Smaraki Mohanty, Doherty Emerging Professor of Entrepreneurship and assistant professor of marketing, teaches the course to immerse students in a client-facing consulting experience that pairs academic theory with meaningful community engagement. Most digital marketing courses deal heavily with case studies; however, with the course structure, students collaborate directly with local businesses and organizations throughout the entire semester. The course is designed to strengthen students’ understanding of digital marketing fundamentals, including website usability, search engine optimization (SEO), social media strategy, and customer engagement, while requiring them to apply these concepts in professional, real-world contexts.

“Community partnerships are a core component of the Digital Marketing course and are integrated through a semester-long, client-based consulting project,” Mohanty explained. “It begins with students being placed into small consulting teams, which are paired with a local organization. This allows them to analyze each partner’s digital presence and develop data-driven marketing recommendations to help promote their organizations to the community.”

This semester, the community partners included Empirical Wellness Center, Upside Aerial Arts & Fitness, Odessa’s Pots and Prayers, Haand, 64 Harvard, and Fjord, Inc. Through these local partnerships, students engaged directly with business owners and managers, tailoring their work to each organization’s goals and resources.

ľĂľĂČČ gained increased confidence in applying SEO strategy, understanding keyword relevance and adapting best practices to fit unique client contexts.

“This experience relates directly to my goals after Elon, because with my marketing major and communications minor, I hope to specialize in social media marketing and digital work,” said Skylar Zimmerly ’26. “Being able to make these changes for Upside Aerial as a company, and watch their target audience, engagement and online presence all grow significantly due to my efforts, not only prepares me for working with other clients in the future but also prepares me with the confidence to know I’m capable of succeeding in my field.”

For community partners, the course provides access to research-backed digital marketing insights that many small businesses and organizations may not have access to. These recommendations have the potential to increase website traffic, improve discoverability and support long-term business growth.

“Upside Aerial was missing out on an entire audience to connect with on a new platform,” said Zimmerly on working with Upside Aerial on making a TikTok account. “Soon after creating their account and sharing their story/videos, we saw a large change in engagement. Additionally, as a marketing major, it was most insightful for me to gain hands-on experience with an actual client, mimicking what the future could look like in my career. With this, the client being a Burlington local just goes above and beyond my Elon experience, allowing a positive relationship to grow between the community we’re surrounded with. “

Through its community-engaged approach, the Digital Marketing course demonstrates how academic learning can create tangible benefits for both students and the local community. This course aids in the creation of future professionals while supporting the businesses that help make Alamance County thrive.

KING and PINK Academy are youth mentoring programs founded in response to a clear need within the local community: students who would benefit from a strong, reliable support system beyond the home. At its core, the program’s mission is simple but powerful. They want to walk alongside young people during formative years, helping them navigate school, relationships, and self-identity with encouragement and care.

For student leaders involved with KING/PINK Academy, the work is deeply personal. Elon senior Alex Fleischmann 26’, will be entering his seventh consecutive semester with the program and fourth as a program coordinator, describing the experience as unlike any other mentoring opportunity he’s encountered.

“Mentorship in this program feels very personal,” he shared. “Because KING/PINK is a weekly commitment and there’s an expectation that you show up every week, you’re able to build genuine connections with the students.”

That consistency Fleischmann describes is what sets the program apart. Over time, mentors don’t just work with students, but have the joy of watching them grow into their high school years. For long-term mentors, that can mean witnessing years of emotional, social, and academic development.

“As somebody who has been serving for almost four years, I’ve watched a couple of the kids grow up and mature in a way that I haven’t previously been able to with other youth mentoring programs,” said Fleischmann.

The impact of KING/PINK Academy extends far beyond the program sessions themselves. Mentors have consistently observed positive changes in students’ daily lives, from increased engagement at school to greater awareness of their mental health and well-being. These are important habits and skills they are gaining through this mentorship that will set them up well for their next chapter in high school.

“I’ve seen them become more engaged and tell me more positive things about their lives,” said Fleishmann. “Whether it’s being more present at school or learning how to take care of themselves, the growth is real.”

Just as powerful is the effect the program has on the mentors themselves. Working with KING/PINK Academy helps student leaders refine their own leadership and mentoring styles, learning how to meet each student where they are.

“This program has allowed me to continue developing my leadership style,” Fleischmann reflected. “This program has definitely reinforced that I want to be involved in similar work after graduation.

That growth often carries forward into the future. Many mentors find that their experiences with KING/PINK Academy influence how they see their role in the community along with what they hope to do next

As KING/PINK Academy looks ahead to the spring semester, the program is actively seeking new mentors who are passionate about youth development, consistency, and community engagement. Interested students are encouraged to reach out and get involved. Sometimes, showing up once a week can change far more than you expect, for both mentor and mentee

Habitat for Humanity is an international nonprofit organization committed to addressing the global affordable housing crisis. As the current LINCS coordinator, Moylan serves as the primary liaison between Elon Volunteers! and the Alamance County Habitat for Humanity chapter. In this role, she coordinates student volunteers while also working closely with Habitat’s professional staff on fundraising initiatives, social media outreach and increasing campus awareness of the organization’s mission. Her important work ensures that Elon students play an active role in creating safe, affordable housing for local families in Alamance County.

Moylan’s involvement with Habitat began during her sophomore year when she joined Elon Volunteers!. While exploring service opportunities through the Kernodle Center for Civic Life, she was drawn to Habitat because of its tangible impact.

“You can literally see the difference before and after a shift,” she shared.

Moylan loved to see the house take its shape, and families make it a home. This left her with a strong sense of pride and purpose that kept her coming back and wanting to do more.

In addition to her work with Habitat, Moylan 26’ co-founded Imagine Science, a program designed to address declining student engagement in science education following the COVID-19 pandemic. This program was inspired by her love and passion for science and education. Imagine Science’s mission is to bring hands-on experiments and activities to local after-school programs, introducing students to the scientific method in a fun and accessible way. The program also fills a previously limited niche in the Kernodle Center by offering a STEM-focused service opportunity for Elon students. One of Moylan’s most memorable moments came during Imagine Science’s first workshop in Spring 2025. After months of planning, she was nervous about how the students would respond to this new program.

“Seeing their faces light up when they realized how fun science could be was incredibly rewarding,” she said.

This experience solidified her commitment to continuing and expanding the program to keep fostering an environment for students to learn and even ignite a passion for science.

These service experiences have shaped Moylan personally, academically, and professionally. With big dreams to become a physician, she views service and education as essential pillars of medicine. Through Habitat and Imagine Science, she has gained hands-on skills, leadership experience, and a deeper understanding of the challenges facing her community. She hopes these insights from her work with these programs will make her a more compassionate doctor in her next chapter after Elon.

Moylan encourages fellow students to pursue their own ideas for community engagement.

“If you have a vision for a program that could make a difference, go for it,” she said. “Sometimes all it takes is one person with enough passion to bring it to life.”

Johnson’s bubbly personality and presence in the office fosters the comforting environment that the Kernodle Center for Civic Life is all about. In the past, Johnson has held multiple roles in the office including ľĂľĂČČ Kitchen farm shift coordinator and cooking shift coordinator. Her favorite volunteer opportunity during her time working with the Kernodle Center has been the Elon Volunteers! Rise Against Hunger event held each September.

Johnson’s experience in the Kernodle Center has had a great personal impact and has also impacted her career plans. “From the staff mentorships to the overall comfort the community and office gives – it has encouraged me to pursue a master’s in higher education because of how much of an impact the Kernodle Center has had on me,” Johnson said. “I truly would not be going to grad school if I was not involved in the Kernodle Center. I specifically want to work in a civic engagement office because of the Kernodle Center for Civic Life.”

As Johnson gets ready to leave Elon, she shared one piece of advice. “I think the biggest one is try everything and anything you are interested in,” Johnson said. “I think a lot of people, myself included, think they do not have enough experience or previous relationships with Elon Volunteers! or Alamance County to get involved but just starting a project because you are interested can change your life.”