Before they could create communications campaigns, students in Professor Julie Lellis’ Senior Seminar in Health Communications spent time listening.

They listened to physicians and midwives. They listened to expectant mothers. And they listened to the stories behind the data as part of a partnership with Cone Health’s program that challenged students to address real-world maternal health communication needs.

Those conversations and observations laid the foundation for the students’ semester-long projects. Working with the Cone Health Center for Women’s Healthcare at MedCenter for Women, students developed strategic communications campaigns aimed at increasing enrollment, improving retention and expanding awareness of the program among patients and healthcare providers.

As part of the partnership, students worked directly with healthcare professionals, including Dr. Kim Newton, founder and lead physician of Mom+Baby Combined Care, and Virginia Smith, CenteringPregnancy coordinator. Several students also attended the North Carolina and Virginia Centering Consortium, gaining firsthand insight into the impact of group prenatal care on maternal and infant health outcomes. During Finals Week, students presented their campaigns to Newton and Smith, who visited Elon’s campus.

CenteringPregnancy is an evidence-based model of group prenatal care that combines health assessments, education and peer support. Research has shown the approach can improve maternal and infant health outcomes while helping reduce disparities in care. At the MedCenter for Women in Greensboro, many participants are covered by Medicaid, and the clinic serves uninsured and underinsured patients throughout the region.

“The Elon students were a great part of our team,” Newton said. “They took the time to understand and engage with CenteringPregnancy and really captured how the group care feels different and meets people where they are. Their presentations were impressive to say the least and also provided our team with a roadmap for how to ensure our work to expand Centering feels cohesive and genuine.”

For Emmy Beauvais ’26, a strategic communications major with minors in health communications and business administration, the project demonstrated how classroom learning can translate into community impact.

“Participating in the Health Comm Senior Seminar class – and working with Virginia and Dr. Newton – was one of the most meaningful experiences of my time at Elon,” Beauvais said. “Unlike classroom projects, this project gave us the opportunity to develop and present a real communications campaign for an actual client. We did this through research-backed goals, objectives and strategies, and tangible deliverables that could be implemented in practice.”

Beauvais said attending the regional consortium early in the semester helped shape the team’s work and deepen her understanding of maternal healthcare challenges and opportunities.

“Overall, this experience showed me what it looks like to create work that extends beyond the classroom and truly can make a meaningful impact on a community,” she said.

The course also received a Community Partnership Initiative Grant from Elon’s Kernodle Center. The grant helped Centering providers purchase educational supplies for participants, while students assembled Baby Go! Bags filled with diapers, wipes, burp cloths and other newborn essentials for expectant mothers.

Lellis, who directs the health communications minor, said the partnership allowed students to see both the personal and systemic dimensions of healthcare communication.

“�þ��� experienced everything from the joy of hearing a baby’s heartbeat to the heartache of exploring the realities of health disparities in maternal care,” Lellis said. “They learned how Centering is changing outcomes and making a direct impact on the lives of pregnant women in our local area.”

Lellis explained that the experience challenged students to translate research and data into actionable communications strategies for a community partner.

“�þ��� learned how to generate insights based on data and turn those insights into creative strategies that inform audiences and motivate them to act,” she said.

These were the questions centered in the fictional case analyzed and argued by 116 first-year Elon Law students in the school’s 19th Annual Intramural Moot Court Competition, held May 27 and 28.

A deaf small-business owner applied for a loan from an online lending company and was offered a 14.25% interest rate. After his twin brother — who shared nearly identical financial, educational and employment credentials but did not have a disability — received a 6.25% rate for the same loan, he suspected the lender had considered his disability when evaluating the application.

The business owner sued under the ADA, arguing that the online lender discriminated against him based on his disability. A federal court dismissed the case, finding that the lender’s website was not a place of public accommodation covered by the ADA and that the law regulates access to lending services, not the terms of the loans offered.

The business owner appealed the ruling to the fictional U.S. Court of Appeals for the 15th Circuit, which regularly hears cases represented by Elon Law students.

Members of the Class of 2027 comprised the largest group ever to compete in the spring event, with 58 teams appearing before volunteer judges that included local judges, attorneys, Elon Law alumni, and law school faculty and staff.

All first-year students were introduced to the case in their Legal Method & Communication courses as the basis for graded oral arguments this spring. Each student presented two oral arguments, one for appellant and one for appellee, and was scored on preparation, speaking ability, argument structure and responses to judges’ questions.

Top 10 Oral Advocates in the 2026 competition (with ties)

• Gabrielle Brown Roycroft
• Aarya Deshmukh
• Zaria Hanchell
• Adelaide Anne Zahren
• Avery Vidt
• Michael Iafrato
• Grant Paramore
• Rachel Wilson
• Jacqueline Gardner (tie)
• David Bryant (tie)
• Megan Chen

“This competition was a reminder not to let fear of failure keep me from trying,” said Gabrielle Brown Roycroft L’27, from Salisbury, North Carolina, who is interested in family law, estate planning and civil litigation. She graduated from Catawba College with a degree in politics. “It’s worth it to push through the nerves and use them as fuel to perform your best. You can’t memorize your way through oral advocacy. You have to think on your feet and respond in the moment. When you’ve done the work in advance, you can trust your preparation and focus on having a conversation with the judges.”

Selections for membership on the Moot Court Board will be announced this summer before the board hosts the 17th Billings, Exum & Frye National Moot Court Competition on Oct. 22-24. Moot Court Board members will also compete in a slate of national moot court competitions during the 2026-27 school year.

Vice Dean and Professor of Law Alan Woodlief, director of Elon Law’s Moot Court Program, praised the Moot Court Board for its professionalism and hospitality in running the spring competition.

The annual event sees the Elon Law community step up to provide an exceptional experience for first-year students. This year, Elon Law was honored to host more than 50 volunteer attorneys and judges, including over 20 Elon Law alumni, as well as a current justice and former chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court participate as judges.

“Moot Court is a great experiential learning opportunity, and I was excited to see so many students take advantage of this experience to strengthen their advocacy skills,” Woodlief said. “Our Moot Court Board did an exceptional job coordinating the school’s largest-ever competition, and they could not have done it without the great support from our student body, faculty, and staff, as well as the many Elon Law alumni, attorneys, and judges who contributed to the success of the competition.”

Alumni judges reflect: ‘It helped me find my voice’

The annual Intramural Moot Court Competition — along with the graded Legal Method and Communication Program’s graded oral arguments held the week before — is also a homecoming of sorts.

Alumni return to campus each spring to hear arguments, offer feedback and help first-year students develop the advocacy skills they will use throughout their careers. ��They have clear memories of standing at the podium themselves and how meaningful it was to their development to receive feedback from legal professionals.

April Franklin L’25 said oral arguments helped her overcome her nerves and discover a passion for advocacy.

“It gave me confidence. It helped me find my voice that I didn’t know that I had,” said Franklin, who is pursuing practice in wills and estates, health care or corporate law. “Elon gave me the support that I needed to progress in this career path, and I want to be able to give that same support to the next generation of Elon Law students.”

Landon Eckard L’25, who will begin a federal judicial clerkship in Detroit this summer, said moot court taught him to think on his feet and respond to difficult questions from judges.

“It’s the most spontaneous kind of advocacy there is in the legal profession,” Eckard said. “You can have a rough script before you get there, but one minute into the argument, that script goes out the window. It made me a better litigator and a better attorney.”

Thomas Harvey L’22, a criminal defense attorney in nearby Rockingham County, North Carolina, pursued law as a second career. He returns because he remembers exactly what it felt like to stand at the podium as a student and believes the experience helps shape better advocates.

“It wasn’t that long ago that I was standing right where they are. Believe it or not, the judges are all rooting for you individually,” Harvey said. “It’s such a joy to come back and be a part of Elon Law.”

2026 Intramural Moot Court Competition student leadership

Overall Chairs of the Competition: Isabel Craige L’26, Elizabeth Gregory L’26, Sierra Watkins L’26

Judge Recruitment and Coordination Chairs: Emma Farrell L’26, James Galipeau L’26, Cayla James L’26, Bailey Langford L’26, Renata Navarro L’26

Bailiff Recruitment and Coordination Chairs: Madisyn Butler L’26, Erin Carleton L’26, Megan Eldredge L’26, Cameron O’Neil L’26, Tyler Sesker L’26

Scoring Committee Chairs: Brittany Balis-West L’26, Jackie Rullman L’26, Rebecca Vairin L’26

LMC Oral Argument Coordination Chairs: Daulton Hadaway L’26, Courtney Maxwell L’26

The “Elon Dance Team Send-Off” video, directed and edited by Peter Sillitto ’26 and produced in collaboration with the Elon Dance Team, received a Sports Video Group (SVG) College Sports Media Award for Outstanding In-Venue Video – Collegiate Student Championship. The award was presented May 27 in Atlanta during the 18th annual SVG College Sports Media Awards ceremony.

The honor came just weeks after the Elon Dance Team captured two national titles at the 2026 National Dance Association College National Championships, winning the Division I pom and Division I hip hop competitions. The back-to-back victories marked a historic achievement for the program, including Elon’s first national championship in the pom category.

Produced for the team’s trip to nationals, the video took a more narrative approach than previous send-off productions.

“Producing a send-off video is something we do every year, with the final piece being shown in the Schar Center and shared across social media,” said Sillitto, a cinema and television arts major. “This year, we wanted to take a more story-driven approach by focusing on the team’s journey to nationals. Our goal was to showcase not only their performances, but also the hard work, dedication and experiences that led them there.”

In addition to Sillitto, the student production team included Kristen Pearson ’27 and Meghan McGarrigle ’28 as producers; and Zack Golub ’26 and Colin Dorroh ’27 as creative producers and camera operators.

across multiple locations, capturing both cinematic visuals and authentic moments from practices, workouts and team activities.

“One of the biggest challenges was making sure we told the team’s real story, which meant being present and ready to film during genuine moments,” Sillitto said. “Capturing those authentic interactions and experiences was an important part of the creative process and helped make the final video feel more personal and meaningful.”

For Sillitto, the award reflects months of collaboration and effort from both the dancers and the production crew.

“I’m proud of the project because every year our goal is to create the best video possible, and we have a lot of creative freedom to experiment with new ideas and push ourselves creatively,” he said. “The final video represents months of hard work from both the dance team and the production crew, so we’re excited and grateful that the project has been recognized.”

Sillitto graduated from Elon in May and recently accepted a position with Booz Allen Hamilton as a videographer and social media content creator.

Sillitto and Dorroh attended the 2026 SVG College Summit in Atlanta alongside Anthony Bamford ’25, coordinating producer for Elon Sports Vision; Patrick Cunningham, director of live broadcast production for Elon Athletics; and students/recent graduates Philip Doherty ’26, Anthony Eppolito ’27 and Joey Marinello ’28.

This year marked another strong showing for Elon at the national competition – the university won its first-ever award in 2025. In addition to the winning Elon Dance Team send-off video, four other Elon productions were recognized as finalists in the Collegiate Student Championship division: “Football: Elon vs. North Carolina A&T,” “Strength Beyond the Game – Brodie Carroll,” “Win The Moment – Asher Cunningham” and “What It Takes – Elon Men’s Basketball Halftime Hype.”

This year’s students will spend the summer interning in fields ranging from media production to public policy, environmental research, business innovation and community development. At the heart of this experience is the opportunity to��gain real-world experience while exploring the cultural and professional landscapes of their host cities, while earning academic credit through coursework.

Charlotte:��Exploring sports, marketing, business and beyond��

As students arrived in the South End of Charlotte, they were welcomed by Director of Elon Charlotte Karen Neff and Program Assistant Emma Hash. This summer marks an especially exciting chapter for the Queen City site, as it hosts Study USA students while also launching the inaugural Summer Business Institute��(SBI).

The new 10‑week��SBI��offers Elon students the opportunity to earn a Business Administration minor in a single summer through an immersive blend of coursework, professional development, and experiential learning.

Study USA students will pair their internships with a dynamic geography course taught by Associate Professor of Geography and Environmental Studies��Ryan Kirk.��Through fieldwork and urban exploration, students will examine Charlotte’s growth, infrastructure, and identity,��gaining a deeper understanding of how the city became the economic and cultural hub it is today.

SBI��students��will balance four business courses with��job‑shadowing��experiences designed to connect classroom learning with real-world��applications.��Together, all students across both programs will take part in excursions that highlight Charlotte’s innovation, history and community.

Move‑in��day set the tone for an engaging summer ahead, featuring a welcome mixer hosted by Foster Flats, orientation sessions, a��city‑wide��scavenger hunt, and a hands-on cooking class that brought��students��together.

Los Angeles: Launching creative careers in the entertainment capital

Arriving in the heart of the entertainment industry, students were warmly welcomed by Director of Elon Los Angeles��Brad Lemack as they settled into their housing��just��minutes from major studios and production hubs.

�þ�����spend the summer interning with film production companies, talent agencies, digital media firms and��theatre companies. Alongside their internships,��students take a Core Capstone course taught by��Cinema and Television Arts��Professor��Doug Kass,��examining how visionaries and innovators have transformed Los Angeles, and how the cycle of invention and reinvention continues to shape the city’s commerce, creativity and cultural diversity.

Move��in��buzzed��with excitement as students met their roommates, explored their neighborhood, and prepared for their first week of classes and internship onboarding.��The following day included an orientation session at The Preserve, where students will have class each week, followed by an afternoon exploring The Getty, the Grove and L.A.’s Farmers Market.

New York City: Immersed in media, business and cultural innovation��

Political Science and Public Policy��Professor Safia��Swimelar��and Program Assistant Hailey Duartes welcomed��the students��to Williamsburg, a student-friendly neighborhood in the heart of Brooklyn.

�þ�����will intern across sectors,��including journalism,��public relations, marketing,��media production and more.��The��Core Capstone��course, taught by Professor Swimelar,��complements these experiences. In��the��course description,��Swimelar��notes, “to call New York City a microcosm of the global community is not exaggeration… This course uses New York City as a microcosm to model and understand the diversity and complexity of global humanity.”���þ�����will explore the diversity of values that New Yorkers hold and examine important social, political, and religious issues at play throughout the city.

�þ��� spent their first day navigating their new neighborhood, settling into their apartments, and��exploring the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

Washington, D.C.: Engaging with policy, advocacy and public service��

�þ�����were welcomed��into the nation’s capital��by Professor Joel Shelton,��Program Assistant��Abby Wright, and Ashley Pinney, Director of National �þ���.���þ�����will spend the summer��living in the heart of��NoMa��and��interning with congressional offices, federal agencies,��law firms, advocacy groups, and��more.

The��coursework, the inaugural Capital Connections: Power, People and Place in Washington, D.C. spearheaded by Joel Shelton, associate professor of political science��and public policy, “explores ‘the��District’ as a place where politics and policy meet culture,��economy��and community.”��Through engaging walking tours, museum visits, and cultural experiences, students will gain a firsthand look at the decision-making processes that shape the intersection of power, culture, economy, and identity in the nation’s capital.

Move-in��included��orientation sessions,��community building activities,��and preparation for the��fast-paced��professional environments��they’ll��soon enter.

June was officially recognized by the U.S. government as Pride Month in 1999 when President Bill Clinton proclaimed June “Gay and Lesbian Pride Month.” Learn more about the history of the month��.

The GLC also hosts a Pride Month Community Coffee event on June 9 from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. in Irazu Coffee. Attendees can get one medium iced or hot drink. .

Resources at Elon

• Gender and LGBTQIA Center��(GLC) in Moseley 209 provides support to LGBTQIA students, provides confidential support for survivors of gender-based violence, and presents on gender and LGBTQIA-related topics. The GLC is open during the summer, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed on holidays. Feel free to stop by the office, email (glc@elon.edu) or call at 336.278.6228
• The Gender and Sexuality Living Learning Community��is a residential community open to any student wishing to explore topics around gender and sexual orientation.
• ��is a queer-straight student alliance ensuring a safe space for all queer people, existing for over 20 years.
• OutLaw��is a social and educational organization that fosters a supportive and accepting environment for LGBT students, faculty, staff and professionals at Elon Law.
• LGBTQIA Alumni Network celebrates��and connects LGBTQIA alumni by fostering belonging and advocating for our community.
• The Spirit and Pride Initiative��is a grant-funded initiative supported by The Carpenter Foundation and in collaboration with the GLC and Truitt Center to support LGBTQIA students of faith.
• RISE, a QTPOC student initiative, supports LGBTQIA students of color through affirmation, celebration, and elevation.
• CLEAR��(Coalition of Learning, Empowerment & Anti-violence Resources) is a��student-directed initiative supervised by the GLC that coordinates events and presentations on gender-based violence awareness and prevention.
• The GAP Fund��provides financial support to currently enrolled Elon students who are supported by the mission and programs of the Gender and LGBTQIA Center. The GAP Fund is made possible by generous donations to the GLC from LGBTQIA alumni, allies, faculty, staff, current students, and community members.

Community Resources

• ��is a nonprofit organization serving the LGBTQ communities of Alamance County by organizing an annual Pride festival.
• ��provides support for families and friends of LGBTQ people through educational materials and advocacy against harassment and bullying.
• ��is a community-led initiative created to form opportunities that inspire a sense of belonging for LGBTQIA+ and gender expansive people of any age, race and ability in Alamance County.
• ��(Greensboro) creates unity through programming and philanthropy that advances equality and inclusion for LGBTQ communities.
• ��works to to serve, empower, and advocate for the well-being of our diverse LGBTQ+ communities.
• ��supports LGBTQ+ people through services, programming, resources, and support networks that center their wellbeing and allows them to thrive.

Allyship Tips from the GLC

• Connect with any of the organizations in this article.
• Give��to the Gender and LGBTQIA Center to provide financial support for LGBTQIA students who are experiencing food insecurity, to have access to gender-affirming clothing and to make educational experiences financially accessible.
• Learn the history of the LGBTQIA communities from The Society for Human Rights to the Compton’s Cafeteria Riot and to the Stonewall Riots and subsequent Pride Parades.

Reach out to the staff at the Gender and LGBTQIA Center about other ways to get involved or if you are interested in volunteering with the GLC.

The competition gave students the chance to showcase their point-of-care ultrasound skills, compete with other students, and learn from ultrasound experts across a variety of medical specialties.

The team was comprised of students��Aria Keyser G’27, Varenna Minshull G’26, Trevor Minshull G’26, Sukriti Rai G’26, James Whitham G’26 and Chris Gentilella G’27.

�þ�����Varenna Minshull ’26, Trina Phan ’26 and Brooke Hall ’27 also competed in a “Challenge Bowl” competition and entered the second round.

“I was always told going abroad would change you as a person, but I never knew that feeling was real,” said McDermott, a marketing and international business major from Newburyport, Mass. “If you had asked me three years ago where I thought I’d be, studying in Australia and working in Singapore would have never crossed my mind.”

This spring, the second-year class in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business’s Business Fellows program studied abroad together through a new Asia-Pacific semester experience. The program began with coursework in Sydney, Australia, continued with a week in Vietnam and concluded with full-time internships in Singapore.

In Sydney, students took courses in management, marketing, operations and supply chain, and Australian life and culture. They then traveled to Vietnam for company meetings, lectures from local faculty and cultural activities before beginning internship placements in Singapore through Global Academic Ventures.

For McDermott, the semester’s first weeks in Australia helped her build confidence in unfamiliar settings.

“By immersing myself in the culture, I found an increase in my confidence levels,” McDermott said. “I became more independent, more willing to take risks and more open-minded in situations that once would have felt daunting.”

Her internship in Singapore also challenged her expectations. McDermott expected more content creation work, but her early assignments focused on writing scripts for a developing podcast.

“I learned that not every professional experience will fit perfectly into my expectations, and growth often comes from the assignments that challenge me the most,” McDermott said.

Eli Karpas ’28, a finance major from Houston, Texas, chose the program because he wanted to explore a part of the world he had never experienced.

“I chose this program because I wanted to explore Asia, a new area of the world I’ve never been to,” Karpas said.

While in Australia, Karpas said he embraced the daily rhythm of Sydney, from morning runs along Bondi Beach to afternoons at beachside cafes after class. The semester also gave him opportunities to travel beyond Sydney, including Fiji, Tasmania and New Zealand.

“I didn’t expect there to be so many opportunities to travel outside of Sydney,” Karpas said.

In Singapore, Karpas worked as an investment analyst at a boutique private advisory firm.

“I was thrown into real work from day one,” Karpas said. “I reviewed and created pitch decks for fund managers, built market maps, wrote about global events affecting private markets and attended a conference on artificial intelligence in the workforce.”

Olivia Gover ’28, a marketing major from Stamford, Conn., said her internship helped her better understand cross-cultural communication. Working with colleagues from a variety of cultural and professional backgrounds, she learned how strongly workplace communication depends on patience, curiosity and mutual understanding.

“Not only was I able to build a deeper connection with the people I work with, but I also gained new global knowledge,” Gover said.

Some of that learning happened in everyday moments. Coworkers taught her local expressions, shared food during lunch and asked questions about life in the United States.

“This showed me how a well-rounded work environment requires mutual understanding of one another, allowing relationships to build,” Gover said.

For Parker Forgash ’28, an entrepreneurship major from Laguna Beach, Calif., the internship showed him the difference between classroom confidence and professional readiness.

“There was a version of me from before this semester who thought he was pretty prepared,” Forgash said. “He had taken the finance courses, written the case studies, and could talk about markets with enough fluency to feel confident in a classroom.”

That confidence was tested when Forgash received an open-ended research assignment early in his internship. With no template and a real deadline, he had to analyze unfamiliar markets, organize his findings and work through uncertainty.

“Delivering that report was the first moment I felt like I was actually contributing something real, not just completing an assignment for a grade,” Forgash said.

By the end of the semester, the experience had changed how students understood themselves as learners and future professionals.

“If I were sitting in an interview, I would want an employer to know that I am someone who can easily adapt, communicate effectively, and be placed outside my comfort zone,” McDermott said. “This abroad experience has shaped me as a student today and the professional I hope to become.”

Several of this semester’s studies center on TikTok and the platform’s growing influence on media consumption, identity and audience behavior. “The emphasis on TikTok underscores its increasing prominence in today’s media landscape,” journal editor Harlen Makemson wrote in his introduction to the issue.

Among the featured studies, strategic communications major Kyra Briggs examines how TikTok users responded to the Idaho college student murders, analyzing emotional expression, narrative construction, misinformation and collective sensemaking on the platform. Fellow strategic communications major Avery Ferguson explores how women ages 18 to 25 perceive the “clean girl aesthetic” on TikTok and how it influences their well-being, self-esteem and lifestyle choices. Elizabeth Walker, another strategic communications major, analyzes 100 TikTok videos to examine how Gen Z users expressed nostalgia, emotional memory and generational identity through references to 2016.

Several students investigated the relationship between television, fandom and audience participation. Delaney Guidi, a communication design major, studies how popular film franchises borrow principles from sports merchandising to create team identification, while also examining how fan-made merchandise attempts to establish authenticity. Sport management major Shelby Keel looks into how institutional framing and participatory fan discourse elevated the reality television phenomenon “Scandoval” into a culturally and commercially significant media event.

Additional research focuses on representation and identity in television storytelling. Jenna Moylan, a cinema and television arts major, analyzes four contemporary animated television programs to study trans characters’ narrative roles, the centrality of transness and the visual legibility of character design. Strategic communications major Evelyn Ealey compares portrayals of the Strong Black Woman archetype in television series before and after 2000, finding that more contemporary programs tend to offer greater complexity and depth to those characters.

The issue also includes Halli Harwood’s examination of how three cruise lines frame port communities through excursion descriptions. The strategic communications major found that cruise lines often present selective portrayals of destinations that result in limited diversity, equity and inclusion representation.

“These articles, produced in collaboration with faculty mentors, each represent exceptional achievements in �þ��� research,” Makemson said.

To assemble the spring 2026 edition, Makemson worked with an editorial board of 21 School of Communications faculty who participated in a blind-review process to select the strongest submissions. Since launching in 2010, the Elon Journal has published 33 issues, with each research article on its own dedicated webpage.

Among more than 200 �þ��� research journals cataloged by the Council on Undergraduate Research, the Elon Journal remains one of the few focused exclusively on student work in journalism, media and communications.

Six Rising Stars in German Studies were awarded this year. Rising Stars are new students in the German Program who have impressed the faculty with their progress, dedication and curiosity regarding German language and culture. This years awardees are:

• Katherine Ragan
• Hannah Reeves
• Sasha Ronsayro
• Marshall Sears
• Elizabeth Walters
• Madison West

Moving from newcomers to seniors in German Studies, we welcomed 13 new members to Delta Phi Alpha, the national German Honor Society. Delta Phi Alpha was founded in 1929, and Elon’s chapter��Upsilon Omikron was established in 2018. We welcome the following students to Delta Phi Alpha:

• Colin Blount
• Fiona Hodge
• Haley Johnson
• Elisabeth Holmes
• Tori Layton
• Brooke Allen Menzock
• Sarah T. Moore
• Patrick Tuohy
• Zoe Richardson
• Matthew Rostan
• Taylor Salmon
• Elina Shah
• Cayden Williamson

The German Studies faculty also awarded three students with achievement awards. The Marsilius von Inghen Award was awarded to Tori Layton and Haley Johnson. The award recognizes Tori and Haley’s excellence in German language proficiency, cultural competence, and �þ��� research. The award was named after Marsilius von Inghen, the first president of Heidelberg Universität, which both, Tori and Haley, attended during their semester abroad.

Sarah T. Moore was awarded the inaugural Moffitt-Newman Award.��The Moffitt-Newman award recognizes academic achievement and sustained service to the German program. It is named for the earliest instructors of German at Elon, Emmett Moffitt and the Reverend John Urquhart Newman, who taught German beginning in the 1890s. Moore started learning German at Elon, and has taken it every year. She has also been an officer of the German Club and its president in 2025-26.

The festivities were accompanied by a delicious spread of German-inspired food put together by Elon’s Harvest Table, including Spätzle and Schnitzel.

Refined��during the 2025-26��academic year with oversight from Sam Lopez, associate director of Student Involvement, SOE builds on prior efforts to provide��a��structured approach to chapter development, encouraging organizations to engage intentionally across key areas, including intellectual development, membership development, chapter operations, alumni and graduate engagement, responsibility, health, and safety, and housing operations.

Throughout the year, chapters��participated��in training, educational programs, and philanthropic initiatives, with members across all class years contributing to their organization’s progress. A points-based tracking system measured engagement and outcomes, with chapters earning recognition at the Red, Bronze, Silver or��Gold��level based on overall performance.

Supporting chapters throughout this process is a chapter coaching model led by Assistant Directors of Student Involvement Aniya Jerkins, IFC/NPHC advisor, and Kayla Hedrick, PA/MGC advisor. Through ongoing coaching, individualized support, and regular check-ins, staff work directly with chapter leaders to help them interpret expectations, set goals and make meaningful progress within the SOE framework.

The SOE program is also made possible through��collaboration��across multiple campus partners, creating a holistic and integrated approach to student organization development. Contributing offices included the Center for Race, Ethnicity, and Diversity Education; Kernodle Center for Civic Life; Gender & LGBTQIA Center; Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life; Health Promotion, Academic Accommodations & Accessibility; Center for Leadership; Residence Life; Student Conduct; Inclusive Excellence; Hazing Prevention Coalition; and Belk Library.

Thirteen organizations achieved Gold Status, the program’s highest level of recognition: Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Epsilon Phi, Alpha Omicron Pi, Alpha Xi Delta, Beta Theta Pi, Chi Upsilon National Latin Sorority, Inc., Delta��Delta��Delta, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Kappa Delta, Kappa Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc., Lambda Upsilon Lambda Fraternity, Inc., Sigma Kappa and Zeta Tau Alpha.

Chapter leaders also��participated��in end-of-year presentations, sharing accomplishments, challenges, and goals with a panel of Elon faculty and staff. These presentations, combined with each chapter’s SOE performance, helped inform the��selection��of the Chapter of the Year recipients across the four governing councils. Chapter of the Year honors recognize organizations that��distinguish themselves��through a��strong commitment��to leadership, accountability and community engagement.

This year’s recipients are:
Beta Theta Pi (Interfraternity Council)��demonstrated��strong growth��and achievement across the academic year, earning top marks in both fall and spring semester GPAs, and receiving national recognition through the Knox Award. The chapter expanded member engagement through a variety of brotherhood events and campus partnerships, including collaborations with the Burlington Animal Shelter, while also showing a commitment to health and safety through high participation in training programs and prevention initiatives.

Chi Upsilon Sigma National Latin Sorority, Inc. (Multicultural��Greek��Council)��excelled academically and organizationally, earning��an��“Above & Beyond” rating for both fall and spring semesters’ GPAs, and actively��participating��in academic enrichment initiatives such as the Chapter Study Challenge and campus study programs. The chapter��showed��strong commitment��to leadership and service through executive board engagement, partnership with the Mebane Public Library, alumni programming and recognition at the national level.

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (National Pan-Hellenic Council)��maintained��an active presence in leadership, educational engagement and community programming throughout the year. The chapter achieved high academic success while��participating��in identity-based programming and campus events, including the Black Solidarity Conference and Spring Pride. Their efforts also included hosting a Rise Against Hunger service event and engaging members in professional development opportunities, reflecting a focus on both community impact and member growth.

Alpha Chi Omega (Panhellenic Association)��demonstrated��comprehensive excellence across all areas of the Standards of Excellence program, exceeding expectations��in member��education and leadership��development. The chapter hosted a wide range of sisterhood, philanthropic, and career-focused initiatives, including “Walk a Mile,” Alpha Chi Olympics, and a professional headshot and LinkedIn workshop, while also��establishing��partnerships��with Family Abuse Services. Their strong participation in health and safety training and consistent chapter operations reflect a well-rounded and highly engaged organization.

The Office of Student Involvement will continue to build on the program’s first year, with plans to further support chapter development and enhance opportunities for engagement across the fraternity and sorority community.