first book from the drive — “A Perfect Day” by Lane Smith.
BOLDLY EMBRACING ELON’S FUTURE
{ Vice President Emerita Jo Watts Williams ’55 congratulates President Connie Ledoux Book after the ceremony. }
the future holds as Book begins to chart the course for the university going forward. “Today the baton is officially being passed from a legacy of great college presidents to a person who I believe can be the greatest ever,” trustee Noel Allen ’69 said as he welcomed the thousands who attended the event. Faculty, staff and student representatives spoke to the values and spirit that the Elon community holds common. Elon is a diverse intellectual community made up of a “rich fabric of cultures, backgrounds and perspectives,” said Prudence Layne, associate professor of English and chair of the Academic Council. “It is a time for us to recommit as a community to our shared values and to celebrate our unique and affirming community,” said Janet Rauhe, manager of Phoenix Card
Walking Tours & Pop-up Exhibit
Services and chair of the Staff Advisory Council. “Those of us who walk these red bricks under mighty oaks aspire to create the finest learning community in the country.” Student Government Association Executive President Kenneth Brown Jr. ’19 challenged members of the crowd to express their excitement and support for the Elon community and for Book with their applause, noting that “as we look forward to a bright tomorrow, we the students, faculty and staff of Elon University say to you, President Book, that we stand with you.” Introducing Book was retired Lt. Gen. John W. Rosa Jr., president emeritus of The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, who in 2015 brought Book, then associate provost at Elon, to the Charleston institution to serve as its first female provost. He called hiring Book “one of our
Oct. 18 & 19 – Campus tours designed especially for delegates visiting from other universities and alumni were offered Thursday. A pop-up exhibit in Moseley Center on Thursday and Friday gave visitors the opportunity to peruse 129 years of Elon’s unique and transformative history.
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greatest achievements,” noting that she “set the gold standard” for her position and had a profound impact on The Citadel during her tenure there. Book stood out during her three years at The Citadel because of the way she grew as a leader, particularly as a person without a military background who stepped into the No. 2 position at a military college, Rosa said. As provost, she developed new academic programs including a nursing school, helped move faculty toward shared governance of the institution and expanded study abroad opportunities. He said when he thinks back on Book and her time at The Citadel, he is always drawn to the word “leadership.” He recounted how she overcame crisis and challenges during her tenure with her unique insights and willingness to innovate, always eager to get her team on board. “Connie Book made The Citadel a better place to work and live,” Rosa told the crowd. “She made me a better president. She loves students and is passionate about making their experience all that it can be. She embraced
Numen Lumen Service
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our faculty and our staff and built a dynamic team. I commend Elon on her selection and I am certain she will lead this wonderful institution with great skill for many, many years.”
* * * In her inaugural address, President Book described the importance of “always becoming”—as a student, as a professional, as a higher education leader and as a university. Drawing from examples in her own life and from history, Book said that living a life marked by growth and always reaching higher can change how we see the world, and how we seek to change it. “‘Always becoming’ is Elon’s story—this great institution recognizing the strength of setting our own course, our own sails, a perpetual state of always becoming more, better, stronger,” Book said. She said she has experienced or witnessed people and institutions propelled forward through “liberating acts,” a phrase drawn from “Small Craft Advisory,” a 1991 memoir by Charleston native and literary scholar Louis D. Rubin.
Oct. 18 – A special Numen Lumen, Elon’s weekly spiritual gathering, allowed many members of the campus community to share blessings and reflections with President Book about the significance of this historical inauguration.
“One of the things I have so admired about each of you and Elon is when faced with challenges, we get to it and work to improve, to listen to each other, and with our new understanding, advance our community.” —PRESIDENT CONNIE LEDOUX BOOK
{ Opposite page: President Connie Ledoux Book walks to the stage as her mother, Glenna, & daughter, Bella, look on. Above: Associate Professor of English Prudence Layne, SGA Executive President Kenneth Brown Jr. ’19 & Janet Rauhe, manager of Phoenix Card Services, offer remarks on behalf of Elon’s faculty, students & staff, respectively. }
Book said she has been inspired by moments of bravery and courage when people follow their minds and hearts. Her parents did just that when they decided to uproot their family of 11 to move from Louisiana to Corvallis, Oregon, so her father could continue his education. “That liberating act would change all nine of their children’s lives, forever better, forever richer, and all of our children’s lives,” Book said. As a child, Book read about women throughout history whose lives were changed by liberating acts, such as aviator Amelia Earhart, sharpshooter Annie Oakley and author Louisa May Alcott. These stories inspired her to strive to be more. “You see, I believe liberating acts break us out of the status quo,” Book said. “They do away with the expected and open wide the horizon to a bolder future that we hadn’t previously imagined. “And yes, liberating acts help us understand that the most meaningful part of our lives is not the finish line. The richness of life is in the next, the hope of becoming better, brighter stronger and wiser.” The impact of these liberating acts are intertwined
Campuswide Celebration
into Elon’s history, she said. There is Isabella Cannon ’24, whose life took her around the world as she explored various professions before being elected the first female mayor of Raleigh, North Carolina, at the age of 73. Cannon delivered Elon’s Commencement address in 2000 at the age of 96 and encouraged graduates to embrace the unexpected opportunities that come their way. These stories continue to inspire, Book said, and reflect Elon’s own story. She talked about the impact that Elon presidents Earl Danieley ’63, Fred Young and Leo M. Lambert had on the institution over the past 45 years. They deepened Elon’s commitment to teaching and learning, expanded the student body and campus, and led the university to higher levels of academic excellence and national prominence. “This is Elon—a community of courageous and determined educators dedicated to liberating acts and always becoming better,” Book said. “One of the things I have so admired about each of you and Elon is when faced with challenges, we get to it and work to improve, to listen to each other, and with our new understanding, advance our community.”
Oct. 18 – Following the inauguration ceremony, a campuswide celebration was held in the Great Hall of the Global Commons building and the surrounding plaza. The celebration was an opportunity for members of the Elon community to congratulate President Book and take pictures with her.
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{ Left: President Connie Ledoux Book with President Emeriti Leo M. Lambert & Fred Young. Below: President Book takes the oath of office with daughter Bella & son Joe by her side. Opposite page: Sixty-nine alumni took part in the “Long Maroon Line” at the ceremony. }
During her address, Book also announced new gifts to Elon that will expand access to an Elon education and allow students to take advantage of opportunities they may encounter during their time at Elon. A gift from Trustee Louis DeJoy and his wife, Dr. Aldona Wos, of Greensboro, North Carolina, will provide for 12 new Odyssey Program scholarships for students from Guilford County. Don Chaplin and Andy Hunt of Burlington, North Carolina, made two gifts to support the students and programs in Elon’s Gender and LGBTQIA Center that opened in 2013. Looking ahead, Book believes the university must hold tight to its student-centered mission to develop the mind, body and spirit. Elon will deepen and advance curricular and experiential offerings on its own campus and in locations around the world, she said. “Our strength for tomorrow depends on each of us—our dedication and our talents in support of Elon’s future, and of our students’ futures,” she said. “Today, we boldly embrace Elon’s future, knowing there is no endpoint to this journey, with each of us always becoming. Elon—always becoming. That’s who we are. That’s why we soar.”
Elon Talks: Faculty Voices
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Oct. 19 – Friday afternoon highlighted Elon academics with “TED-talk” style presentations by Associate Professor of Management Information Systems Haya Ajjan, Professor of Physics Tony Crider, Watts-Thompson Professor of Public Health Studies and Human Service Studies Cynthia Fair, and Executive Director of Community Partnerships and Professor of Education Jean Rattigan-Rohr.
BOLDLY EMBRACING ELON’S FUTURE
* * * Joining Elon students, trustees, faculty and staff, and delegates from 81 other colleges, universities and organizations, was the “Long Maroon Line of Alumni” with representatives from 69 Elon graduating classes dating back to the 1930s. Representing Elon’s 33,500 alumni, Michelle Wideman Snavely ’00 presented Book with a copy of the original, handwritten charter of Elon College. “This historic document reminds us of our deep roots and our founders’ vision to grow the branches of this mighty oak ever higher,” said Snavely, who serves as president of the Elon Alumni Board. “In offering this gift of Elon’s charter, we place in your hands our trust and the future of this institution that we love.” After the ceremony, many of those in attendance reflected on what the event meant for them. “It’s a groundbreaking moment,” said alumnus David Campbell ’13, who serves as vice president of Elon’s Young Alumni Council. “It’s cool to
Student Showcase
be here and be part of the history of Elon in the flesh.” Senior Deirdre Kronschnabel enjoyed listening to the stories President Book shared about her upbringing and time at The Citadel. “They were a testimony to her ability to make connections and build relationships,” she said. For junior Liam Collins, the event was a perfect way to seal Book’s full transition as Elon’s ninth president. “This is an exciting time to be an Elon student,” he said. “I’m very excited for what’s to come.” Williams agreed. When she first stepped foot on campus in 1945, she never imagined the extent of the growth she would witness at Elon. Taking part in the inauguration of Elon’s first female president was particularly meaningful to her. “It took 129 years but we now have a woman president and that is just so fulfilling for the university,” she said. “She is one of us. She was here for so many years and contributed so much during those years and now it’s just a stepping stone for her to take us to even greater heights.”
Oct. 19 – The evening program in Whitley Auditorium celebrated Elon’s past, present and future by pairing musical performances with a look back at the university’s history.
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“Today the baton is officially being passed from a legacy of great college presidents to a person who I believe can be the greatest ever.” —TRUSTEE NOEL ALLEN ’69
Long Maroon Line of Alumni
ixty-nine alumni, representing every decade of elon graduates dating back to the 1930s, participated in the “Long Maroon Line” to support the inauguration of President Connie Ledoux Book on Oct. 18. The alumni, who led the procession into the inauguration ceremony in Schar Center donned in maroon robes and commemorative medallions to mark the special occasion, were selected based on their ongoing commitment and involvement with the university. Brian Feeley ’03, director of alumni engagement, said the members of the Long Maroon Line were invited to represent their fellow classmates because they embody what it means to act as Elon partners, advocates and investors. “The Long Maroon Line symbolizes the collective spirit of hope and commitment shared by the entire community of Elon alumni,” he said. Many were meeting President Book for the first time and were excited to take part in such an important day in Elon’s history. “I’ve heard nothing but great things about Dr. Book,” said Renita Leak Webb ’04. “I am so happy to be a part of the inauguration of Elon’s first female president and such a phenomenal woman.” Elon is where Meredith Citty ’14 grew into the teacher she is today, so participating in the Long Maroon Line meant a lot to her. “I believe that being a part of the Long Maroon Line is a way that we can all celebrate the accomplishments that are achieved on this campus,” Citty said. “I’m excited to see how President Book continues to move Elon in a positive direction throughout her presidency.” At age 100, Dr. Charles Kernodle, a member of the Class of 1938, led the line of alumni. After graduating, he served as a U.S. Army chief surgeon in Frankfurt, Germany, during World War II and then returned to Burlington, North Carolina, and established the Kernodle Clinic with his brother and cousin. Kernodle, who began offering free physicals to Elon football players in 1949, was proud to be chosen to lead his fellow alums. “It’s an honor to be here at Elon,” he said. “I have always had a long association with Elon, especially athletics.” Prior to the inauguration ceremony, Kernodle and Arielle Watkins ’18, the youngest and last in the Long Maroon Line, had the opportunity to share a moment together. Even though 60 years separate the year they graduated from Elon, they hugged like old friends. “It’s really exciting to be here,” Watkins said. “It was awesome getting to know Dr. Book a little before I graduated and I’m so glad to be here on her special day. I can’t imagine being anywhere else today.” For many of the alumni, the opportunity to participate in the historic event was an honor. “Elon is an experience,” said Tracey Walser Nugent ’84 p’15. “I take such pride in Elon and its traditions. I’m so glad to be part of the Long Maroon Line and the inauguration.”
Tailgate & Football Game
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Oct. 20 – Pre-game and halftime ceremonies included a tribute to President Book during Elon’s football game against the Richmond Spiders, in which she was presented with a framed football jersey bearing her name and the No. 9 as well as a custom Elon necklace.
BOLDLY EMBRACING ELON’S FUTURE
{ Above: Alumni who participated in the “Long Maroon Line” as well as those who represented other institutions at the inauguration ceremony. Left: Arielle Watkins ’18 & Dr. Charles Kernodle ’38 were the youngest and oldest alumni to participate in the Maroon Line. }
The same was true for Ira “Ike” Credle ’83. “It makes me feel like my alma mater appreciates the genuine love I’ve demonstrated in promoting Elon as a premier institution for developing leaders in our global society over these past 35 years,” he said. “I am proud to be an alumnus and honored to participate in this historic inauguration of a great leader like Dr. Book.” When Nolan Elingburg ’11 g’12 was a student at Elon, he was able to experience a class with Book, who was associate provost of academic affairs at the time. “Dr. Book taught me at Elon and I could not be happier to see her become the first female president in school history,” he said.
Student Inaugural Ball
Oct. 20 – Elon students dressed up and enjoyed an evening of music, dancing, food stations, games and more on the first floor of Moseley Center. Many students posed for photos with Elon’s ninth president. For more photos from these events, see this issue’s inside back cover. For more on the inauguration, visit elon.edu/inauguration.
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An aging question BY OWEN COVINGTON
HOW AN NIH GRANT IS OPENING NEW DOORS FOR MEMORY AND AGING RESEARCH AT ELON.
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rofessor of Psychology Amy Overman recalls advice from a former dean that when it comes to seeking funding for important research, one should “keep knocking at the door, and eventually they let you in.” For Overman that door opened in 2016. That’s when the National Institutes of Health signed off on a $350,000, three-year grant to fund her work to delve deeper into age-related changes in memory. Since then, Overman has made significant headway into determining how the presentation of information might impact the ability of a person to remember that information as their overall memory declines. The topic and the work of her lab in the Department of Psychology is getting noticed by other researchers and will likely spur new strategies for helping those with declining memories to better retain important information. Overman’s work and her initial grant—the first from the organization for an Elon researcher—is also continuing to open doors. She is working with a colleague from Penn State University to apply for a new NIH grant and will seek an extension of her current grant once it concludes in a little less than a year. “Having secured this grant opens the doors for people who come after me at Elon,” Overman says. That’s good news for the broader goal of better understanding what drives declines in memory as people age or as their brains are
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ravaged by Alzheimer’s Disease or other cognitive impairments. Memory and aging have always been a research focus for Overman, who joined the Elon faculty in 2007. At Elon she’s been supported by a variety of university funding opportunities that helped her advance her research and collect the data that would eventually lay the groundwork for her successful NIH grant application. “With that foundation of data, I could demonstrate that this idea I had about how the brain was processing memory had some merit, and I could build a case that way,” Overman says. “I have always involved undergraduates in my research, and I was able to bring them into the fold and get them excited about those ideas as well.” The idea that Overman has been exploring is whether the brain processes information differently based upon the way it’s presented and if so, if we can tap into those differences to help people remember those discrete pieces of information, such as when to take a prescription or the date of a doctor’s appointment. “The whole basis of this is to better understand how memory is being processed in the brain so that eventually we can develop strategies for people who have memory impairment,” Overman says. She offers an automotive comparison: If you have a car that’s not running right, you need to first understand how a car works before popping the hood and changing out parts. That means better understanding how the brain creates memories, particularly associative memories in which a
person forms links between pieces of information. Much of that work to form associative memories falls to the brain’s hippocampus, which unfortunately becomes less able to bind or link memories together as a person grows older. However, Overman notes that the perirhinal cortex, which is located close to the hippocampus, stays more intact through the years and continues to process new memories well. That said, the perirhinal cortex is most adept at forming item-to-item associations rather than item-to-context associations. Overman
has sought to explore whether changing the way information is presented could help the brain process the memory with the perirhinal cortex, which continues to perform well into old age, rather than the hippocampus, which decreases in size as a person ages, making new associations harder to form. “We want the brain to start using the perirhinal cortex to help,” Overman says. “Our idea was how can we get the brain to process context like it’s an item.”
plemented during the summers by work in the Cognitive Aging and Neuroimaging Lab at Penn State University run by Nancy Dennis, associate professor of psychology and co-investigator on Overman’s NIH-funded project. There, the same memory tests are conducted and functional magnetic resonance images of the brain are created that allow the researchers to know whether it is the hippocampus or perirhinal cortex at work as the memory is being formed. Student researchers have been able to tap into additional opportunities thanks to the NIH funding, such as attending professional and research conferences. “I’ve been able to take the students who work with me to these conferences where they were able to meet and talk to the people they’re citing in their research,” Overman says. “I try to build a real community in my lab. I think they are really proud of the work they’re doing. I catch them talking to others and identifying themselves as NIH-funded researchers.” This spring three of Overman’s mentees—Alexandra Giglio ’18, Joanna Salerno ’18 and Kayla McGraw ’19—also presented their findings from the research at Elon’s Spring Undergraduate Research Forum. Thanks to Overman’s perseverance (it took three applications for NIH funding before she landed the grant), there could be more students touting themselves as “NIH-funded
The extent and depth of Overman’s research has been made possible through the support of the NIH grant, which is designed to advance the research while also enhancing the entire research environment. She is working with seven undergraduate students in her lab, and they’ve been focused on collecting data by testing the memory of young and old subjects based upon whether the information is presented as two items, or an item against a certain context. That data collection in Overman’s lab has been sup-
researchers” in the future. Securing the first NIH grant often raises the visibility of an institution and gives more weight to future grant applications. In the meantime, it’s provided a significant boost to the caliber of research that can be conducted at Elon. “Because this grant is meant to enhance the entire research environment, it really is raising all boats and allowing us to do better research,” Overman says. “This has opened up so many opportunities for future research for me, my students and others.”
“Our idea was how can we get the brain to process context like it’s an item.”
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LEARNING
“This building is indeed spectacular. However, most inspiring of all is Elon’s courage and wisdom to place the KLC in the heart of campus attached to Belk Library.” — ROBERT KOENIGSBERGER P’17
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HUB
With the addition of the two-story Koenigsberger Learning Center, Elon is redefining how to serve the needs of all students. BY MADISON TAYLOR
BY MADISON TAYLOR
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amantha Eastman discovered her favorite study spot on her first day of class. The first-year student from Falls Church, Virginia, explored Carol Grotnes Belk Library only three days after moving in on campus. As she wandered from floor to floor and room to room, she saw the perfect place on the second floor. She went through a mental checklist. Comfortable seating? Check. Privacy? Check. Power outlets? Check. A dynamic view for those times when a little distraction from reading is required? Check. “I love this space,” she says. “The design allows for collaboration between groups of people. This is going to be one of my favorite spots to study.” Unknown to Eastman, she had discovered a space on Elon’s campus not many students had visited yet when she found the Koenigsberger Learning Center, a new 11,000-square-foot, two-story addition on the east side of Belk Library. Perched on seating located under a large picture window that overlooks the Inman Admissions Welcome Center and the Moseley Center, Eastman has a perfect view of the quad. “I can look up and see things outside then go right back to my work,” she says. “This provides all the things I’m looking for in a study space.” Joan Ruelle, dean of the library, and Becky Olive-Taylor, executive director of the Koenigsberger Learning Center and director of Academic Advising, both smile at Eastman’s reaction. It’s what they hoped to accomplish when planning the construction, renovation and addition of the learning center to the library. The result from this partnership is a one-stop site incorporated into Belk Library that reimagines how college students study and how they access academic services and resources. The center is now home to the Academic Advising, Learning Assistance and Disability Resources programs. It includes improved offices for academic advising; two multi-purpose meeting/seminar rooms; an assistive technology lab; a large first-floor classroom; and dozens of sites scattered throughout where students can work in groups or individually at high-top tables, booths or easy chairs. In addition, 5,000 square feet of space in Belk Library was renovated to improve the flow between the old and new buildings. A periodicals area with shelves was removed and stored at another site on campus to connect the second floor study areas. The former tutoring office on the first floor of Belk is now a research center and meeting space. “We rearranged a lot of furniture to accommodate the various ways students study,” Ruelle says. “We created a collaborative study space.”
DREAMING OF A LEARNING COMMONS The groundwork for the Koenigsberger Learning Center was laid a few years ago. Elon is committed to a central library, Ruelle says. A renovation of Belk Library’s first floor in 2014 reflected the greater physical and operational integration of the Writing Excellence Initiative, as well as consolidation of key academic expertise—research, writing, technology and tutoring—in one 31
cation ceremony. “This building is indeed spectacular. However, most inspiring of all is Elon’s courage and wisdom to place the KLC in the heart of campus attached to Belk Library. This permits convenient, seamless access to all these essential programs.” Ruelle and Olive-Taylor both call the combined Belk Library and Koenigsberger Learning Center a “learning commons,” but there is little common about it in higher education. While a small number of university libraries offer similar services in one site, the strong collaboration among all the partners at Elon—the KLC, the library, Teaching and Learning Technologies and the Center for Writing Excellence—is unusual. “Joan is incredibly progressive and student-centered in the ways libraries offer support,” Olive-Taylor says. “There are libraries that would put up roadblocks to the idea of shared space, but Joan embraced the idea from the start.”
STUDENT-CENTERED SERVICES
{ President Connie Ledoux Book joins Dilek & Robert Koenigsberger for the Sept. 28 ribboncutting dedication of the new Koenigsberger Learning Center. }
convenient location. Since the Writing Center and peer tutoring services were already in the library, the focus then shifted to partner with academic advising and disabilities resources, which were located then in Duke Building. It was about this time that Olive-Taylor and her team started dreaming about an even bigger integration of services as they worked on a five-year plan. So when a donor who shared that vision came along, Ruelle adds, “We were able to make a strong case that this is a place where all students can get their work done, no matter what that work is.” Inspired by the idea of enabling the success of all students, Elon parents Robert and Dilek Koenigsberger p’17 made the dream a reality with a game-changing $5 million gift to build the learning center and establish an endowment that will fund its annual operations, including adding new staff positions and technology resources. It was their goal to help students take advantage of everything Elon has to offer. “Our family has benefited and has been enriched by Elon and its culture of partnership, humility and gratitude. Elon is not simply a university, but rather a lifelong community,” Robert Koenigsberger said during a Sept. 28 dedi-
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One consistent theme with the learning center addition is improving students’ access to resources and services. Belk Library is among the most visited places on campus—it received roughly 315,000 visits last year, with the highest amount of traffic between 4:30 p.m. and midnight. Belk Library is open 143 hours a week, and around the clock five days a week. The library also noted almost 4,500 visits between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. Ruelle and Olive-Taylor want to make sure the library’s space is maximized to meet the needs of all students and at the times most needed. In planning the learning commons, the pair emphasized the value of “permeable space,” sites that can be shared across time by different students. On the second floor, a hallway area with 18 private testing spaces connects Belk Library to the Koenigsberger Learning Center. During the daytime, the rooms are used for private testing of students with learning disabilities and the Belk Library doorway is locked. After 5 p.m., the learning center’s doorway to the corridor is locked and the Belk Library door opened so students can use the rooms as individual study space. Offering a diversity of spaces, Ruelle says, gives students flexibility to choose to work in the space that is most comfortable and conducive to their work, whether they are meeting with their academic adviser, a librarian or a writing consultant. “We wanted seamless flow between the spaces and to minimize barriers and delineations between services,” she adds.
With the addition of the Koenigsberger Learning Center, Belk Library is a onestop site that redefines traditional library services into a space that facilitates success for every Elon student.
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LEARNING HUB
{ Associate Director of Academic Advising and Director of Academic Support Jim Donathan advises a student in his office on the center’s second floor. }
Privacy for students with disabilities is a high priority. Disabilities services is located on the second floor as is the assistive technology lab. The door to the lab is locked and only accessible with a swipe card. The lab contains computers, hardware and software designed to help students with not only learning disabilities but vision or mobility issues. The tools include specialized keyboards, mice and LiveScribe pens as well as software designed to address a range of needs. These include magnification software, screen readers and powerful text-to-speech tools, among others. There will also be tools in the lab with the capability to convert inaccessible documents to alternative formats. An endowment funded by Richard and Gail Morris and their son, James ’19, will help provide regular updates or additions to these learning enhancement tools in the future. The offices for learning assistance and academic advising are also on the second floor. Large meeting spaces with detachable white boards are on both the first and second floor. Dozens of study tables, nooks and chairs are scattered throughout. Tutors and advisers can meet students in their office or at any site in the building. “I’ve been pleased, and a little surprised, to see how quickly the Academic Advising Center and Disabilities Resources have been incorporated into the day-to-day activities of Belk Li-
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brary,” says Jim Donathan, associate director of Academic Advising and director of Academic Support. “I’ve found myself advising students and then walking with them to Disabilities Resources, the Writing Center or the Learning Assistance space to show how convenient those services are now.” Ruelle and Olive-Taylor are pleased with the development of the learning commons created by adding the Koenigsberger Learning Center to the library. They see it as a win-win for all involved, especially the students. But both agree the work is just beginning. They plan to study how students and others use features in the new learning commons and make changes accordingly. In many ways they are walking a fresh path with only the students to guide them. “We have to be willing to learn from our students. We have to watch how they learn,” Ruelle says. “We’re making a road by walking it.” And while the space is lovely, Olive-Taylor says it’s the dedication of the partners in the space that will realize the hopes and dreams for it. “All the partners are committed to student success and making this happen,” she says. “We are more than the sum of our parts and pledge to become a model of supporting cooperation in the service of student access and success.”
BY ALEXA BOSCHINI ’10
PRESCRIBED REALITY Elon experts weigh in on the state of the U.S. opioid crisis and what can be done to curb it.
A
fter Dr. Andrew Lamb underwent back surgery to repair a slipped disk, he went home with a bottle of 60 painkillers—a typical postsurgery prescription back in 2009. The pills certainly alleviated his pain after the procedure, but they had other benefits, too. A sense of calm. A blissful feeling. The prescription came with one refill, so when the first bottle ran out, he got more. When the second bottle was gone, he started an internal debate. Could he convince his surgeon to give him another refill? Should he? Lamb has been an internal medicine specialist for more than 30 years, including a stint as chief of medicine for the 86th Evacuation Hospital during Operation Desert Storm in Saudi Arabia. He’s seen the perception of prescription opioids in the medical field change drastically during that time, and he’s helped many patients use them safely as their primary pain management physician. But that experience in 2009 was the first time he understood firsthand how easily addictive opioids can be. “I’m a pretty tough guy, and I never thought I could come so close to having a problem. But I came close enough that it scared me and woke me up,” says Lamb, now vice president of medical affairs at Cone Health Alamance Regional Medical Center in Burlington, North Carolina, and medical director for Elon’s physician assistant studies program. “The truth is, after less than
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“Opioids work on the dopamine receptors within the brain, which are your pleasure receptors. People respond differently to them, but if someone takes something that makes them feel really good, like any drug, they tend to try it again.” —DR. ANDREW LAMB, MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF ELON’S PA PROGRAM
two weeks, if that, I really didn’t need it. I could have stopped. But I liked the way it made me feel.” For years, Lamb didn’t tell anyone about how close he came to addiction, not even his wife. But as the country’s opioid crisis intensified, he felt compelled to share his story, to inform others about how quickly addiction can manifest and to emphasize that no one is immune. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, about 11.5 million people misused prescription opioids in 2016, and another 948,000 used heroin. Of the 63,632 drug overdose deaths in 2016, according to the Centers for Disease Control, 42,249 involved opioids—66.4 percent of all drug overdose deaths. Opioids encompass both prescription medications and street drugs such as heroin. They attach to receptor proteins on nerve cells and deflect pain signals, which makes them effective at treating acute pain. But they also induce euphoria particularly when misused, such as taking more than the prescribed dosage, creating an addictive high. “Opioids work on the dopamine receptors within the brain, which are your pleasure receptors,” Lamb says. “People respond differently to them, but if someone takes something that makes them feel really good, like any drug, they tend to try it again.” Among the most commonly prescribed opioids are hydrocodone (i.e. Vicodin) and oxycodone (i.e. Percocet), which are used to relieve moderate to severe pain. Hospitals use more powerful opioids like morphine and fentanyl to relieve intense pain for surgical or cancer patients. More recently, some street dealers are mixing heroin with fentanyl, which is 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine, to increase its potency. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), heroin is cheaper and easier to obtain than prescription painkillers. It has similar chemical properties and effects, so when patients who have become dependent on prescription opioids run out of pills, some turn to heroin instead. Almost every day for the first few months of 2016, Kerri Sigler ’02 l’09, owner and attorney at Sigler Law in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, was either appointed a new client who was a heroin addict or learned someone she already represented was a heroin addict. Many of them initially became addicted to painkillers prescribed by a doctor. According to the NIDA, about 80 percent of people who use heroin first misused prescription opioids. “If you
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{ Dr. Andrew Lamb }
choose to do drugs, that’s one thing,” Sigler says. “But if you don’t choose to do drugs and you end up a raging heroin addict, I think that’s totally disgusting.”
EMERGING EPIDEMIC
T
oday’s opioid crisis can be traced to the 1990s, when there was a major push in the medical field to prioritize pain control for patients. “Under pressure to treat pain more seriously, and with assurances from pharmaceutical companies that patients would not become addicted to opioid painkillers, physicians started prescribing them at higher rates,” says Susan Camilleri, an assistant professor of political science and policy studies at Elon who specializes in health policy. New drugs like OxyContin, which releases oxycodone slowly over a 12-hour period, hit the market and were thought to be less addictive than traditional painkillers. In 2007 Purdue Pharma, the manufacturer of OxyContin, pleaded guilty to “misleading and defrauding physicians and consumers” by marketing the drug as a safer alternative to other opioids. The company and three executives paid a total of $634.5 million in fines. The increase in prescription opioid availability resulted in more misuse of the drugs, and therefore a spike in dependence and addiction. According to market research firm IQVIA, the number
of opioid prescriptions skyrocketed from 112 million in 1992 to more than 255 million in 2012. That number fell to about 191.2 million in 2017 as opioid prescription guidelines grew stricter. Every physician with a Drug Enforcement Agency number, which allows them to write prescriptions for controlled substances, is monitored: how many prescriptions they write, how many pills they dispense at one time, whether they offer refills. “As time went by, we began to see the addictive capability was a lot greater than we thought, and a serious problem was created,” Lamb says. “The whole attitude now toward prescribing opioids is the complete opposite. When you do prescribe them, there are much stricter regulations from the DEA and state boards like the North Carolina Medical Board.”
COMMUNITY IMPACT
T
he surge in opioid usage has escalated into a national public health emergency with a profound impact on communities across the country. According to a November 2017 Elon University Poll, about one in three North Carolinians say they or someone close to them have been personally impacted by the opioid crisis. “Social service programs are struggling to keep up with the influx of children of addicted parents,” Camilleri says. “Additionally, evidence suggests that areas with high rates of opioid prescriptions have also experienced large declines in labor force participation rates. The effects of this crisis are reverberating through every aspect of society, leaving virtually no community untouched.” Lamb says Alamance Regional’s emergency room sees overdose cases almost daily. High doses of opioids lead to respiratory depression; the risk increases when combined with alcohol or sedatives. On average, Lamb says people can become dependent on opioids after using them for a couple of weeks, but for some, it’s a matter of days. “The scary thing is, it’s just totally unpredictable,” he says. “You have no idea who’s going to be affected much more than someone else.” The influx of opioid-addicted defendants in the court system motivated Sigler to re-establish Forsyth County’s drug treatment court. The county previously had a drug court from 2005 to 2011, when the state stopped funding it. Without a treatment court, the options for addicts convicted of misdemeanors and non-violent felonies were probation and jail. In 2016, Sigler decided to take matters into her
own hands. She launched a nonprofit, Phoenix Rising, to raise funds for the program and recruited other attorneys and social workers to help her revive drug court. The court’s first gavel fell Dec. 1, 2017, with Phoenix Rising and the City of Winston-Salem splitting the cost. “I describe it as just steamrolling everybody; [District Court Judge Lawrence Fine] described it as Kerri threw everyone on her back and off we went,” Sigler says. “It was a pool of participants who were willing in spirit but who didn’t think you could do something in the judicial system unless it came from the top down.” The drug court is a 12-month, post-plea program available to defendants who are eligible for a probationary sentence and meet certain criteria, even if their charges are not directly drug-related. Sigler says the most common charges are theft and breaking and entering in order to sell or pay for drugs. Lawyers, probation officers, judges, social workers and counselors assist defendants in their recovery efforts. Drug court participants report in person twice a month to update the team on their progress, including their work toward securing employment and safe and affordable housing. Sigler says the latter is often the most challenging obstacle on the road to recovery. “We like to get tough on crime, but I think that’s stupid. I want to get smart on crime,” Sigler says. “Defendants can look to drug court and say, ‘If I’m going to be on probation anyway, if I’m going to plead guilty anyway, then my sentence may as well come with a whole bunch of free treatment for my addiction. It may as well come with court oversight I wouldn’t have otherwise.’ Drug court is not the solution to the addiction crisis but it’s something the criminal justice system needed to offer if we were going to make any headway with this.”
FINDING SOLUTIONS
L
amb says curbing the opioid crisis requires action at all levels—federal, state and local. In 2016 the CDC published new guidelines for prescribing opioids for chronic pain, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services implemented an opioid misuse strategy focused on opioid abuse prevention, treatment and research. In spring 2018, the North Carolina Medical Society Foundation launched an initiative called Project OfficeBased Opioid Treatment dedicated to boosting patient access to opioid treatment and recovery.
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IN 2016: About 11.5 million people misused prescription opioids 948,000 used heroin Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Of the 63,632 drug overdose deaths reported in 2016, according to the Centers for Disease Control, 42,249 involved opioids—66.4 percent of all drug overdose deaths. These guidelines are crucial, Lamb says, because some patients legitimately need opioids to manage significant chronic pain. Restrictions are needed to limit opioid access for those who don’t really need them, while also ensuring they are available for chronic pain patients to use safely with the help of a pain specialist. “Prescribe the minimum amount necessary to control acute pain and no refills without being seen and reassessed,” Lamb says. “If someone is going to need longer treatment, send them to a pain specialist. If we as a medical profession stick to those guidelines, that will make a difference.” The medical community has also pushed for increased access to naloxone, a drug that rapidly reverses the effects of an opioid overdose. Lamb says one of his colleagues at Alamance Regional is spearheading an initiative to license each physician in the emergency room to administer buprenorphine, which alleviates withdrawal symptoms. At the federal level, in 2016 Congress passed the 21st Century Cures Act, which included $1 billion in grants for states to expand opioid addiction prevention, treatment and recovery support services. At the state level, North Carolina’s Strengthen Opioid Misuse Prevention Act sets limits on the quantity of opioid medications doctors can prescribe. “This is a complex issue that requires a multi-dimensional, coordinated response from all levels of government,” Camilleri says. “Closing the health insurance coverage gap would also have an impact, as treatment options are often unaffordable for the uninsured.” Grassroots initiatives also play an important role in educating the public about the opioid crisis. In addition to its medical guidelines, the CDC recently issued a report outlining opioid overdose prevention strategies for law enforcement officers, public health professionals, nonprofit organizations and others at the community level. Jennifer Carroll, assistant professor of anthropology at Elon, was the lead author of the recommendations. In spring 2018, Camilleri participated in a workshop with Alamance County commissioners, health care providers, law enforcement, first responders, educators and other community members dedi38 of
{ Kerri Sigler ’02 L’09 }
cated to coordinating a response to the crisis locally. She also organized a campus discussion about the opioid epidemic in North Carolina that featured Lamb and Sigler as guest speakers. Though Sigler initially founded the Phoenix Rising nonprofit to support Forsyth County’s drug court, the organization’s mission has expanded to include awareness campaigns about addiction in general and treatment facilitation. Next, she hopes to create a searchable database of resources to help addicts and their loved ones find treatment options more efficiently. The easiest and most effective thing anyone can do, Sigler says, is speak up. “It is incumbent upon every single one of us as human beings to open our mouths to the people we know who are likely to be prescribed pain pills and say, ‘You can get addicted to those in five days. You need to be careful,’” Sigler says. “It doesn’t matter who they are or how much they can be trusted. You don’t know what effect it’s going to have on a person, so you need to open your mouth and warn them.”
ALUMNI ACTION
Our lifelong tie to Elon Dear fellow alumni,
W
hat an honor and privilege it was to participate in President Connie Ledoux Book’s inauguration ceremony in October. Being surrounded by so many people who love and care about Elon was awe inspiring, especially the 69 alumni who participated in the Long Maroon Line. I felt such great pride as they processed into the ceremony in maroon robes, representing the lifelong tie that all alumni have with Elon at a historic moment for our university. The Long Maroon Line celebrated the importance of alumni, recognized those who have stayed involved at Elon and showcased graduates from 1938 to 2018. It’s a broad representation of Elon’s history and diverse alumni body including:
Raymond Beck ’75, who proudly wore the same maroon robe in the inauguration of President Leo M. Lambert. Dr. Charles Kernodle ’38 p’72, the oldest participant, at the age of 100. Alumni representing nine states. Ten alumni who are now also parents of Elon alumni. Collectively, participants in the Long Maroon Line have committed nearly $12 million to Elon. They have made a positive impact at the university by providing millions of dollars in scholarship aid to students and supporting the construction of key campus buildings. They have supported student-athletes, turned study abroad dreams into reality and given those who wouldn’t have been able to attend Elon the opportunity to excel on campus. So as we celebrate Elon’s new leadership under President Book, we also recognize that the strength of our alumni is key to the future of our beloved Elon today and forever. Michelle Wideman Snavely ’00 President, Elon Alumni Board
BE A LUMINARY FOR ELON Make your gift to support Elon’s Greatest Needs fund or any designation meaningful to you by Nov. 27 and your name will be placed on a luminaria during the Festival of Holiday Lights on Dec. 4. Make a gift at elon.edu/luminarygift.
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ALUMNI ACTION
Welcome to the City:
Strengthening the Elon network T
hank you to everyone who attended a Welcome to the City event this fall. A record-setting number of alumni attended the annual series that serves to welcome new alumni, especially the Class of 2018, to Elon’s 38 alumni chapters. This year included the most events in the 10-year history of the series. We look forward to seeing you at the next event in your region! Alamance County, N.C. Baltimore
Columbia, S.C.
Connecticut
Pi sburgh
London
Washington, D.C.
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ALUMNI ACTION
Evening for Elon events highlight university priorities
P
resident Connie Ledoux Book kicked off the 2018–19 Evening for Elon event series in front of nearly 400 alumni, parents and friends in Boston and Washington, D.C., in September. For her first major event in each area, she provided an engaging update on university priorities in a setting unique to the city. The State Room provided stunning views of the Boston skyline, while D.C. attendees enjoyed seeing Elon friends under the stadium lights of Nationals Park. President Book was introduced by members of the Elon University Board of Trustees Dave Porter p’11 p’19 (Boston) and Charles Clohan ’98 (D.C.), whose families have long histories of philanthropy at Elon. Information will soon be released about the spring events with President Book, which will be held in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago.
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The Boston Alumni Chapter hosted a memorable night for alumni on Aug. 21 at the chapter’s annual Red Sox outing. The chapter welcomed more than 150 alumni to the historic Fenway Park.
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The New York City Alumni Chapter hosted its annual chapter event on Aug. 30 at Yankee Stadium for the New York Yankees vs. the Detroit Tigers game. More than 100 alumni participated.
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Approximately 200 alumni, parents and Phoenix fans enjoyed a tailgate with President Connie Ledoux Book before the Phoenix took on the University of South Florida Bulls Sept. 1 in Tampa.
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Members of the Richmond Alumni Chapter raised 872 pounds of canned goods on Sept. 12 as part of the sixth annual Alumni Charity Challenge benefiting a hunger-relief organization.
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The Philadelphia Alumni Chapter hosted 44 alumni, family members and friends for a day at the park Sept. 15 as they watched the Phillies take on the Marlins.
{ Elon fans in Tampa }
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ALUMNI ACTION
A matter of affinity
Elon is committed to enhancing affinity programs for alumni who share common identities, passions and connections. Led by alumni and supported by staff, Elon’s growing affinity networks are critical to the empowerment of both students and alumni. Here are some updates from our affinity groups:
Elon Latinx/Hispanic Alumni Network (ELHAN) Members of ELHAN’s leadership team met in August for a weekend retreat and work sessions in Miami. This newly formed affinity network is charged with developing strategies to unite and represent the interest of Elon’s Latinx/ Hispanic alumni, students and families.
Elon Black Alumni Network (EBAN) In September EBAN hosted its annual summit on the Elon campus. The meeting included a welcome and strategic planning session with President Connie Ledoux Book, university updates from key administrators, discussions about the year ahead for EBAN and sessions about various initiatives. EBAN unites and represents the interests of black alumni and strives to empower, connect and celebrate Elon’s black community. 42 of
LGBTQIA Alumni Network Members of the network’s leadership team met in September for a two-day retreat in Washington, D.C. The retreat focused on continued growth and strategic planning for the future of the network and LGBTQIA inclusion at Elon. This affinity network unites and represents the interests of Elon’s LGBTQIA alumni, students and families.
CLASS NOTES
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In June Becki Burchette Buffaloe retired from 36
years of teaching in public and private schools. Throughout her career, Becki received “Who’s Who” nominations, yearbook dedication nominations and Teacher of the Year awards. Becki and husband Merrick Buffaloe live in Mount Airy, N.C.
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Scott Stevenson joined
LPL Financial as the vice president of talent acquisition based in Fort Mill, S.C. He will be responsible for leading the talent discovery and recruitment efforts for LPL’s North America corporate and business operations. He lives in Mooresville, N.C.
elon.edu/classnotes
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TURN YOURSELF IN!
Help us keep you in touch with your Elon classmates.
Kim Morehouse-Kobre is
thankful to her Elon friends and classmates for reaching out after wildfires spread through her hometown of Santa Rosa, Calif., in fall 2017. While Kim and her family did not lose their home, many others in her community did. This motivated her and a group of friends to volunteer. So far the group, called Santa Rosa Team Phoenix, has raised $40,000 for students and their families who were affected by the fire. Kim is a learning specialist at Wise Owl Learning.
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A reunion of sorts took place this summer when
Patricia Cooney Gribbon, Angie Smith Ham and Lea Ziobro Phelps met for lunch in Durham,
N.C. Patricia is an elementary school teacher in Holly Springs, Angie is a missionary in Jambes, Belgium, and Lea is a middle school teacher in Burlington. • In August Tracy Helton Lewis was promoted to director of communications/teacher recruitment & retention for Surry County Schools in North Carolina. She is responsible
for all communications, public relations and marketing for her school system as well as all teacher recruitment and retention efforts. She is also a guest lecturer in the master’s program in school administration at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She lives in King.
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Erick Gill, along with his staff at the St. Lucie County Communications Division, earned more than a dozen awards from organizations specializing in communications and public relations in 2017. Categories included graphic design, social media engagement, video production and crisis communication during Hurricane Irma. Erick lives in Fort Peace, Fla., with wife Colleen and their two teenage children, Trevor and Chelsea. • Pamela Toczylowski Patton was promoted to eastern regional manager at Dominion Dealer Solutions. The first woman to be given this role, she will manage 10 markets in five states for sales and operations. Pamela and husband Michael Patton live in Pittsburgh.
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Jennifer Collinge Stephenson spent three
weeks of her summer vacation teaching English at a school in Nanjing, China. She says it was an unforgettable cultural experience that made her a better educator. Jennifer is a teacher for the Union County Schools in North Carolina. She and husband Brian live in Waxhaw.
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Heather Coffey was awarded
the Bonnie E. Cone Early Career Professorship in Teaching at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. A three-year appointment, the professorship recognizes a recently tenured
professor who embodies Cone’s tenacious commitment to providing undergraduate and graduate students with enriching, high-quality educational experiences. In addition to her role as an associate professor at the university, Heather leads the Cato College’s work on the Prospect for Success curriculum, coordinates the Charlotte Community Scholars summer research program and directs the newly re-established Teaching Fellows Program. Heather lives in Harrisburg with husband Corwin Eversley.
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Maureen Maurano received the 2017 Richard Hader Visionary Leader Award at the Nursing Management Congress in Las Vegas. The award recognizes excellence in nursing leadership and a nurse who views nursing as both an art and a science by promoting caring and competence as the link between science and humanity. A neonatal intensive care unit nurse manager at Children’s National Health System in Washington, D.C., Maureen is responsible for operations, clinical practice, regulatory readiness, family and staff satisfaction and ongoing quality-improvement efforts. She lives in Rockville, Md., with husband Drew Maurano.
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Jarod Fey recently drove
by his parents’ old house in Cincinnati to check on his oak sapling. He is happy to report his Elon tree has grown to be over 50 feet tall.
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Courtney Harris Jackson
and Adam Jackson welcomed son Britton Ellis on 5/31/18. He joins older brothers Braylon, Bennett and Brycen. Courtney is a wellbeing
In June the Duffers Cup, a four-day golf tournament created by Elon Kappa Sigma alumni to celebrate their friendship and love of the game, celebrated its 25th year. In honor of this milestone, Jay Dodson ’91, Frank Fannon ’91, Art Dornik ’92, Scott McQueen ’92, Carter Smith ’92, Michael Beale ’93, Herb Rhee ’93, Eddie Burleson ’94, Ryan Lantz ’94, John McCoy ’94, Garrett McKnight ’94 and Todd Martineau ’95 traveled to the home of golf—Scotland. The group was able to visit Muirfield, the site of 16 British Open Championships, and even played opening round matches at the Carnoustie Golf Links, the site of this year’s British Open. During the trip they also honored Duffers member Mark Foley ’93, who passed away in 2015, by carrying his football jersey. The group has endowed a scholarship in Mark’s name, which will be given to a deserving student-athlete at Elon.
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CLASS NOTES
PAR for the course BY CODY YORK
{ Mark Russell ’ (far right), vice president of rules and competition for the PGA Tour, describes his job as “hours of boredom and moments of terror.” }
H
ow does someone who studied history at Elon become the vice president of rules and competition for the PGA Tour? For Mark Russell ’74 it all started his senior year at Elon, when he took a trip to visit a friend in Florida during Winter Term. “Everyone was wearing flipflops and shorts in the 80-degree weather. I realized I was missing the boat if I didn’t head that way,” says Russell about his plans to move to Florida. Next he would need a job, which he found at the local amusement park—Walt Disney World. While he started out operating the Jungle Cruise, he soon realized he would enjoy working at a golf course instead. He loved the game, having been exposed to it by his father at a young age. He transferred over to the park’s golf resort and his career in the golf business was underway. “If I couldn’t compete in golf, the next best thing is to be around it,” he says. It wasn’t long before he became the director of golf and chairman of the Disney Golf Classic, which is where he met all the players and PGA Tour executives. In 1980 he was asked to join the rules committee for the organization.
The transition from golf operations to the PGA Tour rules committee has a steep learning curve, as Russell discovered. “I thought I knew something about the rules until I got there and realized quick that I didn’t know anything,” he says. He would soon learn the pressures of making a ruling on a Sunday afternoon, in front of galleries of people on the course and on TV. But it was all worth it. He was named vice president of rules and competition in 2008, a position he holds to this day. His team is responsible for a vast amount of planning and preparation for each PGA Tour event, including conducting the competition, determining where the hole goes on the putting surface and how high the rough is. “Our mission every week is to set the golf course up as difficult as it can play, but fair,” Russell says. “That’s what the players want.” Once the competition starts, he and his staff are on the course for any rules questions and to monitor the pace of play. Known for his sense of humor, Russell describes his job as “hours of boredom and moments of terror.” That’s because he is ultimately responsible for any rulings made on the golf course, and he has been part of some memorable ones. In 1996, at the Disney Golf Classic, he was informed that American golfer Taylor Smith might be playing with an illegal grip on his putter. Russell determined that was the case, which meant Smith had to be disqualified from the tournament and miss what would have been a playoff with Tiger Woods, marking an early second-tour win for Woods at the beginning of his remarkable career. While those types of moments can be stressful, Russell is thankful he doesn’t have to handle them for the NFL or NBA; those officials, he says, have to make far more snap decisions. “We can take our time to review a situation and be fair about it,” he adds. While being around the best players in the world is one of the reasons he enjoys his job, Russell says just being around “the great game of golf” has been a rewarding experience that has allowed him to make friends around the world. He also appreciates the fact that the PGA Tour is a nonprofit that impacts countless communities through the game. “As long as I’m healthy and I feel good, I’ll keep doing this,” he says. “The commissioner said I’m not going anywhere, so that’s a good thing.”
ALUMNI ALBUM
Kim Morehouse-Kobre ’85 (far right) & friends 44 of
Angie Smith Hamm ’93, Lea Ziobro Phelps ’93 & Patricia Cooney Gribbon ’93
Tracy Helton Lewis ’93
CLASS NOTES Michaela Cullen ’02 and Connie Viglietti ’03 have launched Emaya, a yoga and meditation program that centers around empowerment programs, retreats and establishing a safe place for women to learn and share experiences. The end goal is to help women “connect to their light, purpose and power.” The pair has also recently released the Back To Her Program, a 40-day journey that stems around yoga, meditation, transformational coaching methodologies and journaling. Its purpose is to find a deeper connection to one’s self, to practice healing habits and to gain control of your aspirations in life. For more, visit emayacircle.com.
and engagement consultant at Gallagher Benefit Services, Inc. The family lives in Chester Springs, Pa.
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Laura Wilson Cordell and
Brian Cordell welcomed son Henry James on 1/12/18. Henry joins older sister Elizabeth. Laura is a speech language pathologist. The family lives in Tampa, Fla. • Cameron Davis was selected as a 2018 Rising Insurance Star Executives Award recipient. The awards recognize professionals under the age of 40 with less than 10 years of experience in the insurance industry who have demonstrated leadership within their organization and community. A unit manager with MetLife, Cam was touted for helping to improve his company’s claims organization by creating tools and mechanisms that promote efficiency and improve customer interactions. He lives in Charlotte, N.C. • Brian Lynch and Laila Hannallah Lynch ’08 welcomed son Rylan Carter on 3/25/18. The family
lives in Gaithersburg, Md. • Jessie McCullough Springer and Jason Springer welcomed daughter Alexis “Lexi” Joanna on 5/30/18. Jessie is an occupational therapist. The family lives in Ephraim, Utah.
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Lindsay Wright was accepted into the MBA program in human resources management at West Virginia Wesleyan College, where she will also be a graduate resident director of campus life.
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Eric Garren and Luci Strauss ’11 were married
8/11/18. Alumni in attendance included Matt Lardie ’06, Adam Lindsey ’07, Mike Lynch ’07, Kelly Otte ’07, Dan Cariello, Greg Galante, Justin Garren, Samantha Gilman, Steve Haas, Alex Satterfield, Eric Lewandowski ’09, Rick Myers ’09, Jeffrey Tente ’09, Glen Cornell ’10, Jerome Lewis ’10, Jason MacCollum ’10, Katy Burns ’11, Peter Guyton ’11, Jo Beth Harstrick ’11,
Shantia J. Coley ’07, counsel for Wells Fargo’s consumer lending litigation, was named to the 2018–19 National Bar Association’s “40 Lawyers Under 40” list. The program recognizes the nation’s top lawyers under the age of 40 who exemplify a broad range of high achievement, including innovation, vision, leadership and legal and community involvement. Shantia is a member of various committees in the Mecklenburg County (N.C.) Bar and was most recently selected for her county’s coveted Bar Leadership Institute. In 2017 she was nominated and selected as one of North Carolina’s top 40 attorneys of color by the National Black Lawyers Association. Her goal is to leave a legacy of servitude, perseverance and excellence for generations to come. Shantia and husband Joshua Coley have identical twin 3-year-old sons. They live in Mint Hill.
Charitable Gift Annuities CAN PROVIDE INCOME FOR LIFE
a charitable gift annuity of $10,000 or more to Elon will guarantee a fixed income for the rest of your life. With market interest rates near historic lows, a gift annuity is an attractive way 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.
NEW RATES ONE BENEFICIARY
TWO BENEFICIARIES
AGE
ANNUIT Y R ATE
AGE
ANNUIT Y R ATE
60
4.7%
60/65
4.3%
65
5.1%
67/67
4.7%
70
5.6%
71/73
5.2%
Annuity rates are subject to change. The annuity rate remains fixed once your gift is made.
To explore a gift annuity for you, your spouse or a family member, visit ELONLEGACY.ORG. Talk with us today about how you may benefit from a life income gift to Elon and other gift planning opportunities. please contact: Carolyn DeFrancesco, Director of Planned Giving 336-278-7454 ■ cdefrancesco@elon.edu ■ elonlegacy.org
{ A typical campus scene from the mid-20th century }
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CLASS NOTES
From the limelight to backstage BY OLIVER FISCHER ’19
M
atthew Masten ’09 began his career performing on the stage, but these days he can be found giving directions backstage or behind the camera. An executive producer working both on Broadway and in film, Masten recognized early on that while he loves acting, his true calling is producing shows. Despite suffering from stage fright, Masten found success as an actor from a young age. Before Elon, he spent much of his free time doing community theater productions. As a child, he worked for Matthews Playhouse in Matthews, North { Matthew Masten ’ & British Carolina. “I got the transsexual icon April Ashley } theater bug then and I’ve had it ever since,” Masten says. He remembers auditioning for a production of “Annie” and telling the director that if he was cast as Daddy Warbucks, he would shave his head. “I got the part and shaved my head,” he says. “I wore a knit cap every day to high school.” When Masten arrived at Elon, his musical theater work was no longer limited by the amount of free time he had. “I was living and breathing musical theater,” he says. Elon’s musical theatre program solidified his love for theater and provided him with the necessary environment to flourish. The classes he took allowed him to experience the process of putting together a show from scratch and prepared him for a career in production. But he didn’t just perform on stage. During his first year on campus, and as part of a global studies assignment, he launched Elon Cares, now an annual concert that aims to raise money for the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS organization and increase awareness for AIDS among his peers. “That was the first time I really produced or directed anything,” Masten says. The success of that event made him realize he had potential for a career behind the scenes. “It’s what I do now and I love it even more than acting,” he adds.
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Masten is currently working with award-winning playwright Michael Wynne to create a play about British transsexual icon April Ashley. He is also working on a musical with a Grammy-nominated folk rock band. He has produced Broadway and offBroadway shows including Bill Condon’s acclaimed revival of “Side Show,” “Of Mice and Men” starring James Franco and Chris O’Dowd, and Gore Vidal’s “The Best Man,” which earned him a Tony Award nomination in 2012. He also served as an executive producer for the 2018 film adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s classic “The Seagull,” directed by Michael Mayer and starring Annette Bening, Saoirse Ronan and Elisabeth Moss. Despite some commonalities, Masten says working in film is very different from working in theater. During a play, you can be in a rehearsal studio and run the show from beginning to end. In a film, you record short scenes that are later put together into a story by the director and editor. When a Broadway show closes, that usually marks the end of a play. But a movie can still be watched on Netflix, Amazon Prime or other streaming services. “The performances live on in that sense,” Masten says. While being a producer is stressful, he loves producing shows because he gets to do a little bit of everything. “Casting, raising money, working with advertising, working with the choreographer. I get to do it all,” he says. “The idea that I can help create something new that will live on as part of the theatrical canon is the number one thing to me that justifies all of the hard work.”
{ Matthew Masten ’ served as an executive producer for the film adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s classic “The Seagull.” }
Bridget Kelly ’11, Eliza Pope ’11, Catherine Ross ’11, Catherine Rossi ’11, Melanie Woodward ’11 and Ryan Beckstead ’12. Luci is a
relationships manager at Goldman Sachs and Eric is a production manager at American Express. They live in Franklin Lakes, N.J.
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Molly Anthony {Law}
was honored in May as the Mecklenburg County (N.C.) Bar Lawyer Referral Service Outstanding Panel Member of the Year. Her firm, Southpark Family Law, continues to grow in the Southpark neighborhood of Charlotte. • Megan Daly and Tyler Hooks were married 3/10/18. Alumni in attendance included Morgan Zech ’08, Emily Kinman, Cara Goering Martin, Jenna Hill Nelson, Alaina Artin Sauser, Katherine Troxler, Kelsey McEvoy ’10, Molly Heffernan ’11 and Glynis Ewing ’12. Megan is a physician assistant at Memorial Health University Medical Center and Tyler works for the Georgia Port Authority. They live in Savannah. • Ashley Jenkins and Brandon Campbell ’13 were married 11/11/17. They met during their first year at Elon. The cake topper at their wedding featured Brandon in his Elon football jersey and Ashley in her Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. cardigan. Alumni in attendance included Johnie Blackwell, Malik Daronce Daniels, Nneka Enurah ’11, Jericka Fernandez ’11 and Tavianna Williams ’11. Ashley is a forensic psychologist at the U.S. Department of Justice and Brandon is a case manager at Catholic Charities. They live in Brooklyn, N.Y. • Alaina Artin Sauser and her husband, John Sauser, visited southern Germany this August. They visited Schloss Lichtenstein Castle in Reutlingen, and Alaina wore her Elon gear with pride. • Barron Thompson {Law} has been reappointed by the North Carolina State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement to another two-year term as a member of the Randolph County Board of Elections, which subsequently elected him secretary of the board. • Katherine Troxler and Paxton Campbell were married 7/14/18. Alumni in attendance included Megan Daly Hooks, Beth Shannon Moss ’10 and Sarah Endorf ’14. Katherine and Paxton live in Raleigh.
CLASS NOTES
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Jonathan C. Dunsmoor {Law} and Michael Vivenzio {Law} successfully defended
a technology startup company in its recent dispute with North Carolina over the state’s securities law. Their client is now working on the first state regulatory-approved crowdfunding mechanism to raise capital under North Carolina law, possibly using both U.S. dollars and crypto-currencies. • John Morris {Law} was appointed to serve as county attorney for North Carolina’s Rockingham County. John had managed a law practice in Rockingham County for the past six years. • Sarah Neely Lanier {Law} is
running for District Court in North Carolina’s Randolph County in November’s election. She is the managing partner at Neely & Lanier, PLLC.
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Chris Anglin {Law} is
running for associate justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court in November’s election. He is the managing partner of Anglin Law Firm in Raleigh. • Ashley Ward Brown and husband Jonathan Brown welcomed daughter Luna Jayne on 12/29/17. Ashley is a counselor working with the armed forces in Europe. The family lives in the United Kingdom. • Ashley France and Ra’Shawn Howell were
married 4/14/18 at the Newton White Mansion in Mitchellville, Md. Alumni in attendance included Brittany Carroll, Amber GlennThomas ’12, Lamar Lee ’12, Shakinah Simeona-Lee ’12, Lauren Wilmer ’12 and Ronda Ataalla ’13. Ashley is a human resources/operations project manager at the Literacy Council of Montgomery County. They live in Laurel. • Tara Hinote and Justin Hinote welcomed daughter Sophia Maye on 8/30/18. The family lives in Fairfax, Va. • Jo Beth Stoddard and Alexander Harstrick were married 5/19/18 at Dover Hall Estate in Manakin-Sabot, Va. Alumni in attendance included Eric Garren ’08,
Dan Browne ’10, Jerome Lewis ’10, Jamie Schatz ’10, Erin Talgo Schorr ’10, Sara Baker, Rachel Bertone, Kate Sloan Bichsel, Erika Pescatore Brown, Sarah Baker Browne, Kelsey Renner Hartman, Catie Kelly, Alexandra Lawrence, Lauren Kenny Lynn, Jennifer McHugh, Allie Priar, Luke Olszewski, Catherine Ross, Sarah Schermerhorn, Luci Strauss, Sarah Talbott Nordgaard, Traci Stewart Johnson ’12, Sam Warren ’12 and Margaret Spotts ’14. They live in
Cambridge, Mass.
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Alexander Dempsey
reports that this summer, he and fellow alumni Andrew Fezza and Daniel Griffin ’15
ALUMNI ALBUM
Heather Coffey ’98 (left)
Jennifer Collinge Stephenson ’96
Courtney Harris Jackson ’05, Adam Jackson & sons Britton Ellis, Braylon, Bennett & Brycen
Brian Lynch ’06, Laila Hannallah Lynch ’08 & son Rylan Carter
Laura Wilson Cordell ’06, Brian Cordell & children Henry James & Elizabeth
Jessie McCullough Springer ’06, Jason Springer & daughter Lexi
Maureen Maurano ’01
Cameron Davis ’06
Eric Garren ’08, Luci Strauss Garren ’11 & friends 47
CLASS NOTES summited Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak at 19,341 feet. Alexander lives in Philadelphia. • Stephanie Gronewoller and Brendyn Gronewoller welcomed son Elijah David on 4/19/18. Stephanie is a software developer at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab. The family lives in Hanover, Md. • Ashley Hansen {Law} and Hunter Morris were married 2/10/18 in High Point, N.C. Megan Connole Siragusa {Law} served as a bridesmaid. Ashley works as a contract manager for Janssen Research and Development (Johnson & Johnson) via PRA Health Sciences. • Sophie Nielsen-Kolding and Nicholas Kluthe were married 6/9/18 surrounded by many of their Elon friends. They live in Philadelphia. • Justin Kay {Law} has accepted a position as in-house counsel for
Egger Group’s U.S. operations. Egger, an Austrian company employing 10,000 people worldwide, is constructing a 1-million-square-foot manufacturing facility in North Carolina. • Mark York {Law} has been named a director at Carruthers & Roth in Greensboro, N.C., where he is a member of the firm’s commercial litigation team.
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David Campbell and Rachel Campbell welcomed
daughter Lillie Beth on 7/29/18. The family lives in Charlotte, N.C. • Susanna Guffey {Law} has been promoted to director of business and legal affairs at Universal Music Group in New York City. She is responsible for technology transactions and e-ecommerce and digital marketing agreements. •
Allison Nogi and Andrew Fischer ’14
were married 6/16/18. Alumni in attendance included Amy Morse ’05, Nickie Halbert ’12, Patrick Ma ’12, Ali Deatsch, Joe Ziemba, Greg Honan ’14, Maggie Reichard ’14, Maggie Macdonald ’15, Sarah Neuhauser ’15 and Kelly Fawcett ’16. Allison is a physical therapist at the Emory Dizziness and Balance Center and Andrew is a medical resident at WellStar Kennestone Hospital. They live in Georgia. • Kristen Brooks Sandler recently premiered her new work, “Gilded,” at the Capital Fringe Festival in Washington, D.C. The creative piece, which combines theater and concert dance and was performed by Lizzie Markson ’16 and Lucas Melfi ’17, won the festival’s Best Dance Show award. Kristen has also been nominated for the New York
Playing up BY OLIVER FISCHER ’19
P
laylists. There’s one for every mood, season and taste. But these are more than a collection of songs. They can highlight lesser known artists and help listeners discover new music, which is why editors for companies like Apple, Spotify, YouTube and Amazon create playlists. Conor Ambrose ’14 works with these streaming services as the senior director of streaming and creative marketing at Interscope Records, where he works under Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer Gary Kelly. “He had the foresight to say, ‘context in the streaming space is becoming more and more important,’” Ambrose says, leading Interscope to create the role. “With tens of thousands of songs being released every week, playlist strategy and real artist development are essential in driving discovery.” In his role, Ambrose collaborates with the editors and marketing leads at the streaming platforms to find new and exciting ways to help break artists. His aim is to find champions for artists who will help feature their music on playlists across these different platforms to build their audience. Even before Ambrose moved to Los Angeles and began his first professional job with Interscope, he showed an aptitude for spotting and highlighting musical talent. As a first-year student at Elon, he started a music blog with a couple of friends about up-and-coming artists they liked. “We didn’t have any money, so we were writing reviews on a free web template and taking advantage of Facebook’s organic reach. Artists we were supporting started backlinking to our site and it grew pretty quickly throughout the college network.” Building on the blog’s success, Ambrose broadened the scope of the services he provided. “I started promoting shows, managing artists and distributing their music digitally,” he says. Ambrose was acting like a kind
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{ Conor Ambrose ’, center, at the IGA X BET Awards }
of label service for artists. He proved to be good at predicting which artists would make it. “When a lot of labels were signing artists based upon blog coverage, they reached out to a number of the artists who we were featuring and they ended up getting record deals.” Ambrose’s keen eye for talent didn’t go unnoticed. Warner Bros. Records reached out to Ambrose and his college roommate, Sam Ferro ’14, also an Interscope employee, with internship opportunities. “They gave Sam and I our first real shot in the industry,” Ambrose says. “We drove across the country with zero expectations and ended up creating relationships that have lasted five years.” But this entrepreneurial spirit alone didn’t get Ambrose to where he is today. His education played a major role helping him achieve success. “I think continuous learning—both formal and the kind you can’t get in a classroom—is the most important contributor, single-handedly, to success in life,” Ambrose says, adding he believes traveling to meet people from diverse backgrounds and cultures is crucial. “The time I spent in Asia and South America through Elon programs really expanded my perspective on the world and that has shaped my ultimate goals.” He is grateful to Assistant Professor of Communications J McMerty ’00 for keeping him on track academically during his time in the Elon in LA and Sundance Film Festival programs. Looking ahead, Ambrose expects the streaming sector of the music industry will continue to grow and is enthusiastic about the leadership team running Interscope. “I am extremely fortunate to be able to learn from great professionals every day.”
CLASS NOTES Innovative Theater Award for her choreography in “Lysistrata Jones.” • Austin Williamson and Patrick Szyperski ’14 were married 8/11/18 in Linville, N.C. Many Elon alumni were in attendance. Austin is an analyst with the Carlyle Group and Patrick is an associate with Berkeley Point Capital. They live in Charlotte.
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Ryan Burch recently
completed his first year of training at the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art. He is pursuing his post-graduate degree in the school’s prestigious theatrical program. Ryan was one of 27 students and only the second from the United States to be admitted from a pool of 5,000 applicants. He lives in London. • Andrew M. Logan {Law} has joined
the Pennsylvania firm of Wisler Pearlstine, LLP as an associate. He focuses his practice in the areas of trust and estate planning and administration, taxation, business planning and the representation of closely held businesses. • Caroline McSwain {Interactive Media ’15}
and Alexander Ryskiewich were married 6/16/18. They met at an Elon first-year experience in 2010 and Alex’s sweet proposal (featuring a neighbor’s 7-year-old son) in 2017 went viral, being featured on Daily Mail and CBS’ “Inside Edition.” Caroline runs her own mind and body care business for seniors, where she seeks to empower the elderly. Alexander is a cardiac device engineer at Emory University Hospital. They live in Atlanta. •
Sherri Thomas {MBA} was promoted to chief of human resources and organizational development officer at Truliant Federal Credit Union. Sherri is responsible for employee relations, payroll, recruiting and organizational development. She assumed her new position in September. Sherri lives in Oak Ridge, N.C. • Merrill Ward {Law} and Chris Akins were married 6/23/18. Merrill is assistant general counsel for the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. • Babak Zarin {Law} recently accepted a position as a library and graduate research assistant at Catholic University of America. Babak has completed his LLM in intellectual property and will complete his MLIS in the winter.
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Michael Dufour and Nicole Ammerman ’17
were married 8/5/18 surrounded by dozens of their Elon friends. They live in Baltimore. • Amy Heaton and Jourdan Wooden were married 8/10/18. Manda Adam served as maid of honor and Ian Heaton ’18, Amy’s brother, served as a groomsman. Other alumni in attendance included Melissa Mischka Fruhwirth ’15, Maggie Macdonald ’15 and Kelly Fawcett. Amy is a teacher. She and Jourdan live in Frederick, Md. • Connor Rudnicki is attending the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine. He lives with wife Tara Rudnicki in Franklin, Mass.
ALUMNI ALBUM
Molly Anthony G’09
Ashley Jenkins Campbell ’09 & Brandon Campbell ’13
Katherine Troxler Campbell ’09 & Paxton Campbell Megan Daly Hooks ’09 & friends
Alaina Artin Sauser ’09 & John Sauser
Ashley Ward Brown ’11, Jonathan Brown & daughter Luna Jayne
Ashley France Howell ’11 & friends
TURN YOURSELF IN!
elon.edu/classnotes
Jo Beth Stoddard Harstrick ’11, Alexander Harstrick & friends
Alexander Dempsey ’12, Andrew Fezza ’12 & Daniel Griffin ’15 49
CLASS NOTES
A
elon wedding gift
visit to Elon’s Schar Center Aug. 28 turned into the ultimate surprise for Sydel Curry ’17. It was four days before her wedding and Curry was there to support Elon’s volleyball team, which she had been a part of during her undergraduate years at Elon. As the game went into halftime, Curry was stunned to learn the locker room in the new 5,100-seat arena was being named in her honor. Making the announcement via video were her brothers, NBA superstar Stephen Curry and former Duke standout and Portland Trailblazers player Seth Curry, and their wives. The naming gift came as a wedding present. She married Damion Lee in Charlotte, N.C., Sept. 1. “I just want to say congratulations on getting married this weekend,” Stephen Curry said in the video that played at halftime. “We also want to congratulate you on an amazing career at Elon playing volleyball, all you did for the school and the program and wanted to give it back to you with the new locker room [named] for Sydel Curry. Enjoy it!” Sydel Curry played three seasons at Elon after redshirting her first year at the university, and during the 2016 season led both her team and the Colonial Athletic Association in assists and assists per set while posting double-digit assists in all but two matches. She was named team MVP that year, and had planned to return for a final year of eligibility but stepped away from the game in February 2017 following an injury. “What started out to be a trip to support [Elon volleyball] ended up becoming one of the most memorable evenings of my life,” she wrote in an Instagram post after the game. “I can’t begin to explain how grateful I am to my siblings for this amazing gift! Elon was such a blessing and helped me grow into the woman that I am today. Having the Elon Women’s Volleyball Locker Room named after me is an honor. Again, thank you thank you thank you to the best siblings in the world! I love you all!”
{ Sydel Curry ‘ and her fiancé, Damion Lee, with President Connie Ledoux Book. }
IN MEMORIAM Evelyn Olschner ’42, Morehead City, N.C., 8/16/18. Florine Braxton Poe ’46, Charlotte, N.C., 8/10/18. Janice Frazier Hardy ’48, Wilmington, N.C., 8/1/18. Elmer Watson Brafford ’50, Elon, N.C., 8/17/18. Theron Gilliam ’51, Richmond, Va., 7/4/18. Valeree Massey Byrd ’53, Burlington, N.C., 8/10/18. Hazel Sherman Montague ’55, Durham, N.C., 7/24/18. Lt. Col. Lester Gale Brady ’57, Columbia, S.C., 7/10/18. Richard Alfred Lashley Sr. ’59, Burlington, N.C., 8/30/18. Paul Grady Radford ’59, Catharpin,Va., 5/14/18. Lawrence C. Walker ’60, Yanceyville, N.C., 8/14/18. David Ansel Hosmer ’64, Woodstock Valley, Conn., 8/1/18. Jerry Delane Cameron ’66, Lula, Ga., 8/28/18. Wayland T. Pond ’67, Suffolk, Va., 8/28/18. Michael Babb ’68 P’13, Whitsett, N.C., 7/4/18. Mary Ann Larrow Hopkins ’69, Burlington, N.C., 8/30/18. Terry Allen Williams ’73, Staley, N.C., 8/22/18. Peter Donald Eldridge ’75, Alexandria, Va., 8/4/18. Eddie Ricky Brooks ’76, Laurinburg, N.C., 8/10/18. Thomas “Shag” Joseph Johnson ’77, Burlington, N.C., 7/5/18. Phillip Wayne Raines ’80, Keezletown, Va., 8/28/18. Michael Mazzucca ’84, Apex, N.C., 5/8/16.
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Don Bolden, one of Elon’s most loyal supporters and a recipient of the Elon Medallion, died 8/2/18. Don served Elon University with distinction as founding chair of the School of Communications Advisory Board for eight years. He and his wife, Billie Faye Bolden ’56, were enthusiastic Phoenix fans and vital supporters for Elon University and created the Don and Billie Bolden Basketball Scholarship for deserving student-athletes. Don was a witness and recorder of decades of Alamance County news and history during a journalism career at the Burlington TimesNews that spanned 51 years as a photographer, reporter and editor, and 60 years as a weekly columnist. He was honored by the Elon Alumni Association in 2003 with the Distinguished Service Award and received the Elon Medallion, the university’s highest honor, in 2010. Brenda Cooper, a retired staff member who held several positions during her 15 years on campus, died 8/19/18. Brenda started working at Elon in 1985 as a secretary in the School of Communications, before moving to the Office of Cultural and Special Programs as a program assistant. She retired from Elon University in February 2000 only to return in the fall of that same year as temporary help in various departments on campus until 2006.
CLASS NOTES ALUMNI ALBUM
Stephanie Gronewoller ’12, Brendyn Gronewoller ’12 & son Elijah David
Mark York G’12
Sophie Kluthe ’12, Nicholas Kluthe & friends
David Campbell ’13, Rachel Campbell ’13 & daughter Lillie Beth
Allison Nogi ’13, Andrew Fischer ’14 & friends
Austin Williamson Szyperski ’13, Patrick Szyperski ’14 & friends
Sherri Thomas G’14
Ashley Hansen Morris G’12 & Hunter Morris
Michael Dufour ’16, Nicole Ammerman Dufour ’17 & friends
Andrew M. Logan G’14
Kristen Brooks Sandler ’13
Caroline McSwain Ryskiewich ’14 G ’15 & Alexander Ryskiewich ’14
Amy Heaton ’16, Jourdan Wooden & friends 51
BEHIND the numbers
W
hen i returned to Elon in March as its ninth president, I found the enormous energy on campus invigorating. The force and commitment that every one of you—students, faculty and staff, alumni, families and friends—brought to bear on our shared work made my first three months positive and productive. At the end of those three months, we closed the books on the 2017–18 fiscal year, and it was clear that the energy I felt on campus had led to notable achievements. An impressive 25 percent of alumni gave back to Elon, and faculty-staff giving reached a new record of 78 percent participation. We received more than $9.8 million in new planned gi commitments, and overall giving reached a new high of $26 million. I am proud to share the infographic below as a visual representation of the many numbers we saw rise during the last fiscal year. I am even prouder to direct you to the pages that follow, where we take you behind these numbers and reveal the true heart of what it means to support Elon: Your support means students have the scholarships and grants to take full advantage of Elon’s engaged learning opportunities, and they have the facilities, resources and care they need to become the citizens our world needs. They also see, up close, the many changes that donor contributions make possible and are inspired to become the next generation of commi ed alumni donors.
$26 MILLION in total giving
The Impact of Your Gifts
Your support means our faculty and staff have needed resources that fulfill our mission of educating young people and strengthening them in body, mind and spirit. Your support means we can address our society’s most pressing needs and ensure the continued vitality of the liberal arts. Your support means Elon will continue to be a good neighbor and share the expertise of our young teachers, healers, tutors and servants close to home and around the world in areas of need. We hold up numbers as proof of our success because it’s a simple way to measure progress and achievement. Look behind the numbers, and you’ll find an even greater treasure. Behind the numbers are the faces of our alumni, parents and grandparents, friends and others with vision and good hearts who want to create opportunity for the next generation of Elon graduates. Behind the numbers are young people who find ways to develop their passions and reach their dreams in a learning laboratory that offers a chance to try, and fail, and try again—so they leave here with the grit and determination they need to effect lasting change. The Elon community is a powerful force. The proof is right here— behind the numbers. Connie Ledoux Book President
25% alumni giving (23% in 2016–17)
($23.7 million in 2016–17)
1,186
Elon Society donors
(1,069 in 2016–17) 52 of
$7.5 MILLION in gifts to athletics ($5.2 million in 2016–17)
➤ View
a searchable honor roll of 2017–18 donors at elon.edu/honorroll
HONOR ROLL
{ President Connie Ledoux Book talks with students at the first College Coffee of fall 2018. }
$9.8 MILLION
32%
($6.4 million in 2016–17)
(30% in 2016–17)
in new planned gifts
78%
faculty/staff giving (76% in 2016–17)
parent participation
$6.3 MILLION in
corporate & foundation gifts ($6.8 million in 2016–17)
BEHIND THE NUMBERS
The IMPACT of
W
$26MILLION
in Total Gifts
ith their increased support in the 2017–18 fiscal year, donors provided additional student scholarships and helped maintain Elon’s 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Their gi s helped retain top faculty and support their development, provided additional resources for Elon’s academic schools and departments and expanded student access to experiential learning opportunities.
SCHOLARSHIPS
{ Imani Henderson ’20 } When Imani Henderson ’20 first visited Elon, she didn’t think she was Elon material. With the encouragement of a high school counselor and her dad, she applied, was accepted and arrived on campus in fall 2017 as a first-year student with sophomore standing. With the help of the Sue Boddie Macon Memorial Scholarship, Imani started classes, played trombone with Elon’s pep band and began a major in international business with a minor in Spanish. But she wanted more. Imani knew that Elon could open doors and was determined to go through a few. An interest in volunteer work led her to the Kernodle Center for Service Learning and Community Engagement. She received 54 of
a grant to cover the cost of a spring 2018 service trip to Columbia, South Carolina, where Imani and a team from Elon mentored youthful offenders in a Department of Juvenile Justice facility. Her experiences in Columbia, from playing music with a group of detainees to listening to their hopes and dreams for the future, changed her. “My ba ery was charged,” she says. So much so that in October, Imani coordinated an alternative break trip to Asheville, North Carolina, to address food insecurity.
PROGRAMS ELON BY DESIGN Elon by Design was formally launched in 2016 with a gi from trustee Cindy Citrone and her husband, Rob, parents of an Elon alumna. Since then, Elon students, faculty, staff and the community have had the opportunity to view problems with fresh eyes using design thinking tools. In spring 2017, students were offered the chance to apply design thinking to real community problems in collaboration with Wellness Alamance. In March 2018, Elon hosted its first Design Forge event. Participants from universities including Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, Northwestern,
{ Director of Design Thinking Dawan Stanford, second from left, talks at Design Forge 2018. } Vanderbilt, Carnegie Mellon, Texas State and Tulane explored how to use design thinking to support student learning and integrate design thinking projects into course curricula. Director of Elon by Design Dawan Stanford envisions Design Forge as a regular event at Elon. “We want to pull together what we discuss here—what students show up with, what the learning journey looks like, what are the learning outcomes we’re seeking, and what would go into an ideal toolkit for faculty,” he says. “The idea is to share this with a broader community of folks—how we might use design thinking to improve student learning at Elon and around the country.”
➤ View
The IMPACT of
T
a searchable honor roll of 2017–18 donors at elon.edu/honorroll
1,186
Elon Society Donors
he Elon Society honors donors who give $1,500 or more each year for any purpose. Undergraduate alumni who graduated in the past six to 10 years who give $1,000 are also eligible for The Elon Society, as are undergraduate alumni who graduated in the past five years who make gi s of $500.
We are grateful to every member of The Elon Society, whose generosity sustains the university and provides vital operational funds to support the very best of what an Elon education offers, including an innovative learning environment, excellent academic programs, outstanding faculty scholars, student scholarship support and access to life-changing Elon Experiences.
{ Nancy Turner Watson ’66 }
Nancy Turner Watson ’66 – Elon Society, Founder’s Circle “I love everything about Elon,” Nancy Turner Watson ’66 once said. She credits Elon with preparing her and her late husband, James Watson Jr. ’65, for careers in education. In return, she has been one of the university’s most loyal and generous benefactors. Her gi s have supported the Nancy Turner Watson ’66 and Dr. James Watson Jr. ’65 Endowed Scholarship, the Center for Access and Success and the center’s Elon Academy, which serves academically promising high school students. “I think the Elon Academy is the neatest thing on God’s green earth,” Watson says. “Elon’s doing what every college and university in the country ought to be doing. They are reaching out to serve the community by serving students who will be good college students and be er citizens for tomorrow. I think that’s phenomenal.”
{ The Pund family } Zack Pund ’05 and Bri en Ginsburg Pund ’06 - Elon Society “As our family has grown, we have renewed our exploration in what ma ers most to us and how we are going to prioritize our values,” Bri en says. “We may not talk about it overtly at home, but we feel deeply that we would not be the people we are without Elon.” Zack agrees. “We want to be part of building a strong community around Elon. We chose to support the new Schar Center because athletics is a natural way to bring people together and develop a spirit of shared community. The Schar Center represents a huge step forward not just for Elon athletics, but for the entire university.”
BEHIND THE NUMBERS
The IMPACT of
A
25%
in Alumni Giving
lumni participation climbed by two percentage points to reach 25 percent in 2017–18. Participation is a key factor in Elon’s U.S. News & World Report ranking and is based on the number of alumni who make a gi of any size in a given fiscal year. The following is a small sample of some of the alumni donors whose passion and vision are being channeled into the next generation of leaders. Frank Dalton ’81 – Member, The 1889 Society “Giving back is important to me. Elon provided an excellent foundation for me to build on a successful career. I want to ensure that Elon will always be able to provide students the necessary outlook and skills to succeed in an increasingly challenging world. I give to Elon’s Greatest Needs fund because I prefer to allow the university the flexibility to use my donation where it’s most needed.”
{ Frank Dalton ’81 }
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Claudia Rodriguez ’17 – Member, The 1889 Society “I am forever grateful for all the things that made my time at Elon so special. I o en reflect on those special people, unique opportunities and once-in-a -lifetime experiences, and remember that much of it would not have been possible if it weren’t for all the people who support Elon and its vision. I give back to Elon because I want other students to be able to have some of those incredible experiences that I had. I give back to Elon because I believe in its vision, mission and values and because I believe in the value of an Elon education.
➤ View
“I support the Elon Latinx/Hispanic Alumni Network (elhan) because the network will continue to support Latinx and Hispanic alumni as well as current students. Being a Latina was an important part of my identity throughout my time at Elon and still is. I was able to continue developing as a Latina at Elon, and I knew that the support I got from different departments, staff and faculty on campus allowed me to grow and be more aware of my Latinidad. elhan is dedicated to the development and advancement of the Latinx/Hispanic community at Elon, among other things. I know that by supporting the network, I am in turn supporting other Latinx/Hispanic students at Elon. I give back to elhan because I want all Latinx/Hispanic students to feel that there is nothing keeping them from succeeding at Elon and beyond. I want them to feel that they belong.”
a searchable honor roll of 2017–18 donors at elon.edu/honorroll
{ Kyle Whitaker ’14 } Kyle Whitaker ’14 – Member, The 1889 Society “I give to Elon because of all that Elon has given, and continues to give, to me. I know that so many of my own Elon experiences would not have been possible without the help of donors and alumni, and I want to ensure that every student has access to these opportunities in the same way I did. Giving also helps me stay connected with my Elon home and the people there who have been such an integral part of my personal and professional development, giving me a
chance to help shape the future of the place that so wonderfully shaped mine. “I give to the lgbtqia Fund and the Gender and lgbtqia Center (glc) at Elon because I continue to be amazed by the students, faculty and staff who are working to build an inclusive community for every student on Elon’s campus. The lgbtqia Fund and the glc are beautiful examples of what can happen when passionate people have the resources to help educate, encourage and energize the community around them.”
The 1889 Society recognizes Elon’s most loyal donors who have given annually for two or more consecutive fiscal years. For more information, please visit elon.edu/1889Society. { Claudia Rodriguez ’17 }
BEHIND THE NUMBERS
$7.5
The IMPACT of
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in Gifts to MILLION Athletics
he 2017–18 fiscal year marked several new records in Elon athletics giving. Nearly 2,300 donors raised $7.5 million in support for student-athletes. The annual Night of the Phoenix brought in a record $219,642 for athletic scholarships, and Elon Day 2018 saw a new high of $261,464 raised for the Phoenix.
{ Mike & Mary Ellen Cross } Mike and Mary Ellen Cross – Phoenix Club impact Circle “Elon is such an important part of the outstanding quality of life we enjoy in Alamance County. By making financial gi s to Elon Athletics, we believe that we are making an important investment through the support of student-athletes, all of whom constantly impress us with their dedication and high character. The student58 of
athletes at Elon and the athletic coaches and staff make outstanding efforts in supporting the community and representing the university. “Being sports fans, we try to support all of the varsity sports at Elon and make an effort to a end at least one event for each sport each season. The quality of the competition is outstanding and the facilities continue to improve each year. Last year we made a small gi to each sport on Elon Day and we have season tickets for football, basketball and baseball. We also a end men’s and women’s soccer, and each year enjoy the Elon Invitational golf tournament hosted by the men’s golf team.” Kelly McKinney – Phoenix Club Member “I believe in the mission of Elon, and I choose to give to Elon to support that mission. I want to truly be a part of Elon, not only
working here and supporting Elon with my professional capabilities, but also re-investing a portion of my charitable giving to programs that are { Kelly McKinney } important to me. I support Elon’s Greatest Needs and the Chaplain’s Discretionary Fund, and I give to the Phoenix Club because my family enjoys going to sporting events and I want to support the teams.” Keith Dimont – Phoenix Club Member “We all work hard to make Elon happen, and it is great to see our gi s at work. I love to see the { Keith Dimont } students be er themselves. I have always enjoyed sports so I like to give to the Phoenix Club to help with scholarships.”
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$9.8
The IMPACT of
E
a searchable honor roll of 2017–18 donors at elon.edu/honorroll
in Planned Gift MILLION Commitments
stablished in 1988, the Order of the Oak recognizes donors who are securing the future of the university through planned gi s such as bequests, charitable gi annuities, charitable trusts, pooled income funds and life insurance policies. In 2017–18 more than $9.8 million in new planned gi s will provide future scholarships and legacy gi s that will last for generations. Drummond ’52 and James Anthony Drummond ’50 Plaza at the new Schar Center.
{ Jim ’50 & Joan ’52 Drummond } Jim ’50 and Joan ’52 Drummond The Drummonds have been faithful donors to Elon for six decades. “Joan and I both love Elon and have always believed in contributing to Elon,” Jim Drummond says. “We are proud to be Elon graduates and to be part of this wonderful university and its people.” A er Joan died in January 2017, Jim decided to create a new legacy on the campus they both loved. Through a planned gi , he increased the funding to the Joan and James Drummond Endowed Scholarship in Chemistry and provided a bequest to the Elon Academy. He also made a gi to name the Joan Summers
Tom ’88 and Sherri Smiddy During his undergraduate career, Tom Smiddy ’88 seized many opportunities to be active on campus—as a student manager at Harden Cafeteria (now McEwen Dining Hall), intramural sports official, wsoe disc jockey and as a proud member of Sigma Pi Fraternity. This
dedication and desire to be challenged followed him a er graduation, and in 2004 he started his own company, Drive-Bye Exterminators. Smiddy’s one regret is that he didn’t start his business even sooner. So he and wife Sherri made a planned gi to Elon that will create the Thomas M. Smiddy ’88 and Sherri Smiddy Endowed Scholarship, designed to ensure a student has the motivation and security to strive for his or her goals. Smiddy Scholars will be chosen based on exceptional campus involvement within Fraternity & Sorority Life, the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business or work-study.
78%
The IMPACT of more than
Y
Faculty/Staff Giving
ou can tell a lot about a place by how the people who live and work there treat each other and their shared environment. In 2017–18, 78 percent of Elon’s faculty and staff gave to the campus, supporting every aspect of student life, facilities, programs and athletics.
{ Patrick Rudd } Patrick Rudd, Belk Library In 2011, Patrick Rudd’s life underwent an unwelcome and unexpected change: his partner died of a heart a ack. He took that time of brokenness to look for ways that he could align his work, his service to the community and his charitable giving. He began volunteering with the “It Takes a Village” Project, working to improve the literacy skills of young children. It felt like a good way to honor his partner and give his own life new meaning. Patrick says, “Once, Jean Ra iganRohr called me a er I made a gi , and told me that my contribution would pay for the BioBus to take volunteers to the school sites. I love supporting a program where my gi makes that kind of difference.” Jan Register, Trui Center for Religious and Spiritual Life “I am deeply appreciative every day to wake up and come to Elon to work—it’s my dream job. I think giving back to the university is the perfect way to honor a special place that has given me so much. I contribute to the Chaplain’s Discretionary Fund, which helps faculty, staff and students in crisis. I am humbled to be a part of this important process, and I see firsthand the ways Elon is able to impact lives in a positive way.” 60 of
{ Marna K. Winter G’98 } Marna K. Winter M.Ed. ’98, Department of Education and Wellness “I believe that all Elon students deserve equal access to our incredible Elon Experiences and opportunities, including study abroad, undergraduate research and scholarship support. Elon creates students who are globally engaged, ethical leaders, advocates for equity and excellence. This is what the world needs today!”
{Jan Register, left }
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a searchable honor roll of 2017–18 donors at elon.edu/honorroll
Parent Participation
o university in the country has a more dedicated network of parents and grandparents than Elon. For the past two fiscal years, giving from parents and grandparents surpassed the $10 million mark. On Elon Day 2018, we raised more than $1.8 million, and parents and grandparents accounted for a full 26 percent of that total. “To have an inn on campus is fantastic,” Mindee Blanco said. They were particularly pleased that the inn will be an asset of the university endowment, with revenues above operating expenses used to fund student scholarships. “We always love supporting Elon,” Mindee added, “but we want to do it to benefit students, and that just clinched it for us.”
{ Jay & Patricia Caler P’15 & daughter Katie ’15 } Jay and Patricia Caler p’15 of Denver, North Carolina, want to help provide the same transformative experience their daughter, Katie ’15, enjoyed as an Elon student. Their generous estate gi to endow the Caler Family Global Engagement Scholarship will help students with financial need participate in one of the university’s study abroad or Study usa programs, which are among Elon’s high-impact learning opportunities. Preference for the scholarship will be given to students studying in the School of Communications, where Katie earned her degree. Paul and Mindee Blanco p’19 are ardent Elon supporters. Their daughter Jennee is a senior at Elon, and they lead the university’s Parents Council as chairs for the 2018–19 academic year. Last spring they saw a presentation about plans to build The Inn at Elon, which will provide accommodations for university guests and event space on campus. The project immediately appealed to them.
{ Paul & Mindee Blanco P’19 with children Jennee ’19, Paul & Sydnee }
BEHIND THE NUMBERS
The IMPACT of
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$6.3 million
in Corporate and Foundation Gifts
lon’s corporate and foundation partners are an important source of scholarships and provide crucial funding for community-based programs like the Elon Academy and the “It Takes a Village” Project. They understand that Elon graduates are uniquely qualified to provide the leadership needed to grow and stay competitive. WHITEHEAD SCHOLAR KATELYN SARAH ROACHE ’19, AN INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS AND FINANCE MAJOR WITH A FRENCH MINOR, SAYS:
{ The Elon Academy is Elon’s college access and success program. }
LABCORP In August 2017, LabCorp established the LabCorp-Alamance Scholars program at Elon University. The program creates a new Odyssey Program scholarship fund designated specifically for top performing graduates of the Elon Academy or firstgeneration Alamance County students. The LabCorp-Alamance Scholars program is an important component of the university’s and LabCorp’s deep commitment to the young people of our community.
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THE LETTIE PATE WHITEHEAD FOUNDATION Elon has received annual grants from the Le ie Pate Whitehead Foundation for 45 years. The foundation devotes most of its resources to the Le ie Pate Whitehead scholarship program. Whitehead was an advocate for education who gave generously to many educational institutions during her life. The foundation’s scholarship program awards annual grants for the education of deserving female students with financial need at more than 200 accredited educational institutions in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
“Without the Le ie Pate Whitehead Foundation Scholarship, I would probably not be able to a end college, especially at a small private institution like Elon. This scholarship has allowed me to a end a school where I am constantly challenged to grow and think in new ways. “Because of the Whitehead Foundation Scholarship, I am able to participate in the Business Fellows program, where as a sophomore I took advanced classes with my peers and prepared for my junior year and the opportunity to spend a week in Boston, learning about corporate businesses there. Attending Elon has also allowed me to access the Student Professional Development Center, which helped me secure my first internship this summer working with Ralph Lauren Corp. I learned about supply chain cycles through real-world experiences. Elon has also given me the ability to deepen my leadership experience through being a resident assistant this past year, where I was able to build community and get to know a group of 44 first-year students.”
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a searchable honor roll of 2017–18 donors at elon.edu/honorroll
We are proud to count you among Elon’s loyal donors WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE. WHEN WE COUNT THE RINGS ON ELON’S FAMILY TREE, WE SEE THE MARK OF YOUR COMMITMENT: You’re the university staff member with a biweekly payroll deduction to Elon Student Scholarships.
You’re the North Carolina resident who made a first gift to Elon in support of the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning.
You’re the alumna from the Class of 1995 who makes a monthly donation to support religious life and always secures a matching gift from your employer.
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You’re the parent who continues to give, 12 years after your daughter graduated with a degree in early childhood education, because you value the preparation she received from the School of Education.
You’re the alumnus from the Class of 1957 who helped endow a football scholarship because of the lifelong relationships you formed as a member of the team.
ou are part of a universe of commi ed Elon friends and family who understand the value of investing in higher education. We are proud to count you as partners in our mission to educate the next generation of young leaders. Because all of us are counting on them.
INAUGURATION WEEK President Connie Ledoux Book’s inauguration ceremony on Thursday, Oct. 18, was the focal point of a weeklong celebration highlighting Elon’s academic excellence, alumni engagement and continued growth. Here are some images from the festivities. For more photos and stories, visit elon.edu/inauguration.
Nonprofit Org US Postage Paid Elon, NC Permit No.
Office of Alumni Engagement PO Box 398 Elon, NC 27244 Toll Free: (877) 784-3566 elon.edu/alumni
{ It was a picture-perfect Family Weekend , with hundreds of families visiting campus Sept. – to participate in an array of activities—from practicing yoga on the lawn and attending mini-classes, to tailgating and cheering on the Phoenix. }