The Pendulum May 22, 2019 Edition

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Elon News Network

THE PENDULUM

Wednesday, May 22, 2019 Volume 44, edition 35 Elon, North Carolina

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NEWS • PAGE 3 Steven House finishes career as provost.

NEWS • PAGE 4

SPORTS • PAGE 10

Five Elon students re-

Fourteen Elon foot-

ceive Fulbright

ball players graduate

scholarships.

from the program.

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COMMENCEMENT

Wednesday May 22, 2019

THE PENDULUM A PUBLICATION OF

Established 1974 Volume 44, Edition 35 Elon News Network is a daily news organization that includes a newspaper, website, broadcasts and podcasts. Letters to the editor are welcome and should be typed, signed and emailed to enn@elon.edu as Word documents. ENN reserves the right to edit obscene and potentially libelous material.

Lengthy letters may be trimmed to fit. All submissions become the property of ENN and will not be returned.

corrections

JACK HALEY

Executive Director of Elon News Network

ABBY GIBBS

Managing Editor of The Pendulum

COURTNEY WEINER

News Director of Elon Local News

AMANDA GIBSON

Event Coverage Coordinator

JAZMIN BENDER

Social Media Coordinator

ALEX REYNOLDS

Sports Director

JACK MCINTYRE

Chief Copy Editor

HANNA MEYERS

Assistant Copy Chief

CORRECTIONS POLICY:

MICHAEL ASCH

Opinions Director

ALEX ROAT

Video Production Manager

REID COBB

Analytics Director

MAEVE ASHBROOK

New Member Coordinator

GRACE TERRY

Design Chief

ZACH OHMANN

Photo Editor

MAGGIE BROWN

Politics Editor

CHRISTIAN GALVANO

Breaking News Manager

ENN is committed to accurate coverage. When factual errors are made, we correct them promptly and in full, both online and in print. Online corrections state the error and the change at the top of the article. Corrections from the previous week’s print edition appear on this page. Contact enn@elon.edu to report a correction or a concern.

ENN seeks to inspire, entertain and inform the Elon community by providing a voice for students and faculty, as well as serve as a forum for the meaningful exchange of ideas.

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Discover the unknown

Abby Gibbs Managing Editor @abby__gibbs

calendar: may 22 - may 24 M.A. IN INTERACTIVE MEDIA COMMENCEMENT | 7 P.M. Whitley Auditorium

SENIOR GALA | 8 P.M. McKinnon Hall

BACCALAUREATE | 3 P.M. Alumni Gym, Koury Center

DONNING OF THE KENTE CEREMONY & RECEPTION | 6 P.M. Lakeside Hall

M.B.A, M.S. IN MANAGEMENT & M.S. IN ACCOUNTING COMMENCEMENT | 7 P.M. Whitley Auditorium

129TH COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES | 8:45 A.M. Young Commons

DIPLOMA CEREMONY FOR ELON COLLEGE & SCHOOL OF EDUCATION | 11:30 A.M. Schar Center

DIPLOMA CEREMONY FOR SCHOOL OF BUSINESS & SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATIONS | 3:30 P.M. Schar Center

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The Pendulum

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

NEWS In the article titled, “Preparing for possible pipeline,” Jason Crazy Bear Tircuit Keck is a member of the Choctaw, and the proposed Mountain Valley Pipeline spans approximately 303 miles from northwestern West Virginia to southern Virginia. Elon News Network regrets the errors.

In the article titled, “Lack of data on Latinx American arrests, The Alamance County Sheriff ’s Office (ACSO) and the Burlington Police Department do not record someone’s ethnicity when arresting them. Elon News Network regrets the error.

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WHEN WE PUBLISH:

ELN Online Exclusive

comic

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EDITORIAL POLICY:

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ROTC COMMISSIONING CEREMONY | 11 A.M. Holt Chapel, South Campus

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When I think of my Elon University transition, I remember the first day my philosophy professor made my head spin. For a self-assured freshman, I was helpless. We had been reading Plato’s “Meno” in class, and I couldn’t understand why Socrates believed that we don’t “know” anything. “What’s the point of of this?” I thought. All I could gather was that my answers seemed wrong and my GPA was going to plummet along with everyone else’s.

To console us, my professor made us highlight this one section of “Meno”. According to Plato, Socrates said, “But that we shall be better and braver and less helpless if we think that we ought to inquire ... that is a belief for which I am ready to fight, in word and deed, to the utmost of my power.”

According to Socrates, we don’t know anything, but we can work to become “better and braver and less helpless” individuals. In other words, we may be ignorant, but we don’t gain anything by complacency with our lives. It takes dedication to search for knowledge even when we are faced with the unknown.

Otherwise, who would desire to seek knowledge, anyways?

This year, we were greeted with the unknown. Branches downed our beautiful home after tropical storms left thousands without power. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raided our county while we remained secure under the oaks. We lost several lives of Elon faculty and community members, whose presences remain deeply rooted in our hearts.

But in the wake of tragedy, we are better, braver and less helpless. We watched our university’s first female president’s inauguration in October. We cheered on our sports teams, as they toppled many Goliaths and move forward with their seasons. We saw communities come together, initiating activism for those who feel unnoticed and unwanted.

As a woman in a leadership position, I struggle to show my vulnerabilities because I fear being portrayed as weak. Especially in a world that has made it difficult for me to realize my potential, I have an incessant desire to prove myself. But I’ve realized that it’s okay to be insecure at times. Without acknowledging our truths and sharing them with others, we can’t dive into the unknown.

Every day, I am proud to be part of an organization that fights to seek what we do not know. I encourage all of you, class of 2019, to do the same. Never let your curiosity stop you from exploring all the world has to offer. And dedicate your life to self-discovery and integrity, guiding you to seek greater heights than ever before. You have a duty to seek the unknown. Now, it’s time to take the plunge.

COMMENCEMENT

Wednesday May 22, 2019

CONSTRUCTING A LEGACY O F L E A D E R S H I P

Left: Elon University Provost Steven House speaks to the class of 2022 at New Student Convocation on Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018.

Steven House reflects on his provost position after a decade of leadership

Bottom:Elon University Provost Steven

House and President Connie Book support the women’s basketball team on Sunday,

Hannah Massen

Elon News Network | @massenhannah

stantly surrounded by College Fellows, which I love. The people I’m closest with are College Fellows, and I think that cohort has already shaped my college experience in a unique way.”

House also worked with Folger to create the School of Health Sciences, oversaw the American Bar Association accreditation process for Elon University School of Law and drafted the university’s current 10-year strategic plan, titled “The Elon Commitment.”

As provost, House was in charge of overseeing the strategic plan’s implementation and monitoring its success.

“I’m a scientist, so my data indicates that we’ve achieved 95.8% of the plan,” House said. “There are a couple of things that we didn’t do, but we’ve really done a good job, and we’ve celebrated those [achievements]. Now we’re in the next strategic planning process from 2020 to 2030, and that’s one of the reasons I’ve decided to step down, because I think the university needs a provost that will take the university through the next 10-year process.”

When Provost Steven House arrived at Elon University in 2001, he was given one piece of advice from the former provost: don’t break anything. While holding on to that wisdom for the past 18 years, House has not left the university as he found it.

House looked beyond not breaking anything, and he started building.

House is known as one of the cornerstone figures of the university, and he has laid the foundation for success across campus. He has spent years overseeing all of Elon’s academic programs and partnering with the departments of student life, admissions and athletics. House made Elon a home for thousands of students.

Now he is stepping down from his position — making way for someone else to fill it.

Building a national institution After House left his position at Seton Hall University, he kickstarted his career at Elon as the founding dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. He was promoted to vice president for academic affairs and provost in 2009 and took on the additional role of executive vice president in 2015.

“I got into this line of work in higher education because of my desire to be a teacher and scholar, and while I don’t get to do that on a day-to-day basis, I still get to interact with people who are doing that,” House said. “The greatest joy I have is to help create an environment that helps the faculty to work really closely with students and to transform their lives.”

Steve Folger, chair and program director of the Department of Physical Therapy Education, has connected with House through a common interest in science.

“He likes spreadsheets, which is good for me because I like spreadsheets too,” Folger said. “He has a big-picture view, and I think he stays pretty close to understanding different opinions for issues that come up within the university, and he’s been able to navigate that pretty well.”

Whether he is cheering on the Phoenix with his wife, Patricia Burgh House, or engaging with students, House leads a full schedule. He can also be spotted at student plays and other cultural events, said senior Kenneth Brown Jr., former SGA president. The provost once dressed up as the Phantom of the Opera in support of a performance.

“He’s pretty outgoing and wants to know the student experience,” Brown said. “He wants to talk to students, get to know what they’re hearing and what they’re thinking about.”

Sophomore Jonathan Stettler, SGA senator for the College of Arts and Sciences, is the main voice between his committee and the provost.

He has worked closely with House on issues students care about, including open educational resources and promoting community service.

“He’s really open to having conversations with us, whether it’s a difficult conversation of ‘This might not be the best way to do this’ or ‘This probably isn’t realistic’ or going into helping us figure out what we need to

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Next steps

“

THE GREATEST JOY I HAVE IS TO HELP CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT HELPS THE FACULTY TO WORK REALLY CLOSELY WITH STUDENTS AND TO TRANSFORM THEIR LIVES. STEVEN HOUSE PROVOST, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT JESSICA RAPFOGEL | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

do to implement something,” Stettler said.

The provost has dedicated much of his time to promoting campus-wide initiatives to advance the university, including the Elon Experiences. House said these experiences are considered to be “best practices” by U.S. News and World Report and Elon is the only institution in the nation to be listed as a “best practice” university in all eight of the journal’s academic categories. He credits Elon’s national recognition to this achievement.

“Now a lot of institutions know about Elon,” House said. “They know about Elon as the preeminent university for engaged and experiential learning, and they want to come and find out how we did this. I would say we moved from a fine institution that was primarily attracting students from the Northeast, but now we’ve become a national institution.”

But House’s involvement with the

Core Curriculum didn’t stop there.

He said he has spent the last 10 years trying to help students interconnect aspects from their Experiential Learning Requirements and their academic studies.

Amy Johnson, director of the Elon Core Curriculum and associate professor of history, said her coworkers just approved a new set of learning goals at their May meeting that may facilitate these meaningful connections.

“We’ve done similar work with COR 110 and Core Capstones and the first-year foundations,” Johnson said. “We’re certainly trying to think of ways to help students and the faculty and staff also understand what they’re getting as they move through the various areas of the core.”

House’s dedication to academic advancement brought a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa to campus, an honor society which is only offered at the top colleges of arts and sciences.

He calls this one of his life’s greatest achievements, but the accreditation process was far from easy.

Phi Beta Kappa’s eligibility requirements called for an overhaul of the library, recruiting better students, hiring different and more tenure-track faculty and supporting faculty scholarship.

“It’s the kind of challenge that takes a long time,” House said. “My motto was, ‘The journey is as important as the goal.’ So each year we got closer and closer, and eventually, it took us nine years to earn a Phi Beta Kappa chapter. When they finally told us we had achieved it, it was joyous across campus.”

The provost said his second greatest achievement was developing the Elon College Fellows program, a four-year academic and professional program for students who have committed to a major in the arts and sciences.

Sophomore Maddie Dauenhauer said the program has given her research and social opportunities she may not have had otherwise.

“It’s the reason I came to Elon,” Dauenhauer said. “I live in the College Fellows Pavilion, so I’m con-

House is not fully retiring — in fall 2019, he will be stepping into the role of executive vice president full time under Connie Book, the current university president. He plans to work closely with the admissions and athletics department and said one of the tasks he is most excited for is simplifying the the budget in terms of salary allocation and doing the merit pay.

Though he said, “They don’t have to be exactly like me,” House hopes his successor will come equipped with energy and passion — someone willing to become the new storyteller of the university.

Brown hopes the incoming provost focuses on strengthening the university’s curriculum and offering equal access to a college education.

“We’ve looked at the demographics in seven years, and in seven years, there are going to be major changes in those demographics,” Brown said. “So many students of color — there are going to be less college-eligible students. Because people stopped having babies during the recession, fewer people will be able to go to college. It’s about thinking about education that’s not just for traditional students. I hope the provost can take an innovative look at what education can look like at Elon and how it can be proactive rather than being caught off guard by something that we knew was coming but just wanted to cross that bridge when we got there.”

House hopes to be remembered as someone who worked hard.

“I would say that Steven, Dr. House, the provost, helped us become the preeminent university in the country for engaged and experiential learning,” House said.

“That would be a good legacy.”

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COMMENCeMENT

Wednesday May 22, 2019

FORGING THEIR FUTURES WITH

Future Elon graduates and one alumna pursue teaching opportunities outside the US

FULBRIGHT

Emery Eisner

Elon News Network | @eisneremery

When Elon University senior Jill Watkins was sitting in the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, airport getting ready to fly to Punta Cana for spring break, the last thing she was expecting to see light up her phone was an email from a Malaysian ambassador. After staring at her phone without moving, she finally opened the email and saw only one thing before bursting into tears: “Congratulations.”

Watkins had received the Fulbright Malaysia grant, meaning her application to become an English Teaching Assistant there — the creation of which took over a year to complete — had been accepted.

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program “offers research, study and teaching opportunities” to recent graduates and graduate students in more than 140 countries in six ABOUT THE global regions, PROGRAM according to The Fulbright the Fulbright U.S. Student website.

ReProgram grants gions include graduates East Asia-Pacifresearch, study ic, Europe and and teaching Eurasia, Middle opportunities East and North in more than Africa and the 140 countries Western hemiin six global sphere, among regions. others.

Every year, Fulbright awards about 2,000 grants in “all fields of study,” according to its website. This year, five Elon seniors and an alumna were awarded Fulbright grants, an increase from four students last year.

Courtney McKelvey ‘18, Watkins and fellow seniors Courtney Kobos and Samantha Collins accepted their grants while seniors Caroline Bowen and Lauren Ventresca declined in pursuit of other opportunities.

“This is an effort we’ve been working on for several years,” said Elon President Connie Book on the university’s participation with Fulbright. “Each year we’re producing more and more Fulbright scholars. It’s a really good match with our … goal for global understanding and global excellence.”

The Elon National and International Fellowships Office guides students through an intensive application process beginning the spring before the application is due, according to a checklist issued

by NIFO. One of the most important aspects of the Fulbright application to be completed in the spring is choosing which country’s grant to which students will apply, according to a joint statement by NIFO Director Janet Myers and Associate Director Sarah Krech.

“We spend a lot of time upfront helping students find a good match in terms of the country and grant,” Myers and Krech said.

But the process of choosing the right program can be difficult, ac-

Senior Jill Watkins will be teaching English in Malaysia in the fall. Watkins received the Fulbright grant with five other Elon seniors and one alumna.

cording to Kobos. difficult.

“The process is highly compet“The greatest challenge is fitting itive, and you will be living there [the students’] complex narratives for a full year, so it is extremely im- into a one-page, single-spaced perportant to pick a country that suits sonal statement,” Myers and Krech you well,” Kobos said. said.

According to Kobos, some facSenior Crystal Sharp, anothtors that led her to apply for an er Fulbright applicant this year, ETA grant in the Czech Republic agreed that editing her personal included language requirements, statement down was difficult. the age group of her students, her “There’s so much correcting family’s heritage and overall inter- in only a one-page, single-spaced est in the region. piece of paper,” Sharp said. “You For Watkins, the process of de- go between one adviser and anciding where to apply had more to other, and they sometimes give do with a process of elimination. you different comments.”

“Malaysia was Though just checking off all Sharp’s applimy boxes, and other cation for an programs weren’t,” ETA grant in Watkins said. Some Germany was of these “boxes” innot accepted, MY BIGGEST HOPE IS cluded the region, she said the TO BECOME PART OF age of students and application the opportunity for process was A COMMUNITY THAT a “rural experience,” still rewarding CAN TEACH ME JUST AS though it came which Watkins said was particularly imMUCH AND DEFINITELY with intense portant. challenges.

MORE THAN I CAN “I’ve been priv“I actually ileged enough to almost quit the TEACH THEM. do a lot of travwhole thing,” eling around the Sharp said.

JILL WATKINS world, and that is “It was pretSENIOR, FULBRIGHT really, really, really ty stressful to SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT where my calling feel like their is,” Watkins said. “I comments love, love, love to c ont r a d i c t e d be pushed out of my comfort zone each other and to not know who and see things and experience had more authority or who knew things and live in ways I never have best.” before, and so I think that is what While Watkins never thought kind of drove me to that rural call.” of quitting, the struggle of hearBut choosing a program is only ing multiple perspectives while the tip of the iceberg in the appli- editing is one she said she was cation process, according to Myers also intimately familiar with and Krech. during the application process.

The next step, according to “I’ve never been pushed that NIFO, is writing a personal state- hard. I’ve never been tested that ment that includes “an authentic, much,” Watkins said. At one passionate, and gutsy personal point, she said she even left a narrative” as well as a grant pro- meeting in tears because a proposal that demonstrates elements fessor “tore [her statement] to such as “quality and feasibility of shreds” while editing it. the proposal,” “personal qualifica“That was hard for me, to be tions” and “language preparation.” able to stick up for my own writThe writing and editing of these ing,” Watkins said. documents is, according to both Ultimately, both Sharp and mentors and applicants, extremely Watkins said they feel the process

“

was worth the stress.

“It is really rewarding even if you don’t get it,” Sharp said, who was able to recycle the edited materials from her Fulbright U.S. application to Germany in a separate Fulbright Austria application. “The fellowship office, they really focus on Fulbright, so you’re not going to necessarily get the same checks with every program, so doing Fulbright gets you those checks,” Sharp said.

Sharp also said completing the application taught her about herself in unexpected ways.

“I actually did learn that I wouldn’t mind teaching English to younger people,” Sharp said, noting she had always planned to teach German to native English speakers. “I also learned that I’m a lot stronger than I thought I was because I actually did all of it.”

Watkins agrees that the application process, while difficult, taught her about her own strengths.

“It really taught me to own my own writing,” Watkins.

Near the end of the application process around the beginning of October, according to a timeline issued by NIFO, comes a special moment, according to some applicants.

“I was sitting in Oak House, actually, when I hit the submit button,” Watkins said. “I woke up the next morning and I had this feeling of relief, like everything is going to work out no matter what happens.”

Sharp said she experienced a similar moment of calmness upon submitting her application.

She’d had a FaceTime call with her parents so she could read her application aloud and catch any last-minute errors.

“Neither of my parents went to college, so getting to have this moment of, I’m applying for this pretty big thing and my parents are helping me correct this essay, … just having my parents’ encouragement I think really helped,” Sharp said.

But the most grueling part of

ABBY GIBBS | MANAGING EDITOR

FULBRIGHT AWARDS

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Elon University students — five seniors and an alumna — were awarded Fulbright grants to become English Teaching Assistants outside the United States.

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recipients — three seniors and an alumna — accepted their Fulbright grants. The remaining two recipients declined their awards to pursue other opportunities.

the application process is what comes after the submission, according to applicants: the waiting.

“I think the most difficult part was the minute I hit that submit button to the minute I got the email saying I was in,” Watkins said. Kobos agrees.

“I was lucky that I [had applied to] one of the first countries who announced in March, but waiting was agonizing,” Kobos said.

Hearing either good or bad news at the end of the waiting period was a relief, according to applicants.

Now, several months after receiving their grants, Fulbright applicants look forward to their futures.

“Working as an ETA will ultimately benefit my students as I will be able to share the lessons that I have learned with them,” Kobos said.

And Watkins echoed. “I’m going to be pushed out of my comfort zone in ways I can’t imagine,” Watkins said about her upcoming year in Malaysia. “My biggest hope is to become part of a community that can teach me just as much and definitely more than I can teach them … and just being able to bring that back to the U.S.”

COMMENCeMENT

Wednesday May 22, 2019

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ADVICE FROM SENIORS

From former SGA President Kenneth Brown Jr. Kenneth Brown Jr. @KBrownJr4

Like most of my classmates over the past few weeks, I’ve been reflecting on my time here and would like to offer a few tips: One, remember to say “please” and “thank you.” Practicing gratitude and kindness is a simple action but can have a powerful effect. You may never know how much a kind word, action or shoutout can have on those around you. Show this to your friends and family, dining hall workers, Physical Plant staff, faculty members and more.

Two, take the long way around. Elon University can be a frustrating place — people, classes, organizations and more may “frustrate your grace,” as my mom calls it. But this is a special place, and I think about the story of Elon: a place built by first-generation students, a place that has literally risen from the ashes. The next

time you’re walking to class, an event or a hangout, take the long way around. Look up, listen and embrace the uniqueness of this place. It might calm you down.

Lastly, I would like to combine phrases from Jo Watts Williams and Melanie Bullock: Dream Big. I dare ya. College is a time for you to imagine the impact you can have on your life and others. It’s a time to look toward a new horizon. Just remember to sit back and cherish the little things. They build up and can get you where you want to go.

Well, Elon, this is it. May your acorns grow as mighty as the oaks around us. May you listen to the quieter voices. May you act with love and integrity. Have fun. Be present. Take breaks. For tomorrow there’ll be more of us who have been on this journey, telling the story of today.

In the meantime, we will cherish thee.

ABBY GIBBS| MANAGING EDITOR

From former SUB President Brittany Sadler Brittany Sadler @elonnewsnetwork

COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNCATIONS

From Cammie Behnke Cammie Behnke @cdbehnke

My Elon University experience has been abundant with opportunities and lifelong memories. But I’ll be honest: it hasn’t been the best four years of my life. There have been countless times when I’ve doubted myself, been anxious or depressed and felt so much like a failure that I wanted to hide from the world. These may not have been the best four years of my life, but these have certainly been the most transformative years of my life.

During my very first night at Elon freshman year, my RA had us write down one thing we wanted to accomplish before we graduate. The word I wrote down was “confidence.” Amidst my own mess, I’m now leaving Elon not only feeling confident in the knowledge and skills I gained but also confident in who I am. I’ve experienced that sense of fulfillment in seeing personal and

professional goals come to fruition, and that is worth everything. Support from mentors, professors and friends have helped lift me out of my doubts, and I will never be able to articulate my gratitude for them.

So my advice comes in three parts.

First, if you feel you’ve faced similar obstacles, know you are not alone. When you look back on your experience, you’ll be amazed by the transformation you’ve made by overcoming those battles. Second, invest in people. Build one another up in the highs, lows and in-betweens, and seek intentionality in those relationships with mentors and friends. Lastly, take time to slow down. College is not a sprint to fit everything you can to make the most out of your experience. Relish those moments of rest.

And truthfully, college shouldn’t be the best four years of your life. If it was, then what would there be to look forward to after? Because I can confidently tell you this: the best is yet to come.

Elon University students have always had the reputation of being over-involved in organizations. By the spring of their first year on campus, most students have their name on five or six organization rosters. Let me ask you: when you look at all the groups you are part of, which ones stand out to you? Which ones do you see lasting with you until senior year?

During my first year and well into my sophomore year, I still felt as though I had not found my home on Elon’s campus. I was involved in too many things to form deep relationships and memories.

Once I took my name off the rosters of

all but two organizations, my community at Elon became clear.

My advice is simple, really: if you are feeling spread thin across academics, social life and organizational involvement, cut it down. Sometimes it can be more rewarding to dive deeper in one or two organizations than to stay shallowly involved in multiple.

For me, this happened with my involvement with the Student Union Board. I started as a committee member, became an executive board member the following year and then ended my involvement as the president. To this day, the people I met through SUB are the people I grew with at Elon. They are my family on campus, and they will always be an integral part of my Elon experience.

GRACE TERRY| DESIGN CHIEF

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Wednesday May 22, 2019

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COMMENCeMENT

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COMMENCeMENT

Wednesday May 22, 2019

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COMMENCeMENT

Wednesday May 22, 2019

TOP 10 STORIES 1

Burlington ICE raids leave lasting fear in the community

2

Non-tenure-track faculty fight to unionize at Elon

ABBY GIBBS | MANAGING EDITOR

JESS RAPFOGEL | STAFF PHOTOGRAPER

After U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raided a mobile trailer park on South Church Street in February, local residents in Alamance County were affected by the state’s crackdown on illegal immigration.

More than 200 targeted arrests occurred across North Carolina, including the trailer park raid.

The next day, Jessica, a student, walked into class at Hugh M. Cummings High School, located only a couple minutes away from the mobile home community. She said some of her friends were too scared to leave their homes and go to class the next day.

Others were afraid to drive on the roads.

“There were a bunch of seats empty,” Jessica said about her classes.

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Jessica, whose last name has been omitted for her family’s protection, is documented, but her parents aren’t. Her family owns a local business in Burlington, and they are active members of the community. Jessica lives with the fear that federal agents could deport her parents. The day after the raid, Jessica’s parents told her, “If we don’t come home tomorrow, don’t be scared.”

Going to class the day after the ICE arrests was hard for Jessica.

“It was distracting. Everybody was talking about it — ‘My aunt told me this, my uncle told me this, they streamed this on Facebook,’” Jessica said.

Win over JMU redefines Elon football

Elon University football (4-1) upset defending Colonial Athletic Association champion and No. 2-seed James Madison University (42) in dramatic fashion to spoil the Dukes’ Parents Weekend game 27-24.

The game felt like a changing of the guard in the CAA as the Phoenix traded even blows with the conference’s top dog, erasing the memory of the 31-3 loss they suffered to the Dukes last year.

The Phoenix defense held the high-powered JMU offense to two touchdowns and 419 yards while the offense pitched a strong performance. The game concluded with an up-tempo fourth-quarter touchdown drive captained by sophomore quarterback Davis Cheek and a game-sealing interception in the dying seconds of the game to cap off the program’s most important win in Division I history.

TREVOR COCKBURN | THE BREEZE

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Faculty members at Elon University are working toward creating the institution’s first non-tenure-track faculty union. After spending the last few months gathering support, the Elon Faculty Forward movement went public on Thursday, Nov. 29, 2018, hosting its first event, which started at Phi Beta Kappa Commons and ended in front of Powell Building.

The goal of the union, faculty members say, would be to provide both fair wages and job security to all non-tenuretrack faculty as well as push Elon’s administration to be more transparent in regard to salary and promotion decisions.

Since then, President Connie Book and other administrators have come out opposing the establishment of a union, ultimately resulting in a vote from adjunct, limited-term and visiting Elon University faculty members in February. They voted

in favor of establishing a union at Elon.

Of the 283 eligible voters, 112 voted for the union, and 68 voted against.

The university filed the objections with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) regarding the election practices of the Service Employees International Union, Workers United Southern Region (SEIU). In an email from Provost Steven House, the university rebuked the SEIU for what it viewed as aggressive outreach to potential union members and misrepresentations of the university’s governance system.

Recently, the NLRB recommended that Elon University overrule an objection it filed against the SEIU-backed push for non-tenure-track faculty members to unionize at Elon. The university and SEIU have one week to respond to the recommendation.

‘Always becoming:’ Connie Book ceremonially inaugurated as Elon’s ninth president

For Connie Book, it’s always been about the process of becoming, not the actual event itself.

Sure, she ceremonially became Elon University’s ninth president, signified during her inauguration Oct. 18, 2018, when Ed Doherty, chair of the board of trustees, placed the gold Presidential Medallion on her neck.

Yes, she became the first female president in the institution’s history, shattering a glass ceiling that only took 129 years to break. But the process to become those things led her to this moment.

And she wants the process of leading this university to be a collaborative effort.

“The broader effort of ‘we’ versus ‘me,’ the firmer foundation of collective action and change, advancing a new model of teaching and learning that celebrates engagement and relationships as the essential ingredients,” Book said. “This is Elon.

A community of courageous and determined educators, dedicated to liberating acts and always becoming better.”

JESS RAPFOGEL | STAFF PHOTOGRAPER

COMMENCeMENT

Wednesday May 22, 2019

OF THE YEAR

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Rains from Tropical Storm Michael drench Elon

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Potential gas pipeline expansion to run adjacent to Haw River

Residents of Alamance County have been working hard to fight against a potential pipeline extension that would run through much of their land and pose a threat to the environment around them. The extension of Mountain Valley Pipeline “Southgate” is set to be decided by 2020. Until then, community activism is set to continue.

MVP proposed its “Southgate” project in May 2018.

The 73-mile extension would expand into southern Virginia and cross into central North Carolina in Rockingham County and end in Alamance County.

ANTON DELGADO | STAFF PHOTOGRAHPER

On the first full day of fall break, rains and winds from Tropical Storm Michael wreaked havoc on Elon University. Alamance County declared a state of emergency and was under a slew of weather alerts, including a flash flood warning until 9:30 p.m. and a tornado watch until 9 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.

In an email to students, Vice President for Student Life Jon Dooley reported several downed trees on campus and urged those still in town to remain indoors.

“The combination of gusty winds and soggy ground conditions could contribute to additional downed trees,” Dooley wrote. “Trees or branches that are downed near power lines can be extremely dangerous and should avoided. Roads in the area may also be affected by branches, flooding and power outages to traffic signals.”

Dooley said there had been no substantial damage to campus facilities and no injuries were reported.

By Thursday evening, Duke Energy reported 24,959 power outages in Alamance County and nearly 90,000 outages in neighboring Guilford County.

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Men’s basketball coach Matt Matheny fired

ERIK WEBB | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Elon University men’s basketball head coach Matt Matheny was fired on March 18, following an 11-21 (7-11 in CAA) season. Matheny coached 10 years for the Phoenix — five years in the Southern Conference and five years in the Colonial Athletic Association. Matheny leaves Elon with an overall record of 151-169. This came days after three players entered their names into the NCAA Transfer Portal to evaluate thier options outside of Elon.

Matheny suffered through five losing seasons during his tenure. This past season was Matheny’s worst since his inaugural season as head coach when the team posted a record of 9-23 (5-13 in SoCon). Elon has only won one CAA Tournament game since joining the league in 2014-15 under Matheny, and this year the Phoenix fell to the University of North Carolina Wilmington — a team Elon had beaten twice already in the year.

Matheny ranks third all-time in wins at Elon, just 10 wins behind Graham “Doc” Mathis. The Statesville, North Carolina, native had one 20-win season during his tenure — in 2012-13 when the team had arguably its most productive year under Matheny. In that 2012-13 season, Matheny coached the team to its only Division I postseason tournament when they made the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT).

Former Ohio State University assistant coach Mike Schrage has replaced Matheny as the new head coach of the Elon men’s basketball program.

The pipeline will transport vast amounts of natural gas supply from the Marcellus and Utica shale production (located in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia) to markets in the mid- and south-Atlantic regions of the United States, according to MVP. Much of community concern derives from the notion that the pipeline extension would be a gas-fracking system. Fracking is a “drilling technology used for extracting oil, natural gas, geothermal energy or water from deep underground,” according to the Independent Petroleum Association of America.

Men’s tennis wins CAA Championship for the first time in program history

CAITLIN RUNDLE | STAFF PHOTOGRAHPER

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The Elon University men’s tennis team faced off against No. 1-seed University of North Carolina Wilmington in the final round of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Tournament.

The Phoenix won 4-3 overall, with the clincher coming from sophomore Camilo Ponce. The win was not only the first CAA championship for the men’s team, but the first time in school history that a men’s team claimed a CAA championship in any sport.

The Phoenix started off strong, taking the doubles point to give it an early lead. Sophomore Kyle Frankel and Ponce won first, followed by the senior team of Mario Paccini and Felipe Sarrasague, who would clinch the doubles portion and send both squads into the singles portion of the match.

The Phoenix fell to the University of Georgia Bulldogs 4-0 in the first round of the NCAA tournament in Chapel Hill on Friday, May 3.

Burglaries over Thanksgiving break leave students shaken up

On Monday, November 24, Elon University senior Kent Chance’s living room looked like any other college bachelor pad. Things were strewn about the room — stray beer glasses dotted the furniture; mismatched remotes shared space on a cooler serving as a makeshift coffee table. But it was all a bit more disheveled than usual after a break-in only a few days before.

Chance’s was one of five houses in Elon broken into during Thanksgiving break, according to the

town of Elon Police Department. Victims say there were likely more. With students home for the holiday, many of the houses and apartments in the area around campus were left totally unoccupied for over a week. According to reports filed Nov. 24 and 25, thousands of dollars in valuables were lifted from student residences with TVs, video game consoles and prescription medication among the casualties.

“It’s just something you never think is going to happen to you,” Chance said.

10 Elon is set to join the Common Application Starting August 1, Elon University will finally appear as a search result on the Common Application’s menu amongst 23 other North Carolina colleges and universities.

The Common Application, a college application service founded in 1975 that includes more than 800 colleges across the United States and 36 international universities. The application service has the potential to increase Elon’s volume of applications and affect measures of diversity and selectivity at Elon.

In an email, Greg Zaiser, vice president of enrollment for Elon’s Office of Admissions, confirmed Elon’s decision to become affiliated with the Common Application. “We need to position the university for this change by being where students are looking for colleges, and because over 850 schools are members of the Common App, students are looking at colleges there,” Zaiser wrote. “Membership will help us naturally extend our national and growing international reputation.”

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COMMENCEMENT

Wednesday May 22, 2019

Men’s tennis player continues his passion for fitness

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Osses-Konig improves his game through his new fitness program

II GOT REALLY INTO FITNESS THIS SUMMER. I MADE A HUGE CHANGE TO MY BODY AND LOVED THE ENERGY THAT CAME WITH IT, AND I SAW RESULTS IN MY TENNIS BECAUSE OF MY FITNESS.

Caitlin Rundle

Elon News Network | @caitlinr_21

The Elon University men’s tennis team had a historic season this year, thanks in part to the four seniors on the nine-player team. On May 24, those four will walk the graduation stage in Schar Center with the rest of the class FELI of 2019 and FITNESS look ahead Felipe Ossesto their fuKonig’s ture.

For fitness some, such program is as senior Fedesigned lipe Sarrasato improve gue, the fubody weight ture means and muscle a chance at training. going pro and making it on the tour, but for fellow graduating teammate Felipe Osses-Konig, the future is a little different.

“I’ll be going into the tennis world. I’m going to be the head tennis pro at a country club in New York, and then I’ll also try to do my fitness program on the side as well,” Osses-Konig said.

This year, Osses-Konig started Feli Fitness, a fitness program designed to improve body weight and muscle training. “I got really into fitness

FELIPE OSSES-KONIG ELON SENIOR

PHOTO COURTESY OF FELIPE OSSES-KONIG

this summer. I made a huge change to my body and loved the energy that came with it, and I saw results in my tennis because of my fitness,” Osses-Konig said. “I’m very passionate about it. I have around 24 clients now at school, and I’m going to continue to do it hopefully.”

Osses-Konig has connected

his love of fitness to his new level of play from this past season — something head coach Mike Leonard has also taken notice of.

Osses-Konig, Leonard said, has tremendously improved.

“He didn’t play or didn’t win a lot his first few years of play, but he’s hardly lost a match this year,” Leonard said.

“I’ve had my best senior campaign because of my fitness. I can wear down my opponent, and it’s something that I think I could apply to the rest of my life.” Osses-Konig said.

“You can imagine the growth he’s had, not just in regard to tennis, but he’s become positive — he’s become more of a leader,” Leonard said.

Senior Felipe Osses-Konig displays his training for Feli Fitness, his personal fitness business.

“I got really into fitness this summer. I made a huge change to my body and loved the energy that came with it, and I saw results in my tennis because of my fitness,” Osses-Konig said.

Osses-Konig said his love for fitness has made him more positive, which has affected many aspects of his life. He said his positive mentality has caused him to improve not only his game but also how he takes on new challenges every day.

Osses-Konig will be working at the Saw Mill Tennis Club in Mt. Kisco, New York, and encourages those in the area to reach out to him for training.

Senior football players move on from the gridiron Fourteen seniors leave their mark on the football program and take their next steps

ation since the program moved out of the Southern Conference.

In 2015, the class of 2019’s first season, the team finished with a 4-7 record. In their senior campaign, they finished 6-5 and had Alex Reynolds clinched a berth in the FCS playSports Director | @reynolds_14 offs.

This year, the football team On Friday, May 24, more than saw two of its players join the 60 Elon University student ath- NFL: Udoh was drafted to the letes will sport maroon and gold Minnesota Vikings, and Toogood one last time in the form of grad- signed as a free agent with the uation caps and gowns. Com- Baltimore Ravens. According to mencement will bring bittersweet the NCAA, about 2% of college emotions for the football team, athletes continue their careers at who will be gradthe professional uating 14 seniors level. This leaves — the most of 98% of all NCAA any program this athletes to enter year. the workforce Among the just like their I JUST LOVE THE GAME graduating Phoefellow graduates nix is senior runand take the exTOO MUCH TO BE ning back Malperiences from AWAY FROM IT. colm Summers, playing with who, despite bethem. ing injured at the Tyler CampWARREN MESSER end of his final bell is one of the SENIOR season with the Phoenix who Phoenix, tallied does not plan 2,178 total yards, marking the on continuing his football career. second most in Phoenix Football But Campbell said he is grateful Championship Subdivision histo- for the experience he had playry. On the defensive end, the team ing with the Phoenix and how his will lose two-time FCS All-Amer- time at Elon both on and off the ican linebacker Warren Messer field prepared him for his future and fellow inside linebacker Matt career.

Baker. And on the offensive line, “They took a chance on me, a the team will lose three of its running back out of Army, to play starting members: Oli Udoh, CJ defensive back. They gave me this Toogood and Alex Higgins. opportunity, and I’m thankful for This was also the first se- them,” Campbell said. nior class to see major success Some players are still fightin the Colonial Athletic Associ- ing to keep their dreams of play-

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ABBY GIBBS | MANAGING EDITOR

Seniors Warren Messer and Matt Baker are two of 14 seniors on the football team who finished their Elon football careers this year.

ing pro football alive. Summers, though he is still rehabbing his hamstring injury from last season, plans to submit a workout video to NFL scouts in the coming weeks. Messer was recently granted a tryout with the Minnesota Vikings. Even if playing doesn’t pan out, Messer said he is not so easily stepping away from the game that has changed his

life.

“Hopefully I’ll be on the football field somewhere in the next couple of years. And if that don’t work out, I know I’ll still be on the football field, just on the other side of it, which is coaching. I definitely want to purse that as a career,” Messer said. “I just love the game too much to be away from it.”

BY THE NUMBERS

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Senior Elon football players have signed to join the NFL.

COMMENCeMENT

Wednesday May 22, 2019

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Faculty Advice MARK FOX

“

MY DAD LAUGHED A LOT. WE USED TO SAY THAT HE HAD A “LOW-LAUGH THRESHOLD”. AND THAT LAUGHING, IT WAS CONTAGIOUS AND MADE YOU FEEL GOOD. I’M NOT EVEN THAT FUNNY, BUT AROUND MY DAD, I WAS A STAND-UP COMEDIAN WITH A TIGHT FIVE. YOU KNOW “SPIT-TAKES”?

MY DAD WAS GOOD FOR AT LEAST TWO AN EVENING! ONE RESULT OF THIS GOOD HUMOR WAS THAT IT WAS ALWAYS FUN TO TALK TO MY DAD. WHEN I OR ANYONE HAD SOMETHING INTERESTING GOING ON, MY DAD WAS THE PERFECT AUDIENCE; ATTENTIVE, APPRECIATIVE, AND ALWAYS ON THE VERGE OF A SMILE. AS A RESULT, PEOPLE WANTED AN AUDIENCE WITH MY DAD. HE HAD A CREW, AN ENTOURAGE, A FOLLOWING… HE WAS SUCCESSFUL AND NEVER ALONE. SO, AS YOU LOOK TO YOUR FUTURE AND WORK TOWARD PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL GOALS, BE LIKE MY DAD AND LAUGH. BE A PERSON OTHERS WANT TO BE AROUND AND HAPPINESS WILL FOLLOW YOU.

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Adjunct instuctor, School of Communications

IT WAS JIM ELLIOT WHO SAID, “HE IS NO FOOL WHO GIVES WHAT HE CANNOT KEEP TO GAIN WHAT HE CANNOT LOSE.” GO AND FIND WHAT THAT MEANS, AND DARE TO GIVE YOUR LIFE FOR SOMETHING BIGGER THAN YOURSELF.

STEVEN HOUSE

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PROVOST

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Senior Lecturer in Music

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CLAY STEVENSON

GRADUATION IS A PASSAGE FROM STUDENT TO TEACHER….RECOGNIZING THAT TEACHING ALWAYS REQUIRES LEARNING. USE YOUR ELON EDUCATION TO ASSURE THAT YOU DO THINGS RIGHT AND DO THE RIGHT THING….TEACHING AS YOU LIVE AND LEARN.

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FILE PHOTO BY LAUREN DUNCAN

CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF

2019

FILE PHOTO BY ELON NEWS NETOWRKal.