Magazine of Elon Summer 2015 by University Communications

SUMMER 2015

I AM ELON BY KIM WALKER

Watch the full story at

elon.edu/magazine Rising junior Ben Bridges grew up unafraid to challenge the traditional. He quit baseball in sixth grade to begin ballet lessons. Instead of a formal Elon campus tour, he and his father crafted their own, pulling aside random students to ask about their experiences. Now an anthropology major minoring in Latin American studies and art, Ben appreciates the variety that comes with his chosen fields. “As a student of anthropology, I’m also a student of geography, political science, biology, sociology and psychology,” he says. “It’s so fascinating to be in a field of study that can go in any direction you want to take it.” He’ll be following his interests to Peru in the fall to work on his Lumen Scholar and Honors Fellow research project, investigating the combination of mythology and globalization in the indigenous Quechua communities. The semester follows his first study abroad experience in Turkey with his Honors Fellows cohort in 2014. “The great thing about Turkey was that we were there not as tourists but as scholars, which helps you appreciate what you’re seeing at a deeper level,” he says. Ben didn’t opt for a typical summer, either. He worked with the Alamance Youth Leadership Academy on campus before spending two weeks in West Virginia mentoring incoming first-year students as part of Adventures in Leadership, an outdoor program that teaches skills such as leadership and self-development. “A.I.L. sparks my passion for the outdoors and applies it to tangible developmental experiences,” he says. “Doing something that I love, while positively impacting many incoming students, is incredibly fun and fulfilling.” Ben is Elon. Visit elon.edu/magazine to see more of his story, part of our “I Am Elon” multimedia series featuring Elon students in their own words.

CONTENTS The Magazine of Elon | summer 2015

IRRESISTIBLY FUNNY BY ROSELEE PAPANDREA

From a ‘little clown’ to a co-starring role in Netflix’s original series “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” Lauren Adams ’04 has reached her professional destination: comedy stardom.

THE TV OF TOMORROW BY KEREN RIVAS ’04

While experts agree television will continue to be a fixture in our lives, the model of how content is delivered—and who is creating it—is continually evolving.

A NEW BRANCH OF RESEARCH BY ERIC TOWNSEND

A chance encounter during a study abroad program led Emily Tomich ’15 to team up with her mentor to research the effects a Himalayan tree has on starvation recovery.

COVER STORY

THE POWER OF LOY FARM BY ERIC TOWNSEND

The recent addition of a solar farm to the far southeast corner of campus is only the latest feature of a site used by Elon students and professors to learn, teach, research and serve the broader Alamance County community.

FROM THE ARCHIVES: ELON’S FIRST YEAR

See what campus life was like for the 76 students who enrolled in Elon’s first academic year on Sept. 2, 1890.

2 Under the Oaks 11 Long Live Elon 13 Phoenix Sports

15 Point of View 31 Alumni Action 35 Class Notes

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▶ from the PRESIDENT

Great Relationships Formed

f you have heard me speak this past spring at one of our Evenings for Elon across the nation, my central theme has been based on the results of an important Gallup-Purdue poll of 30,000 college graduates, presented in a report titled “Great Jobs, Great Lives.” The poll found that college graduates were twice as likely to be engaged at work if they had a professor who:

1) cared about them as a person 2) made them excited about learning facebook.com/leomlambert twitter.com/headphoenix

3) served as a mentor, encouraging them to pursue their dreams. Stop and think for a minute about the meaning of these findings. Not only do important relationships formed in college impact the quality of the collegiate experience, they also affect engagement at work after college. A very sad additional finding is that only 14 percent of the 30,000 graduates polled experienced all three key faculty interactions. The poll also explored the idea of “well-being” after college based upon five dimensions:

1) purpose well-being (I like what I do) 2) financial well-being 3) social well-being 4) community well-being (I like where I live) 5) physical well-being. Odds of thriving in all areas of well-being were:

4.6x 2.5x 2x 1.9x 2 the MAGAZINE of ELON

higher if graduates were engaged at work h igher if they believed their college prepared them well for life outside of college higher if they were emotionally attached their school to higher if they had all three dimensions of mentor relationships identified above.

Again, these results point to the critical importance of the collegiate experience for thriving beyond college. Relationships formed in college between students and their faculty and staff mentors matter. They matter a great deal. I hear the word “community” perhaps more than any other to describe Elon. At its essence, a community is a set of human relationships bonded by common goals, purposes and mission. And in the end, human relationships formed in college, both peer-mentor and peer-to-peer, are at the heart of a meaningful collegiate experience. A primary goal of institutions committed to a high-quality undergraduate experience should be the continual examination of its practices to ensure the intentional cultivation of influential and meaningful personal relationships. One of Elon University’s great distinctions on the national landscape of American higher education is our leadership in the area of “high-impact” educational practices. For years, U.S. News & World Report has issued a “Focus on Student Success” ranking of key programs that enrich the college experience. Elon is the only university in the nation identified as a leader in seven high-impact practices:

1) Study abroad 2) Internships 3) Senior capstone experiences 4) First-year experiences 5) Learning communities 6) Service learning 7) Undergraduate research/creative projects. High-impact practices are high impact because they are relationship-rich experiences. Think about the impact your undergraduate research mentor had on your educational career, helping you to navigate the challenges of independent research. Recall the impact of your global studies professor or your Elon 101 instructor during your first year of adjustment to university life. Reflect on how your senior capstone professor helped you synthesize and integrate your undergraduate major. Mentors off campus are hugely influential as well. Perhaps an internship supervisor or

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in College Matter After College mentor turned out to be one of your most influential teachers. Indeed, relationships matter. The goal of fostering important human relationships drives much of the work of the Elon Commitment strategic plan. Let me provide three examples.

1 2 3

First, our commitment to reshape the residential

campus is driven by the idea that residential communities should aspire to be 24/7 environments for learning, including opportunities to have informal interactions with faculty, continue discussions started in the classroom over dinner and join in enriching and engaging out-of-class activities, such as films and informal presentations.

Engagement at Elon: 2014 National Survey of Student Engagement Support: Student-faculty interactions Percentage of seniors who said they talked to faculty often/very often about: Career plans Coursework outside of class

69% 53%

Deep learning: High-impact practices Percentage of seniors who: Had an internship, co-op, field experience, student teaching or clinical placement*

87%

aid at Elon stems from a desire for students to build relationships with talented people from all over the nation and the globe from different backgrounds and walks of life. We believe learning is enriched for everyone through these interactions and that the fabric of university life is strengthened immeasurably.

Participated in a study abroad program*

72% 43%

Third, a focus on relationship building drives the

Working effectively with others

Second, our commitment to double need-based

imagination process about the creation of the physical campus. The new School of Communications project underway, for example, was designed to create many informal spaces to encourage students to stay long after classes are dismissed and engage with faculty and with each other in comfortable gathering places throughout the building.

When you are asked to give your 60-second “elevator speech” about what makes Elon special, I hope you will say, “It’s about the incredible people there. Let me tell you about some of the relationships I formed at Elon that changed my life.” Leo M. Lambert President

Worked on a research project* Preparation: Life outside of college Percentage of seniors who said their Elon experience contributed quite a bit/very much to:

Job/work-related skills Being an informed/active citizen Developing a personal code of values Solving complex real-world problems Understanding people from other backgrounds * Done or in progress

86% 77% 74% 70% 69% 66%

UNDER THE OAKS The Magazine of Elon summer 2015 | Vol. 77, No. 3 The Magazine of Elon is published quarterly for alumni, parents and friends by the Office of University Communications. © 2015, Elon University ED I TO R

Keren Rivas ’04 D E SI G N ER S

Garry Graham Bryan Huffman PH OTO G R A PH Y

Kim Walker ED I TO R I A L S TA FF

Holley Berry Katie DeGraff Roselee Papandrea Eric Townsend CO N T R I B U TO R S

Belk Library Archives and Special Collections Kyle Lubinsky ’17 V I C E PR E SI D EN T, U N I V ER SI T Y CO M M U N I C AT I O NS

Daniel J. Anderson ED I TO R I A L O FFI C E S

The Magazine of Elon 2030 Campus Box Elon, NC 27244-2020 (336) 278-7415 elon.edu/magazine B OA R D O F T R US T EE S, C H A I R

Dr. William N.P. Herbert ’68

Charlottesville, Va.

ELO N A LU M N I B OA R D, PR E SI D EN T

Shannon Moody ’94

Richmond, Va.

YO U N G A LU M N I CO U N C I L , PR E SI D EN T

Scott Leighty ’09

Charlotte, N.C.

The new front door of the campus The Inman Admissions Welcome Center, which houses under one roof admissions staff, financial planning staff and welcome center staff, was officially dedicated May 1. inspired them to remain involved with the university for 19 years. “Our journey started in 1996 when our daughter chose Elon as her college of choice,” Bill said, adding that watching his daughter go through the signature Elon Experiences of service and study abroad set Elon apart. “That Elon experience can be found here and not at many universities in the United States.” The building’s exterior incorporates architectural features common to Elon’s campus. “Spectacular is the { William and Patricia Inman cut a ribbon to formally dedicate Elon’s new admissions only way to describe it,” said welcome center named in their honor. } Greg Zaiser ’90 MBA ’95, vice president of admissions and financial planning, who noted that since the he new 32,000-square-foot building sits on building opened in January, it has already greeted what was once the Moseley Center parking more than 7,000 prospective students and their lot and completes a landscaped quadrangle families. “What a great way to start their Elon that also includes Belk Library and North O’Kelly experience.” Avenue. It features a spacious lobby and atrium, About 12,000 prospective students visited conference and interview rooms, two presentation campus in 2013-14. With strong growth in the theaters and office suites. number of prospective students from Illinois, The facility is named for Elon Trustee William Texas and California, on top of established interest “Bill” Inman and his wife, Patricia, who are the in Elon from the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, a parents of Jackie Inman Burns, a 2000 Elon welcome center had become a top priority for the graduate whose undergraduate experience university.

PA R EN T S CO U N C I L , CO - PR E SI D EN T S

Andy & Muffy Fox P’14 P’15 P’17 Greenwich, Conn.

SCHO OL OF L AW ADV ISORY BOARD, CHAIR

David Gergen

Cambridge, Mass.

S C H O O L O F CO M M U N I C AT I O NS A D V IS O RY B OA R D, N AT I O N A L C H A I R

Brian Williams p’13

New Canaan, Conn.

S C H O O L O F CO M M U N I C AT I O NS A D V IS O RY B OA R D, C H A I R

Michael Radutzky P’12 P’17 Summit, N.J.

M A R T H A A N D SPEN C ER LO V E S C H O O L O F B USI N E SS A D V IS O RY B OA R D, C H A I R

William S. Creekmuir p’09 p’10

Atlanta, Ga.

PH O EN I X C LU B A D V IS O RY B OA R D, C H A I R

Mike Cross

Burlington, N.C.

4 the MAGAZINE of ELON

Two alumni elected to Elon Board of Trustees W. Cecil Worsley III ’86 and Jasmine Turner ’15 have been elected to serve as Elon University trustees. Worsley will serve a four-year term and Turner will serve a two-year term as youth trustee.

orsley, a supporter of Elon athletics and a former member of the golf team, donated funds to name the W. Cecil Worsley III Golf Training Center on campus. He is a member of Elon’s President’s Advisory Council and the President’s Athletic Advisory Council. Worsley owns and operates Black Gold Holdings LLC, the Port City Java coffee shop chain and Springer Eubank Company, a wholesale fuel and convenience store chain. He and wife JoAnna Sutton Worsley ’87 are the parents of W. Cecil Worsley IV ’14. Turner, of Richmond, Va., a broadcast journalism graduate, has completed three internships, including at CBS’s “60 Minutes” in New York City and NBC4 in Washington, D.C. She has anchored Elon’s student-produced television news program and was on the student team that produced Elon’s live morning show that won second place nationally for alternative programming in the College Television Awards.

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As the expansion of the School of Communications in the historic part of campus gets underway, several other projects promise to increase classroom, office, recording and recreation spaces across the university.

EXPANDING ARTS WEST

1 SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATIONS EXPANSION

Construction of a new 55,000-square-foot, two-story building framing Under the Oaks began in early June. The facility will be connected to McEwen building through a glass atrium that will lead onto a campus entrance plaza in downtown Elon. A second 7,300-square-foot building will be built nearby, while McEwen and Long buildings will undergo renovations. The project is expected to be complete by fall 2016.

2 2

DANIELEY RECREATION CENTER A new recreation center in the Danieley neighborhood will welcome students in the 2015-16 school year. The 14,850-square-foot multipurpose center on the north edge of campus includes a 1,200-square-foot fitness area and a gymnasium that accommodates two full basketball courts. It also adds offices for recreation staff and a catering kitchen.

At Arts West, a renovation and construction project provides 10,750 square feet of space for Elonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growing music production and recording arts program. Approximately 3,500 square feet of space formerly used by Print Services and storage for the Belk Library archives have been renovated to include two recording studios with a large ensemble recording room and two isolation recording rooms, four classrooms, three practice rooms and 11 new faculty offices.

DANIELEY CENTER COMMONS ADDITION A 3,800-square-foot expansion to the east side of the Violet Hoffman Daniel Commons Building is adding a four-office suite for Residence Life staff. It includes a large gathering room that can be divided into a classroom and a lounge. An Einstein Bros. Bagels takes the place of the existing office space in Daniel Commons, joining Qdoba Mexican Grill.

Visit elon.edu/enet for the latest campus news. summer 2015â&#x20AC;&#x192; 5

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“Adversity is a part of life. It can be major or minor, but how you deal with it will determine your character. … When it [happens], will you rise to the occasion, will you allow it to make you stronger, or will it get the best of you?” — Political commentator Charlie Cook P’15 delivering Elon’s Commencement address on May 23.

‘A SENSE OF PLACE’

new four-story building on Haggard Avenue will soon change the landscape of downtown Elon. The 53,000-square-foot project, called “Park Place at Elon,” will feature 45 apartments and ground floor retail space with a large enough sidewalk for outdoor restaurant dining. It is the first major development in compliance with the Town of Elon’s master plan approved by the Board of Aldermen in 2014. The plan aims to enhance a walkable community and grow a “sense of place” that local officials hope will make the area a commercial destination for residents of Alamance County. Park Place will rise next to Skids restaurant and within feet of the parking lot of The Oaks residential neighborhood. The university is leasing the land to the private developers who are constructing and will own the building. The project is scheduled to be complete by early next summer. “This is an investment in our community,” said Gerald Whittington, the university’s senior vice president for business, finance and technology. “These projects are crucial to developing a vibrant downtown Elon.”

“We might not have the words, but we have the tears, we have sighs, we have groaning, we have breaking hearts. Coming [to God] with our wordless grief is enough.” — University Chaplain Jan Fuller during a campus gathering after the June 17 shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C., which left nine people dead.

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT Tyler Meacham ’16, a cinema and television arts major, placed second in the broadcast category of the 2015 PSAid: Public Service Announcements for International Disasters competition hosted by the U.S. Agency for International Development. The national contest seeks creative ways to educate Americans on making effective gifts to international relief organizations. Filmed in stop-motion, Meacham’s video, “Canned,” shows how it might cost fewer than $12 to donate a dozen cans of soup to disaster 6 the MAGAZINE of ELON

relief, but up to $300 for relief organizations to ship the food.

interactive news museum in Washington, D.C.

Rising seniors Danielle Deavens and Connor Del Prete were selected for this summer’s Scripps Howard Foundation’s Internship and Scholarship Program. They both received $3,000 summer grants, along with a $500 scholarship for the fall semester. Deavens, a journalism and English double major, interned at Essence magazine in New York. A broadcast journalism and statistics double major, Del Prete interned at Newseum, an

Laura Sturdivant ’15 and Alexander Ward ’14 have received Princeton in Asia awards designed for recent college graduates to help serve various needs across Asia. A marketing and finance double major, Sturdivant will work in Yangon, Myanmar, in the marketing department for the The Myanmar Times. Ward, a psychology major, will work with the Hinrich Foundation in Manila, Philippines.

Journalism majors Al Drago ’15 and Michael Bodley ’16 garnered top honors in the Society of Professional Journalists’ 2014 Mark of Excellence Awards. A freelance photojournalist, chief photographer for “Elon Local News” and former photo editor for The Pendulum, Drago won three national awards in breaking news and general photography. Bodley, The Pendulum’s editor-in-chief, won in the breaking news reporting category.

CAMPUS

UNCOMMONS BY ROSELEE PAPANDREA

Gerald Whittington strives for balance in his professional life. It’s a must for Elon’s senior vice president for business, finance and technology as he juggles two careers. He is both the university’s chief financial officer and a professional classical singer. While the two seem worlds apart, Whittington easily embraces both roles. “If people know me as the CFO at Elon, they are surprised to know I sing,” he says. “Those who know me in the singing world are surprised to learn I am the CFO at Elon.” Whittington’s passion for singing started when he was about 6. He grew up in Europe, and in those days boys either played soccer or sang in a choir. Whittington opted to sing and had the benefit of voice lessons. When he arrived as a freshman at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, his choice of career paths was endless. But as a lyric baritone, he was in a crowd of many. “If you want an opera career, you are either the tenor’s best friend who gets killed in the second act, the comic relief or someone’s grandpa,” Whittington says. Finance wasn’t his first passion, but Whittington didn’t like the odds. He knew he wouldn’t land many roles with so many vying for the same parts. He also wanted a life that included a house and family and after living in 60 different homes by the time he was 20, traveling all the time from one performance to another had little appeal. He went on to earn an MBA from Duke University and served as an administrator at several universities before joining Elon’s staff in 1992. Throughout the career moves, he also continued singing, tapping into both sides of his brain and honing what he calls a “symbiotic relationship between the professional work and the professional singing.” At one point, he was performing 60 to 70 times a year with four professional groups and church choirs. These days he performs with Bel Canto Company, a choral ensemble in Greensboro. As for his voice, he still uses it often. “I sing an hour every day, somewhere and somehow,” he says. What faculty or staff member do you think is uncommon? Send a suggestion to themagazineofelon@gmail.com.

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FACULTY/STAFF SPOTLIGHT Six staff members were honored May 29 for their contributions to the university. Mark Terrell, Elon’s utilities manager, was named Physical Plant Staff Member of the Year; Susan Lindley, executive assistant to the vice president for Student Life and dean of students, was named Office Staff Member of the Year; Pam Brumbaugh, director of experiential education in the Student Professional Development Center, was named Administrative Staff Member of the Year; Leigh-Anne Royster, director of inclusive community well-being, received the Phoenix Community Engagement Award; Jeremy Ball, director of advancement services, received the Phoenix Innovation Award; and Jan Register, program assistant to the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life, received the Phoenix Rising Award. Elon Law Professor Michael Rich has been named Jennings Professor of Law. The professorship recognizes and supports the work of an Elon Law faculty

SYLLABUZZ

member who has fewer than 15 years in the profession and has shown extraordinary promise as a teacher and a scholar. Three faculty members in Elon College, the College of Arts & Sciences published books in the spring. Professor of Sociology and Distinguished University Professor Thomas Henricks explores conditions that instigate playful behavior and activities in Play and the Human Condition, published by the University of Illinois Press. In Clean Data, published by Packt Publishing, Associate Professor of Computing Sciences Megan Squire highlights the importance of data cleaning and teaches data scientists how to extract and clean data stored in various file formats. Professor of English Kevin Boyle’s book of poems, Astir, was published by Jacar Press, and focuses on contemporary poetry.

BY KATIE DEGRAFF

Four Elon professors were recognized May 13 for superior teaching, scholarship, service and mentoring. Cindy Fair, professor of human service studies, received the Distinguished Scholar Award. Heather Scavone, assistant professor of law and director of the law school’s Humanitarian Immigration Law

CHM 132: CSI: Reality - Chemistry from the Cutting Room Floor

ain splatters on a body bag as detectives secure the crime scene. DNA evidence pulled from the body helps to identify a suspect. With science as her star witness, the prosecutor convinces the jury they must convict. And in an hour, the mystery is solved and the killer is locked away in jail. If only real life was so simple. In reality, crime scenes are often compromised, collecting and transporting evidence can be problematic, and scientific evidence isn’t always conclusive. “There’s some good science in a lot of these crime shows, but there’s also a tendency to oversimplify the process,” says Karl Sienerth, professor of chemistry who teaches “CSI: Reality—Chemistry from the Cutting Room Floor.” And while it’s just entertainment, he adds, it has the potential to turn into an issue if jurors don’t understand forensics isn’t always conclusive. Sienerth has been teaching the online course for five years and says his priorities are for students to emerge with an understanding of

8 the MAGAZINE of ELON

Clinic, received the Periclean Award for Civic Engagement and Social Responsibility. Cassie Kircher, professor of English, received the Daniels-Danieley Award for Excellence in Teaching. Janet Myers, professor of English, received the Ward Family Excellence in Mentoring Award.

the scientific process and the limitations of forensics. They’ll be better-informed citizens if they can help debunk misconceptions. The class begins with a study of the crime scene. What does the first person to arrive on the scene have to do to secure the area? How should forensic evidence be collected, and how is it transported from the scene to the lab? As the class progresses and students dig deeper into the course material, Sienerth assigns a series of “view and respond” and “read and respond” assignments that send students to scientific articles and crime TV shows to apply what they’ve learned. The “view and respond” assignments require students not just to critique the application of forensics but to also think about why the director or producer made particular choices. Of the legion of true crime TV shows, which does it best? Sienerth points to “NCIS,” the long-running CBS series. The worst offender, in terms of scientific accuracy, is “CSI: Miami,” he says. Students also work together in a series of group projects that walk them through both fingerprint and DNA analysis.

HEALTH PARTNERSHIP

our members of the Elon Class of 2015 are spending the first year of their professional careers in service to the community through the Elon-Alamance Health Partners program, a new partnership with local organizations dedicated to improving the health and well-being of Alamance County residents. Hannah Allen, a public health studies major, partnered with Alamance Regional Medical Center; Catherine Palmer, a public health studies major, partnered with Healthy Alamance; Maria Restuccio, an economics major, partnered with Impact Alamance; and Shelby Smith, a public health studies major, partnered with the Alamance County Health Department. The four graduates will learn about community health assessment, strategic planning, program development and implementation, cultural diversity, communication skills and interpersonal leadership. The university and the four partner agencies are funding the program, providing an annual salary for each fellow, campus housing at Elon, health insurance and a year-end bonus for partners who attend graduate school in North Carolina or accept full-time employment in Alamance or a neighboring county. The idea of the program originated in 2014 in conversation among members of the university’s School of Health Sciences Advisory Board, which coincided with Elon President Leo M. Lambert’s call for Elon students and alumni to consider a “year of service” in line with The Franklin Project, a national initiative that calls for full-year service opportunities for young people to make a difference in their communities.

Each team must identify the perpetrator and also clear the other suspects. Their final project requires an analysis of three episodes of a true crime TV show that touches on all major themes covered in the course. It’s at this point that Sienerth notices students’ increasing comfort throwing around terms like “mass spectrometer” and “infrared photography.” The course is designed for non-science majors and seems to be of particular interest to communications and performing arts students—both audiences that could benefit from a practical understanding of forensic science. “Some students come to this class because they want to learn more about the science behind TV shows they enjoy, others just think it sounds interesting,” Sienerth says. “However they find the class, what I enjoy is that they gain a solid background in chemistry applied to a very practical application.”

Social Presence Elon’s social media presence continues to grow as a primary tool to share news and information about life on campus and beyond. Here are some fun facts about the university’s main accounts and the most popular posts so far this year:

74,180+

99,000 people reached 407 shares

2,140+ likes

The combined number of followers of the university’s main Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn accounts.

One of the most watched and shared videos on Facebook was a video of the second winter storm that rolled into campus Feb. 25. The most used word in the comments? “Beautiful!”

ABOUT THE PROFESSOR Karl Sienerth is a professor of chemistry, chair of the Department of Chemistry and former director of Elon’s Undergraduate Research Program. He joined Elon in 1998 and has been a mentor to Elon students and alumni throughout his career. He was the first recipient of the Japheth E. Rawls Professorship, which encourages collaborative work between faculty and students who are involved in scientific research. Sienerth’s academic interest is analytical chemistry and the practical application of forensics.

RECOMMENDED MATERIALS • Forensic Science: From the Crime Scene to the Crime Lab (second edition) by Richard Saferstein • Dr.Henry Lee’s Forensic Files by Henry Lee • “Forensic Files” TV series • crimescene.com, an interactive site that provides weekly updates on simulated crimes as you work toward solving them

A photo of the sunrise on a summer morning featuring the Inman Admissions Welcome Center inspired awe on Instagram and left many alumni wishing to come back to campus. X

88 retweets & 97 favorites “It’s gonna be May,” a fun meme from April 30 featuring pop culture icon Justin Timberlake, brought much laughter to Twitter followers who were ready for warmer weather.

Follow Elon University on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Alumni can also stay connected via Elon Alumni on Facebook and Twitter. Sports fanatics can follow Elon Phoenix on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Source: Office of University Communications

summer 2015 9

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calendar

Media figures, classical musician headline cultural programs

For a complete list of events, check the E-net calendar at elon.edu/e-net/calendar.

Some of the biggest names in their fields are visiting campus for cultural programs that promote the university’s intellectual climate and recognize student achievement.

PREVIEW

CAMPUS HAPPENINGS

MONDAY, SEPT. 14

Jennifer Granholm, former governor and former attorney general of Michigan Part of Elon University School of Law’s Bryan Distinguished Leadership Lecture Series.

ulitzer Prize-winning columnist Leonard Pitts Jr. makes a return visit to Elon for the Sept. 24 Baird Pulitzer Prize Lecture, titled “Race in America.” Pitts last appeared on campus in 2009 for a program jointly sponsored by the

THURSDAY, SEPT. 17

Chicago Afro-Latin Jazz Ensemble Elon University Lyceum Series A new and innovative force on the Latin Jazz scene that delivers captivating performances and high energy. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 30

Piper Kerman, “Gettin’ Outta This Place”

A non-violent drug offender turned advocate for criminal justice reform, Piper Kerman became a best-selling author with Orange is the New Black.

{ Itzhak Perlman }

Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life and the School of Communications. Internationally acclaimed musician Itzhak Perlman visits campus Oct. 6 for a conversation as part of Fall Convocation in Alumni Gym. Perlman has received four Emmy Awards and 16 Grammy Awards and has performed with major orchestras and at venerable concert halls around the globe. In January 2016, MSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry will deliver the Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Address in McCrary Theatre. The author of two books serves as executive director of the Pro Humanitate Institute and founding director of the Anna Julia Cooper Center on Gender, Race, and Politics in the South at Wake Forest University. Tickets for Fall Convocation with Perlman and the Baird Pulitzer Prize Lecture with Pitts will be available in September through the Box Office. Ticket information for Harris-Perry will be available early next year.

THURSDAY-SATURDAY, OCT. 22-24 THURSDAY-SATURDAY, OCT. 29-31

Department of Performing Arts presents “Oklahoma!” This legendary musical by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein has delighted audiences since its Broadway debut in 1943. WEDNESDAY, NOV. 4

The National Acrobats of the People’s Republic of China

Under the direction of Han Ning, this troupe is one of the most acclaimed in China.

10 the MAGAZINE of ELON

ELON HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES ANNOUNCED Four exceptional former athletes and a longtime athletics administrator will be honored Sept. 19 as part of the 45th Sports Hall of Fame Class. Senior Associate Athletics Director for Business and Operations Kyle Wills ’81 and former women’s soccer defender Ginger Staulcup Dicarlo ’96, volleyball and softball star Debbie Hall ’96, baseball infielder Brian Ingram ’03 and softball outfielder Danielle Concepcion ’05 will be inducted at a 1:30 p.m. ceremony in Whitley Auditorium. They will also be recognized during halftime of Elon’s

football game against North Carolina A&T State University at 6 p.m. in Rhodes Stadium. Admission to the afternoon event is free and open to the public. Tickets for the football game are available via the athletics ticket office at 336-278-6750 or elonphoenix.com. Hall of Fame members can also contact the ticket office to reserve two free tickets.

LONG LIVE ELON

{ A rendering of Steers Pavilion in the Communications quad }

Steers family gives $2.5 million to School of Communications campaign BY JALEH HAGIGH

lon parents Bob and Lauren Steers of Rye, N.Y., have made a $2.5 million gift to the School of Communications campaign, helping the university move forward with plans to expand academic facilities for one of the nation’s finest communications schools. Bob and Lauren Steers are among the 42 parents and alumni whose major gifts have helped raise $15.2 million for the campaign, exceeding the $15 million goal. Their son, J.P. Steers, is a member of Elon’s Class of 2015. Speaking on behalf of his family, Bob Steers praised the School of Communications for its commitment to excellence. “Every great school has its flagship programs, and we believe the School of Communications is a flagship for Elon,” said

“Every great school has its flagship programs, and we believe the School of Communications is a flagship for Elon.” —Bob Steers P’15

Steers, chief executive officer of Cohen & Steers Inc., a global investment manager. “The engaged learning practices of the faculty in the school had a profound impact on our son. His coursework and his professors truly challenged him and through this engagement he found his passion.” In recognition of this gift, a new 7,300-square-foot communications pavilion will be named in honor of the Steers family. Steers Pavilion is one of two new facilities included in the project, which also features renovations to Long building and McEwen building, the current home of the school. “We are grateful to Bob and Lauren for their extraordinary commitment to Elon and to the School of Communications,” Elon President Leo M. Lambert said. “This expansion will take a top-tier school to new levels of excellence by promoting innovation and creativity that will benefit students and faculty for generations to come.” The expansion will more than double the current space for the school and bring academic programs and student media organizations together into a unified quadrangle that will frame the historic grove of oaks where Elon holds Commencement and New Student Convocation ceremonies.

{ Lauren and Bob Steers }

Steers Pavilion, to be located on Lebanon Avenue across from Whitley Auditorium, is a key part of the expansion and will house the internationally acclaimed Imagining the Internet Center, along with a media analytics lab, faculty offices and a student-faculty research area. Construction on Steers Pavilion is scheduled to begin in the fall. Work began in early June on the larger of the two new facilities, the two-story, 55,000-square-foot building named for Elon parents Dwight and Martha Schar, which will connect to McEwen building. The communications complex is scheduled to open in fall 2016. summer 2015 11

LONG LIVE ELON

making a difference

{ R. Keith Bulla ’65, left, and Martha Browning ’10, above, are loyal Elon supporters and part of a growing volunteer force planning reunion activities for their respective classes during Homecoming weekend. }

Celebrating their Elon experience BY KYLE LUBINSKY ’17

For more than 100 years, Elon’s class reunions have brought graduates back to campus to reminisce and give back to a school that means so much to them.

TO LEARN MORE

about how you can become a sustaining donor with recurring monthly or annual contributions to Elon, visit elon.edu/giving. For more information about class reunions, visit elon.edu/classreunions.

12 the MAGAZINE of ELON

or R. Keith Bulla ’65 and Martha Browning ’10, giving back to Elon is natural. Bulla, who lives in Greensboro, N.C., has watched Elon grow into a global institution, something he describes as a surreal experience. “I feel like I have a lot of loyalty to Elon,” he says, a loyalty that has inspired consistent giving for the past 50 years. His time at Elon prepared Bulla for the real world: he learned problem-solving skills that served him well as a consultant. On his trips around the country, he has seen Elon’s growth—people have approached him thousands of miles from Elon’s campus asking about the school. When the opportunity to volunteer arose, it was an easy decision for him to get involved in planning his 50th class reunion, which takes place Oct. 16-18 during Elon’s Homecoming festivities. The celebration includes a tour of campus and a brunch celebrating the Class of 1965’s induction as Golden Alumni, a distinction reserved for those who graduated from Elon at least 50 years ago. Much has changed on campus since he graduated, but Bulla’s enthusiasm for his alma mater has remained the same. “It’s a special place,” he says. “Used to be that you couldn’t get lost there, but I heard you can now.” Browning shares Bulla’s appreciation for Elon. She knew she wanted to attend the school after her first tour in high school. A native of Raleigh, N.C., she was an active volunteer during

her undergraduate years as a member of Sigma Kappa. When she became an alumna, she remained connected by attending events with other graduates in the Raleigh area, which often feels like meeting up with old friends as they reminisce about college. That sense of togetherness inspired her to give to Elon every year since graduation. Browning, who works for a public relations agency, says it was a milestone to be able to give back as an alumna. “It was my way of thanking Elon for the education that led me to be able to get a job.” As one of the reunion committee chairs for the Class of 2010, she has been at the forefront of the class’s fifth reunion, which includes fundraising for the class gift. Continuous giving, she says, is important because every little bit counts, adding it also serves as a chance to reconnect with classmates and to make those who cannot attend still feel like they are connected to the Elon community. She and Bulla are a part of The 1889 Society, which recognizes alumni donors for their loyal annual support. Although Bulla and Browning graduated 45 years apart, they are still tied together by their Elon experience. “Being able to hear some of those stories about Elon from when I wasn’t there, and then even for the Class of 2015 Reunion Zero, being able to tell [them] stories from when we were in college,” she says, “that’s what always brings people together.”

PHOENIX SPORTS

▶ elonphoenix.com

OUT OF THE PARK

BY KYLE LUBINSKY ’17

PHOTOS: ASHLEY KING

Elon’s baseball team finished the 2015 season with many reasons to be proud. In its first year as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association, the club defeated several ranked opponents on its way to a fourthplace conference finish. Five players earned all-CAA honors and two players earned all-state honors.

ut perhaps no other accomplishment brings more pride than what the team achieved this spring when it raised $30,389 for the Vs. Cancer Foundation, finishing first out of 67 teams competing in the nationwide campaign. The total surpassed the team’s goal of $6,000 and marked the fourth year the Phoenix raised money for a nonprofit that works to fight cancer on a global scale. “It feels great to lead the way in a fundraising event such as this,” said junior pitcher Michael Elefante, who raised $2,140. “Our team took a great sense of pride in raising money.” Senior infielder Tyler McVicar led the effort with a staggering $23,100 raised. For McVicar, the cause is personal. The Melrose, Mass., native grew up playing Little League with a boy who battled cancer and was constantly in and out of surgery. In high school, one of his close friends died of cancer. The loss motivated McVicar to raise money for the cause since joining the Phoenix; he led the team last year as well, raising $10,995 in donations. His strategy for raising money is simple: contact as many people as possible to donate to Vs. Cancer. Combining the people he knows with his parents’ connections, McVicar establishes contact through phone, email and social media. Many people have

{ Above: The baseball team after the Vs. Cancer event on May 10. Left: Michael Elefante having his head shaved for the cause. Below: Tyler McVicar’s before and after photos. }

donated all four years and tell others about the cause. “Once people find out what is going on, it gets pretty contagious and people are very willing to donate,” he said. The fight against cancer resonates with many members of the team. “Most all of us have a relative, a friend, a co-worker, some sort of acquaintance that has been diagnosed with cancer,” head coach Mike Kennedy said. “Many people use those experiences to get behind a cause.” The team has done just that, with 28 players contributing to the fundraising. The Phoenix held an event after its May 10 game against the University of Delaware, where the players shaved their heads for the cause. Vs. Cancer founder and chief executive officer Chase Jones, nephew of former Elon baseball coach Rick Jones, spoke about the foundation and the way the money would benefit those with cancer. Jones, a former UNC baseball player, was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor when he was 18. Since then, he has focused his efforts on the foundation, which works to raise

money for cancer research. The organization holds fundraisers through high school, colleges and minor league baseball teams. Since 2011 the team has raised upwards of $75,000 to fight childhood cancer. Half of the proceeds from this year’s fundraiser go to a local childhood cancer hospital, while the other half funds research nationally. “We are provided an opportunity to serve by raising money that helps children in our own community to have access to better care and better treatment, all by cutting our hair,” Kennedy said. “That’s not much of a sacrifice. We are blessed to be able to play the great game of baseball and be kids just about every day.”

Retired coach

publishes book on tennis

om Parham, a distinguished former Elon tennis coach and professor, has published a book, The Little Green Book of Tennis. Parham shares winning techniques and observations from his own five decades helping others enjoy the sport. For more information on the book, including ways to order it in print or for e-readers, visit https://tomparham.wordpress.com or email Parham at ethomasparham@gmail.com.

summer 2015 13

PHOENIX SPORTS

▶ elonphoenix.com

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT KIMBERLY JOHANSEN BY KYLE LUBINSKY ’17

She used to be a dancer. Johansen started dancing at a young age but stopped at around 16 when she was told she’d have to choose between running and dance. Though she could have opted to go to dance school, Johansen says she stopped dancing because she “wasn’t the best at it.” Her choice proved to be prudent, as she was later named team captain at Chelmer Valley High School, where she was the Essex County Champion in the 800 meters and runner-up in the 1,500-meter race.

14 the MAGAZINE of ELON

She loves giraffes . “I just grew up loving them,” she says with a smile. “My brother really loves rhinos. I think we all just have a favorite animal. My mum really loves penguins, my little brother really loves lions.” When she goes to the zoo, her first stop is the giraffe exhibit. She stores her keys on a key chain that is attached to a stuffed giraffe.

She’s traveled most of Europe. Her favorite country to visit is Greece, but she’s been to Italy, Spain and Turkey, among others. Her father enjoys history, which has led her to Rome and to exploring cave paintings. “I’m really not that much into history, but when you’re young you don’t really get a choice,” she chuckles. More recently, she has been to France to visit her cousin, and to the Canary Islands for a family vacation.

She is an avid baker. “I bake a lot when I’m at home,” she says. She often bakes with her younger brother, and especially enjoys making cupcakes. She discovered the hobby before starting college, but doesn’t have the time to bake at school due to her busy training schedule. Despite her affinity for baking, Johansen doesn’t enjoy eating many of the treats. “I’m not a big cake eater,” she says. “I’ll bake them all, and then other people will eat them.”

PHOTO: JACK PRIOR/NEWTON SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY

Kimberly Johansen ’17 played a pivotal role in the Elon women’s track and field Colonial Athletic Association championship-winning season. A native of Chelmsford, England, Johansen was named 2015 CAA Most Outstanding Performer of the CAA Women’s Track & Field Championship after winning both the 800- and 1,500-meter races. During her first year with the Phoenix, she was named to the Outdoor Southern Conference All-Freshman team. Her career at Elon has been defined by records—she set school records in the 800 meters and the one-mile race this year, and broke her own record in the 1,000-meter run. Although she is fiercely competitive, Johansen enjoys a variety of relaxing activities in her spare time. She sat down with The Magazine of Elon to share five things about herself. She once ran a race in an Olympic Stadium. Before coming to Elon, Johansen spent two years at college in her native England. It gave her the opportunity to compete in the British Universities Championships. The championships were a test for the Olympics—the procedures were identical to prepare for the 2012 London Games. “I’d never done any major championship, nothing,” she says. She distinctly remembers the size of the arena; it was overwhelming. Her time was fast enough to secure a spot at the English Schools Track and Field Cup. “That was a big achievement,” she says.

Beyond lesson plans BY MAGGIE CARSON ’95

People have reputations. You know people who are kind, honest and dependable, and others who are arrogant, lazy and angry. I want to be known as a person who is loving, caring and patient; someone who is prepared, effective and can maximize the time spent with her students. When I did my student teaching in 1995, I was led and expected to be this kind of teacher. The biggest demand professors at Elon wanted to see was that we were prepared.

nd so, for the past 20 years, I’ve prepared for each new class. The 2014-15 school year was no different. But then, during my summer break I was informed of an issue I would need to deal with over the next nine months. After a one-hour crash course in diabetes, I was prepared for one student to enter my room who was dependent on me to calculate carbs and dispense insulin to her body while teaching her to read, comprehend, calculate math and write five-sentence paragraphs. Little did I know the pump that was attached to her body, which seemed so challenging to me at first, would later be simple compared to other issues I would face in the classroom. PHOTO: THE FAYETTEVILLE OBSERVER/RAUL R. RUBIERA With a positive attitude and a caring heart, I approached this challenge as if this student was my own biological child. The school year was starting out with the usual business when another student, who had not been feeling well, was hospitalized for having an extremely high blood glucose level. After visits with him and his family, I was given another round of diabetes training. This time, the student did not have a pump for his insulin, so I had to give him insulin injections after calculating his carbs. Again, facing this challenge head on as if he was my own, we moved forward with teaching reading, math, writing, science, social studies and diabetes. As October rolled around, we were celebrating and learning about fall when my third challenge, and the most heartbreaking one, came calling on a Sunday night. With fear in her voice, the mother of one of my students called to tell me her precious 6-year-old girl had fallen in church. After a trip to the emergency room, they were rushing her to Chapel Hill because they discovered she had a brain tumor. That phone call only lasted three minutes, long enough for the mom to

tell me she would not be attending a conference the next day and to please pray for her daughter. Later that week my sweet student was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, a terminal brain tumor. The emotions I felt were indescribable. This was a challenge I was not prepared to face. But my experiences at Elon did prepare me to care, and to care a lot. So we moved forward as normal each day, helping this little girl live and experience an extraordinary life along the way. My classroom is only a small sample of what schoolteachers face each day. There are so many issues in public education. We read or hear about them on the news, we listen to policy makers make promises about them and, sometimes as parents of children, we even deal with them. It seems many politicians focus on how schools are failing, and their only solution is standardization, accountability and high-stakes testing. I could easily write about factors affecting education such as poverty, less-than-ideal family environments, lack of parent involvement, budget cuts, funding or standardized testing. But problems in education are not what teachers focus on each day. We focus on our students. We care. We take action. We teach. We focus on each student and not the data or statistics students are becoming. These little people are more to us than an arrow that is going up or down. I have been asked many times why I teach. Is it my passion? Some days I can answer “yes.” Other days, I can only search for the positives. But I do know the reason I teach is because I care about others. I teach because I enjoy the challenge each day brings to me. I teach because the world deserves children who are moving in the right direction. I teach because little girls with brain tumors deserve to learn in a caring environment with their friends. So to the world of education, I say, take action. Decide to care. Teach your students or children to care. With desire and commitment, we can build a fire inside our children that catches others on fire. Pass it on. A career educator, Maggie Carson ’95 is a first-grade teacher at Alma Easom Elementary School in Fayetteville, N.C. Earlier this year, she was a semifinalist for the Top Teacher of 2015 contest by the syndicated TV show “Live with Kelly & Michael.” You can follow the progress of Carson’s student diagnosed with DIPG by visiting “Operation Grace White” on Facebook. summer 2015 15

FUN Irresistibly

PHOTO: DAMIAN BATTINELLI

16 the MAGAZINE of ELON

auren Adams ’04 recently headed to a beach house in Rhode Island to spend some time with friends she made while at Elon. She loves life in Brooklyn, N.Y.— it’s where the Maryland native finally settled after graduating—but she was looking forward to being by the ocean and the possibilities it always seems to offer. After all, the actress and comedian has a good luck streak when it comes to beach visits. She was in the Bahamas during the spring of her senior year in high school when she learned via a phone call from her mother that she was accepted into Elon’s music theatre program. More recently, it was during a trip to Costa Rica when opportunity knocked again. It was her agent who called that time, urging her to return to New York because she had a callback audition with comedian, writer and producer Tina Fey for a role in the Netflix original series “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.” “I left the next day at 3 a.m.,” Adams says, thinking back to that moment. And after dealing with customs, two planes, a really long cab ride and an audition with Fey via Skype, she landed the role of a lifetime as Gretchen Chalker, one of the four Indiana Mole Women who spent 15 years under the thumb of a cult leader in an underground bunker. It’s Adams’ first “TV job,” and the actress turned comedian thinks she might be onto something. “Maybe I should be taking more tropical vacations if I’m getting all this good news when I’m on the beach,” she jokes, wondering aloud if the Rhode Island excursion might lead to another job. “Maybe I’ll book something. I’ll keep my cell phone on.” Adams has had plenty of dramatic roles throughout her career and has appeared in or has done voice-overs in commercials for a variety of products, including at&t, ChapStick, Boar’s Head, ikea, Downy and Corona. “It let

From a ‘little clown’ to a co-starring role in Netflix’s original series “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” Lauren Adams ’04 has reached her professional destination: comedy stardom.

NNY me quit waiting tables,” she says. “I had a goal that I wanted to quit waiting tables before I was 30 and commercials allowed me to do that.” But she thinks she might have finally found her niche with comedy. “It has taken me awhile to get there,” she says. “Since I’ve been in New York, I’ve become really invested in comedy and love the comedy community.” When she looks at the breadth of her career, she has clearly arrived at the place she was always heading. “Looking back at my life, I guess I was a little clown,” she says. “I don’t think it was until I got to New York and started doing improv that I thought I could make comedy a career.” ❋ ❋ ❋

After her graduation from Elon, Adams did regional and summer stock theater in California. When she moved to New York in 2006 and found herself lost in the shuffle of one audition after another, she started taking classes at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, or UCB for short, an improvisational and sketch comedy training center with two theaters in New York and two in Los Angeles. It was there that Adams found a community and a comedic voice she could call her own. “I love making people laugh,” she says. “I think it’s a very important thing that we laugh and put a lot of value in it.” Prior to landing the role on “Kimmy Schmidt,” she performed at UCB regularly with her sketch group, Onassis Comedy, and other improv groups. She also starred in a one-woman play called, “Pig: A Restaurant,” which she co-created with Leila Cohan-Miccio, a former editor for Grub Street Boston, a food and restaurant website. The satirical play lasted for six months and sold out in New York, Los Angeles and Boston. The two met at UCB and combined their love of New York’s food scene with comedy. “I knew a lot

PHOTO: ERIC LIEBOWITZ/NETFLIX

BY ROSELEE PAPANDREA

{ Lauren Adams ’04 plays Gretchen (far left) in the Netflix original series “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.” }

about crazy chefs and annoying waitresses,” says Adams, who played seven different characters, switching back and forth from a food critic to chef to urban farmer to publicist, to name a few. “It was really fun.” In 2013 she did a segment on “Late Show with David Letterman” where she played the role of Daphne, a fashion expert, and ambushed Letterman with a summer fashion show. “I feel lucky that I got to sit with him before he was gone,” she says of Letterman, whose longstanding show ended in May. It was a whirlwind experience. She rehearsed the comedy sketch with the writers and then it was off to hair and make up. She didn’t see Letterman until the show was live. “Dave doesn’t pull punches,” she says. “If he doesn’t like it, he says it. It was a little nerve-racking but awesome. That bit was less than a minute, and I think I fully blacked out during it because it was so cool.” Despite her healthy sense of humor and quick wit, Adams is serious about her work. Still, she can’t help but enjoy herself, especially now that her Netflix gig has her working with legends like Fey and Robert Carlock, who also wrote and produced “Saturday Night Live” and “30 Rock.” “It’s a really super long play that I get to be in,” she says. “I get to live as Gretchen for however many years we get to do this. I wonder what she’ll turn into. It seems really cool to be able to work on a character for a long time.” The pilot was shot in spring 2014 and then they had the summer off while the rest of the show was written. Adams used the time wisely and watched “30 Rock” so she could get into the rhythm of Fey’s and Carlock’s writing style. “I’m a big fan of ‘30 Rock,’” she says. “I think it has the most jokes per minute, or JPM, of any show on TV.” And while she has one season in the books, it still feels new to her. “I’m still getting used to

the lay of the land,” Adams says. “I still feel like I’m the only one who doesn’t know what I’m doing.” The job certainly had its intimidating moments, especially given the talent of the cast, many of whom also worked on “30 Rock.” “Tina Fey was very cool, very nice and very professional,” Adams says. “I felt like I was in very good hands—talk about people who have incredible comedy careers.” The show was written, produced and filmed for NBC, but it ended up on Netflix instead. “I think Netflix is the right home for it. It’s a quirkier and off-beat comedy,” says Adams, whose character was the most brainwashed by cult leader, the Rev. Richard Wayne Gary Wayne, played by “Mad Men” star Jon Hamm. Like many shows on Netflix, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” which debuted in March, is also bingeable. Adams and a few of her coworkers watched all 13 episodes in one sitting. “We powered through,” she says. “It was kind of depressing when it was done. We all had this adrenaline rush and then a real sad low.” And then she watched it again. “My first time through, I hated watching myself,” she says. “I was critical but when I watched it again, I really enjoyed it. It’s not as laugh out loud as it is for people who didn’t know any of the jokes beforehand, but it is surreal.” Gretchen appeared in nine of the show’s 13 episodes. At this point, Adams has no idea how her character will be developed. Just like last year, she has the summer off while the upcoming season is written. Adams is eagerly awaiting a fresh new year, especially after the show was nominated for eight Emmy Awards. “When we go back to shooting, I should get a new backpack and take my picture in front of my apartment holding a sign that says ‘season 2,’” she jokes. “It feels a lot like going back to school and that’s fun. I like it.” Summer 2015 17

18 the MAGAZINE of ELON

THE OF TOMORROW While experts agree television will continue to be a fixture in our lives, the model of how content is delivered—and who is creating it—is continually evolving. BY KEREN RIVAS ’04

hen Julia Boyd ’15 and Anna Weis ’15 decided to collaborate on a project their senior year, they immediately zeroed in on the idea of creating a Web comedy series. They already had completed internships—Boyd in film/TV production and Weis in theater—and wanted something that would showcase their skills and set them apart before they entered the workplace. They sketched their ideas for the series, which tells the story of two friends navigating college life, and assembled a team of talented Elon friends: Will Lee ’15 as director, Cappy Leonard ’15 as director of photography and Delaney McHugo ’15 as producer. In February, “Lightweights” was launched on Vimeo and YouTube, where people can watch the series online for free. “Most students our age consume the majority of television on their laptops, so it made sense for us to use the Internet to reach our peers,” says Boyd, a media arts and entertainment graduate who co-stars with Weis in the lead roles in the series. “We felt doing a Web series would give us flexibility in content and release schedule, and be accessible to a wide range of people.” Indeed, television as we know it is changing. In the era of Netflix, YouTube and video on demand, the days of the prime-time lineup, when people planned their evening based on the airing of their favorite TV shows, are a thing of the past. The rise of readily available digital content, free or paid, has made it possible for people to cut the cord from television subscription services and watch their favorite shows whenever and wherever they want. This is leading the major players, TV networks and local stations, to question their business models while also opening the door for independent content creators to get a piece of the market.

summer 2015 19

A content revolution

{ Top: Cappy Leonard ’15 & Will Lee ’15 during the filming of “Lightweights.” Above: Anna Weis ’15 & Julia Boyd ’15 are the stars of “Lightweights.” } Watch the series on YouTube or on the show’s Facebook page.

According to a 2014 survey about viewing habits by the media and strategic research consulting firm Frank N. Magid Associates, an increasing number of Americans are watching videos on their laptops and smartphones—or plug their TV into a broadband connection to search for content—rather than watching traditional cable channels, leaving advertisers out of the equation. This uncertainty is causing much “turmoil and experimentation,” says Elon parent Jack MacKenzie, the company’s executive vice president and president of Magid Generational Strategies who also serves in Elon’s School of Communications Advisory Board. “There are a great deal of unknowns, not only for the people who are creating and distributing the content but also for the people who are placing the ads or participating in the content,” he says. “There is a lot of gambling.” Content providers, MacKenzie says, are looking at all available JACK MACKENZIE

20 the MAGAZINE of ELON

options to distribute content in the various ways it can be consumed: over-the-top (online streaming), over-the-air (antenna) and subscription television (cable, satellite). Take CBS, for example, which gets a piece of the over-the-top market with its “CBS All Access” online service and inclusion in Sling TV, DISH Network’s digital streaming service for cord cutters, while still participating with all cable companies. “They are experimenting to see what’s the way to make the most money,” MacKenzie says. “Is that the right mix? It takes time to know for sure.” Part of what is in turmoil is the definition of television itself: is it a device or a piece of content? Usually, MacKenzie says, when we talk about TV programming, it’s in the traditional sense of 30- or 60-minute shows that follow a schedule. But video content takes all shapes and forms. Netflix’s “House of Cards,” whose episodes run about 53 minutes, is considered by people to be a TV show even though it doesn’t follow that formula. The conflict is in the business model. “That’s where the tension is created,” MacKenzie says. “If you are an adsupported network like FOX and you want to run ‘House of Cards,’ it needs to be 45 minutes to fit in a window. So if you’re [executive producer] David Fincher and go to Netflix, which says ‘I don’t care how long it is,’ you don’t have to edit it to fit.” As technology has become much better, cheaper and easier to use—the video quality from an iPhone 6 is better than the $30,000 video camera of yore— there is a lot of emphasis on user-generated content. Assistant Professor of Communications Gerald Gibson says this often provides more compelling, interesting content than the networks. In fact several mainstream TV shows, including “Broad City” (Comedy Central) and “High Maintenance” (HBO), originated as Web series. “I often tell my students this is similar to the environment I encountered when I graduated from my undergraduate communication program,” Gibson says, describing a time when FM radio was being forced to no longer carry the same programming as AM stations. “We were trying to figure out what

| would work: album sides in their entirety; only four commercial breaks in an hour; three songs in a row without speaking. It was exciting! We were making it up as we went along, and if something worked we kept it. GERALD GIBSON “Part of the joy was that no one, absolutely no one, knew what was going to work, so we were free to experiment and try and fail and try again.” This setup has a great appeal for content creators who want to maintain complete creative control. It’s also a catalyst for young professionals who are trying to break into a saturated market. “In the Digital Age, everyone has the ability to produce content at rates that were never possible before. This has created an influx in the amount of information that people feel like they need to process in order to stay up to date,” Leonard says. “It is the biggest reason why people are seeking out short-form content that they can process quickly and efficiently.” Each episode of “Lightweights” is less than 10 minutes long, which allows each member of the team to hone their skills. The crew is working to complete the last two episodes with the goal of entering festivals and competitions. “We hope to use it as a springboard for future endeavors,” Boyd says. It’s a reflection of what they’ve learned at Elon. Having taken countless master classes with alumni, casting directors and professional artists, Weis says she learned early on to take ownership of her career and the importance of creating original work to fulfill her artistry. Boyd, who together with Lee and Leonard participated in the Elon in LA Program, was also encouraged by her professors to take responsibility for her own learning, something she believes will translate well when navigating today’s changing media landscape. Like many other professors, Gibson has for years been incorporating webisodic projects in addition to the more traditional half-hour

live and pre-produced shows, public service announcements and other assignments. “In communications we’ve always said that no medium has replaced that which came before it, but rather modified it,” Gibson says. “This may be the moment when that changes. If my students have spent their developmental years not watching television on a particular night at a specified time, will they suddenly decide, ‘Yes, I need to watch CBS at 9 p.m. on Sunday evening’? Networks and local stations are going to need to reinvent how they do business.”

A changing model While viewership of television in the legacy, appointment-based viewing model is starting to erode, TV content is more popular than ever before, and therefore, a profitable venture. From a business perspective, traditional television—think cable, satellite and the major networks accessible over the air— generates more than $70 billion a year, says

THE TV OF TOMORROW

Travis Lusk ’05, vice president of broadcast solutions at Sorenson Media. However, Lusk says that model is antiquated. “While consumers, viewers and advertisers have changed their behaviors, we still basically operate local television the same,” he adds. “Overall, content creation, distribution and measurement has evolved dramatically on all screens except for television.” Most stations, for instance, still depend on Nielsen ratings, a system that has remained relatively unchanged since its inception. And while the system has gone from using diaries to electronic meters when measuring viewership, Lusk says, the sample sizes have not grown and the rating/shares of adults 18-49 are still the currency of the day. “Selling broad audiences to advertisers built on a faith-based measurement system is a major long-term weakness in a digitally connected world where we can measure actual media consumption live, in real time, down to the individual person on all other screens,” he says.

ASK THE EXPERT

As vice president of broadcast solutions at Sorenson Media, Travis Lusk ’05 leads a team of broadcast television professionals across the country toward the “future” of television. “My group serves as the boots-on-the-ground team that manages the products and services we provide to local broadcast TV stations,” he says. We asked him to explain the different ways people are consuming content.

The three main ways that television ends up on the “glass” of your TV set: Over-the-Air (OTA). Most people think of this as the old fashioned rabbit ears on top of a set. Conceptually that’s still the case, but today’s digital antennas are small and slick. You actually can tuck them behind the set or on your wall so you won’t even see it. They are capable of receiving full high-definition programming with crystal clear quality. Multi-channel Video Programming Distributor (MVPD). These are the cable and satellite companies. Think Comcast, Time Warner, DISH, etc. Over-the-Top (OTT). Traditionally, these are external devices that collect or stream TV content over the Internet to a TV set. Think Apple TV, Roku, and to some degree, Chromecast. However, this term is somewhat dated because it now includes television sets that are themselves able to connect directly to the Internet and stream/download content. OTT devices were designed to make “dumb” TVs into “smart” TVs, but virtually all TV manufacturers now offer the same streaming services natively in the set. We are likely to see large parts of the “external device” portion of the OTT market fade away in favor of the simplicity of a single device—the TV.

summer 2015 21

any of the major brand television sets that have sold in the past two years have Internet capabilities and a piece of technology embedded in them called Automated Content Recognition, which, Lusk explains, essentially enables a TV set to become aware of the content it’s displaying on screen. “One way of thinking about it is to picture the ‘glass’ in the TV set being able to detect what is on the screen at any given time. Once a TV knows what is on the screen, it can figure out what channel is being watched,” he adds. “With that, we can determine what program is being watched, and for how long.” At Sorenson, Lusk works to aggregate this second-by-second viewership data across smart TVs at scale. “We can then use these millions of TV sets across the country to provide deeper, more accurate measurement of television consumption regardless of how the program found its way into the home,” he says. He argues that by empowering stations to deliver interactive viewing experiences to their viewers, they can engage with their viewers within the television sets themselves without having to drive people to another device, such as a smartphone or computer. “Local TV stations have to evolve their business models, and it starts with taking back control of measurement,” Lusk says. “Once stations have

control of their own measurement, they have the runway to evolve their thinking about how they program to their markets.” Regardless of what shape the new business model takes, one thing is for sure: television is not going anywhere. “I see television evolving,” MacKenzie says. “I see the word meaning something different.” As it’s currently configured, television itself is the greatest marketing tool for TV programming. “Networks in some ways may evolve into very high-end marketing machines to create awareness and demand of content being delivered in different ways/platforms.” Quality will likely play a large role in the future of television. Gibson points to YouTube, which has developed a compression scheme for delivering higher definition than the standard 720 or 1080 pixels being used by broadcast television, adding that Apple and others, too, have developed new technology that promises to be capable of ultra high resolution. Even if all the production technology is in place, Gibson says, television stations, having recently invested millions in going high definition, would not generate higher than standard resolution content. “This is where the networks will lose to other content providers unless they develop their own over-the-top delivery,” he adds.

THINKING ABOUT CUTTING THE CORD?

Here are some things to consider before you say good-bye to your cable or satellite subscription. Do you mostly watch local channels? If so, all you need is a digital antenna. Depending on your location and the range of your antenna, you can pick up upwards of 15 channels over the air for free, including all four major networks (ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX) as well as other popular selections (PBS, the CW).

THE TV OF TOMORROW

There is also the issue of regulation, MacKenzie says, as the Federal Communications Commission and other regulatory organizations decide how the Internet is to be used. Whether or not the signal comes through a coax cable, the availability and ubiquity of Wi-Fi will be a large part of that discussion. “All of these things in the ecosystem will have a hand in determining what happens,” he says. In the future, there is no doubt that more content is going to be streamed, he adds. Take Comcast Corp., which in July announced its own alternative for cord cutters called “Stream.” The streaming service, which the company will roll out next year, promises access to several channels for a monthly fee, though it’s only available to its broadband customers. Whether this model will succeed is anybody’s guess. MacKenzie says there is a lot of research being conducted right now, monitoring what’s happening every day, measuring people’s awareness and attitudes of various technologies. At the end of the day, he adds, it’s not all about following people’s behaviors but rather how television is monetized. “Follow the money. That will dictate the future of television.”

Movies anyone? If you are more of a movie buff, there are free options out there, such as Crackle, though these typically include some ads. If you want a greater variety of uninterrupted entertainment, you can subscribe to streaming services such as Amazon Prime, Hulu Plus, Netflix or HBO Now.

What about sports? You can watch some sports on the major networks over the air but if you don’t want to miss a single event, you can subscribe to streaming services that cover specific sports: MLB.TV, NHL GameCenter Live, NBA League Pass and MLS Live. You might also want to consider getting Sling TV, which gives you access to ESPN and ESPN2 in addition to other movie channels.

How fast is your Internet connection? Make sure you have enough bandwidth for your TV and movie content before you cut the cord. Netflix suggests download speeds of 5 megabits per second for streaming HD-quality video, but 15 megabits per second and higher is considered optimal, particularly for multiple viewers/devices.

What hardware do I need? You can stream most online programming on your computer, smartphone or tablet via websites and apps. But if you want to bring online content directly to your TV, you’d need a smart TV or a TV connected to an Internet-capable device such as a game console or Blu-ray player, or a set-top box such as Apple TV, Roku or PlayStation Vue. Sources: Digital Trends, Netflix, Tom’s Guide 22 the MAGAZINE of ELON

A New Branch of RESEARCH A chance encounter during a study abroad program led Emily Tomich ’ 15 to team up with her mentor to research the effects a Himalayan tree has on starvation recovery. BY ERIC TOWNSEND

or the better part of the past two millennia, Moringa oleifera has been cultivated for its nutritional properties, often providing valuable vitamins and minerals through its leaves, roots, bark and flowers. The tree is native to the sub Himalayas but has found its way around the globe due to its natural drought resistance and soil adaptability. It was in a small Ghanaian community that Emily Tomich ’15 first spotted the tree. The exercise science and public health studies double major was visiting the country during a study abroad program her sophomore year when she saw a villager marketing Moringa saplings for their health benefits. Tomich, a high jumper at the time for the Elon Phoenix track and field team, noted her observation in a travel journal. Less than a year later, as she prepared for a Winter Term public health practicum in India, Tomich found that journal entry and pondered a nagging question: Can Moringa not only be used as a supplement, but as a medicinal option to help people recover from starvation? It’s a critical concern. In parts of India, Tomich says, superstitions about the tree keep many people from recognizing its highimpact, low-cost benefits. Past scientific research relied on simple body measurements to evaluate Moringa’s effects on combating malnourishment. Because nothing existed to show what happens at a molecular level, with mentoring by Associate Professor Matthew Clark in the Department of Biology, Tomich planned a research project involving frogs that she would briefly starve before feeding them crickets infused with Moringa extract. Though not a biology major, Tomich and Clark had already developed a strong mentoring relationship. The student from Irvine, Calif., had excelled in an anatomy course Clark led and she was soon working for him as a teaching assistant. Clark’s experience dissecting frogs also offered Tomich the knowledge in which to plan and execute her project, which at times required her to rise above budget concerns and laboratory setbacks.

The final results surprised both student and mentor. Not only did the frogs recover from their temporary starvation, the level of the LDH enzyme found in the livers—“bad cholesterol,” a byproduct of starvation—was lower than the frogs in a control group that were never without food. “The Moringa has so many other potential effects on the liver and repairing the body that we hadn’t even considered,” says Tomich, one of more than 200 students who shared their work in April at Elon’s Spring Undergraduate Research Forum. In undergraduate research, it’s more common to find students who team with professors on projects already underway. The opposite is true with the Moringa project. Clark says Tomich’s research is the foundation of his own new scientific question: Can the Moringa also reverse the effects of food toxins on the nervous system? If the answer is yes, he adds, the implications would be immense. Clark describes Tomich’s work as a public service. “Emily Tomich will make a statement in the realm of global health that will impact the lives of many people,” he says. “That’s the kind of young woman she is, and that is what’s kept me excited about conducting research with her.” Tomich’s time at Elon is part of a larger legacy she only learned about recently from her grandmother. One of her great-great grandfathers, D.S. Farmer, served on Elon’s Board of Trustees in the early 20th century. Her great grandfather briefly attended Elon, as did four great aunts and uncles, including Esther Emily Farmer ’23. Tomich credits Elon and her undergraduate research project for her commitment to development work and humanitarian aid. Applications to the Peace Corps and the Fulbright program are now being planned as she contemplates future research ideas and a possible career in higher education. “To get this published would be my dream,” Tomich says. “[This project] is going to be something that affects me and my career for a very long time.”

summer 2015 23

COVER STORY

The power of

LOY FARM The recent addition of a solar farm to the far southeast corner of campus is only the latest feature of a site used by Elon students and professors to learn, teach, research and serve the broader Alamance County community. BY ERIC TOWNSEND

24â&#x20AC;&#x192; the MAGAZINE of ELON

ou pass it on your way from campus to downtown Burlington and, until this spring, it might have been easy to overlook. Just beyond Magnolia Cemetery, almost within sight of the intramural fields on South Campus, is a part of campus that for the past three years has featured a small greenhouse, shipping containers converted into an indoor work space, garden plots and a row of apple trees. As of this summer, that land is a lot harder to miss. Just look for the thousands of solar panels that mark the start of Loy Farm, one of Elon University’s fastest-growing resources for handson learning, academic research and community engagement. If you ask students, faculty and staff what makes it unique, they don’t point to any one component but rather the interplay of the resources there. “It’s not just this ‘thing’ that Elon does,” says Elaine Durr, Elon’s director of sustainability. “The research and work on the farm have implications not only in our local community, but in the communities where our graduates live and work.” The farm on Front Street used to be fields of tobacco, wheat and corn. With the assistance of longtime Elon benefactor Bill Loy, university leaders in 2000 purchased what was once the Loy family homestead. The purchase agreement had given landowner Keith Loy, Bill’s older brother, lifetime rights to the property, and when Keith died in 2006, faculty and staff started to envision educational and research opportunities on the property.

The first project to be fully realized was the creation of a Piedmont prairie. Professor Janet MacFall led a course in 2011 that researched North Carolina ecosystems and, with the help of Physical Plant workers under the direction of Director of Landscaping and Grounds Tom Flood, spread seeds of plant species native to the region. Since then Elon faculty and staff have created a farm that fuses sustainable agricultural, responsible architectural design, opportunities for academic research and community service. Garden plots and a greenhouse now serve as resources for food production related courses. The farm itself is a critical component of the university’s Peace Corps Prep Program. It also offers learning opportunities for community groups and programs such as the Elon Academy, whose students visit the property each summer to discover opportunities for starting their own gardens. “We’re really trying to provide a model to show a new way of how we can live, where we can live and where our food comes from,” says MacFall, director of Elon’s Center for Environmental Studies, which oversees the farm. “And we want Elon to be a leader in civic engagement.” To that end, MacFall is now leading a new effort to better connect local farmers with the university, grocery stores and restaurants that sell North Carolina produce. Her work is funded in part by the N.C. Department of Commerce, and it includes workshops being planned at Loy Farm for local growers to learn about sustainable practices that can bolster crop yields. Elizabeth Zander with the Piedmont Conservation Council, which

summer 2015 25

“

Students and community members who work on the farm also gain a greater appreciation for the work that goes into producing food and the importance of sustainable techniques for protecting our soils and waterways. –Elizabeth Zander, Piedmont Conservation Council

”

{ Left: Inside the responsible design studio, one of the many components of Loy Farm. Top right: Inside the greenhouse. Botton right: Elon Academy students working at the farm. }

is partnering with MacFall on the project, says the farm demonstrates you don’t need to have many acres to be a successful farmer. “Students and community members who work on the farm also gain a greater appreciation for the work that goes into producing food and the importance of sustainable techniques for protecting our soils and waterways,” she adds. Researchers are finding opportunities on the farm, too. On a humid July morning, Assistant Professor of Biology Jennifer Hamel was helping Dawson Nance ’17 and David Terrill ’18 collect juvenile squash bugs scurrying under plant leaves inside a greenhouse filled with tomatoes, green peppers and bok choy. Nance and Terrill were working on separate undergraduate research projects to examine the insects’ mating behavior, both extensions of Hamel’s broader work into behavioral ecology—work the facility has enabled. Ongoing research also includes garden plots using “grow biointensive” organic practices. Designed by Steve Moore in the Department of Environmental Studies, a de facto farm manager for the site, the research is vital to students who take part in the Peace Corps Prep Program he coordinates because of its usefulness in developing countries where food and resources are often scarce (read more about the program on page 28). 26 the MAGAZINE of ELON

he farm is already shaping the career paths of several young alumni, including Rebecca Berube ’12, an education assistant and social media coordinator at Azuero Earth Project in Panama, who was part of the farm’s early development and helped establish the original garden plots. Max Potember ’14 was also inspired by his time at the farm. He joined with classmates before graduation to plant a small orchard featuring several varieties of apple trees. He today works as an environmental soil scientist at GeoTechnology Associates, Inc., in Maryland, and credits skills honed at Elon for his early professional success. When he is not in the classroom, Associate Professor Robert Charest oversees a studio at

Loy Farm designed and built by merging four shipping containers into a single space. Several of his students are now using that space to design and build prototypes of “microhouses,” some as small as 50 square feet with the goal of impacting the environment as little as possible. “What we’re doing that’s phenomenal is looking at land use through architecture and design, and putting it right next to the other big challenge, which is food production,” Charest says. “It becomes a microcosm for all of the challenges to come with sustainability in the developing world.” The impact of the Loy Farm is likewise felt off campus. The farm has become one of the most consistent suppliers of fresh produce to Allied Churches of Alamance County, which serves hundreds of people through its soup kitchen and food pantry. Campus Kitchen at Elon University, a service opportunity for students, prepares and delivers fresh meals each week to Allied Churches using unserved food in Elon dining halls and vegetables harvested from the farm. “Knowing that sometimes the only meal someone gets a day is from us, we’re mindful and conscious about fresh produce, wellness and health benefits,” says Jan Bowman, program director at Allied Churches. “Many of our guests suffer from diabetes and obesity. If we can serve

THE POWER OF LOY FARM

them a product that is nutritiously sound, maybe they’ll take things from that.” Then there’s the solar farm that soon begins operation on the land. Nearly 10,000 photovoltaic panels installed earlier this year will generate enough electricity to power about 415 homes serviced by Duke Power. The university is leasing the land to a private company that owns the panels, though students will have the opportunity to study the equipment, operation and economic model. What’s next for Loy Farm? In its updated Sustainability Master Plan, the university outlines the hiring of a full-time manager to oversee operations, which will allow the farm to expand production from three to five acres. If the university were to build a handling facility that met specific federal food safety guidelines, the additional food could be used in campus dining halls and further boost contributions to Allied Churches. Thus, there might be even more opportunities for students and professors to collect squash bugs in a greenhouse used to train future Peace Corps volunteers harvesting vegetables to feed the hungry in a county with hundreds of homes powered in part by a campus solar array. Moore certainly hopes so. “Because of this farm, things start to move outward,” he says. summer 2015 27

{Elaina Vermeulen ’15 & Emily Mount ’15 }

LOY FARM SOLAR ENERGY

FROM LOY FARM TO THE PEACE CORPS

oy Farm is the lynchpin of an Elon University program that helps students with interest in the Peace Corps gain practical knowledge for making a difference in developing regions of the world. The Peace Corps Prep Program was started in 2013 to teach participating students about sustainable agriculture, responsible architecture and environmental management. “Our prep program synchronizes with the foundational mission of the university to produce global citizens,” says Steve Moore, a faculty member in the Department of Environmental Studies and coordinator of Elon’s Peace Corps Prep Program. “I believe it’s the epitome of that mission.” Two students in Elon’s Class of 2015 who took part in the program, Elaina Vermeulen and Emily Mount, depart soon for assignments in Guatemala and Fiji, respectively. A third alumnus of the program, Lorne Paterson, is interviewing with the Peace Corps. “This program has given me an understanding of different aspects of projects I could lead,” says Mount, an environmental science major from Boston. “Loy Farm gave me an appreciation for working with my hands, and realizing that’s what I want to do.” While the program does not guarantee a placement with the corps, students gain skills that are an advantage in the application process and in other international development work. Many instructors use Loy Farm to offer that hands-on instruction. For Vermeulen, an international studies major from Sterling, Mass., time at the farm provided her with the tools and resources she needs to help address hunger on a global scale. “I’m fortunate,” she says. “I owe all of that to Loy Farm. I owe that to Professor Moore. I owe that to Elon.”

28 the MAGAZINE of ELON

Elon is leasing land to a private company that installed nearly 10,000 solar panels at the farm. The power from those panels will soon be sold to Duke Energy for use in the regional power grid. If you consider how much coal will be saved by relying on a clean source of energy, the solar farm’s annual output will be the equivalent of preventing emissions from about 450 cars.

GREENHOUSE The 3,000-square-foot, student-built greenhouse relies on ambient heat from the earth and passive solar energy for heating, cooling and ventilation. Besides providing research opportunities, it yields produce all year and extends the growing season for warmseason crops by up to 3 1/2 months.

THE POWER OF LOY FARM

APPLE ORCHARD Students in an environmental studies course led by Michael Strickland worked two years ago to research and plant more than a dozen variety of apples in a row of trees to the north of Loy Farm’s greenhouse. The students consulted with national experts as they fulfilled their vision for the heirloom apple orchard.

APIARY The Department of Environmental Studies installed three beehives on Loy Farm in 2014 to help naturally pollinate crops on the farm and surrounding areas. Faculty hope that honey harvested from the hives will soon be available in campus dining halls. An estimated 60,000 bees collectively occupy the three hives that comprise the apiary.

BIOINTENSIVE RESEARCH Garden plots at Loy Farm are used for research into grow biointensive. This organic method of sustainable food system production uses open-pollinated seeds, eliminating the need for new seeds each year. It also uses compost in such a way that the garden self-fertilizes.

RESPONSIBLE DESIGN STUDIO Four shipping containers were merged and renovated to create a responsible design studio that gives students and faculty an opportunity to work on projects such as “microhouses” and sustainable classroom furnishings. The studio also serves as a test site for power tools under development by a national home improvement retailer.

summer 2015 29

From the ARCHIVES

Elon’s First Year

See what campus life was like for the 76 students who enrolled in Elon’s first academic year on Sept. 2, 1890.

s the incoming Class of 2019 prepares to mark its first days as an official part of the university community, Elon historian George Troxler shared with The Magazine of Elon some interesting facts about Elon’s first students who enrolled on Sept. 2, 1890. Elon’s first opening convocation began at noon and, as it is today, was held Under the Oaks. The program included eight speakers along with hymns, scripture and prayer. The speakers focused their remarks on the importance of the school for the community, along with its plans and needs. But rather than neatly arranged seating and carefully designed pathways, students and their families sat on boards stacked on top of wooden blocks, which had been quickly constructed to accommodate the audience. Following the program, students and their families enjoyed a picnic and at 4 p.m., Elon’s first 76 students officially enrolled for classes, which began the next day. So who were these students? Unlike this year’s incoming class, which hails from across the country and around the world, these students were from North Carolina or Virginia. They included both men and women, which was unusual for the time. And only 30 took college-level courses—the rest were in the academic or preparatory program. The youngest was just 13 years old. Rather than today’s seven residential neighborhoods, campus housing was an ad hoc affair. Many of the female students roomed with local residents while dormitories were under construction. Even President William S. Long’s daughter, Anne Long Holleman, pitched in to help. She and her husband, Professor Silas A. Holleman, housed women, four to a room, and hosted them for meals. East Dormitory was completed that December, and the women moved into their rooms before leaving for holiday break. Some of the male students rented rooms in private houses and chipped in to buy food, hire a cook and rent a house where their meals were prepared and served. Most of the men lived in the third floor of the Administration Building, which was still under construction. The windows on that floor had not 30 the MAGAZINE of ELON

yet been placed and many of the building’s doors had not been hung. Writing an account of his time at Elon, Herbert Scholz, a member of the Class of 1891, recalled in a Maroon and Gold article that first night he had “a mattress to sleep on but no pillow nor cover. … Bugs and gnats were as plentiful as in the forest primeval.” The men who were to live in the Administration Building arrived on campus for Move-in Day on Sept. 1. Rather than spending that day hauling boxes with their parents or rearranging décor, the men were greeted by faculty making wash stands, tables and benches to furnish the students’ rooms. And while the rooms had fireplaces to provide heat during the winter, students were responsible for gathering and providing their own wood for fires. Luckily, logs and branches were readily available around campus because many had not been cleared when trees were cut down to construct the college. Men enrolled in college classes paid $145, which included tuition, room and board. Women paid $170 but that included a furnished room, fuel, light and regular cleaning, which was not offered to the men. The students’ social lives during those early years revolved around religious organizations, literary societies and music groups. Students enrolled in college classes chose between a classical course leading to a bachelor of arts degree or a philosophical course leading to a bachelor of philosophy degree, with both programs requiring students to take Latin, algebra, geometry, zoology and botany, constitutional and international law, logic and ethics classes. While much has changed in the past 125 years, the power of the relationships forged on campus was as strong then as they are now. In the words of Professor James O. Atkinson, who, thinking back to the school’s first year, wrote in The Christian Sun: “School days have their ‘ups and downs,’ some trials and crosses, but they are the happiest after all. There are no ties more tender, no friends dearer to us than those formed during our school days, ‘chums,’ room-mates and class-mates live in our memory.”

ALUMNI ACTION

Be a part of the alumni experience Dear Elon alumni,

made my first visit to Elon in the spring of 1990. All my life I dreamed of going to that large, state university up the road because I was a huge fan of its basketball team. As the first child in my family to go to college, my parents did not think that was sound decision-making. One sunny day, my dad and I took the hour’s journey up I-40, drove around Elon’s campus, and without getting out of the car, talking to a soul or checking its basketball stats, I decided that Elon would be my college home. It was the best decision I could have made. My Elon days were filled with studying subjects I (mostly) wanted to study, friendships that truly have lasted my lifetime, leadership roles that infused me with confidence and skills, and more laughs and memories than I can count. Because of all of that, my Elon experience gives back to me every day. My Elon story is not unique. Each member of your alumni board shares a similar experience. Their Elon story is why they graciously accepted our invitation to serve on the Elon Alumni Board. Last year we welcomed several new members: Steve Ellington ’80, Don Doster ’86, Kathryn Richardson ’91, Chris Bell ’92, Tonya Taylor ’94, Soraya Cricenti ’95, Josh MacIntosh ’97, Akilah Weaver ’00 and Charles Cooper ’01.

I am looking forward to their continued contributions to our active board and am grateful for their partnership. Our 30,000-plus alumni should be proud to be represented by such highly successful, accomplished alumni serving your interests in this way. These are entrepreneurs, educators and business leaders giving of their “extra” time to focus on the Elon alumni experience. I want to ask you to journey with us this year and consider participating in an Elon event in your area. Many thanks for the golf tournaments, community service opportunities and local and regional events that brought thousands of alumni together. Did you know that we now have 32 alumni chapters and clubs around the world or that more than 5,400 alumni served as volunteers in some capacity for the university last year? And did you know that our past EAB president, Christian Wiggins ’01, stepped into leadership when we needed it most? I feel lucky to be following in his footsteps and am truly thankful that he remains my friend and partner in leadership as past-president. My story is why I serve Elon and why I choose to be a partner, advocate and investor. Just take a minute to reflect on how Elon is still influencing your life. I’ll bet you’ll see the fingerprints everywhere. I look forward to seeing you all on campus Oct. 16-18 at Homecoming. Shannon Moody ’94 Elon Alumni Board President

CELEBRATING ALUMNI EXCELLENCE Several alumni were honored this spring for their professional accomplishments and representing Elon’s values in their communities and the world. { Elon College, the College of Arts & Sciences }

E lon College, the College of Arts and Sciences recognized: ՔՔ Peter Lindstrom ’94, a computer scientist at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, with the Elon College Distinguished Alumnus Award in the Natural, Mathematical & Computing Sciences

{ School of Communications }

T he School of Communications awarded

the 2015 Outstanding Alumnus Award to Adam Garber ’03, video director for the Office of Digital Strategy at the White House, while Elon’s School of Law recognized five distinguished alumni:

ՔՔ Jameson Marks L’10 received the George R. Johnson Professional Achievement Award

ՔՔ Julie Dyke Ford ’95, a professor in the mechanical engineering department at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, with the Elon College Distinguished Alumnus Award in the Arts & Humanities

ՔՔ Natalie Teague L’09 and Allison Lukanich L’12 received the Leary F. Davis Service and Leadership in the Community Award

ՔՔ Christopher S. Nave ’04, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Rutgers-Camden, with the Elon College Distinguished Alumnus Award in Social Sciences.

ՔՔ Justin R. Ervin III L’10 received the Distinguished Service to Elon Law School Award.

ՔՔ Collin Cooper L’12 received the Young Alumni Award (in absentia)

{ Elon Law } summer 2015 31

ALUMNI ACTION

on the town

Get ready for the seventh annual

Welcome to the City & Alumni Network

ach year alumni chapters and clubs host events in August and September as part of the Welcome to the City & Alumni Network event series. Hosted in restaurants, at baseball games, in parks or your city’s newest hot spot, these events connect new graduates and relocated alumni to the Elon network wherever they live. If you are new to an area where Elon has an alumni chapter or club, this is the perfect opportunity to get to know others in your city and learn more about how Elon will continue to serve you in your new home.

ՔՔSeattle – Aug. 11. ՔՔLos Angeles – Aug. 26 ՔՔRichmond – Aug. 27 ՔՔDenver – Aug. 29 ՔՔWashington, D.C. – Sept. 16

{ Atlanta }

{ New York City }

{ Austin } More information about dates and locations for the entire event series, as well as other regional programs, can be found at elon.edu/alumni. We hope to see you at the events in your area!

WELCOME TO THE RANKS!

ongratulations Class of 2015 and welcome to the ranks of more than 30,000 alumni.

We hope that as a student you took advantage of activities and programs sponsored by the Office of Alumni Engagement, such as the Destination series, Internship Send-Off and the Senior Picnic and Gala. The alumni office will continue to provide opportunities for you to stay engaged as a partner, advocate and investor in the university.

32 the MAGAZINE of ELON

Here are a few things available to you: ✪✪

lumni chapter and club events in 32 cities A nationwide as well as internationally in London

✪✪

oung Alumni Party and Class of 2015 Reunion Y Zero Celebration during Homecoming weekend, Oct. 16-18

✪✪

Professional development and lifelong learning opportunities through The Elon Network and Elon Career Mentors program.

ALUMNI ACTION

ELON FOOTBALL

IS COMING TO A CITY NEAR YOU! CHAPTER/CLUB NEWS

wo members of Elon’s Washington, D.C., chapter were recognized in June at the third annual Capital Alumni Network Awards for their volunteer contributions to the organization during the 2014-15 academic year. Sara Gould ’09 was recognized as Coach of the Year for leading the chapter’s soccer team to a 9-2-1 record and its second championship in three years in the 7-on-7 CAN soccer league. Brett “Coop” Cooper ’05 was recognized as the Capital Alumni Network Member of the Year. CAN is an all-volunteer organization composed of more than 250 Washington, D.C.-based college and university alumni clubs.

As Elon enters its second year in the Colonial Athletic Association, the Phoenix Club and Elon’s alumni chapters near CAA teams are planning events to help you cheer on the Phoenix! Below is a list of tailgates being planned so far: Oct. 3 – vs. New Hampshire Oct. 10 – vs. Richmond Oct. 31 – vs. Stony Brook For registration and more information, visit elonphoenix.com/caatailgates.

TO FIND A CHAPTER NEAR YOU, GO TO elon.edu/alumni.

Have questions? Contact our alumni engagement officers: ricia Teter ’13 (pteter@elon.edu) T Jordan Joshua ’14 (jjoshua@elon.edu) Conner Croxson ’15 (mcroxson@elon.edu) For information on chapters and clubs, contact Jennifer Boozer, coordinator of regional programs, at jboozer@elon.edu.

summer 2015 33

ALUMNI ACTION

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME

GRAB YOUR MAROON AND GOLD, CALL YOUR FRIENDS AND MAKE PLANS TO ATTEND HOMECOMING 2015, OCT. 16-18. THE WEEKEND WILL BE PACKED WITH YOUR FAVORITE SIGNATURE CELEBRATIONS AND SOME INAUGURAL EVENTS THAT YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS. New/revamped events this year include:

✪✪

Welcome Home Reception and Opening Ceremony: Kick off Homecoming weekend with President Leo M. Lambert and members of the Elon Alumni Board while enjoying complimentary refreshments. This opening ceremony will also feature the presentation of the annual Elon Alumni Awards and a celebration of the class and affinity reunions. Inaugural Homecoming 5K Brick Run: Follow the brick pathways through the heart of campus as you walk, jog or run alongside your friends and family during the inaugural Homecoming 5K. Don’t miss your chance to stroll down memory lane while going through the most historic and beautiful parts of campus.

Other events include: ✪✪

Annual Young Alumni Party: Reconnect with graduates from the classes of 2005 through 2015 during the most popular young alumni gathering of Homecoming weekend.

✪✪

Tailgate: Whether you’re tailgating with your reunion or friends, you won’t want to miss this game day celebration experience.

✪✪

Homecoming Concert: All are welcome to attend this free outdoor concert, which last year boasted a record attendance. The musical act will be announced in the fall.

✪✪

Elon vs. James Madison University football game: There’s no better way to spend a Saturday afternoon than cheering on the Phoenix as they take on a CAA rival.

Registration opens in early fall at elon.edu/homecoming. Have questions or want to volunteer? Contact the Office of Alumni Engagement at alumni@elon.edu. 34 the MAGAZINE of ELON

Did you know? Your graduating class now has a Facebook group. Go to Facebook.com and search for your class using “Elon Class of ________.” Join the new group to stay in touch with classmates and keep updated on class news. And don’t forget to follow Elon Alumni for all things Elon!

CLASS NOTES

CLASS 51| NOTES

Dr. Billy F. Andrews retired

this summer from the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Louisville, School of Medicine, where he served as professor and chairman emeritus in medical history, ethics and humanities. He also held the title of chief-of-staff emeritus at Kosair Children’s Hospital. Billy, who joined the faculty in 1964, helped to pioneer the field of clinical neonatology with numerous studies, inventions and original training. • Carolyn Long Beane was chosen Civitan of the Year by the Asheboro (N.C.) Civitan Club for her valuable contributions and devoted service to Civitans.

59|

Douglas S. Albert, now

retired, fondly remembers participating in Sunday evening bag lunch gatherings organized by the Student Christian Association. He also remembers being with Dr. J. Earl Danieley ’46 during new student orientation and meeting his wife, Lois Foor Albert.

63|

For the second consecutive year, Charlie Frye participated in the Greater Greensboro (N.C.) Senior Games, where he won five gold medals (bocce, cornhole, croquet, softball throw and shuffleboard), two silver medals (basketball shooting and football throw) and one bronze medal (horseshoes). ALUMNI ALBUM

65|

REUNION Class reunion committee chairs Beverley Powell Blondell and Michael Morris, along with committee members Keith Bulla, Richard Gunkel, Sally McDuffie, Joya Ryerson, Gay Yule Saunders, Lowell Thomas and Kathryn Sandefur White, encourage all classmates to attend the 50th class reunion during Homecoming weekend, Oct. 16-18. The committee will present the class gift check at the Golden Alumni Luncheon on Oct. 16. If you have any questions, please contact reunions@elon.edu.

70|

REUNION The Class of 1970 will be celebrating its 45th reunion at Elon’s Homecoming on Oct. 16-18. Reunion committee members Babs Bohnannon Bayliff, Buck Bayliff, Belinda Black, Chris Pittard, Roger Sims, Royall Spence, Bob Truitt and Bill Winstead look forward to seeing the rest of the class on campus to help celebrate this milestone reunion. If you have any questions, please contact reunions@elon.edu.

75|

REUNION Class reunion committee members Ray Beck, Ron

Butler, Sharon Patterson McGlohn, Jerry Pickler and Ted Winslow

invite the Class of 1975 back on campus Oct. 16-18 to help celebrate their 40th reunion. If you have any questions, please contact reunions@elon.edu.

77|

David Crowder has retired

after 36 years of teaching and coaching. He runs his own business, Crowder’s Driver Improvement Programs LLC, which offers driver improvement and driver education programs for teens and adults. He and wife May Ann live in Boydton, Va.

78|

Carolyn Long Beane ’51 (left)

80| Sharon McIntyre Wheeler ’78 Michael Ferris ’92

Sharon McIntyre Wheeler

has retired from Laboratory Corporation of America after serving as an account specialist for 34 years. She is an associate pastor at Elon Community Church United Church of Christ and also serves on the Chapter Advisory Board of the Eta Chi chapter of Kappa Delta at Elon. She and husband Ted live in Burlington, N.C.

Charlie Frye ’63

REUNION The Class of 1980’s 35th reunion committee members Perry Black, Linda Glunt Ehrhardt, Chris Jones, Julie Meacham Jones, Joe Liberto, Kim

72|

After 41 years of service, William “Bill” G. Dressel Jr. retired June 30 as executive director of the New Jersey State League of Municipalities. Always passionate about public service, Bill dedicated most of his life to improving the lives of New Jersey residents by shaping policy and influencing some of the state’s most prominent politicians, including Govs. Christine Todd Whitman, Jim McGreevey and Chris Christie. Besides lobbying for important legislation, Bill’s legacy is cemented in the league’s headquarters, a historic building whose preservation earned him the Sarah P. Fiske Award by Preservation New Jersey in 2008. Bill and wife Iris live in Robbinsville.

Spencer Matthews, Scott Matthews and Radar Robinson hope classmates

are making plans to return to campus Oct. 16-18 to participate in class reunion activities and reminisce about days at Elon. The committee is looking forward to catching up with classmates during Homecoming weekend. If you have any questions, please contact reunions@elon.edu.

81|

Debra Lamb Spart has

taken a new job in law enforcement at Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, Va. She previously worked at James Madison University and lives in McGaheysville.

85|

REUNION Time to celebrate the class reunion with committee members Susan Chakales, Bobby Dawson, Joan Buchanan Dawson, Melinda Brown Gammon, Karen Long Gupton, Clay Hassard, George Poulos and Steve Sabol. They hope classmates will make plans to head back to campus Oct. 16-18 to help celebrate their 3oth reunion. If you have any questions, please contact reunions@elon.edu. summer 2015 35

CLASS NOTES

90| TURN YOURSELF IN! elon.edu/classnotes Help us keep you in touch with your classmates at Elon.

REUNION Exciting plans are under way for the Class of 1990’s 25th reunion during Homecoming weekend, Oct. 16-18. Reunion chairs Karen Cain-Henderson, Lori Johnson Dodson, Annette Leath Orbert and Andy Shaffer and committee members Lisa Toomer Biggs, Belinda Wall Day, Larissa Witt Griffitts, Steve Higgins, Todd Hudson, Lark Ramsay Johnston, Tom Powell and Rena Mauldin Wall hope to see all their classmates on campus to mark this special milestone. For more information, please contact reunions@elon.edu.

CLASS 92| NOTES

Michael Ferris was recently

promoted to city manager of Albemarle, N.C. Prior to this appointment, he served as assistant city manager for 17 years.

94|

Eric Palmer was promoted

to executive director of the American Association of University Professors at the University of Cincinnati. Eric previously worked as director of contract administration and organizing at the university.

95|

REUNION It’s time for the Class of 1995’s 20th reunion and reunion committee members Kristyn Green Chrzanowski, Beth Point Clingaman, Rebekah Sacco Davis, Bryan James, Bridget Gibson McGuire, Dusty Tonkin and Brian Wright hope to mark this milestone with classmates at Homecoming weekend, Oct. 1618. For more information, contact reunions@elon.edu. • David Clubb was one of 20 higher education administrators nationally to be awarded a 2015-16 U.S. Fulbright Scholar Grant to participate in the Fulbright Seminar for U.S. Administrators in International Education, which will take place in Germany in October. David is the assistant vice president for international education at Norwich University in Northfield, Vt., where he lives with wife Shannon Kuhns Clubb and their five children. • For the ninth consecutive year, Erick Gill was recognized by the National Association of County Information Officers’ Annual 2015 Awards of Excellence program, receiving awards in the Writing/Press Release and the Audio/Video: One Time Programming categories. He also received an award in the Audio/ ALUMNI ALBUM

David Clubb ’95

Melissa Clutter Rogers ’96

Erica Mullen Gold ’97

Melanie Crenshaw ’98 G’09

Visual Tools Category in the Treasure Coast Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association’s Annual 2015 Image Awards competition. Erick and wife Colleen Batt Gill live in Fort Pierce, Fla., with their two children. Erick works as a public information manager for St. Lucie County and Colleen works for Helping People Succeed.

96|

Melissa Clutter Rogers

was recently hired as the chief executive officer of the Arc Gateway in Pensacola, Fla., a nonprofit that provides services to children and adults with developmental disabilities. Melissa lives in Fort Walton Beach.

97|

Erica Mullen Gold has

re-launched Styled Arrow (styledarrow.com), a blog that focuses on style, fashion and inspirational stories as well as celebrity interviews. Among the stars Erica has interviewed for the blog are actress Candace Cameron Bure and celebrity stylist Cary Fetman. Erica lives in Charlotte, N.C.

98|

Melanie Crenshaw {L’09}

became certified in November by the N.C. State Bar as a specialist in family law. She is an associate attorney at Barbara R. Morgenstern PLLC in Greensboro.

99| 00|

Andrea Spinella and Rob

McDiarmid welcomed daughter Brooke Avery on 8/25/14. She joins big brother Tyler.

REUNION Jude Dooley, Michele Macon Levy, Katie Thompson Silver, Dannielle Dixon Thomas and Akilah Weaver are serving on the Class of 2000’s 15th reunion committee. They want to encourage all classmates to come back Oct. 16-18 for Elon’s Homecoming weekend to celebrate. For more information, contact reunions@elon.edu. • Dannielle Dixon Thomas was named to the 2015 Class List of the South Carolina Black Pages’ Top 40 Under 40, representing her family’s Allstate insurance agency. Dannielle lives in Goose Creek.

01|

Aprille Moon Loflin and

husband Matt welcomed son Worthington Tate on 12/29/14. The family lives in Raleigh, N.C.

02| Andrea Spinella ’99, Rob McDiarmid & children 36 the MAGAZINE of ELON

Matt Myatt ’02

Michelle Pautz ’03

For the sixth consecutive year, Matt Myatt has been named Village Realty’s Agent of the Year, completing 40 closings in 2014. During that period,

CLASS NOTES

CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITIES CAN PROVIDE INCOME FOR LIFE

PHOTO: ROBERT J. CARMODY

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.

In a few words BY KYLE LUBINSKY ’17

am Slaughter ’09 has always had a passion for storytelling. As a boy, he hoped to write the next great American novel. But as he got older, he found beauty in the brevity of words. Armed with that newfound passion, Slaughter recently wrote When You Cross That Line, a collection of five short stories, known as flash fiction, totaling around 4,500 words. The book was published in May after Slaughter won the 2014 Best of There Will Be Words competition in Orlando. A New Jersey native who now lives in central Florida, Slaughter is inspired by everyday life when writing his short stories. “Most of those come out of thoughts or moments,” he says. Inspiration can sometimes also come from unexpected places. While pursuing his master’s degree in English at Stetson University, Slaughter followed a Twitter account called Florida Man. The account compiles strange occurrences from across the state and inspired many of the stories found in his book. Slaughter’s work was first published in 2009. Since then, he has had more than 40 pieces of fiction and nonfiction published in various magazines and journals. When You Cross That Line has received recognition from the Association of Writers and Writing Programs, of which Slaughter is a member. (He also won Member of the Month for May.) He has plans to release his debut novel, Dogs, in the spring through Double Life Press and his debut short story collection, God in Neon, later this year through Lucky Bastard Press. Slaughter attributes Elon as a factor in his success as a writer. The writing classes he took sharpened his skills in an environment that encouraged growth. “I enjoyed my time thoroughly at Elon,” the English and anthropology graduate says. “I have experiences now I can draw on.” When he isn’t working on his stories, Slaughter works as a copywriter. He is also active in independent literature, working as a book review editor for Atticus Review, the spirits writer for the magazine The Manual, contributing editor at Entropy and, as of July, the managing editor of Enclave, an online literary community. His latest series for Entropy, titled “Getting Lit,” sees Slaughter interviewing a myriad of writers. After an interview about their new book or story, he creates a custom cocktail as a companion to the literature, something that allows him to also showcase his passion for libations. Despite having a self-described love-hate relationship with writing, Slaughter has no plans to stop any time soon. “I know it has to be part of my life,” he says. “If I go a day or two without working on my work, I get antsy.”

rates as of april 17, 2015 ONE BENEFICIARY

T WO BENEFICIARIE S

AG E

ANNUIT Y R ATE

AG E

ANNUIT Y R ATE

60 65 70

4.4% 4.7% 5.1%

60/65 67/67 71/73

4.0% 4.4% 4.7%

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

To calculate a gift annuity for you, your spouse or a family member, visit elon.plannedgiving.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 ■ elon.plannedgiving.org

{ Elon’s marching band during the 1970s. } To learn more about Slaughter’s projects, visit samslaughterthewriter.com. summer 2015 37

CLASS NOTES he has been ranked in the top 1 percent of all Outer Banks Realtors, averaging a closing every nine days. He and wife Jenny live in Southern Shores, N.C.

03|

Ivy Burdick is happy to

announce she opened her own bar and restaurant, Porter & Pig, in Hilton Head, S.C. The microbrew and wine bar specializes in tapas, share plates and cheese and charcuterie plates. You can learn more at porter-pig.com. • Michelle Pautz recently had her second book published, U.S. Environmental Policy in Action: Practice and Implementation, with co-author Sara Rinfret. Michelle lives in Springboro, Ohio.

04|

Colleen Minnock Chulis and

husband Matthew Chulis welcomed son Declan on 4/14/15. He joins older siblings Luke and Adelle. Colleen is global director of linguistic validation at TransPerfect and Matthew is associate head coach of the University of Virginia men’s soccer team. The family lives in Charlottesville, Va. • Amanda L. Hobbs was recently named the marketing and communications director for the Winston-Salem Regional Association of Realtors. She and husband Carey

live in Pfafftown, N.C. • Suzanne R. Jones has been promoted to director

of communications for the Americas region at bioMérieux. In that role, she and her team will focus on building external brand awareness, driving ongoing employee awareness and internal communications. She lives in Raleigh, N.C., with husband Chuck and their 2-year-old daughter. • Amy E. Schaaf and husband Chris welcomed daughter Vivienne Walker on 11/7/14. The family lives in Charlotte, N.C.

05|

REUNION Class of 2005’s 10th reunion chair Chris Morse and committee members Cheryl Borden, Malissa Connors, Josh Daniel, Colin Donohue, Kathleen Niple Donohue, Kristi Durham Jones, Trevor Kelly, Megan Kenny, Julia Smith Kummerlen, Emily Langford, Brittany Brackett Luther, Jaci Deskin Nicholson, Kimberly O’Neil, Jessica Streck Ortolano, Nick Rust and Matt Stoekle invite classmates to participate in class reunion activities on Oct. 16-18 during Elon’s Homecoming weekend. For more information, contact reunions@elon.edu. • Kim Delp and Ryan Niccolls were married 4/4/15. Alumni in attendance included Tim Heller ’04, Kirk Johnson ’04, Chris ALUMNI ALBUM

Colleen Minnock Chulis ’04, Matthew Chulis & children

Amanda L. Hobbs ’04

Kim Delp Niccolls ’05, Ryan Niccolls ’05 & friends

TURN YOURSELF IN! Elon.edu/classnotes Ben Pierce ’07, Amanda Collins & friends 38 the MAGAZINE of ELON

Kavanaugh ’04, John Rizzo ’04, Erica Turkus ’04, Scott Turkus ’04, Lindsay Bird Heller, Adam Dorfman, Morgan Dorfman, Andy Fitzgerald, Natalie Fitzgerald, Matt Holland, Erin Kavanaugh, Matt McDaniel, Katie Radkowski, Carson Rhodes, Christina Shea, Jay Voelker and Dan Sliwinski ’06. Kim and Ryan live in

Charlotte, N.C.

06|

Jennifer L. Papillo has been

promoted to associate general counsel for the University of Vermont and State Agricultural College. Jennifer’s representation of UVM includes practice across a broad range of legal issues, including taxation, finance, gifts and estates, Title IX and other regulatory compliance issues, student affairs, governmental relations, litigation, policy development and review, as well as execution of university affiliations. She lives in Colchester.

07|

Malwina Niemierko Carrion was named

director of strategic planning and implementation for the Boston University Global Health Collaborative, which works to raise the level of health care for underserved populations worldwide. She lives in Boston. • John Kalas and wife Meghan welcomed daughter Catharine Ann on 12/9/14. Catharine joins big brother Henry. John is an associate attorney at Hollingsworth LLP in Washington, D.C. The family lives in Annapolis, Md. • Kristen Laramie and Jason Tremblay were married 5/10/14 in Wilmington, Del. Alumni in attendance included Mark Bliley ’06, Matt Casavecchia ’06, Andrew Rushton, Brian Foley ’08, Michelle Foley ’08 and Jessica Casavecchia ’09. Kristen is a registered nurse at Nemours/ Alfred I. DuPont Hospital for Children. They live in Newtown Square, Pa. • Ben Pierce and Amanda Collins were married 9/6/14 in Durham, N.C, where they live. Justin Kafka, Jim Knuff and Andrew Lichty served as groomsmen and Stephanie Marken ’08 as maid of honor. Other alumni in attendance included Lauren Nowlan Cook, Johnathan Hatch ’08, Alex Bodine ’09 and Dana Cataldo ’12. Ben is a physician assistant at Roxboro Family Medicine.

CLASS NOTES

PAINTING WITH BY KYLE LUBINSKY ’17

s an artist, Megan Coyle ’08 is constantly breaking down what she sees into smaller pieces in her head. It’s not surprising that her medium of choice is collage, but that was not always the case. When she arrived at Elon in 2004, she intended to become a writer. Soon, however, she realized writing was not for her, so she decided to return to her first passion, art, which she discovered at an early age growing up in Alexandria, Va. Though she studied painting, she chose to create portrait collages for her senior thesis. It was a decision that set the course for the rest of her career. Since then, Coyle has honed a collage style she calls “painting with paper,” which is based around creating images using thinly cut up pieces of magazines. Some of her early works combined both oil pastels and cutouts, but over time she gradually phased out the use of pastels in favor of strictly magazine cutouts. Her innovation has paid off. Since graduating from Elon with degrees in art and creative writing in 2008, Coyle has showcased her art across the country. She has held multiple exhibitions around the Washington, D.C., area and some of her work has made it into permanent museum collections, most notably The Ward Museum in Salisbury, Md. Various news sources have taken note of her art, including The Washington Post. She was featured on Conan O’Brien’s website for a collage she made of him and her works have been featured in different art books, including Flowers in Art, which features art from all over the world.

“All in a Row” But her work goes beyond gallery walls. Coyle has used her art to foster education by creating lesson plans for students ranging from elementary to high school. She often receives updates from teachers who are using her techniques. “I’m devoted to education,” she says. “I’m really happy I put them together.” She also uses her art to illustrate children’s books, and she has written and illustrated her own children’s book, Duck and Fish, which features more than two dozen original illustrations. Going forward, Coyle hopes to apply her skills to video and animation. She has used video in the past as a means of explaining her collage technique, but animation would be a new process. Learning new things has always been one of Coyle’s biggest motivations to continue making art. “I’m always interested in trying to refine my craft,” she says. “I’m motivated by that desire to continue to grow as an artist as well as explore different subjects and compositions.” Learn more about Coyle’s work at megancoyle.com.

summer 2015 39

CLASS NOTES

08|

Dustin Diamond works in

television and movies in the Atlanta area and has been on the camera crew for numerous shows, including The CW’s “The Originals” and “The Vampire Diaries.” • Lance G. Johnson and Kathryn Van Ness Ogden were married 11/1/14 in Bonita Springs, Fla. Lance works as a financial advisor for Merrill Lynch. They live in Chicago. • Michael Monkelien and Sierra Moon were married 10/4/14 in Gibsonville, N.C. Alumni in attendance included John Greeson ’67, Danny Moon ’76, Sasha Newcomb ’99, Jason Monkelien ’06, Beth Elmore, Johnathan Hatch, Brittanie Schroyer, Morgan Zech, Alisha Crabtree ’10 and Addison Ottaway ’10. Michael works as a controller for the American Business Development Group and Sierra is a bookkeeper for PunchOut2Go. They live in Gordonsville, Va. • Lauren Murphree {L’11} and Kameron Nance were married 11/1/14. Lauren is title director at Hathaway HomeServices Carolinas Realty. • Sarah Schupp has been named the undergraduate experience coordinator for the economics department at Cornell University. A big part of her job is

coordinating academic advising, but she is also involved in building new programs to help bring economics majors together. Sarah lives in Ithaca, N.Y.

09|

A.T. Debnam {Law} became

certified in November by the N.C. State Bar as a specialist in family law. She is an attorney at The Mueller Law Firm in Raleigh. • V.J. Galloway and Durice White {MBA’14} were married 11/1/14. Alumni in attendance included John Barnhill ’92, Tait Arend ’96 {MBA’00}, Eden Esters Brown ’07, Jordan Bacharach and Sarah Graves ’12. Durice is assistant director of leadership giving at Elon and V.J. is a project manager and sales operator for IMG College. They live in Whitsett, N.C. • Chad Hinton {Law} and wife Alicia welcomed daughter Claire on 4/18/15. She joins older brother James. They live in Tarboro, N.C. • Jason Kahn was selected as one of the Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity’s 2015 Thirty Under 30 leaders for his professional achievements. Jason is senior development director for

08|

Samantha Gilman {L’11} spent most of 2014 traveling the East Coast helping to implement health reform in Massachusetts, Vermont and Rhode Island at each state’s health exchange. In January she joined the health reform practice of Avalere Health as a Medicaid and dual eligible subject matter professional, leveraging both her legal expertise and health reform experience to serve health plan, life science and biotech clients.

A COMMON DENOMINATOR BY KEREN RIVAS ’04

Alanna Vagianos ’13 and Carly Ledbetter ’13 weren’t particularly close in college, not that you would know it if you see them today.

hen they are not spending time together at the New York City apartment they share, the roommates are at The Huffington Post office where they work. Though they are in different departments, “we usually see each other a few times a day, whether it’s going somewhere to write or running to lunch together,” Ledbetter says. The pair first met through women’s/gender studies classes at Elon— Vagianos was pursuing an independent major on the subject while Ledbetter was pursuing a minor. They didn’t connect again until after graduation, when Ledbetter called Vagianos to get some advice on whether to pitch a story she had written. “That’s when I realized she would be a perfect fit for The Huffington Post and told her to apply for our fellowship program,” recalls Vagianos, who was a fellow at the time and now serves as associate editor for HuffPost Women, a section that explores topics that impact women. A few months later, Ledbetter, who double majored in history and communications, received the fellowship and moved to New York. The two soon became roommates and have been inseparable ever since. Having so

40 the MAGAZINE of ELON

much in common makes a difference as they support each other in their personal and professional lives. The two even returned to campus in the spring to participate in different events. “It was wonderful to come back; Elon has really grown so much since Carly { Alanna Vagianos ’13 & Carly Ledbetter ’13 } and I left,” Vagianos adds. “The campus itself, the communities on campus and even the coursework seems to have grown.” As she looks to the future, Vagianos hopes to eventually move up the ranks at The Huffington Post. Now an associate lifestyle editor, Ledbetter, too, cannot see herself anywhere else. “The Huffington Post was and is my dream job and living in NYC is pretty amazing,” she says. Having Vagianos as a roommate is a big bonus. “I think it really helps that we have such a major, shared experience between us.” Vagianos agrees. “We basically live the same life, so it’s helpful to have someone to navigate it all with.”

CLASS NOTES

The University of Ohio’s central office, where he oversees a team of major gifts officers. The university recently wrapped up its largest capital campaign in school history, raising more than $450 million. • Jeremy Keever {Law} was selected by the N.C. Bar Association as a delegate to the attorney exchange program. The program, which is held every other year, took place in Portugal and offers a better understanding of the laws in other countries and fosters goodwill among attorneys around the world. • Sarah Robinson Lucente {Law} and Steven Lucente {Law} welcomed son Thomas Anthony on 6/2/14. They live in Charlotte, N.C. • Shannon O’Donnell Russell {Law} and husband Jonathan Russell welcomed daughter Lillian Kent on 8/5/14. Shannon is legal counsel at Barton College in Wilson, N.C. • Megan Silver {Law} is an associate attorney with the law firm of John C. Hensley Jr., in Asheville, N.C. She handles wrongful death, medical malpractice, personal injury and worker’s compensation cases. • Ryan Stewart {Law} accepted the position of associate general counsel with Alliance One International Inc., after spending nearly three years with Womble Carlyle’s corporate and securities practice group.

10|

REUNION

Schools in December after working for four years with Halifax Media Group as a reporter. During a recent community event, she met with other Elon alumni who also work for Henderson County Schools, including John Bryant ’99 and Carl Taylor ’99. Molly and husband Jamie Gorsuch live in Hendersonville. • Preston Nelson {Law} opened Nelson Law Firm PLLC in February. Based in Greensboro, N.C., the firm specializes in real estate matters. • Jenny Sweet {Law} achieved membership to the Greensboro Bar Association’s Herb Falk Society in 2014. The society honors members of the association who contribute at least 75 hours of pro bono service annually. • Kelly Valente {Law}, an associate attorney at McAngus Goudelock & Courie in Charlotte, N.C., and husband Ryan Valente {Law}, an associate attorney at the Law Offices of Michael J. Bednarik, welcomed daughter Victoria Ireland on 12/22/14.

11|

Powell Baggett {Law} was

appointed by Gov. Pat McCrory to the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Advisory Commission. He is assistant general counsel at the N.C. Department of Environment and

Natural Resources. • Kaitlyn Fay and Eric Koch were married 5/23/15. Alumni in attendance included Casey Collins, who served as maid of honor. Kaitlyn and Eric live in Wallkill, N.Y. • Brittany Hallberg and Bruce Rosell were married 3/21/15 in Richmond, Va. Alumni in attendance included Tripp Bell ’07, Rachel Sparrow Bell ’08, Howard Rosell ’08, Currie Bell ’10, Cait Beeler Robins ’10, Stu Batten, Meghan Braun, A.J. Harris, Zach Henderson, Michelle Illar, Amanda Jones, Chris Kanoy, Lauren Fredrickson Kanoy, Andrew McMicken, Maggie Duszlak Reyes, Christopher Shafto, Hilary Fogle Shafto, Clark Richards, Miller Robins, Natalie Sayag, Lizzie West, Alanna Winsper, Andrea Keller ’12, Brad Lind ’12, Adam Shreiner ’12 and John Brebbia ’15. The couple live in Raleigh, N.C. • Drew Gardner and Emily Gardner were married 7/19/14. Alumni in attendance included Alex Douyon ’09, Clint Collins, Stephen Dilger, Ben Lunka, Greg Mader, Hunter Miller, Parker Brown ’12, James Carroll ’12, Jordan Neuhauser ’12, Chat Ott ’12, Tony Pusateri ’12, Jahan Threeths ’12, Mackenzie Walley ’12, Denzel Ogunyase ’13, Ali Wade ’13 and Nick Butterly ’14. Drew is a medical student at the Brody School of Medicine at East

Carolina University. They live in Greenville, N.C. • Jennifer Edwards Hoverstad {Law} and husband Carl welcomed daughter Elin Ashe on 9/14/14. Jennifer was named acting human resources manager for the N.C. Division of Employment Security in November. In this role, she serves as the strategic business partner for the assistant secretary and his senior staff. • Brian Hunt {Law} and Summer Hunt {Law} welcomed daughter Caroline Grace on 1/3/15. Brian is an attorney at the Law Offices of Bob Dewey and the Ramsay Law Firm, while Summer is an attorney at Brady & Kosofsky. • Ivy Oakley Waterhouse {Law} and husband Chase Waterhouse {MBA’13} welcomed son Brandt Everette on 10/26/14. Ivy is an attorney at Oxner + Permar in Greensboro, N.C., and Chase is project manager at Elite Displays and Designs in Thomasville. • Jessica Yañez {Law} and husband Agustín welcomed daughter Sophia on 9/9/14. Jessica has been working as an immigration attorney since December 2012 and has helped people from more than 30 countries to date.

12|

Alvaro de la Calle {Law}

was elected by his peers to the Business North

ALUMNI ALBUM

Alexa Milan Boschini, Martha Browning and Emily Bruner have teamed up

to chair the Class of 2010’s fifth reunion committee. They encourage classmates to return for Elon’s Homecoming celebration Oct. 1618 and attend the reunion tailgate party on Saturday prior to the football game. For more information, contact reunions@elon.edu. • Kristy Andraos {Law} and Logan York were married 5/7/14. Kristy is the principal attorney at Andraos Law PLLC in Greensboro, N.C. • Adam W. Arthur {Law} of Kirkman Attorneys at Law in Greensboro, N.C., was selected to the 2015 list of the National Association of Distinguished Counsel, an organization that recognizes attorneys who elevate the standards of the bar and provide a benchmark for other lawyers to emulate. Adam has also been recognized with the N.C. National Guard Civilian Commendation Medal and The National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 award. • Molly McGowan Gorsuch joined the Henderson County (N.C.)

Kristen Laramie Tremblay ’07, Jason Tremblay & friends

Lauren Murphree Nance ’08 G’11, Kameron Nance & friends

Michael Monkelien ’08, Sierra Moon Monkelien ’08 & friends

V.J. Galloway ’09 & Durice White Galloway ’09 G’14 Ryan Stewart G’09 summer 2015 41

CLASS NOTES

11|

Independent filmmaker

Beatrice Copeland’s first short film, “Erswhile,” was accepted to the Shorts Film Corner of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France. Produced by Todd Leonard ’14, the film focuses on four sisters and the last night they spend together before the eldest goes to college. It was screened all 12 days of the festival in May, and Beatrice attended a portion of the festival. Beatrice is currently a field producer on a new A&E docu-series. She lives and works in New York.

{ Beatrice Copeland ’11, center }

Carolina’s Legal Elite list and was the top attorney in the Young Guns (under 40) category. In addition, he was selected to the 2015 list of the National Association of Distinguished Counsel. • Andrea Davis {Law} has joined the law firm of Randolph M. James in WinstonSalem, N.C. Her practice focuses on employment law and business and commercial litigation. • Jonathan Horner {Law} has joined the law firm of Richards, Layton & Finger, the largest law firm in Delaware, where he focuses on commercial real estate.

13|

In January, Grant Buckner {Law} became law clerk to

Mark D. Martin, chief justice of the Supreme Court of North Carolina. • Elizabeth Duncan {Law} and Nemat Heydary were married 10/18/14. Elizabeth is an attorney at the Scott Law Offices in Greensboro, N.C. • Andrew Jones {Law} was promoted to partner at Rountree Losee LLP in Wilmington, N.C. • Alex Nuesse was casted in the Asheville Lyric Opera’s production of “West Side Story.” The production was held at the Diana Wortham Theatre in Asheville on April 24-26. She lives in Asheville. • Jessica Simermeyer

received her master’s degree in occupational therapy from the Medical University of South Carolina in July. She lives in Raleigh, N.C. • Jake Pryor {Law} was promoted to the rank of U.S. Marine Corps captain in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps. • Courtney Roller {Law} and Joshua Tussey were married 9/20/14. Courtney owns a law practice in Lexington, N.C. • Molly Springs {Law} opened Springs Law, a Charlotte, N.C.-based firm that focuses on personal injury and Social Security disability. She also serves as counsel to Michael Barnes, of Barnes Law Office, where she assists with the resolution of catastrophic personal injury cases. • Mike Wilson {Law} and wife Jennifer welcomed son Michael Glenn on 7/22/14. Mike owns a law practice in Hickory, N.C., where he represents clients in Catawba, Burke and Caldwell counties.

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Katie Koone {Law} works

for the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s academic and membership affairs section of the regulatory affairs department. She is based in Indianapolis. • David Lambert {Law} and wife Desiree welcomed son

Sawyer Fitzgerald on 2/2/15. David is pursuing a Master of Public Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. • Michael Nash {Law} and longtime Greensboro, N.C., criminal defense attorney Charles A. Lloyd formed Lloyd and Nash PLLC in January. Nash leads the firm’s general practice division and provides litigation services for both criminal and civil matters. • Andrew Realon {Law} is teaching in the department of human relations at High Point University. • Murphy Townsend {Law} and wife Brooke welcomed daughter Elizabeth Cameron on 9/13/14. Murphy is an associate attorney with The Spagnola Law Firm in Greensboro, N.C. His practice focuses on family law matters.

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REUNION The Class of 2015 will be celebrating Reunion Zero this year during Homecoming weekend Oct. 16-18, and committee chair Alli Fox is hoping to see many classmates returning to campus for this milestone reunion. For more information, contact the Office of Annual Giving at 336-278-7423 or reunions@elon.edu. ALUMNI ALBUM

l-r: Molly McGowan Gorsuch ’10, John Bryant ’99 & Carl Taylor ’99

Alvaro de la Calle G’12 42 the MAGAZINE of ELON

Kaitlyn Fay ’11, Eric Koch & friends

Alex Nuesse ’13

Drew Gardner ’11, Emily Gardner & friends

Courtney Roller G’13, Joshua Tussey & friends

Andrew Realon G’14

CLASS NOTES

IN MEMORIAM

MORE THAN A HIKE

Juanita Gilliam Loy ’34 P ’60,

Elon, N.C. 4/13/15.

Faye Thomas Shields ’44,

Hilton Head, S.C. 6/15/15. Mary Ellen McCants Evans ’45,

Columbia, S.C. 6/2/15.

Ethalinda “Dixie” Griffin Allred ’48,

Reidsville, N.C. 6/30/15. John David Vance ’51,

Leesburg, Fla. 5/7/15. Vance established the John D. and Martha V. Vance Music Scholarship in memory of his wife, Martha Vance ’50.

BY KYLE LUBINSKY ’17

Ralph L. Foushee ’52,

Seven Lakes, N.C. 5/7/15. Elizabeth “Lib” Hoffman Denny Pleasant ’52, Burlington, N.C. 4/19/15. Thomas “Wade” Garrett ’55,

{ Dr. Margaret Noel and Johnny Morris ’14 }

ohnny Morris ’14 relishes his time outdoors and enjoys exploring the world. He also cares about mental health, which is why on March 2, he set out to hike the Appalachian Trail to raise money and awareness for Alzheimer’s disease through MemoryCare. The Asheville, N.C.-based company, which his mother founded, works to provide affordable, quality care for those who suffer from dementia. Morris had always wanted to hike the trail, and the company’s 15th anniversary gave him all the motivation he needed. Nearly half the patients involved in MemoryCare are considered low income, and he has raised enough money to cover the costs for 40 families for the entirety of 2016. “Choosing to do this for MemoryCare is my way of giving back to a small community that has given so much of itself to help those who need it,” he says. The trail, which spans some 2,200 miles from Georgia to Maine, provides a different challenge. Morris says the walk has taught him patience, awareness and perseverance. The hike garnered attention from companies such as Vasque, NEMO, Darn Tough, Leki and Osprey, who sponsored Morris by giving him gear for his journey. “To finish a longdistance hike such as this is an incredibly rewarding experience, but to do so while giving back is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity,” he says. His mother, Dr. Margaret Noel, who has worked with Alzheimer’s patients for the past 25 years, started MemoryCare in 2000. She taught Morris the important role family members play when treating dementia patients, particularly when it comes to ensuring quality of life. MemoryCare staff devote

nearly as much time educating caregivers about the disease as they do working with actual patients. Morris’ desire to care for others, especially those who have cared for him, has guided him throughout his life. It played a role in his decision to come to Elon, a place where he says students, faculty and staff were willing to go above and beyond to help their community. Morris, who graduated with a degree in exercise science, is pursuing a physical therapy degree at Western Carolina University. He believes there is a need for empathetic individuals in health care and hopes the hike will raise awareness about dementia among young people, who generally possess little knowledge on the subject. As a young person advocating for dementia awareness, he has been able to gain traction on social media throughout the hike. “It has brought awareness to Millennials who probably don’t realize how this disease is impacting their parents and their grandparents and will impact them at some point,” says Chad Conaty, director of development and Outreach for MemoryCare. As a result, MemoryCare has seen growth on Facebook, going from 20 likes to 300 over the course of Morris’s hike. Morris realizes the hike, which he completed in July, is just the beginning when it comes to raising awareness for Alzheimer’s. “Discovering a cure will require recruiting young scientists to become interested enough to build upon what has been done by the generation ahead of us,” he says. “We need to be educated and prepared to help people with Alzheimer’s to have the best quality of life possible.”

Burlington, N.C. 5/4/15. Clate F. Huffman ’55, Lexington, N.C. 6/14/15.

Theodore “Ted” Warren Isley ’56,

Burlington, N.C. 4/27/15.

Leland Melvin Chrismon ’57,

Elon, N.C. 6/21/15.

William “Bill” Osborne Griffin ’57,

Burlington, N.C. 6/3/15.

Norman W. “Bo” Riddle Jr. ’57,

Elon, N.C. 6/21/15.

Marion Preston “M.P.” Robertson ’59,

Reidsville, N.C. 5/6/15.

Charles Daniel “Danny” Gee ’61,

Pensacola, Fla. 5/15/15. John A. Munick Jr. ’62, Newport News, Va. 10/9/14.

Nancy Ellington Patterson ’62,

Burlington, N.C. 6/15/15. Peggy Lunsford Hall ’77, Greensboro, N.C. 10/21/14.

Ray Thompson “Swanny” Dodson ’78,

Reidsville, N.C. 5/25/15. Larry Ralph Troxler ’79, Burlington, N.C. 4/29/15.

Benjamin “Benny” Brooks ’80,

Elon, N.C. 4/23/15.

Elizabeth “Libby” Lloyd McDonald ’81,

Hillsborough, N.C. 6/4/15. Timothy Ray Pyrant ’81, Durham, N.C. 6/3/15. Jerry “Jody” Little ’92, Locust, N.C. 4/30/15. William “Bill” Ginn Jr. ’93, Apex, N.C. 4/26/15.

Randolph “Randy” Lee Morchower ’97,

Richmond, Va. 4/12/15.

friends Leonard Kaplan GP ’11 GP ’15, an Elon

grandparent and longtime supporter of the university, died on April 12 in Greensboro, N.C.

summer 2015 43

COMMENCEMENT

2015

CELEBRATING ELON’S GRADUATES

There were many special moments during Elon’s undergraduate and graduate Commencement ceremonies in May. Here are some images from that memorable week.

Office of Alumni Engagement PO Box 398 Elon, NC 27244

Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Durham, NC Permit # 104

Toll Free: (877) 784-3566 elon.edu/alumni Change Service Requested

{ The Elon University women’s track & field team was crowned the Colonial Athletic Association team champion at the league’s outdoor championship meet in May. This is the Phoenix’s first team championship in the CAA and the first team title for the Elon track & field program. Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Mark Elliston and Phoenix freshman Emily Dixon were also named Women’s Coach and Rookie of the Year, respectively. }