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A Donning of the Kente Ceremony at �þ��� celebrated the African heritage, achievements and resilience of Black graduates in the university’s Class of 2026 during an evening filled with expressions of cultural tradition, reflection and joy.

Held on the eve of Commencement ceremonies, the annual event honored graduating students with handmade Kente stoles woven in Ghana, a symbol of heritage, wisdom and shared responsibility to be worn at graduation.

Family members and the wider university community gathered inside Alumni Gym on May 21, 2026, to recognize the graduates’ accomplishments and the communities that supported them throughout their college journeys.

“Tonight, we do more than congratulate our graduates,” said Randy Williams, vice president for inclusive excellence and associate professor of education. “Tonight, we bear witness to them. Tonight, we affirm them.”

The 10th annual ceremony highlighted the importance mentorship in the graduates’ success. In his remarks to graduates, Williams recognized the “village” of parents, grandparents, mentors, faculty and staff, and friends who supported the graduates throughout their university studies.

Alex Bohannon ’17, president of the Elon Black Alumni Network, encouraged graduates to remain engaged with the university and support future generations of students.

“As you look ahead, carry this charge: build community, mentor intentionally and stay engaged. Elon’s strength is its people showing up for one another, again and again,” he said. “Engagement is not symbolic. It is active. It looks like mentoring a student, returning to campus, opening doors, and investing your time, talent, and resources.

“The next generation’s experience will be shaped by what you choose to do from this point forward.”

Engagement is not symbolic. It is active. It looks like mentoring a student, returning to campus, opening doors, and investing your time, talent, and resources.

Alex Bohannon ’17, president of the Elon Black Alumni Network

Bohannon also highlighted the role of the Elon Black Alumni Network in mentoring students and supporting initiatives such as the Black Alumni Scholarship Fund. He noted that the ceremony’s continued growth reflects a vision established a decade ago and sustained through alumni engagement and philanthropy.

During the donning ceremony, each graduate was joined on stage by a person who played a meaningful role in their Elon experience. Supporters presented the stoles while tributes celebrating each graduate’s accomplishments and future aspirations were read aloud.

Graduates were praised for perseverance, leadership and cultural pride as families, mentors and faculty members reflected on the challenges many students overcame to earn their degrees. Presentations highlighted stories of first-generation college graduates, international students, and campus leaders who balanced academics with research, athletics and service while supporting others along the way.

Another popular feature of the evening program: A rhythmic dance of celebration performed by served to open and conclude the ceremony.

�þ���’s event is made possible by the Kelli E. Palmer ’98 Donning of the Kente Endowment. Funding from the endowment supports the program, including the purchase of the kente stoles.

In her own remarks to graduates, La’ Tonya Wiley ’97, �þ���’s assistant director of affinity alumni engagement, described the evening as a way to not only honor accomplishments, but to honor who celebrants have become.

“You are scholars, changemakers, leaders and living examples for those who will follow behind you,” she said. “May you always remember that your excellence is not defined solely by titles or degrees, but by how you uplift others, how you remain rooted in purpose and how you continue building community wherever your path leads.”

From the beautiful voice of Carrington Black ’28 to the empowering charge from Nicholas Rugbart ’25, the ceremony offered a powerful reminder of student impact and community support.

Established in 1993, the awards program was renamed in 2006 to honor the first Black student to attend Elon, Glenda Phillips-Hightower ’63, and the first Black student to graduate from Elon, Eugene Perry ’69. The Phillips-Perry Excellence Awards continues to honor their legacy by uplifting students whose academic and co-curricular achievements exemplify excellence across disciplines.

The afternoon opened with remarks by Abdul-Malik Harrison ’21, assistant director of the Center for Race, Ethnicity & Diversity Education (CREDE), and an invocation from the Rev. Kirstin Boswell, university chaplain and dean of multifaith engagement. The ceremony also included opening remarks from President Connie Ledoux Book, introduced by Murphy Davis ’26, vice president of the Black Student Union.

“We were excited to gather as a community to celebrate the hard work, dedication, and success of our students,” said Harrison. “We thank the Elon community for supporting our efforts to foster an inclusive environment where all students can thrive.”

Several members of the Elon Black Alumni Network (EBAN) participated in presenting the awards, including Kelia Evans ’11, Regina Crawley ’98, Ruby Thornton Bracy ’99 and Alex Bohannon ’17, current EBAN president.

Awards presented included the Phillips-Perry Black Excellence Awards, Academic Excellence Awards, the Elon Experiences Awards, Black Student Union awards that comprised the Janice Ratliff Community Service Award and the Wilhelmina Body Community Awards, and the Black Alumni Scholarship Award.

Academic Excellence Awards

During the program, 237 �þ��� students and 27 graduate students were recognized for cumulative GPAs of 3.2 or higher at the conclusion of the fall semester. In addition, Black students with the highest GPA in their respective cohorts were also recognized:

• Undergraduate Class of 2028: Kendyl Bloomer
• Undergraduate Class of 2027: Emmy Jones
• Undergraduate Class of 2027: Veronica Kowalewski
• Undergraduate Class of 2025: Donelle Leak
• First-Year Law Student: Kristian Ellis (1L)
• Second-Year Law Student: Karrington Wallace (2L)
• Flex Law Student: Kayla Price
• Third-Year Physical Therapy Student: Raya Coley
• Second-Year Physical Therapy Student: Clarke Oliver
• Physician Assistant Studies �þ���: Samir Halalou and Tiye Jones Amen Hetep
• Accelerated Bachelor of Nursing Student: Carmen Mesa
• Master of Arts in Higher Education Student: Emma Calhoun
• Master of Business Administration Student: Ayo Onasanya
• Master of Science in Business Analytics Student: Jazlyn Jefferson

Elon Black Alumni Network Scholarship Award
Jordyne Lewis ’28 and Madisen Williams ’25

The Elon Black Alumni Network (EBAN) strives to unite and represent the interests of �þ���’s Black alumni and students by fostering empowerment, connection and celebration within Elon’s Black community. In 2007, EBAN established a scholarship fund to help make an Elon education accessible to Black students. This fund reached a significant milestone in 2023, achieving a $1 million endowment, further strengthening its ability to support future generations.

Elon Experiences Awards

Presented to students nominated by faculty and staff for excelling in one or more of the five Elon Experiences: Global Engagement, Undergraduate Research, Internships, Service and Civic Engagement and Leadership.

• Global Engagement Award: Mya Lee ’26
• Undergraduate Research Award: Khairi Morrow ’25
• Internship Award: Marques Walker ’25
• Service Learning Award: Sofia Barnes ’28
• Leadership: Jayla Martin Beasly ’25

Janice Ratliff Community Service Award
Abdul-Malik Harrison ’21

The Janice Ratliff Community Service Award is named in honor of Janice Ratliff, a former advisor of the Black Student Union, a long-time employee of �þ��� and a well-known advocate and community figure. This award goes to a staff member who the Black student body recognizes as an advocate for the Black student experience, whose contributions to the community, whether big or small, always substantially impact the Black community on multiple levels.

The Wilhelmina Boyd African & African American Studies at Elon (AAASE) Award
Khairi Morrow ’25

The Wilhelmina Boyd AAASE Scholar Award was created in the Spring of 2008 to honor the work and contributions of Professor Wilhelmina Boyd’s 18 years of service to �þ��� and African & African-American Studies. The award recipient must be a graduating senior with an African & African-American Studies minor, a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 and a minimum GPA in the minor of 3.2. In addition, the recipient must demonstrate a commitment to African & African-American Studies as demonstrated through coursework, citizenship/community engagement, scholarship and student activities/leadership.

Wilhelmina Boyd Community Service Award
Shaina Jones

The Wilhelmina Boyd Community Service Award is named in honor of the late Wilhelmina Boyd, an associate professor of English and the founder of �þ���’s minor in African and African American Studies. This award goes to a faculty member who the Black student body recognizes as an advocate for the Black student experience and a champion of equity, diversity and inclusion throughout the curriculum.

This year, the event will take on an even deeper meaning following the establishment of the Kelli E. Palmer ’98 Donning of the Kente Endowment. Funding from the endowment will support the event, including the purchase of Kente stoles that each student receives at the ceremony and wears at Elon’s Commencement.

The endowment honors the achievements of Palmer, a 1998 Elon alumna and member of the university’s Board of Trustees, who for nearly three decades has embodied alumni leadership and a lifelong connection with the university and its students.

“This endowment helps ensure all students who choose to experience this Afrocentric ceremony can participate in a collective celebration of mentorship, inclusive excellence and student success, all of which are institutional priorities at Elon,” said Randy Williams, vice president for inclusive excellence, who led the effort to bring Donning of the Kente to Elon in 2017 to enrich the Black student experience.

“Like the authentic handwoven Kente stoles, each student radiates unique beauty that is now supported by this investment,” Williams said. “It affirms Kelli’s belief in the necessity of uplifting Black cultural traditions and ensuring that Black students receive institutional backing in celebrating their heritage and achievements.”

Rites of passage, like Donning of the Kente, are common in many cultures, Palmer noted. They denote connection and accomplishment as well as responsibility.

“I was overjoyed when I found out that Elon students would be able to celebrate this important rite of passage with their families,” Palmer said. “So much of being part of the Elon community for me was experiencing as a student and perpetuating as an alumna opportunities centered in the values of the Black community and Elon.”

The ninth-annual Donning of the Kente ceremony will be held on Thursday, May 22, in Alumni Gym. Each student will select a mentor, friend or family member to present them with their stole, acknowledging their hard work and encouraging them in their future endeavors. �þ��� will wear their stoles the following day at Elon’s 135th Commencement for inspiration and to honor, celebrate and reflect on their collective heritage and successes.

The Kente cloth symbolizes and celebrates prestige in many African societies, dating to 12th century Africa in Ghana. Worn during ceremonial events by royalty and important figures of state in Ghanaian society, the Kente cloth is a visual representation of African history, philosophy, ethics, oral literature, moral values, social code of conduct, religious beliefs, political thought and aesthetic principles.

The event has inspired the success of other campus celebrations that have incorporated elements of Donning of the Kente into their programs, Williams said.

“I am proud of Elon’s willingness to create relevant experiences, and the Donning of the Kente ceremony ensures that we celebrate Black students’ achievements in a culturally and historically meaningful way,” he said. “This success is not accidental—it results from sustained advocacy, community-building and a commitment to centering Black voices.”

For Palmer, the ceremony aligns directly with Elon’s commitment to building an inclusive community and supporting Black student excellence on campus and beyond.

“We are called into Elon in a communal way, so why wouldn’t we be called to our next phase of our life and relationship with Elon in a communal way?” Palmer said. “We go forward together as alumni, and we continue to celebrate and support each other and take care of the people we are trying to bring along. It feels deeply in line with the culture that I know and has helped me be successful.”

“It is fitting to have an alumna play a lead role in supporting Donning of the Kente. The ceremony represents the students’ transition into the alumni family,” said Kendra Haskins, senior director of alumni engagement. “EBAN, our acronym for the Elon Black Alumni Network, also happens to be the name of an Adinkra symbol from West Africa that means ‘fence.’ It represents a strong, united family that prioritizes protection and togetherness—a perfect definition of the mission that lies at the heart of our Black alumni network.”

Palmer, of Charlottesville, Virginia, graduated from the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education with a degree in elementary education. She earned a master’s degree in Counselor Education from Wake Forest University and a doctorate in Higher Education Administration from the University of Virginia and has also studied at Oxford University and earned graduate certificates from Boston College and Harvard. She currently serves as Chief Employee Experience Officer at WillowTree, a market-leading digital product consultancy, where she works to support and expand the company’s diversity, equity and inclusion and social impact commitments.

Palmer has served in many volunteer roles at her alma mater, including as a member of Elon’s Black Life Advisory Council since 2017 and previously as an Alumni 360 Volunteer, a member of the Elon Mentor Network and the Elon Alumni Board (2008-2012). In recognition of her service, Palmer was named Elon’s Young Alumna of the Year (2007), Distinguished Alumna of the Year (2016) and in 2010 delivered the Commencement address as Alumni Board President. She also received the Gail Fonville Parker ’70 Distinguished Alumna Award, recognizing her support of the Elon Black Alumni Network.

Palmer has also been a devoted donor to Elon and was a founding donor to the Black Alumni Scholarship. Giving back is an obligation she takes seriously.

“Universities are not built in solitude. They are a communal effort,” she said. “I had the benefit of being in a place where I knew the tuition stopped well before my academic year stopped, and I felt a sense of responsibility for contributing.”

With music blasting and plenty of food and fellowship to go around at Schar Center on Saturday – Ken Davis ’70 was taking it all in. The 2024 Homecoming & Reunion Weekend marked the first time Davis had returned to campus since graduating more than 50 years ago.

“This is fantastic,” said Davis. “I really enjoyed the entire atmosphere of the campus and how they’ve gone out of their way to treat us. It’s really exciting to see the growth of Elon.”

The Class of 1970 was invited to celebrate alongside the Class of 1974 to honor their 50^th reunion after their celebration planned for 2020 coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic. The Class of 1974 was officially welcomed into the Golden Alumni Family over the weekend.

“I’ve got a chance to connect with some of the ’74 alums and some others,” said Davis. “It’s been real nice.”

The happiest place on earth

Homecoming & Reunion Weekend 2024 held Nov. 1-2 was all about connection and celebration, starting with the annual Rock the Block Community Block Party on Young Commons on Friday. On Saturday morning, alumni were welcomed home with the familiar Elon tradition: College Coffee. Then it was time for the alumni tailgate outside of Schar Center, preparing to cheer on the Phoenix before they defeated Campbell University 50-27. Rush Lacoste ’25 and Drew Fetterolf ’25 were crowned Homecoming royalty.

Jenn Riemer ’10 and Clark Riemer ’11 try to return to campus for every home football game, but Homecoming is special. The couple grilled out with their family, sharing the Elon spirit with others.

“It’s always just great to be back in the happiest place on Earth,” said Jen Riemer. “It’s good to bring our kids back and let them see what we grew up with and what they have to look forward to.”

Fellowship in a community

The weekend also included celebrations for the many Elon affinity networks, including the LGBTQIA Alumni Network and the Elon Black Alumni Network (EBAN). EBAN has helped Lynne Daniels ’94 stay connected with Elon since her graduation and now she’s celebrating her 30^th reunion.

“I love Elon, I love to come back to Elon, I love to volunteer with the Elon Black Alumni Network and I love to give to Elon,” said Daniels. “The importance of having an Elon Black Alumni Network is to make sure our presence is here and for people to understand how much we love Elon and that we contribute to Elon.”

EBAN serves to unite and represent the interests of Black alumni and strives to empower, connect, and celebrate Elon’s Black community.

“I love coming back and really getting to connect and network with folks and really just fellowship in a community,” said Brianna Nobles ‘21, who serves on the EBAN leadership board. “It’s really nice to come home and feel loved by people who have known me for a really long time.”

At the EBAN alumni tailgate area, it was all hugs and smiles for Nobles and Mariatu Okonofua ’19. The two are members of the Omicron Iota chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

“Omicron Iota is a big part of me coming back,” said Okonofua, who is also part of the Young Alumni Council. “I’m really close with my sisters to this day. I wanted to have the opportunity to fellowship and see folks I haven’t seen in forever.”

Elon is home

Pearl Sullivan ’21 and Jonathan Stettler ’21 had the opportunity to connect with President Connie Ledoux Book while they were enjoying the student tailgate area by Rhodes Stadium. Stettler worked in the President’s Office as a student assistant and is the former executive vice president of the Student Government Association.

“We were talking with President Book about how student government was doing a big outdoor initiatives project while I was on campus and I was helping lead it, so the outdoor fitness court and a lot of new seating was from projects I was working on,” said Stettler. “They popped up on campus the summer after I left so it’s nice to see students using them still.”

Melissa Von der Heide ’04 reconnected with her classmate Kim Van Acker ’04 and friend Matt Lardie ‘06. Von der Heide and Van Acker were celebrating their 20^th reunion; the two met while doing �þ��� research in psychology.

“Elon is home, that’s what it comes down to,” said Von der Heide, who hasn’t returned to campus in more than a decade. “One of the nice things is I can go anywhere in the United States and find somebody from Elon.”

Van Acker, who was a track and field student-athlete while at Elon, returned for her 10^th reunion and felt she was ready to come back again after another decade.

“So much has changed in my life and Elon’s life since then,” said Acker. “So it was a good time to come.”

Lardie, Von der Heide and Van Acker all agree: Elon is about the people.

“Over any individual experience, study abroad or group I was part of. It’s the fact that I have people like Melissa and other friends who are now my family and have been in my life for decades through all the ups and downs and more so than my four years here,” said Lardie. “We’ve all grown together based on that singular Elon experience.”

An event rooted in African tradition, the seventh annual Donning of the Kente ceremony on Thursday, May 18, celebrated the achievements of graduating Elon students who recognize their African roots.

“As we engage in a celebratory time and as you go out to lend your skills and efforts toward building a beloved community, know that you are your ancestors wildest dreams and greatest hope,” said Kirstin Boswell, university chaplain and dean of Multifaith Engagement.

Each graduate received a handwoven kente cloth stole imported from West Africa. The graduating students wore their stoles at the 133rd Commencement ceremony for inspiration and to honor, celebrate, connect and reflect on the collective heritage and communal struggles and successes.

The kente cloth symbolizes and celebrates prestige in many African societies dating to the 12th century Africa in Ghana. Worn during ceremonial events by royalty and important figures of state in Ghanaian society, the kente cloth is a visual representation of African history, philosophy ethics, oral literature moral values, social code of conduct, religious beliefs, political thought and aesthetic principles.

“The kente fabric represents our ancestor’s culture, spirituality, sophistication and immaculate tradition. We know well that it takes a village to support, inspire and nurture our graduates and that the Elon community is but a small part of that village,” said Randy Williams, vice president and associate provost for inclusive excellence.

President of the Elon Black Alumni Network (EBAN) Akilah Weaver ’00 officially welcomed the Class of 2023 graduate to the network. Working to unite and represent the interest of Black alumni, EBAN actively promotes and sustains alumni contributions to the university and connects Black students with each other.

The Donning of the Kente is one of EBAN’s most important initiatives, Weaver said. She also explained the Adinkra “eban” symbol which originated in Ghana. “Eban” translates to “fence” and is a symbol of safety, love and security.

“As you begin the next step in your journey as alumni know that you are now another link in the fence that surrounds Elon’s Black students with advocacy, nurturance and safety,” Weaver said. “You are Black excellence. On behalf of our over 2,000 Black alumni, we welcome you to the Elon Black Alumni Network and look forward to being a home base for each of you for years to come.”

As the ceremony got underway, the graduates stood on stage in Alumni Gym as faculty members read aloud special words of love, encouragement, support and pride from someone who has helped them along their journey.

“Graduates, you are here today because of your hard work, determination, resilience and perseverance. I would not dare take your sense of personal accomplishments away from you, but you are also here today because at least someone has carried you,” said Buffie Longmire-Avital, professor of psychology and director of the Black Lumen Project.

While some can recall exactly who has helped them along the way and how, Longmire-Avital said, most are like her — unaware of all the ways they have been supported on their respective journeys.

“It is OK not to have a catalogue of names and times documenting the support. What is important is that you know that you have been carried and cared for,” she said.

Longmire-Avital ended her remarks by offering gratitude to all those who have carried their loved ones and gave the Class of 2023 one final task — “Go forth and boldly carry on.”

The Nov. 5 awards event as part of Homecoming & Reunion Weekend honored The Rev. Dr. Marvin L. Morgan ’71 P ’96 P ’09, Joyel Crawford ’97, Carl Hairston ’11 G ’15, Shelby McKay ’13 and Professor Buffie Longmire-Avital.

“Since 2010, we have honored over 40 alumni, faculty and staff with the EBAN awards for the extraordinary things they are doing in their local communities and for their dedication to the Elon Black Alumni Network,” said EBAN President Akilah Weaver ’00 during her opening remarks. “Today, we add five more deserving individuals to this esteemed group.”

The purpose of the Elon Black Alumni Network is to build, maintain and sustain collaborative relationships with Black alumni through social events, networking and philanthropic purposes impacting current and future Elon students.

Award Recipients

Buffie Longmire-Avital

Dr. K. Wilhelmina Boyd Outstanding Service to �þ��� Award

Buffie Longmire-Avital is a diversity, inclusion, and racial health equity scholar-educator. In 2022 she became the first African American to be promoted to full professor in Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences. In addition to being a professor of psychology, she is the inaugural director of the Black Lumen Project, an equity initiative, and the presidentially appointed Faculty Administrative Fellow for Mentoring Design. She currently co-leads a 35-person team charged with building a dynamic and sustainable ecosystem for mentoring across the university. Longmire-Avital previously served as the coordinator of the African and African-American Studies interdisciplinary minor program for six years. AAASE, as it is known on campus, was established in 1994 under the leadership of Professor K. Wilhelmina Boyd, for whom this award is named. It is one of the oldest interdisciplinary minors at the institution.

Longmire-Avital received a doctorate in applied developmental psychology from New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. She has published numerous articles; serves on the editorial boards of multiple academic journals; has been recognized for excellence in mentorship as well as for her leadership service for Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences; she is also a former recipient of the prestigious National Institutes of Health, Loan Repayment Program for Health Disparities. As a board member of multiple social justice nonprofits, her aim is to always serve her university and broader communities with distinction in efforts to build sustainable inclusive spaces.

As a Center for Engaged Learning scholar (2018-20), Longmire-Avital developed a reparative mentoring model to generate and sustain critically conscious, equitable approaches that support underserved students’ engagement in high-impact practices. Known to her students as “Dr. LA,” she is regarded as a trusted resource, mentor and advocate. Longmire-Avital is engaged with EBAN aiding in the production of the Donning of the Kente Ceremony, a rite of passage graduation event for Elon’s African-American students. She continues to be a member of the planning committee and has had the honor of delivering closing remarks for all the ceremonies.

Shelby McKay ’13

EBAN Distinguished Young Alumna Award

After completing her studies at �þ���, Shelby McKay has gone on to pursue both a master of arts and a doctorate from George Washington University. Passionately committed to positively impacting the lives of collegiate student-athletes, McKay ensures “life after sport” remains a key focus so that student-athletes position themselves for successful professional careers. She also serves as a mentor and champion not only for student-athletes but for other women seeking to advance their careers in athletics.

Ever the engaged alumna, she currently serves on the Elon School of Communications advisory board and is an Elon in D.C. board member. In October of this year, McKay stepped into the role of associate commissioner of Student-Athlete & Institutional Program with the Athletic Coast Conference.

Carl Hairston ’11 G’15

EBAN Distinguished Young Alumnus Award

Carl Hairston graduated from �þ��� in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and an emphasis in sales, and in 2015 with his master’s degree in business administration. During his time at Elon, he was involved with the Black Cultural Society, Business Fellows, Professional Sales Team and a member of the Sigma Delta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Since December of 2021, Hairston’s talents have shined at the Atlantic Coast Conference where he serves as the director of brand marketing.

Hairston currently sits on the executive board of the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators. He graduated from the prestigious NCAA Leadership Institute in 2016. He is an active member of the Kappa Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, Fraternity, Inc., and serves on the �þ��� Young Alumni Council, the Hayes-Taylor YMCA Board and the Exposure Project Fundraising Committee.

The Rev. Dr. Marvin L. Morgan ’71 P’96 P’09   

Eugene Perry ’69 Distinguished Alumnus Award

A native of Zebulon, North Carolina, the Rev. Dr. Marvin Morgan was born the third-youngest of nine children to a sharecropping family. Receiving the highest score in math/algebra out of his senior class at James E. Shepard High School earned him employment with IBM just before graduation in 1966. A year later, after acknowledging a “call to ministry,” a national United Church of Christ officer advised Morgan that the President of Elon College wanted to further diversify the student body.

After reviewing his transcript, then-Elon President J. Earl Danieley affirmed, “Marvin, you are the student we’ve been looking for (high academic performer and minority). If you will come to join our student body in January, we will make certain you never have to drop out because of finances.” Morgan credits this moment with transforming his life and the life of his family. He finished Elon with a degree in religion and with enough credits for a philosophy major. This would be the beginning of an ongoing legacy. Of his four children, three attended Elon and his grandson is now a junior at Elon.

Morgan has served on the �þ��� Board of Trustees since 2008 and is a member of the �þ��� Life and Alumni committees. As a member of the special subcommittee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, he has advocated on behalf of all minority students, prospective minority students and others who may be underrepresented within the Elon campus environment. He and his wife, Mae T. Morgan, M.D., have supported the Black Alumni Scholarship nearly every year since its inception.

Morgan is now serving as interim pastor at the Church of the Red Rocks in Sedona, Arizona. As a member of the faculty of the Center for Congregational Health in Winston-Salem, he also teaches interim ministry courses to clergy primarily in the U.S. and Canada.

Joyel Crawford ’97

Gail Fonville Parker ’70 Distinguished Alumna Award

After graduating cum laude from �þ��� in 1997 as an Isabella Cannon Leadership Fellow, Joyel Crawford obtained her MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University with a concentration in management. For 18 years, she supported professionals within all functional groups at Verizon Wireless.

Crawford launched out on her own and developed Crawford Leadership Strategies, an award-winning consultancy that provides leadership consulting, keynotes and hybrid solutions to provide organizations with the tools, knowledge and skills to thrive in the global workplace. As a certified professional career coach, certified virtual presenter, TEDx speaker and leadership development consultant at Crawford Leadership Strategies, she helps others expertly navigate every step of their career.

Crawford has facilitated leadership development courses and has been a keynote speaker for businesses and organizations such as the U.S. Senate, NASA JPL, The New York Times, ESPN, Intuit, NYC Mayor’s Office, Morgan Stanley, Hewlett Packard, Aramark, various chapters of SHRM, NJACP, SHFM and many other notable industries, organizations and higher education institutions. She hosts a podcast called “Career View Mirror®” and is the author of the Amazon bestselling book “Show Your Ask: Using Your Voice to Advocate for Yourself and Your Career,” which was ranked #1 in New Releases.

Also recognized during the event were members of the Omicron Epsilon Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., which was celebrating its 35th reunion.

Joyel Crawford ’97 graduated from �þ��� with a Bachelor of Science in psychology and a theater arts minor. Crawford spent much of her time on campus as a member of a variety of extracurricular activities including the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Elon Theater Arts, Habitat for Humanity and more. Some of her most treasured memories come from her time with the Elon Black Student Union and she has taken that passion into her life as an alumna, currently serving as an Elon Black Alumni Network mentor. In this position, Crawford gets to give back to the community that celebrated her unique skills and abilities while also mentoring other Black students to continue to share their shine at Elon. Crawford left Elon in the hopes of being a guidance counselor and receiving her MBA, unaware of the success that would transpire.

Today, Crawford is located in New Jersey as the CEO and Founder of Crawford Leadership Strategies (CLS). Crawford explains the inspiration behind CLS started while she was working as a Customer Service Representative at Bell Atlantic Mobile, which is known today as Verizon. She soon realized her desire to be the person at the front of the room at New Hire Orientation, training employees rather than sitting behind a desk. Within four years of working there, Crawford began her career in Human Resources.

“The golden thread of leadership development kept pulling me to opportunities where I was helping others get where they needed to go in their career,” says Crawford “It was a full and rich career spanning 18 years, but I felt called to reach more leaders. That is how Crawford Leadership Strategies was born.”

Crawford has had an extensive and successful career so far, not only with the creation of her company CLS but the publication of her book, “.” The inspiration behind the book came from individuals she mentored, co-workers and friends asking Crawford questions about how she had achieved such great success.

“I didn’t get anywhere in my life and career without asking and speaking up for myself,” explained Crawford. “Since I can’t be everywhere and coach everyone, I wrote this book to reach more people who are challenged with advocating for themselves in life and their careers.”

While reflecting on her time at Elon, Crawford is grateful for every organization and experience at Elon that helped her foster leadership development, mentorship and community. “I was poised and ready to be the leader that I am today, in part due to my time at Elon,” said Crawford.

Thinking back to her time as a first-year at Elon, she had some words of encouragement. “Joy, you got this,” she recalled people in her support system telling her. She reminded herself to document her experiences as best as she can, especially all the activities she gets involved in, and expressed the importance of what she will learn over the next four years and how it will affect her life.

Crawford finished with a gentle nod to her parents, and some wisdom that is only earned with age. “Make sure you spend the entire first day on campus with your parents before running off to orientation events. They’re going to miss you more than you know.”

Crawford’s future looks brighter than ever as she continues to host leadership cohorts and retreats while supporting a variety of organizations with her services. More information can be found on  and her book “Show Your Ask” can be purchased at major bookstores and on Amazon.

The Donning of the Kente serves as a cultural ceremony that celebrates the achievements of Elon’s Black graduating students who recognize their African roots. The soon-to-be graduates stood in front of their classmates as they received words of encouragement, support and love from someone special in their life and received their handmade kente cloth graduation stole.

“The donning is meant to be a positive and memorable experience that rewards students and their families with a personal and culturally relevant ceremony,” said Randy Williams, vice president and associate provost for inclusive excellence and associate professor of education. “To that end, I encourage you to shout tears of joy, stamp your feet with praises and display all expressions of celebration for our graduates this evening.”

Jaelyn Alexander ‘22, a BFA music theatre graduate, said it was an incredible honor to be a part of the Donning of the Kente ceremony with such powerful displays of love. “I have never seen a ceremony at Elon so vulnerable and full of so much love,” Alexander said. “There are not many opportunities we get to publicly recognize people that we care about that have impacted us. I don’t know everyone here, but every single speech was very touching and inspirational.”

Each graduate was adorned with a handwoven kente cloth from a village in Bonwire, Ghana. The kente cloth symbolizes and celebrates prestige in many African societies. The origins of the kente cloth date back to the 12th century when it was worn by kings, queens and prominent figures of state during ceremonial events and special occasions in Ghanaian society.

In a cultural context, the kente serves as a visual representation of African history, philosophy, ethics, social code of conduct and aesthetic principles.

“As you walk out these doors wearing your kente stool and drape it over your shoulders again during Commencement, remember that your stole is a symbol of the shelter that at least one person constructed for you and it is an invitation to be embraced by an expansive community of alumni, faculty, staff, family and friends that spans decades, struggles, resistance and hope,” Buffie Longmire-Avital, director of the Black Lumen Project and associate professor of psychology, said during her closing remarks.

“We built this city on the audacious pursuit and promise of safety. Graduates of 2022, unapologetically seek out and claim your space with the assurance that this Elon shelter of safety, throughout all storms, will ever endure,” she said.

Akilah Weaver ‘00, president of the Elon Black Alumni Network (EBAN) and benefits executive with Bank of America, displayed a symbol on the screen and explained its significance to the Class of 2022 kente recipients.

“This symbol is called ‘Eban,’ which translates to fence, and reflects a symbol of love, safety and security. EBAN is a place where you can feel safe, affirmed, validated and at home,” Weaver said. “As you begin your journey in the world as a Black scholar, know that your patience will be tried, your intelligence will be tested, your character will be attacked and your blackness may even be questioned. But stay true to self, enjoy life, task risks, be different, … be bold. You are Black excellence.”

Jazmin Campbell ‘22, graduating with a degree in anthropology and creative writing, will spend a year with Alamance Achieves as a part of the Elon Year of Service Fellows program. At the Donning of the Kente, gratitude was the main emotion Campbell felt — gratitude for the people who have directly impacted her and the overarching Black community and network that she is now a lifetime member of.

“Having one of my mentors, Kiah Glenn (former assistant director of the CREDE at Elon) to speak about me and give me my stole was an honor. I cannot describe my gratitude and love for her,” Campbell said. “I am so grateful to these people and this place for building me. I can’t describe how grateful I am for them.”

“Since 2010, we have honored over 40 alumni, faculty and staff with the EBAN awards for the extraordinary things they are doing in their local communities and for their dedication to the Elon Black Alumni Network,” said Akilah Weaver ’00, EBAN’s president during a special brunch on Nov. 6. “Today, we will add five more deserving individuals to this esteemed group.”

They were Steve Walker ’93, recipient of the Eugene Perry ’69 Distinguished Alumnus Award; Marilyn Slade, recipient of the Dr. K. Wilhelmina Boyd Outstanding Service to �þ��� Award; Brittany Carroll ’11, recipient of the EBAN Distinguished Young Alumna Award; Kris Jiles ’15, recipient of the EBAN Distinguished Young Alumnus Award; and Kelli Palmer ’98, recipient of the Gail Fonville Parker ’70 Distinguished Alumna Award.

During the event, EBAN also recognized several groups celebrating milestone reunions. This included Black members of the 1980 and 1981 national championship football teams, who contributed to some of Elon’s most celebrated achievements despite their own struggles as members of a predominantly White institution. Several historically black fraternities and sororities were also honored, such as the Omicron Iota chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated (40th anniversary); the Nu Theta chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated (35th anniversary); and the Sigma Delta chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated (30th anniversary).

Weaver also recognized the donors who endowed the Black Alumni Scholarship, which was created 14 years ago and has so far funded the education of 10 talented Black students. During the past year, she said, 651 alumni supported the scholarship raising more than $92, 570. “We have a very ambitious, but achievable goal of tripling the Elon Black Alumni Scholarship, bringing the endowment total to over $1 million,” Weaver said. “Doing this would allow for us to fully fund a four-year scholarship to a deserving black student at �þ���.”

About the EBAN award winners

Marilyn Slade

Dr. K. Wilhelmina Boyd Outstanding Service to �þ��� Award

Presented to a current Elon faculty or staff member who has made significant contributions to the Elon Black student experience through mentorship, support and interaction with students. 

In October 2010, Marilyn Slade began working as the program assistant for �þ���’s Multicultural Center, now known as the Center for Race, Ethnicity, & Diversity Education (CREDE), under the direction of Leon Williams. On Elon’s campus, she is known as “Ms. Marilyn” and a mother/auntie to some of the students. One student created a playlist in her honor called “The Auntie/Ms. Marilyn.” She even had the honor of playing the mother of Donovan Rainey ’14 in a mock wedding sponsored by the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life. Marilyn also serves as the adviser for the National Council of Negro Women Inc., a member of the Advisory Board for Black Student Spiritual Support and the liaison for the Neighborhood Clean-Up Committee, among roles in other organizations. She has also served on the MLK Day Celebration and the Phillips-Perry Black Excellence Awards Banquet committees.

Marilyn’s commitment to student success and service at Elon has been recognized by many members of the Elon community. In 2013 she received a Certification of Appreciation for her dedicated service, her commitment to serving others and for exemplifying the ideals of womanhood to the campus of �þ��� and Alamance County from the Sigma Delta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. In 2018 Marilyn was recognized as an outstanding student mentor at The Black Senior Soiree event sponsored by Elon’s Black Student Union. Additionally, she received the Janice Ratliff award for her outstanding contribution to the Black student community at the Phillips-Perry Black Excellence Awards Banquet. In 2019 she was recognized as one of Alamance County’s Phenomenal Women of Black Excellence from the African American Cultural Arts & History Center Organization. And at Elon’s 2021 Staff Appreciation Day, she received the Blanche Garrison Memorial Award for the role she plays in mentoring students during their time at Elon and beyond.

Marilyn’s commitment to students and �þ��� is a product of her belief. Above all else, Marilyn is a devout Christian who strives to please God. Her favorite Bible verse is Colossians 3:23: “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.”

Brittany Carroll ’11

EBAN Distinguished Young Alumna Award

Presented to an alumna who has graduated from Elon within the past 10 years and has distinguished herself in a profession, her local community and brought honor to the Elon community as a whole. The person also is active in the Elon Black Alumni Network through their support of EBAN events, initiatives and the EBAN scholarship.

Brittany Carroll ’11 graduated from �þ��� in 2011 with a B.A. in political science and international studies with a focus on East Asian affairs. She also has a M.A. from American University in international affairs with a focus on African affairs. Brittany currently works as the assistant general services officer in Baghdad, Iraq, on a one-year assignment. Previously she served as vice consul in the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou, China, from 2018 to 2021. She played an integral role with the American Citizen Services unit at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and helped with the evacuation of American citizens from Wuhan.

During her first tour in Georgetown, Guyana, she served as the sole general services officer, playing an outsized role in activating the Marine Security Detachment, which had been inactive for more than 20 years. She is a mid-level management-coned officer who entered the Foreign Service in 2015. Prior to officially starting with the department, she participated in internships with the agency in Shanghai, China; Banjul, The Gambia; and the Office of West African Affairs located in Washington, D.C.

Brittany is a former White House intern, serving in the Office of Presidential Correspondence under the Obama administration. She is the recipient of two national fellowships. She received a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, a program that places Fulbrights in classrooms abroad to aid local English teachers and serve as cultural ambassadors for the U.S. She also received the Thomas R. Pickering Fellowship, a program funded by the U.S. Department of State that recruits and prepares individuals for Foreign Service careers. In the fall of next year, she will head back to Washington, D.C., to be reunited with her family and serve at the Department of State’s headquarters in the African Affairs Bureau.

Kris Jiles ’15

EBAN Distinguished Young Alumnus Award

Presented to an alumnus who has graduated from Elon within the past 10 years and has distinguished himself in a profession, his local community and brought honor to the Elon community as a whole. This person is also active in the Elon Black Alumni Network through their support of EBAN events, initiatives and the EBAN scholarship.

Kris Jiles ’15 is a 2015 graduate of �þ���, where he majored in political science and minored inphilosophy. During his time at Elon, Kris served as an Isabella Cannon Leadership Fellow, a senator for the Student Government Association and the president of the Sigma Delta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Following his �þ��� experience at Elon, Kris went on to receive his Juris Doctor at Howard University School of Law, where he served as a senior notes and comments editor for Howard’s Law Review and was a Dean’s Fellow recipient. Following law school, Kris worked at a prominent New York law firm as an associate in the Corporate Department. Kris now works as a mergers and acquisitions attorney at Cooley LLP in Washington, D.C.

Kelli Palmer ’98

Gail Fonville Parker ’70 Distinguished Alumna Award

Presented to an alumna who has graduated from Elon more than 10 years ago and has distinguished herself in a profession, her local community, and brought honor to the Elon community as a whole and the Elon Black Alumni Network through their support of EBAN events, initiatives and the EBAN scholarship.

Kelli Palmer ’98 is a strategist and practitioner in the field of diversity, equity and inclusion. She is currently the head of Global Inclusion & Diversity at CFA Institute, as well as the founder and principal of IDEA Minds, a consulting firm that partners with organizations across sectors to advance inclusion, diversity, equity and accountability. Her background working across business, nonprofit and education landscapes has made her a multidimensional leader and strategist who brings together deep expertise with pragmatic, business-minded approaches to proliferating belonging. She has also had the privilege of leading CFA Institute’s development of a robust, multi-year corporate social responsibility strategy, establishing the organization’s sustainability strategy and ensuring that environmental, social and governance considerations are included in the organization’s day-to-day operations.

Kelli was raised in Montgomery County, Maryland, and attended �þ���, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. A devoted alumna, she is a member of the Black Life Advisory Committee and the President’s Council. She received her master’s degree in counselor education from Wake Forest University and a Ph.D. in higher education administration from the University of Virginia. A lifelong learner, she studied at Oxford University and has earned graduate certificates from Boston College and Harvard University.

Kelli is a proud, long-term resident of Charlottesville, Virginia, where she resides with her husband and their children. She is an active contributor on numerous local and state nonprofit boards, including the Community Climate Collaborative (C3), Peabody School and the Piedmont Virginia Community College Foundation. She has previously served as a member of the boards of the United Way of Greater Charlottesville, Charlottesville Area Community Foundation, Live Arts and the Center for Nonprofit Excellence, among many others. In addition to her professional accomplishments, she is a classically trained vocalist and former member of the Washington Opera Company.

Steve Walker ’93

Eugene Perry ’69 Distinguished Alumnus Award

Presented to an alumnus who has graduated from Elon more than 10 years ago and has distinguished himself in a profession, his local community and brought honor to the Elon community as a whole and the Elon Black Alumni Network through their support of EBAN events, initiatives and the EBAN scholarship.

Steve Walker ’93, a deputy comptroller and director of financial operations within the Department of the Navy, oversees the staffing, management and execution of multi-billion-dollar Navy programs. His financial management background within the civil service ranks has spanned more than 20 years and includes the receipt of the prestigious Golden Eagle Award for “exceptional performance of duties in support of our national tragedy on 9/11.”

In addition to his primary financial duties, Steve also serves as his agency’s special emphasis program manager for its African American Employment Program. In this role, he serves as the primary resource for advice, guidance and policy with respect to all conditions of employment, recruitment and community outreach factors that influence the employment of African Americans. He has used this resource and influence to assist in his ability to recruit and employ African American candidates, including several �þ��� graduates.

During Steve’s time at Elon, he was a four-year letterman on the basketball team while also being enrolled in the Elon Honors Program. He was a proud charter member of Elon’s Sigma Delta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., in 1991. Upon graduation, Steve immediately began to serve his alma mater. He was an active participant in the development and launch of what is known today as the Elon Black Alumni Network (EBAN), where he served multiple terms as president. He also participated in the group that formed and eventually launched the EBAN scholarship. Currently, Steve is a member of the Elon Phoenix Club as well as an active member of the Elon Alumni Board and consistently promotes �þ��� on a regular basis. Steve has a 15-year-old daughter, Logan, who he hopes follows his footsteps to Elon.

Black alumni from the Class of 2020 made their way back to Elon to celebrate their African heritage during the annual Donning of the Kente Ceremony.

The Donning of the Kente serves as a cultural ceremony that celebrates the achievements of Elon’s graduating students who recognize their African roots. On Saturday, 28 students were presented with a stole made of kente cloth that they will wear during graduation.

“Today, each graduate will be adorned with a handmade kente cloth, which represents the culture, spirituality, sophistication and immaculate tradition of our ancestors,” Vice President and Associate Provost for Inclusive Excellence Randy Williams said during his opening remarks. “The donning is meant to be a positive and memorable experience that rewards our graduates and their families with a more personal and culturally relevant ceremony.”

The stole that each graduate received is an Akan Kente handwoven in a village located in Bonwire, Ghana. The kente cloth symbolizes and celebrates prestige in many African societies. The origins of the kente cloth date back to 12th century Africa, in the country of Ghana worn by royalty during ceremonial events.

In a cultural context, it is a visual representation of African history, philosophy, ethics, oral literature moral values, social code of conduct, religious beliefs, political thought and aesthetic principles.

“In the pursuit of excellence, many members of the Elon community have led the way by offering guidance and support for members for the Class of 2020 throughout this journey,” Williams said.

Along with the stole, each graduate was presented with an official alumni pin by a member of the Elon Black Alumni Network (EBAN).

“The Elon Black Alumni Network seeks to unite and represent the interests of Black alumni and strives to empower, connect and celebrate Elon’s Black community,” said Aliana Harrison, immediate past president of the EBAN.

The Donning of the Kente is one of EBAN’s chief initiatives, Harrison said, which seeks to recognize the academic, professional and personal achievement of the graduates. During her remarks, Harrison displayed a symbol on screens for the audience to observe.

“This symbol is called ‘Eban,’ which translates to ‘fence’ and reflects a symbol of love, safety and security. These are three words that I want you, as graduates, to remember as you continue your journey as a member of the Elon Black Alumni Network.”

Harrison spoke on behalf of the more than 2,000 Black alumni of the pride they have in the Class of 2020 for having to endure so much following graduation amid the COVID-19 pandemic and social and racial unrest.

“We are so proud and want you to know the Elon Black Alumni Network is here for you and will continue to serve as a home base to each of you for years to come,” she said.

Each graduate had a prepared statement written on their behalf by either a family member or faculty member of their choosing. The faculty readers of those statements were Buffie Longmire-Avital, associate professor of psychology, George Talbert, assistant professor of marketing and Naeemah Clark, professor of cinema and television arts.

Longmire-Avital provided the closing remarks before students and family proceed to Lake Mary Nell for the Class of 2020 tailgate. Longmire-Avital said that the graduates honored during the donning ceremony are not the same graduates as they were 18 months ago. “You sit in this space with knowledge of what the post-Elon world is,” Longmire-Avital said.

She provided the graduates with a story of her past, of when she was on her way to attend her freshman year of preparatory boarding school. She was excited and ready to go away from home for her education.

Soon before leaving, her mother told her that “she could always come home.” Longmire-Avital said at first, she was angry with her mother for planting any seeds of doubt for this journey she was about to embark on, a journey her mother helped begin.

“I didn’t realize it then, but I fully embrace it now,” she said. “My mother didn’t give me doubt, she gave me assurance that wherever the journey, the grind, the hustle takes me, I could always come home.”

She passed along the sentiment that coming home is never “an invitation to quit or to stop,” but that it’s always an offering of rest and renewal.  “We were all forced to go home and 2020 became an embodiment of Langston Hughes’ ‘A Dream Deferred.’” Despite this, she urged the graduates to continue to dream, continue to make their voices heard and continue pushing toward tomorrow.

“If I may share this small nugget of fact – dreams may be deferred, but the ability to dream may not be. Graduates, never forget that, yes, you are America, and you too are Elon. An Ebony Phoenix who rises to follow their dreams and flies high enough to always see your Elon home in the horizon,” Longmire-Avital said. “Congratulations Class of 2020. Or should I say, welcome home.”

Graduates recognized during the ceremony were:

Alexa Baer
Sydney Biggs
Rachel Brown
Mikisha Davis
Amber Daye
Jaylan Evans
Frederick Evans Jr.
Olivia Ford
Shawná Harris-Lenoir
Megan Hernandez-Greene
Chantrisse Howard
Janaya Jones
Holly Miranda
Sara Nderitu
Arianna Payne
Jessica Perry
Chandler Posey
Lumiere Rostick
Sydney Simmons
Sha’Leicia Simpson
Tyler Stanley
Jordan Vaughn
Imani Vincent
Jordan Williams
Lallo Yadeta
Olivia Murphy
Xavier Bryant

La’Shaundranique Marshall