This fall, Elon LEADS events were held in Atlanta, New York, Boston, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. and saw over 1,200 attendees in total, renewing ties with Elon constituents across the nation and bringing a piece of Elon to them.

“This campaign has taught us that we can never let our attention wander from the
importance of scholarships and financial aid for students,” President Connie Ledoux Book said.

Atlanta, Georgia

The fall 2022 Elon LEADS Campaign events kicked off with the first event in Atlanta, Georgia on Sept. 7 at the historic Fox Theatre. Elon LEADS co-chair Christian Wiggins ’03 gave the opening remarks, starting off with encouragement to his fellow alumni to make a difference and step up by joining other donors in giving to the campaign. The importance of scholarships and student aid was a common theme throughout the night.

Cedric Pulliam ’12 also took the stage, detailing how scholarships and fellowships led to real-world experience for him, in the form of internships that shaped the course of his career and life.

“The Periclean Scholars program debuted me into the global public health space that I currently work in,” said Pulliam, who has worked in public health for over a decade. His career comprises many leadership roles, including stints at the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services as the senior advisor for the chief medical officer for the Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy and at the CDC in Atlanta as a senior public health advisor in the Division of HIV Prevention. Pulliam shared how he is an example of how gifts from donors assist students and make an impact, because it was his scholarships that allowed him to gain the practical experience he needed for his future.

President Book followed and continued to hone in on the impact of supporting students by urging attendees in their philanthropy. “Make Elon and Elon LEADS one of your priorities. After all, we are funding dreams in this campaign,” Book said.

New York City

The next event followed just on the heels of Atlanta, on Sept. 15 at The Glasshouse in New York City. Ava Rosen ’23 spoke about student impact, and how important funding is for students in need. She discussed how the Inman Family Scholarship in the Odyssey Program and the Business Fellows scholarship gave her the opportunity to pursue her dreams and avoid significant debt following the emotional and financial hardships that her family saw after losing her father to cancer when she was only 13. The funding she received made college affordable for her and made her dreams attainable.

The highlight of the event was a special tribute to Ed and Joan Doherty P’07, who have been inspirational agents of change in their service to Elon. One of their visions was to create a vibrant alumni network in the New York area, which they have helped accomplish by sponsoring yearly Evenings for Elon gatherings at iconic venues across the city for more than a decade. The Dohertys were also instrumental to the Elon LEADS Campaign, serving as chairs of the Campaign Planning Committee from 2014-2016. In recognition of their generous support of Elon, President Book presented Ed and Joan Doherty with the Elon Medallion, the university’s highest honor recognizing exemplary service to the institution.

Closing out the night was a performance of the song “I’ll Be There” by Sidney Wilson ’21, who currently stars in the hit Broadway musical “The Lion King.” President Book emphasized that alumni like Wilson help make Elon one of the top 10 music theatre programs in the nation.

Boston, Massachusetts

The next fall event was held in Boston on Oct. 12 at Fairmont Copley Plaza. Campaign co-chair Priscilla Awkard ’95 opened the night with a focus on Elon’s recent national rankings and recognition.

“Elon’s rise to the national stage is one of the most remarkable stories in higher education, and the generosity of our community has played a pivotal role in that continued rise,” Awkard said.

President Book also focused on these rankings, and said, “As we saw reinforced last month by the latest U.S. News rankings, Elon’s standing as a top-100 national university means that we increasingly compete in an admissions market with schools with much larger endowment resources. Together, by keeping our focus on student support, we can ensure that Elon has the resources it needs to recruit the finest community of students year in and year out.”

Another major focus of the night was internships and real-world experience students receive through the generous funding of donors. President Book explained that close to 90% of Elon students participate in an internship while in school and that around half of those lead to employment in prominent companies, including many in Boston such as Baystate Financial, Bank of America and more.

Speakers throughout the night focused on the importance of this practical experience. President Book noted that nearly half of internships are unpaid, which is a major barrier for students with limited funds. She then encouraged attendees that this was why funding was so important in providing those opportunities for students, one of the major goals of the campaign.

Los Angeles

The next stop of the campaign was Los Angeles, with an event on Nov. 1 at the Carondelet House. The night opened with remarks from campaign co-chair Maity Interiano ’07. Interiano grew up in Honduras and knew from a young age that she wanted to be an influential journalist. Now a Network News Anchor for Univision, she credits Elon for giving her the opportunities that she needed to succeed in this field.

She explained that she remains committed to helping support the university and students, especially Hispanic, Latinx and international students like herself. Interiano also established the Maity Interiano Annual Scholarship as a part of the Elon LEADS Campaign. She announced that Jose Alex Reyes ’25 is the first recipient of the scholarship. Reyes is the son of immigrants with hopes of becoming a creative director, and it is Interiano’s hope that this scholarship will assist him in making his dreams a reality.

“I was like Jose Alex Reyes at the time, and the most important thing is I know he is taking full advantage of his Elon experience and will achieve everything he sets out to do and more. And that is why tonight, I want to invite you to join the Elon LEADS Campaign too. Think about the legacy you want to leave and remember how there were people, experiences and opportunities that made a difference in your time at Elon,” Interiano said.

The focus of the night remained on student impact, furthering dreams and making a way for the future of Elon. President Book followed with a focus again on internships and how they lead to career opportunities. With Los Angeles being a major draw for employment in the entertainment industry, she explained that almost half of internships for students at Elon lead to employment at companies in Los Angeles.

Washington, D.C.

The last event was held at The Willard InterContinental in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 15. Jim Piatt, vice president for University Advancement, took to the stage to explain just how transformative this campaign has been and will continue to be for Elon.

Piatt focused on the four key priorities of the campaign — increasing support for students through scholarships, increasing access to engaged learning programs, investing in faculty and staff “Mentors Who Matter,” and adding to the campus footprint through innovative facilities.

He noted that more than 270 new endowed scholarships have been created in the campaign, bringing historic growth to the university’s endowment; more than 50 new endowed funds have been established to broaden access to the Elon Experiences programs, including global study and internships; and that donors have invested nearly $8 million in faculty and staff mentors.

Piatt also shared the profound impact of Elon LEADS on Elon’s iconic learning environment, including eight new facilities strategically added to the campus footprint. One of those facilities is The Inn at Elon, where all revenue beyond operating costs goes to fund scholarships. “Elon has awarded more than $1.3 million in need-based scholarships thanks to income from The Inn,” Piatt said.

Next to the stage was Ike Credle ’83. As an Elon alum and a veteran that has served for 20 years in the U.S. Army, Credle said, “One of my purposes in life is to be a bridge builder. The idea is to build a bridge so that those coming behind you may avoid some of the pitfalls you may have encountered.” Credle explained the challenge loans had on him following graduation and how he wanted to make an impact on students. He honored his mother by making an estate gift that will endow the Rebecca A. Credle Scholarship. It is gifts such as this one that opens doors for our future leaders.

President Book followed, noting the university’s endowment has grown to nearly $300 million, with 70% of that going to student scholarships, Elon’s top-100 national ranking in U.S. News & World Report, over 34,000 donors giving to the campaign and the announcement that collective contributions total more than $257 million surpassing the $250 million goal for the campaign.

President Book ended the final event by noting there is more to accomplish in the campaign. “Let’s keep this amazing momentum of the Elon LEADS Campaign going as we move toward its Dec. 31 close, and let’s also look beyond, in partnership and with confidence!”

As the final days of the campaign approach, all donors can find their place in this historic fundraising effort by making a gift at . Every gift, no matter the size, will make an impact for the future of Elon and the university’s students. The final tally for the Elon LEADS Campaign will be announced in January.

The Elon community is invited to celebrate the impact of this historic campaign at an event on Apr. 28, 2023, at the Schar Center, where alumni, parents, students, faculty/staff and friends will gather once more to show thanks for the generosity of donors who continue to support Elon’s mission and growth.

The event will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 7 at The Fox Theatre. A reception including a hosted bar and hors d’oeuvres will begin at 6:30 p.m., immediately followed by a program featuring remarks by President Connie Ledoux Book and special guests.

Elon LEADS in Atlanta
A celebration of leadership and philanthropy with President Connie Ledoux Book

Wednesday, September 7, 2022
6:30 p.m. Reception
7:30 p.m. Remarks by President Book and guests

The Fox Theatre
Egyptian Ballroom
600 Peachtree Street NE
Atlanta, Georgia 30308

Business attire
Cocktail reception with hors d’oeuvres

Please email elonleads@elon.edu to RSVP or for any questions.

As summer kicks into high gear, things are heating up for our regional alumni chapters and Elon in the Ballpark is back. Take your family out to the ball game and mingle with other alumni!  Select cities and regional alumni chapters will be hosting a baseball outing in your city. Check out the list below to see how you can snag your tickets just in time to join alumni, friends and family at the game.

• 
  July 30
  Burlington Sock Puppets
• 
  Aug. 5
  Greensboro Grasshoppers
• 
  Aug. 6
  Durham Bulls
• 
  Aug. 7
  New York Yankees
• 
  Aug. 27
  Atlanta Braves
• 
  September 19
  Boston Red Sox

We’re laser-focused on keeping our alumni and their guests safe by following social distancing guidelines. Certain areas may have reduced capacity, so register sooner than later to make sure you can join us at the game.

We hope to see you there.

Thursday, Sept. 19
6:30-9 p.m.
Park Tavern
500 10th St NE
Atlanta, GA 30309

Join fellow alumni and friends to welcome new alumni to the area! We will be providing appetizers and Elon swag. All alumni, guests and friends are welcome.

Please contact alumni@elon.edu with any questions.

The chapter will be providing heavy hors d’oeuvres. We hope to see you there! 

Please find event information and details on the speaker below:

Choose ATL – Why Atlanta is the Place to be

Date: Tuesday, May 7 

Time: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Location: Stats

Address: 300 Marietta Street NW. Atlanta, GA 30313

                                                     Alexis Everett, Marketing Manager at ChooseATL 

Everett is a marketing professional with a passion for community building, storytelling, and copywriting. After graduating from the University of Georgia with degrees in Mass Media Arts and Spanish, she followed her passion to ChooseATL, an intiative dedicated to attracting and retaining next-gen talent in metro Atlanta. As marketing manager, Everett oversees ChooseATL’s brand presence across digital, social, and experiential platforms, both in-market and beyond. 

Missouri native turned ATL enthusiast, Everett lives in Old Fourth Ward and enjoys spending her free time riding her bike, reading a thriller, or finding inspiration at a local coffee shop. She prides herself on being a connector of people by first connecting with people. Don’t hesitate to reach out and say hello!

To connect with ChooseATL or Alexis, find social platforms below:

ChooseATL: @chooseatl 

LinkedIn: /alexismeverett 

Michael Gaytan '13, Atlanta Chapter president, spoke highly of the event by saying, "The Elon Day social at the Olde Blind Dog was the most attended Atlanta alumni event so far this fiscal year. It was great to see alumni of all ages come out to connect and support Elon together over food and drink."

Elon Day included 38 Elon Day parties held by each of the 38 regional alumni chapters around the world. Furthermore, each party held giving opportunties for guests to continue to make an impact. The special day set new records of philanthropy by raising $2,385,629.00 from 6,376 gifts.

Thank you to the Atlanta alumni and friends who came out and contributed to the record breaking success of Elon Day 2019!

The Atlanta chapter board was very pleased to provide an opportunity for Elon grads to enjoy the uniqueness of a Super Bowl occurring in their own city.

In all, 29 first-year students visited the Atlanta metropolitan area on Oct. 26-27 and were accompanied by Assistant Professor David Bockino, Associate Professor Hal Walker and Associate Director of Corporate and Employer Relations Stephanie Bourland. Senior Fellow Lindsey Case ’19 also traveled with the students.

During their first day in Atlanta, the students divided into three groups, visiting Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United FC, Jackson Spalding, a marketing communications agency, and CNN.

The following day the trip concluded with a behind-the-scenes tour of SunTrust Park, the Atlanta Braves stadium.

 “Every year, we see more and more Elon School of Communications alums working at some of the biggest sport and media companies in Atlanta. And they couldn’t be more welcoming to our first-year Fellows during our annual trip down to the city,” said Bockino, who serves as the Communications Fellows program director.

This fall, the Communications Fellows program expanded to 30 students. Twenty-four students are majoring in the traditional communications programs such as journalism, strategic communications, cinema and television arts, communication design and media analytics. The final six Fellows are sport management majors; it is the first time students interested in the sport industry have been included in the Fellows program. For more information, visit the school’s Fellows website.

Additionally, a public service announcement created by Caldwell and Assistant Professor Doug Kass was selected for the festival and shown alongside other advertising and marketing campaigns on Oct. 14. The duo created the animated piece  for the United Nations AIDS (UNAIDS) outreach program. The PSA was this summer.

The three UNAIDS commercials, made in collaboration with numerous Elon faculty, students and staff, were created to bring awareness to the continuing worldwide HIV/AIDS epidemic, as well as promote the organization’s policy of “zero tolerance” of discrimination.

According to Kass, Clay Stevenson, senior lecturer, and Mitch Herndon ’17, video producer in the School of Communications, were “both instrumental” in creating the PSAs. Stevenson composed music for two of the commercials, and handled sound design and mixing. Herndon served as director of photography and editor.

The “It Goes By Many Names …” spot recently won a Best Advertising Award at the Greater Message Film Festival in Pune, India. The two other UNAIDS spots were also screened at the international festival.

“It was a great experience and gave me a lot of insight on how to operate in the industry and work with a real client,” said Caldwell of working on the UNAIDS commercial. “I was the one that took Kass’ vision and – with his help – made it visual.”

While at Elon, Caldwell, who specialized in graphic design, learned the value of the artist-client relationship.

“The biggest thing about being an artist is figuring out how to solve the problem the client has – which is how they want it to look – and make it make sense and also be appealing,” he said.

Following graduation, Caldwell moved back to his hometown of Atlanta, where he serves as a motion graphic artists and animator intern at Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim.

The bills itself as a celebration of “artists, filmmakers, writers, actors and digital content creators who are using new technology and distribution models to create a multitude of interactive projects.” It provides opportunities for minority communities, including African American, Latinx and Asian storytellers, to promote change and showcase their work in the film and multimedia industries.

Sophia Ortiz ’21 contributed to this news release.

Alumni of all generations are encouraged to attend as we kick off a new year of chapter events. Family, friends and guests are welcome to join. Free food and Elon gear will be available at all events. This is an opportunity to connect with other local Elon graduates and hear from chapter leaders about what is in store for the upcoming year.

Learn more and register for your chapter’s event by clicking the name of your city below: 
 

Alumni chapters in Alamance County, the Triad (Greensboro), Richmond, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. hosted events in mid-August. If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Alumni Engagement at alumni@elon.edu or (336) 278-7500.