“Grievous Entanglement” explores the most common way that people in the Atlantic world came to understand their personal connection to, and complicity with, slavery in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries: consumption. It exemplifies the interdisciplinary approach of American Studies by examining a wide variety of media, including poetry, political cartoons, blackface minstrelsy, slave narratives, and novels produced from the late eighteenth to mid-nineteenth centuries.

According to the prize committee, “Grievous Entanglement” “brings new insights to well-trodden topics — from abolitionism to blackface minstrelsy. The new insights may well shape the way that we teach this period of history…”  The committee praised the book’s “rigorous research, creation of a new methodological approach, and the connections it draws between multiple different fields of study” as well as its “clear and engaging prose.”

Pearson is grateful for the many ways Elon has made this work possible, including financial support from the Department of English, Faculty Research & Development, and the Dean’s Office in Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences.

Circles of varying shades of red creep up the box’s side, while daubs of deep blues, bright greens and icy whites give passersby something new to notice every time they see it. Has Burlington commissioned a new piece of modern art for its downtown? No, this colorful beauty is entirely practical; it’s a traffic control signal box. The first in this collaboration.

A traffic control signal box may not be most people’s first thought for an art installation, but downtown Burlington has chosen it to be the new medium to host a collaboration with �þ���’s Department of Art. Samantha DiRosa, professor of art and environmental studies and chair of the art department, acted as their liaison, choosing student work to be shown to a committee, from which they selected the finalists.

“It’s energizing to see this partnership between Elon’s Art Department and downtown Burlington,” DiRosa said. “Public art has the potential to spark dialogue, invite curiosity and strengthen community identity. We’re excited about the possibilities for more students to participate and to see their work enliven the streets of Burlington.”

The signal box initiative is the latest of downtown Burlington’s efforts to incorporate local art into public spaces, with previous installations including Hervey Garcia’s mural “Between Us,” Beechwood Metalworks’ “Heart of Downtown” and Gina Elizabeth Franco’s “Dance It Out.”

“We value local art and we wanted the downtown to have locally generated art and reflect the community,” said Adam Shull, economic development director for the City of Burlington. “The signal boxes were chosen as a canvas since they are in plain sight, because once you see them, you notice them everywhere. We wanted to bring more whimsy in everyday life.”

The first box to be installed is the work of Jolie Patten ’25, an art major and expressive art minor. Patten’s work emphasizes finding wonder in the mundane, a concept she brings to fruition through this project. Chosen for its ‘vibrant color and abstract qualities’ Patten’s design was printed onto vinyl, which was then installed onto the signal box. This combination of durability and vibrancy ensures that the artwork will remain available to the Burlington community for years to come.

Patten’s box was the first of nine signal boxes designed by Elon students and alumni. Art major Sarah Allan Straight’s ’26 artwork is also on display.

“Some work I did in class happened to be a good fit for the signal boxes, Straight said. “I’m happy the piece was a good fit, and it got to have a life outside of being just classwork. It’s exciting that I get to have my work displayed in Burlington. I’m happy to be able to contribute.”

DiRosa views the opportunity for civic partnership as an extension of the Department of Art’s mission.

“At Elon, we empower students to reach their potential as makers, thinkers and global citizens,” DiRosa said. “It reflects our emphasis on curiosity, material exploration and community engagement — showing students that their art has the power to shape public spaces and spark creative transformation beyond the classroom.”

The city of Burlington has received positive feedback on the artistic signal boxes.

“Businesses and residents really like the signal boxes, and it gives Burlington a nice and cultural feeling that adds to the downtown,” said Maggie Hogan, City of Burlington downtown manager. “As a student, seeing your art on something public is really exciting. We hope to continue to build that relationship with Elon.”

�þ��� and the City of Burlington both see this collaboration continuing to display student artwork.

“We see this as a growing collaboration,” DiRosa said. “More students and alumni will be able to showcase their work in highly visible, community-centered ways, whether through additional signal boxes or other downtown art initiatives. It’s an opportunity not only for professional exposure but also for students to see their art making a tangible difference in the place where they live, work and study.”

Roberts, a biology major from Charlotte, North Carolina, studies how a cancer, fibrosarcoma, can be stopped by a virus, the reovirus. His project explores how genetic editing can be used to decrease the cancer cells’ immune responses, and in turn increase the virus’s infection rate and decrease the cancer cells’ viability.

“Cancer cells have altered immune responses which can be exploited by viruses to infect and replicate in those cells,” Roberts said.

By studying these pathways, his work aims to better understand how to improve the anti-cancer properties of oncolytic viruses.

The NCICU funding will support the purchase of key reagents needed to study the role of protein kinase R (PKR), a cellular protein, which cells use to fight viral infections and whether Roberts and Rivera-Serrano can enhance the cancer-killing properties of viruses by disrupting PKR.

Roberts’s mentor is Efrain Rivera-Serrano, assistant professor of biology.

“While being awarded the grant reflects the scientific merit of my project, it is also a recognition of the help Dr. Serrano has given me in mentoring and designing my project,” Roberts said. “He has been an amazing help with his depth of scientific knowledge, and I love that I have the opportunity to work in his lab.”

As part of the NCICU Undergraduate Research Program, Roberts will present his work at the 2026 State of North Carolina Undergraduate Research and Creativity Symposium for Fall 2026.

He also received funding from the American Society for Virology (ASV) through a competitive Undergraduate Student Award to attend and present his research at the ASV annual meeting in July, marking the first time an Elon student will attend this national meeting.

Roberts will participate in Elon’s Summer Undergraduate Research Experience and was recently awarded a J. Nathan Grant Endowed Grant to support his research.

“To have one of my students receive this grant is incredibly meaningful because it recognizes the quality of �þ��� research at Elon and the strong potential of our students to contribute to meaningful scientific questions, particularly in the biomedical sciences,” said Rivera-Serrano. “These awards are competitive across NCICU institutions, so Alex’s selection highlights both the strength of his proposed work and the level of research training that Elon students receive. This opportunity also gives students important experience communicating their work beyond campus, networking with peers and faculty from across the state and developing the confidence to see themselves as scientists.”

Helena Padial ’26, a music theatre major and Honors Fellow, received the honor during the annual awards ceremony in New York City. The Broadway’s Next Triple Threat award supports the next generation of artists who excel in dance, voice and acting.

Presented through the Chita Rivera Awards and produced by the New York City Dance Alliance Foundation, the award is designed to support emerging performers as they transition into the professional theatre industry. In addition to national recognition, the recipient receives the Chita Rivera Training Grant, providing $10,000 of financial support to live, study and train plus, one year of free dance classes at New York City’s Steps On Broadway.

Padial learned about the award through her high school voice teacher, Celeste Simone, who coached Rivera. Although she was hesitant to apply at first.

“I initially was tentative about applying because it was a competition and I didn’t want to get caught up in too much self-comparison, but ultimately I decided that the feedback from industry names that I have looked up to for years would be worth it, even if I didn’t make it to the next round,” Padial said.

The initial application process included video submissions and written responses, including two songs and a dance solo. Adjudicators chose 15 semifinalists to advance to the next round. The second round included a video integrating song and dance where Padial choreographed a solo of “Sparkling Diamond” and “Diamonds are Forever,” which earned her a spot as one of the five finalists. The finalists participated in an immersive weekend of mentorship and training which culminated in a live performance at the Chita Rivera Awards.

The weekend consisted of intense sessions of classes, mock auditions, singing and 17 hours of dance in three days where the finalists were constantly being filmed and pulled into video interviews.

“My body has never felt so tired, but I knew I had to bring my A-game and keep challenging myself to show up as the best version of myself,” Padial said.

Padial did not know how the weekend would go as she was surrounded by other talented finalists. The finalists performed a number to “Too Darn Hot,” which they only had six hours to learn and ran through the number four times before performing it at the awards show.

“It was the fastest I have ever learned choreography and music and it took a ridiculous amount of stamina to perform, but it ended up being the most rewarding experience of my life,” Padial said.

That night she proved to herself what she was capable of.

“The experience was absolutely insane, it is still so surreal to me,” Padial said. “When I heard my name called that I won the award I immediately started shaking and freaking out because it was such a shock. 10 of my family members were at the awards to support me and hearing them cheer was so special.”

Throughout the weekend Padial had the opportunity to meet people in the industry she looked up to including Bebe Neuwirth, Jessica Lee Golden, Charlotte d’Amboise and Anne Margret.

“I feel so beyond lucky to have been awarded this grant, as it will definitely ease the financial stress as I move to New York and navigate this next period of my life,” Padial said. “It is also very validating and reassuring to know that my hard work is recognized and that I am capable of having a career in this very difficult industry.”

The weekend marked a full circle moment for Padial because Rivera surprised the cast of her seventh grade production of “Bye Bye Birdie,” and 10 years later she received the award in her name, in front of Anne Margret who starred in “Bye Bye Birdie.”

For Polly Cornelius, associate �þ��� professor of music, the recognition is a testament to Padial’s years of dedication.

“It is my honor to have been Helena’s voice professor for four years,” said Cornelius. “She has always been super focused and hardworking, but most importantly compassionate and kind.”

Cornelius praised Padial’s vocal ability throughout her time at Elon.

“Her voice is gorgeous, strong and versatile, meaning she is able to sing well in many styles from contemporary belt to soprano,” Cornelius said. “I am thrilled but not surprised at all that she won this prestigious award. I have always believed in Helena’s potential and look forward to following and supporting her on her career journey.”

After graduation, Padial will move home to Palisades, New York and commute into New York City for classes and auditions while also �þ��� musical theatre at Coupé, where she trained growing up.

In July, she starts rehearsals for “Antigone: 1989,” a new musical headed to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where she will be performing in August.

Layton recently earned a Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) grant. Also known as German Academic Exchange Service, DAAD is a Germany-based international funding organization for exchange students, researchers and academics. Layton, a German studies and history major with minors in museum studies and public history and international and global studies, plans to pursue a master’s degree in intercultural communication and European studies at Fulda University of Applied Sciences.

Layton discovered the DAAD grant via a tip from her German professors, Kristin Lange, associate professor of German, and Scott Windham, associate professor of German. She received strategic support from Nicole Galante, assistant director of national and international fellowships, and Ann Cahill, professor of philosophy, distinguished university professor and director of the National and International Fellowships Office (NIFO).

“The guidance I received from faculty was instrumental in helping me achieve this milestone,” Layton said. “Nicole Galante and Dr. Cahill at NIFO assisted me in writing a statement of purpose and making clear that I am an ideal candidate for DAAD. I am also thankful for my German professors Dr. Scott Windham and Dr. Kristin Lange for encouraging me to pursue studies abroad and to challenge myself.”

Layton also discussed how the DAAD grant will help her achieve her dream of earning a master’s degree abroad.

“The value of studying outside of your home country is something that I don’t think many Americans grasp, and I am excited to gain new academic perspectives by engaging with a culture that is not my own,” Layton said.

Layton’s inspiration for pursuing a master’s degree in Germany stems from her semester abroad in Heidelberg during fall 2024 after immersing herself in the city and culture, she longed to return to Germany.

“I took all of my coursework in German and wrote a semester paper in German, so my language skills and ability to engage with German texts in my field of study expanded drastically,” Layton said. “I felt one with Heidelberg and like I belonged there. This showed me that I am capable of pursuing further education in the country.”

Layton’s strong interest in German studies began when she was 13 years old. She started completing German coursework at this age and was fascinated to learn about a language and culture that was different from her own. Layton continued her studies in high school, which ultimately carried over to her time at Elon.

“It was at Elon that I really thrived in German, developing advanced proficiency and connecting German to my career goals,” Layton said. “My advisor Dr. Windham taught me in my first semester in German my freshman fall, and he saw my potential and encouraged me to continue pursuing language education.”

Because Layton knew she wanted to take a German course each semester to maintain her language proficiency, creating a German studies major seemed like the logical next step. She also noted how courses in German studies, history, museum studies and international and global studies intersect.

“Dr. Windham introduced me to the idea of being a German major, and he was clear that he would support the process of designing the major, so I wasn’t too overwhelmed by the idea,” Layton said. “As an ambitious student, I was more excited to start something new than I was nervous.”

Designing this new major involved curating a list of required courses and proposing a capstone thesis project. Windham, Evan Gatti, professor of art history, and Amanda Laury Kleintop, assistant professor of history, helped Layton make sure that the German studies curriculum coincided with her other degree programs.

“Designing the major took two semesters of meetings and collaboration with committees to prove I could undertake an entirely new major, a demanding process that strengthened my ambition and clarified my academic and career goals,” Layton said.

DAAD is one of the world’s largest grant institutions. It funds research and study for over 100,000 people in Germany and across the world.

“Receiving the DAAD grant is significant because it’s proof that Tori is among the top young researchers in the United States and it’s a testament to her academic achievements and intellectual ambition,” Windham said. “We are ridiculously proud of Tori. The grant shows how well Elon supports �þ��� research, international grant and fellowship applications, and cross-disciplinary studies. It also shows that Elon’s language programs are among the best in the country. Tori’s DAAD grant wouldn’t be possible without her extraordinary abilities in German.”

This year, Layton worked with Windham and Gatti to complete her German studies capstone project investigating how the extremist far-right political party in Germany, Die Alternative für Deutschland (The Alternative for Germany, AfD), uses propaganda infused with historical visual rhetoric. She explained how this propaganda suggests that the party is helping restore Germany’s former glory.

“The research has consisted of considerable close reading of propaganda posters, culminating in a map that visually connects each image,” Layton said. “This is to exhibit how there is a global shift towards far-right extremism that is being influenced by internet-based propaganda today.”

Layton met with Windham and Gatti weekly to discuss the work she completed and to receive feedback. She really valued this mentorship because of Windham’s position as a professor of German studies and Gatti’s background in German medievalism.

“Dr. Windham and Dr. Gatti guided me while I determined how this project would look in the end,” Layton said. “I am eternally grateful for their endless support, insight and encouragement.”

Looking ahead to her future studies in Fulda, Germany, Layton anticipates continuing the research she started at Elon as she contemplates a topic for her master’s thesis.

Originally, Hart wanted to do her own thing and not attend Elon, but once she was accepted, she became more excited about Elon than any of her other schools.

Her decision was shaped by the path forged by her sisters, Kathleen ’19, Maggie ’21 and Emily ’23. For one year, MaryKate even shared campus with Emily, making the transition to college easier.

“We saw each other every day,” MaryKate said. “I would go with her after class to hang out with her friends and we became close to each other’s friends. My sisters and I have an unbreakable bond.”

MaryKate, an environmental studies major, followed in her sister’s footsteps. Three of the four Hart sisters were environmental studies majors. Although for the Hart sisters, environmental studies was not just an academic interest, it was part of their upbringing.

“Our whole family has been involved in environmental issues our entire lives,” Hart said. “My dad worked in politics on the Clean Water Act in Boston, and we would spend weekends going to events related to that.”

When MaryKate started college, she was not sure if she wanted to major in environmental studies, but a first-year environmental science lab changed everything.

“I loved every part of that class,” MaryKate said. “There was just so much to learn, and the professors were so hands on.”

She became involved, serving as a �þ��� assistant for the course, taking on hands-on learning opportunities and gaining experience outside of the classroom.

A defining experience in her college career was her work at Loy Farm, where she joined the core team leading construction to help build a tiny home from the ground up.

“I never thought I would build a house,” MaryKate said. “At first, it was a daunting task. I didn’t know how to use some of the tools, but I quickly realized construction was something I wanted to pursue. It was so exciting to go to work every day because we were learning new things and it was such a different experience being outside of the classroom.”

Robert Charest, associate professor of environmental studies, served as a mentor �þ��� MaryKate and the students how to use tools and construct the house. Everything from start to finish in the home was built by MaryKate and the other students.

The Hart family has created a sense of legacy within the Department of Environmental Studies.

“It’s always exciting when one of my professors has had one of my sisters,” MaryKate said. “I’ll hear about projects they worked on, and then realize the same projects are going on today. I’ll talk to my sisters about something I’m working on, and they’ll say, ‘Oh, I worked on that too,’. It’s really cool to see how projects continue and grow. When I have a question I go to my sisters because there’s a good chance they had experience with it on campus.”

Michael Strickland, assistant �þ��� professor of environmental studies and English,  taught MaryKate in her senior seminar class and recalls his familiarity with the family. When Strickland met MaryKate, he showed her a photo of Kathleen dressed up as Strickland for a skit she did in her first year class.

“I especially knew MK’s oldest sister, Kathleen, and she was in several classes with me,” Strickland said. “They have all been great students, focused, engaged and enthusiastic. Each one is different, but they have all made a strong impression on campus. MaryKate has a confidence level that you don’t necessarily learn in college. She is passionate about the field but is also realistic and grounded. She is easy going but takes charge when needed. I like to think some of that comes from the influence of her older sisters and their experiences at Elon.”

Hart credits her growth to the mentorship she received from faculty, particularly those who encouraged her to take on responsibility early.

Closing a chapter

As graduation approaches, MaryKate reflects on what it means to be the last in her family to attend Elon.

“Elon has been a part of not only my sister’s lives, but my parent’s lives, for 11 years,” MaryKate said. “It’s exciting that we have all made it through and pursued what we wanted, but it’s also a little heartbreaking to leave.”

This will be felt during commencement, when the entire Hart family returns to campus one final time.

“It will be a big last hurrah for my family and a chance to say goodbye to a place that’s meant so much to all of us,” MaryKate said.

After graduation, MaryKate will work as a project engineer at Suffolk Construction, where her sister, Maggie, works as a superintendent.

Ahead of �þ���’s 136th Commencement on May 22, 2026, Today at Elon is highlighting several graduating seniors who have made the most of their Elon experience.

This spring semester, Rax King, a cultural critic and essayist, visited campus on April 13-15 to judge the nonfiction writing contest on April 14 at the Oak House.

During the event King read from her recent collection “Sloppy,” interacted with students and selected the contest winners.

“The submissions were truly all such a pleasure to read, and I had such a hard time narrowing them down,” King said.

Catherine Smith ’26 placed first for her piece “a meditation with my hands in my bra.” Madelyn Fourie ’28 placed second for her piece “Cohabitating With A Stink Bug.” Finn Wilkinson, ’26 placed third for their piece “Ibrahim-ya ‘Uber’ Driver.”

Smith, a journalism major, wrote a lyric essay that explores girlhood, bodily self-consciousness, inherited femininity and the complicated relationship some women have with their bodies. The piece moves through fragmented memories to allow the reader to move through memory and sensation with the speaker.

“I wrote this piece because I was interested in how femininity is learned long before we fully understand our bodies,” Smith said. “So many of the feeling’s girls have toward themselves — shame, fascination, desire, insecurity and tenderness — begin very early and are shaped by family, the media, beauty rituals and observation. I wanted to inspire women to make peace with their embodiment of femininity and younger selves. We don’t have to be embarrassed about who we are becoming.”

The piece marks one of the more emotional and honest pieces she has written.

“I think this essay became about ownership — about moving from viewing the body as something to critique or perform, to something that’s fully your own,” Smith said. “Writing about that helped me find more tenderness in a way I view myself.”

Smith never dreamed she would publish a piece like this. King and Smith’s professor, Negesti Kaudo ’15, assistant professor of English, made her feel confident to trust her voice.

Kaudo organized King’s visit and contest submissions.

“Rax King was on campus for three days and constantly raved about how wonderful and engaged Elon students were, and she even took the time to enjoy a lowkey meal with students at McEwen on her last day, a moment enjoyed by all,” Kaudo said.

Each award recipient received a monetary prize funded through the William Maness Fund. William Maness ’38, an English major, started the fund to honor his friend, alumni Frederick Hartman, also an English major.

This fall, Jared Lemus, a fiction writer, judged the fiction creative writing contest and Brittany Rogers, a poetry writer, judged the poetry writing contest, while also sharing their work.

Elon was selected to host the journal for its faculty’s established commitment to �þ��� research and �þ���, the breadth of expertise among faculty in the Department of Political Science and Public Policy, and faculty members’ standing within their areas of study. Each semester about 20 Elon students reviewed (and re-reviewed) more than 100 of submissions, judging each for methodology, thoroughness and originality of approach. At the conclusion of their term, “the journal class” students have evaluated 1,099 manuscripts and published 12 issues.

“Hosting the journal over the past six years has provided an exceptional engaged learning opportunity for our students,” said Eaves, associate professor of political science and public policy and chair of the department. “It reflects our department’s deep commitment to creating innovative and meaningful ways for students to engage in the discipline. I am especially grateful for the many outstanding students whose hard work and dedication have helped produce a truly exceptional publication, as well as for the faculty leadership that has sustained the journal’s success.”

Elon �þ���s have reviewed hundreds of research manuscripts by their peers around the country and some from international institutions, scouring them for the best and most promising angles of political science research.

Baris Kesgin, associate professor of political science and public policy, led the effort to secure the journal for Elon students. During the journal’s first term, three department faculty Laura Roselle, faculty emeritus, Aaron Sparks, and Kesgin served as rotating advisors to the journal. In the second term, Kesgin was the sole faculty advisor.

“The journal offered a tremendous opportunity to grow for our students and an incomparable experience beyond academics,” Kesgin said. “Furthermore, “the journal class” has become a community. The journal elevated our department’s status in the discipline as well.”

Political science majors reflected on their time working on the journal.

• “My time at the journal both reviewing, and graduating to senior editorial positions, has been incredibly fulfilling. Being a serious contributor to the publishing of �þ��� research has taught me so much about leadership, management, and academia that I am sure to carry forward.” – Lana Jacobs ’26, the journal’s content editor in Spring 2026
• “Serving as Junior Editor for the Pi Sigma Alpha Undergraduate Journal of Politics has given me so much insight into the manuscript publication process.  My own research skills improved so much throughout my work on the editorial board.” – Mira Fitch ’26
• “Being on the editorial team helped me develop many more skills than I was expecting to. It was enjoyable to constantly learn more about some areas of politics for each review, and to have engaging discussions. The journal was a big part of my Elon experience, and it was a pleasure to be on a team of hard-working individuals.” – Isa Van Schijndel Hemerik ’26
• “The Pi Sigma Alpha journal has had a significant impact during my time at �þ���. As a member of the PSA journal since Spring 2024, Junior editor Fall 2024 and Spring 2025, Lead editor Fall 2025, and currently one of the last senior editors, I’ve been able to witness and contribute to the growth of this journal. I am proud of all we have accomplished and will miss it dearly!” – Mackenzie Perry ’26

Dr. Terri Towner, the president of Pi Sigma Alpha and a previous faculty editor of the journal, congratulated the department and its students in a letter and celebrated them for “taking on an important national leadership role in supporting �þ��� research.”

“Elon students and faculty built a strong, student-centered editorial process that gave �þ���s meaningful experience in peer review, editing, and publication,” Towner said. “The Sigma Upsilon Chapter’s work has made a lasting contribution to Pi Sigma Alpha by expanding opportunities for �þ��� research and publication. Most importantly, the journal runs because of the student editorial team. They reviewed hundreds of manuscripts, made hard calls, and upheld the journal’s standards. This work belongs to them.”

Founded in 1920, Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society, is one of the country’s oldest and largest academic honor societies. Membership is open to third and fourth-year �þ���s who have excelled in their studies as well as graduate students and faculty in political science and related fields such as public policy. The society recognizes and promotes high academic achievement in political science and maintains over 800 chapters. Pi Sigma Alpha inducts more than 8,000 members a year and over its 100-year history has inducted more than 300,000 individuals including one U.S. president, three Supreme Court justices, and dozens of members of Congress. Elon’s chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, Sigma Upsilon, was established in 1992 and has inducted nearly 1,000 members since.

The Pi Sigma Alpha Undergraduate Journal of Politics was founded in the spring of 2001 by the Delta Omega Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha at Purdue University, under the name The American Undergraduate Journal of Politics and Government.  With the sponsorship of Pi Sigma Alpha, the name of the Journal was changed to The Pi Sigma Alpha Undergraduate Journal of Politics beginning with the Fall 2004 issue. From July 2007 until July 2010 the Journal was based at the Zeta Upsilon Chapter at Union College, and in August 2010 moved to the Eta Rho Chapter at the College of William & Mary. From August 2013 to Spring 2020, the Nu Omega Chapter at Oakland University hosted the Journal. The Sigma Upsilon Chapter at �þ��� has started its term as the editorial home of the Pi Sigma Alpha Undergraduate Journal of Politics in Fall 2020 and is now concluding its service with the Spring 2026 issue.

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When Jonathan Weaver ’26 arrived at Elon originally as a finance major, he thought in the back of his mind he wanted to do something in healthcare. During his first year, he switched career paths and changed his major to biology with the goal of going to dental school.

Weaver’s interest in dentistry grew out of hands-on exploration. In high school, he shadowed professionals across multiple fields, including physicians, dentists and finance professionals. Dentistry stood out.

“I really liked the unique long-term connection with patients since you can have patients for years and build those relationships over time,” Weaver said.

Once at Elon, he quickly joined the Pre-Health Society and met Yuko Miyamoto, associate professor of biology, who took him under her wing to grow the pre-dental cohort. Throughout his time at Elon, he worked with other students to build the pre-dental cohort.

“There were only three or four people ahead of me on the pre-dental path,” Weaver said. “We worked together to build a community and help each other through the process.”

The road to dental school is a competitive and lengthy process. Weaver completed prerequisite courses, including biology, chemistry, physics, organic chemistry, anatomy and more, while also studying for the dental admission test and securing multiple letters of recommendation.

“Every school is so individualized in what they want on the application, so I had to do a lot of research on my own,” Weaver said.

Weaver applied to 27 dental schools, carefully tracking each application on a detailed spreadsheet.

While home for Winter Break, on Dec. 15, National Decision Day for dental schools, he received acceptances from several dental schools. But it was news he received from The Ohio State University, his top choice program, that changed the trajectory of his life.

“At 8:30 a.m. a third-year student called me and asked how my day was going,” Weaver recalled. “Then he said, ‘What if I told you something that would make your day better?’ That’s when I knew. I had my Ohio State hat sitting next to me and after I hung up, I put it on and my family started cheering. It was a huge weight lifted off my shoulders.”

This fall, Weaver will start dental school at The Ohio State University and is looking forward to working towards the same goal as his classmates. 

“I’m excited to be part of a group where everyone is on the same path,” Weaver said. “It will be challenging, but I know I’ll be motivated because it’s what I want to do.”

Making the most of his time at Elon

Beyond the classroom, Weaver has taken advantage of the experiences offered to students. He is a member of the Pre-Health Society, the Sport Management Society and two honor societies, including Beta Beta Beta, a biology honor society, and Sigma Iota Epsilon, an honor society in the field of management. He also served on the Interfraternity Council as the vice president of community service and philanthropy and was a member of the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity. He also spent a year as a kicker on Elon’s football team.

He credits a Winter Term study abroad course focused on Holocaust history as a transformative experience.

“That study abroad experience shaped who I am,” Weaver said. “I learned a lot and it gave me something meaningful to talk about during my interviews for dental school while helping me grow as a person.”

Reflecting on his time at Elon, he encourages students to get involved on campus.

“Try different things, even if you are not sure what you want to pursue,” Weaver said. “Elon gives you the opportunity to take unique classes and be involved in many things.”

Ahead of �þ���’s 136th Commencement on May 22, 2026, Today at Elon is highlighting several graduating seniors who have made the most of their Elon experience.

On April 16, Lindenman brought both sides of that conversation into the same room. The High School-College English Teaching Symposium, held in Elon’s Numen Lumen Pavilion, gathered university faculty, Elon students and three North Carolina high school English teachers for a panel discussion and dinner. Rather than guessing what students experienced before arriving at Elon, faculty could hear it directly from the teachers at the symposium.

The three panelists included Keith Gerdes of East Chapel Hill High School, Zoë Rein ’23 of Eastern Alamance High School and Adam Cluff of Durham Academy. Each works in a different context, across public and private schools and varied communities, but all three have felt the same pressure to reimagine reading and writing instruction as generative AI reshapes what students expect from the classroom.

That tension sat at the center of the panel discussion. What stood out was not a polished set of solutions, but the honesty with which teachers admitted they are still working it out. Rein, an Elon alumna who teaches in the Alamance-Burlington School System, said she has yet to find an approach to AI that feels just right.

“I haven’t quite figured out how to integrate it into a classroom that makes me feel less like we’re just taking a shortcut out of doing the work of thinking for ourselves,” she said.

Cluff concurred.

“We’re not asking the computer science department to teach computer science through ‘Hamlet’,” Cluff said. “Our job is to help kids learn how to think.”

He explained students’ “craving” for meaningful literature and the deep discussions they raise.

It was that kind of honesty that made the evening worthwhile. The symposium was not designed to produce a policy or a list of approved AI tools. It was designed to create space for a harder conversation about how to keep learning genuinely human when shortcuts are easier than ever to take.

Panelists described the practical strategies they have each leaned on, such as conducting more writing in class, building shorter assignments into longer sequences, and enforcing phone restrictions to protect time for focused thinking. They described their classrooms as something of a holdout against distraction, a place where students are still asked to sit with a difficult idea until they have something real to say about it.

Gerdes shared his strategy of requiring students to have small-group conversations.

“�þ��� who hadn’t done the reading got left out—and students didn’t want to feel left out,” Gerdes said. “The more we can be humans, being and talking with each other, the more engagement I see.”

For Elon’s first-year writing faculty, the discussion offered something the program had been missing. ENG 1100 has already moved to strengthen critical reading and restore analog assignments that require sustained thinking, while developing AI literacy. But shaping a curriculum around students’ prior experiences is difficult when those experiences are largely unknown. The panel provided a clearer picture.

Following the panel, attendees gathered in the McBride Gathering Space for dinner, where the conversation continued. The connections made that evening extend beyond a single event, opening ongoing dialogue between university faculty and secondary educators across North Carolina as both groups continue adapting to a rapidly changing landscape.

“At the heart of this is asking how the practices of writing and close reading help us better understand ourselves and the world,” Lindenman said. “As high school and college teachers, we are trying to do the same thing.”

The challenges facing writing instruction are not going away. But events like this show that educators at every level are more willing to face them together than to figure it out alone.