Six young children zipped across the pavement in brightly colored toy cars, laughter trailing behind them. These weren’t ordinary rides; they had been carefully reimagined by those same students inside, transformed into custom vehicles designed just for the kids who drove them.

The collaborative effort between the Elon Engineering Club, Phoenix Racing and the Department of Physical Therapy brought the Go Baby Go Initiative to Elon’s campus for the first time. Founded in 2012 at the University of Delaware, Go Bo Baby is a national initiative that modifies ride-on toy cars to meet the individual physical needs of young children who experience mobility challenges.

Julianna Millett ’26 spearheaded Elon’s effort with fellow engineering majors Diego Hernandez ’26 and Abigail Johnson ’27, after learning about the program through their Tikkun Olam Makers Fellowship. The TOM Fellowship Program is a nine-month international program that supports campus leaders, students and faculty in leading “communities” of students who use their engineering and design skills to co-create TOM Solutions for problems faced by people with disabilities, the elderly and the poor.

“For a lot of children, this is their first mobility device. Insurance isn’t going to cover a mobility aid because kids grow so fast,” said Millett. “With this car, it’s giving them almost a first experience of having some autonomy over their movement.”

On Saturday, engineering students adapted the car’s gas pedal to be a button on the steering wheel so the children could drive the car more efficiently, and physical therapy students helped adjust five-point harnesses so the children could also ride comfortably.

Sirena Hargrove-Leak, professor of engineering, views this work as an extension of Elon’s Engineering Design for Service course, where students work in small teams to design devices for systems that aid a local community client.

“Now it becomes an extracurricular engagement for students who are really motivated by that type of work to be able to continue it, and it connects them to a much larger organization,” said Hargrove-Leak. “It’s international and several other institutions of higher education are part of this, so just having that connectivity with other people who are doing similar work and moving it into the extracurricular space broadens and deepens that experience.”

Rebekkah Manning’s 4-year-old son, Henry has cerebral palsy and works regularly with the Department of Physical Therapy. Manning says Henry has not been able to play like other children his age due to his condition.

“A lot of options are not open to him. Even the rides at the city park are not adaptable and accessible,” she said. “It’s discouraging to try to be the mother and father of a child who wants to play, and he can’t.”

Henry was fitted into his car on Saturday while his father controlled the driving through a remote control, and Henry was also able to use the steering wheel button to drive.

“It is a dream come true because it’s something that we realized that we couldn’t do with Henry unless we had help,” said Manning. “When he got in, he got a little bit nervous, and everybody was watching, but then after a few laps here, did you see his smile grow? And he started interacting more. So, it is definitely a confidence builder.”

Carrie McCollum heard about the Go Baby Go program through their family’s physical therapist at Cone Health, who is an Elon alum. McCollum’s daughter BillieAnn has cerebral palsy, and while her older brother had driven her in his toy car, McCollum says it’s safer and better for BillieAnn to now drive her own.

“I hope to see her getting outside more often,” said McCollum. “We live on a farm, we have plenty of open space for her to move around on, but the wheelchair does not go well on gravel or rough terrain. I hope that this will be a way for her to drive around and see things out in our yard and on our farm.”

Hargrove-Leak says while this experience has been beneficial for the families involved, the students and her find it rewarding as well.

“It is so fulfilling to be able to serve as a mentor for these students,” said Hargrove-Leak. “I have just enjoyed watching them grow as servant leaders, using their knowledge and skills to help other people. That’s always been my dream as an engineering educator, to try to encourage students to use what they’re learning for good in the world.”

“After taking my first intro to public health class, I was like, ‘This is it!’” Ecker says. “Education doesn’t stop in a classroom. [Public health] touches so many parts of your life.”

That realization led her to join the Periclean Scholars program and travel to Denmark, India and Sri Lanka, transformative experiences that informed her view on global public health. Yet it was a local opportunity that offered her the most meaningful lesson in community involvement.

The Morrowtown Mission

Ecker wanted to conduct research early, and her public health professors connected her with Professor of Education Scott Morrison. He had been working with the , a grassroots organization in a historically Black Burlington neighborhood. Founded in 2017 by Lydia Jones and Joyce Moore, MCG’s mission is “to educate, empower and encourage individuals through acts of service and giving.”

Professor of Religious Studies Rebecca Todd Peters had previously helped MCG establish a community land trust and secure the land for a community garden. When efforts to sustain the garden fizzled out, Jones reached out to Morrison for help. He began taking students from his Teaching Garden-
Based Learning course a couple times throughout the semester to assist.

By 2021, Morrison’s students were regular�� volunteers. A chance meeting with Ashlie Thomas, a local gardener, author and food scientist, sparked a lasting partnership, and they began working at the Morrowtown Community Garden together. When Ecker approached Morrison in 2023 about research opportunities, he introduced her to Thomas and MCG.

“I told him about my interests in community gardens, public health and community-based work,” Ecker says, adding that MCG resident leaders Lydia Jones and Roscoe Alston were excited by the idea of working together to build up the garden.

At first, Ecker assumed the garden existed mainly to address food insecurity. Ultimately, what she found was deeper. MCG envisioned the garden as a gathering space, a place that could strengthen relationships, particularly among families and youth. Listening to the residents’ needs became central to her research collaboration.

Putting the “co” in community collaboration

Ecker, Morrison and Thomas grounded their work in Community-Based Participatory Action Research (CBPAR), an approach that makes community members equal partners in the research process. The team wanted to avoid establishing a non-reciprocal relationship with Morrowtown, where their research overshadowed the needs and wants of the community members.

“Emily and I had a lot of conversations about ‘are we “co” enough?’” Morrison says. “Because it’s not just about us, it’s about them and what they’re doing.”

Ecker spent that summer attending community meetings, volunteering at the garden and building deeper connections and trust with community members. Establishing those relationships was key when it was time to conduct the survey about resident perceptions of the community garden. That survey would ultimately shape the resources and support that Ecker, Morrison, Thomas and others would seek to provide Morrowtown moving forward.

Fifteen in-depth interviews at the garden with resident leaders evolved into 30 resident surveys. Two major needs emerged: increasing resident participation in the garden and more activities for community youth to promote educational support. “It’s so important to know that [these] were resident-identified needs and not just us coming in and saying we wanted to do this program,” Ecker says.

Rooted Together

To address those needs, the team created Rooted Together, an eight-week program that combined gardening, literacy, math and nutrition lessons for local children. Five to 10 kids, ages 3 to 8, attended weekly sessions in spring 2025, learning about plant cycles, exploring gardening tools and preparing meals. Recipes and handouts were also translated into Spanish to make the program more accessible.

The program was free for participants thanks to the Elon Student Government Association’s Acorn Fund. Ecker received a $5,000 grant to buy the ingredients, utensils, gloves and other supplies.

“We would buy enough groceries to be able to give a bag of food that we just made to [each child], so they could take them home to their families with the recipes,” Ecker says. “That way, what we were doing went beyond the garden and into their homes.”

As new community feedback emerged, such as changing start and end times to better suit participants’ schedules, the group adapted the program. Children returned every week, and other community members began helping set up tables and chairs for sessions. Almost 40 people across generations attended the final event, a testament to the trust the program engendered in the community.

“Scott and Emily have accelerated the educational and learning programs at the Morrowtown garden,” Alston says. “They have increased the harvest from the garden. They have beautified the garden.”

Connecting Beyond the Classroom

Survey results also showed concern about the garden’s infrastructure, such as rain water pooling on top of garden beds. Ecker and Morrison knew others at Elon could help.

Ecker reached out to Assistant Professor of Engineering Will Pluer, who brought his Introduction to Environmental Engineering class to the garden. After conducting an assessment, the students designed a rain garden — a sloped area at the end of the community garden with plants that absorb and drain rain water. Assistant Teaching Professor of Environmental Studies Jacob Rutz and students in his Sustainable Food Production class built it and prepped the community garden for summer planting.

“They didn’t know me,” Ecker says of Pluer and Rutz, “but their excitement and their openness to working with me and trying to figure this all out together was great.”

I think in a culture that often celebrates individual achievements, it’s harder to pitch a collaborative effort.��— Scott Morrison

The garden was also in need of a sturdier meeting and storage shed. Yet another class, Design for Service, surveyed the site and drew up design options. Once the team and the Morrowtown community members settled on a design, Ecker secured an Elon Innovation Grant to help fund the project. Plans for the shed are currently underway and it is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

In November, Ecker, Morrison and Thomas presented their findings at the American Public Health Association’s Annual Meeting and Expo, where Ecker earned a student award for a poster presentation — one of only a few �þ��� students to achieve the honor.

Lasting Impact

Now a double major in public health and international and global studies, Ecker graduates in the spring, leaving behind strong programs and relationships in Morrowtown. She credits Morrison with helping her develop those connections in meaningful ways.

“He has really guided me on how to show up,” Ecker says. “It has really helped me to know how to form relationships and how to enter into a space that you’re not part of or you start out as an outsider. I think that’s going to be really helpful for when I continue my public health journey or career in general.”

Morrison noticed early on that Ecker’s ability to connect with others and the intentionality behind those connections would make her a good fit for the work and relationships with Morrowtown community members. He is most proud of the spirit of collaboration she has developed.

“I think in a culture that often celebrates individual achievements, it’s harder to pitch a collaborative effort,” Morrison says. “I think that’s what Emily is really good at.”

Ecker hopes more Elon classes will volunteer and establish reciprocal relationships with Morrowtown as the community’s needs change over time. One thing she knows for sure: Morrison’s continued leadership and guidance will remain.

“I really care about the longevity of my commitment with the Morrowtown community,” Morrison says. “This has not been just a one-time project. It has evolved.”

The trust he, Ecker and other Elon partners have built with Morrowtown, he says, is their most important harvest yet.

The university sits on land of the Eno, Tutelo, Saponi, Occaneechi and Shakori Native people. The Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation became the most prevalent group by 1650 and members continue to live in the area today. The university has worked to honor and recognize that legacy, including an official land acknowledgment used at meetings and events.

Corey Roberts, assistant professor of Native American and Indigenous Studies, says he calls these recognitions “land steward acknowledgements” because they are often about the people who are in a relationship with the land, rather than the land itself.

“Whether it’s the land or the people that were in a relationship with it; historically, it is very, important to have that idea of history, that understanding of history,” said Roberts, who is Occaneechi.

Since coming to Elon in 2024, Roberts has been working to revitalize the Yesa:sahį́ language spoken by the OBSN. He teaches two language revitalization courses, but learning the language is more complex than a direct translation. Yesa:sahį́ is one of three languages of the Southeastern branch of the Siouan family with any written documentation.

Prior to revitalization efforts in the 1990s, there were fewer than 800 widely documented words remaining in the language’s written record.

“�þ��� will be given the information early on that they are going to be learning the language, but they are also going to be helping rebuild the language because it takes the efforts of students and community members alike, all hands-on deck,” said Roberts in 2024.

During the Undergraduate Conference on Languages and Cultures, hosted by the Department of World Languages & Cultures, at Elon in September 2025, Roberts assured there was a section on Native languages and an opportunity for students to present on those languages. He also invited people who work with indigenous communities who speak other languages aside from Yesa:sahį́.

“In the Southeast, we do have some common threads,” Roberts said. “It’s not just visibility surrounding the Occaneechi, but it’s surrounding all things Native.”

Roberts is a member of the OBSN Heritage Language and Learning Working Group, formed by the university in 2024 to collaborate with the OBSN to support its efforts to revitalize the tribe’s heritage language and share new heritage learning opportunities for campus. The working group consists of Elon faculty, staff, and students and members of the OBSN.

One of the working group’s efforts is already visible through a new historical marker next to Schar Hall, which includes the Yesa:sahį́ translation for “grove of oaks.” A similar sign will be displayed at the OBSN’s tribal grounds in Pleasant Grove, North Carolina, that will have a nod to oak trees, a similarity between Elon’s campus and the grounds.

During the historical marker dedication ceremony in September 2025, Elon President Connie Ledoux Book and OBSN Tribal Chairperson Tony Hayes exchanged gifts. Book received a basket woven by��OBSN Tribal Administrator Vickie��Jeffries with rabbit skin, cedar and tobacco, sacred herbs of the OBSN, while Book gifted Hayes a tobacco bundle, a gift that, according to Roberts, is considered sacred because “tobacco is a medicine that carries prayers to the Creator.”

“Having the president give a gift and being involved with the gift exchange was tremendous,” said Roberts. “There’s been a presence of the Occaneechi here in the past for sure. There have been workshops that have been delivered, and there still are, but this is a different level of relationship than in the past.”

Members of the working group are holding a Language Revitalization Conference on Nov. 20 from 9 a.m. to Noon in LaRose Student Commons. Both the marker and conference were assisted through funds from an Elon Innovation Grant.

“I think the university’s efforts and the visibility that has taken place is grounding for all of us. It’s grounding for the university and all the people affiliated with the university,” said Roberts. “It’s not only visible and apparent to me, but it is apparent to people on campus and from people outside the campus as well that something is happening here.”

Elon honors Native American Heritage Month

As part of Native American Heritage Month, �þ��� is sharing stories that honor the histories, cultures and contributions of Native and Indigenous peoples in the university community. This month recognizes the enduring strength, traditions and knowledge of Indigenous communities, while highlighting the ways these legacies continue to shape and enrich our shared experience. It is a time to celebrate Native and Indigenous heritage, but also an invitation for all members of the university community to learn, reflect and engage in meaningful ways that honor these vibrant cultures and their lasting impact.

The grant allowed the Interprofessional Education (IPE) Committee in the School of Health Sciences to purchase the simulation game titled “Friday Night at the ER” to promote the power of collaboration and increase students’ innovative thinking.

“The flow of the hospital can be stressful,” said Rachel Keslar, assistant professor of nursing. “So, I thought this was a very fun and interactive game to promote thinking outside the box and engaging with other student disciplines.”

Prior to the game, Keslar and Bethany Fearnow, simulation coordinator for the Interprofessional Simulation Center, completed online facilitator training provided by the “Friday Night at the ER” manufacturer. This ensured the facilitators’ support throughout the simulation experience across the varying academic programs. On Oct. 29, 14 senior-level Nursing Fellows and four physical therapy students played the game in the Francis Center.

“Some of the challenges in the game included overcrowding, staffing management, bottlenecks in patient flow and other barriers to care that felt very real to me and some of the nursing students who also had experience working in an emergency department setting,” said Keslar.

In her grant application, Lori Hubbard, assistant professor of nursing and co-chair of the IPE Committee, emphasized the need for interdisciplinary education for students, noting that these games have been shown to promote the socialization and readiness of students to function in professional positions in the healthcare field.

Hubbard wrote that the education Elon students receive, specifically in the School of Health Sciences, focuses on becoming leaders in their field. The game helps expose them to the true management it takes to be a leading healthcare figure.

“�þ��� in the School of Health Sciences at �þ��� are educated not just to become excellent professionals, but also to become leaders in their field,” Hubbard said. “Especially for our Nursing Fellows, this will help them get comfortable problem-solving and increase their awareness about tensions between quality and cost efficiency of care in today’s healthcare environment.”

The game’s benefits for nursing students are also backed by research on effective healthcare teams.

“The research literature supports this contention that healthcare coordinated between disciplines through systems thinking can lead to better outcomes for patients,” Hubbard explained in her application.

The game is part of a larger effort by the Interprofessional Education Committee, in collaboration with the Interprofessional Simulation Center (IPSC), to expand collaborative educational opportunities for students. Located in the Francis Center, the IPSC was designed to provide healthcare students with a realistic clinical environment, bringing their medical textbooks to life without ever leaving campus.

“Though any group can play ‘Friday Night at the ER’, this simulation experience seemed to be a natural fit for bringing nursing, physical therapy and physician assistant students together to work collaboratively through scenarios realistically encountered in the US healthcare system,” Hubbard said.

Visit the game information.

Mediation is a peacemaking process that empowers disputants to solve their interpersonal conflicts. It is used largely in the US court system and in different organizations to de-escalate and resolve minor issues among employers/employees, students, neighbors, friends, and family members. For me, going through the training was an intensive learning experience that fundamentally relied on one fundamental human task: listening to the other.

Funded by an Elon Innovates Grant and promoted by the Peace and Conflict Studies Program, the training teaches mediation as a peaceful conflict resolution method. Dunn, three students, four professors, one staff and two community members constituted a very diverse, cohesive and energetic group that met for two full days and were introduced into the world of mediation and restorative justice. During the training, people were able to learn the mediation method by practicing it several times from different perspectives. After finishing, they can participate in real mediation cases (supervised by certified mediators) and eventually obtain the certification. At Elon, students can choose to go to mediation to resolve their own conflicts though this method.

“Meditation should be included in professional trainings when we enter a new working place because it fosters the consideration of other views, behaviors, actions, and reactions that affect not only the working environment, but also our own lives,” said Associate Professor of Spanish Mayte De Lama, who participated in the training.

The different racial and ethnic backgrounds, as well as the origins and trajectories of the people in the room enriched the group dynamic in which each of the participants played a role, whether as a disputant or as a mediator, incarnating the six stages of mediation.

Mediation is a process that includes: the introduction of mediators and disputants as well as the reading of ground rules for the conversation; the description of the conflict made by each of the discussant, carefully written by the mediators; the identification of the main concerns that still bother the people involved; a brainstorming process of potential solutions; the election of common solutions; and the writing of an agreement that states the steps to follow to recompose the situation. Although it looks simple at first, walking with other mediators in training through this process requires refined mediation skills to help others navigate their conflicts.

Clarifying the role of the mediator, Linda established from the beginning that they “do not judge, do not take sides, and do not give advice.��Mediators help people to take responsibility for their actions and lead them through a collaborative brainstorming process that usually results in win/win solutions to both parties.”

According to Dunn, it is crucial to trust the people involved in the conflict to find their own way of resolving it, and when is possible and needed, repairing the damage produced.

During the training, participants practiced different mediation cases followed by intense conversations and reflections, which also sprang moments of laughter and community building.

“I left having found a new community of amazing individuals, a new kind of understanding and connection to myself and others on a much deeper level than I ever anticipated, while learning to meditate. It was worth every second and I’m so grateful to have been a part of it,” said Gracie Bleiberg ’28.

The training was part of the �þ��� Mediation Program (CMP), which has run this training once a year over the last three years. CMP also offers mediation conflict resolution opportunities among students at Elon, where already trained students (supervised by Dunn) mediate among other students who have had an interpersonal conflict. Over 15 cases have been resolved successfully with this method.

Usually, students are trained in the course, “PCS1210 Intro to Conflict Mediation,” which prepares them to mediate cases at Elon. For instance, Michael Romano ’26, who took the class, helped facilitate the training.

“Working with Linda and learning about conflict mediation has allowed me to dramatically improve my conflict resolution skills while providing me the opportunity to help those in our community while doing so,” said Romano.

As other students have done in the past, Romano will be going to mediate cases in the Alamance County Court (overseen by Dunn) to achieve certification.

CMP has partnered with other organizations on campus to promote restorative justice practices at Elon. The fundamental goal of this program is to contribute to the creation of an ongoing culture of dialogue about conflict resolution on campus, not only to bring light to mediation as a possible path towards conflict resolution, but also as an ongoing effort to address difficult conversations at Elon.

“It gives me hope to spend time with other people who are also trying to find ways to help humans communicate better,” said Elizabeth Hambouger, a specialist in restorative justice from Durham who participated in the training.

All faculty, staff and students are eligible to apply. �þ��� must have a faculty co-sponsor.��The deadline for proposal submissions is Oct. 24, 2025, at 5 p.m. Decisions will be announced in December 2025.

The EIC awards grants of up to $5,000 each academic year to support innovative projects led by faculty, staff or students that advance Boldly Elon initiatives. The EIC defines innovation as “the deliberate effort to develop new, creative approaches to solving problems or adding value.” While all qualifying proposals are welcome, applicants should note that some projects, such as those focused primarily on faculty or �þ��� research, may be better suited for other university funding opportunities.

The mission of the Elon Innovation Council is to catalyze a culture of curiosity and creativity within the Elon community where people are empowered to discover, develop, experiment, and pilot mission-aligned innovative solutions.

“We are very pleased to launch the 2025-26 Elon Innovates��grants��program,” said Bill Squadron, assistant professor of sport management and member of the Elon Innovation Council.��“Last year we had a record number of proposals and��grants, ranging across numerous university departments and activities.��With all of the creative work happening at Elon, I expect that we may have even more this year.”

The council awarded 14 projects for the 2024-25 academic year.

Sandy Marshall, associate professor of geography
“Promoting Pathways to Internationalization”

The purpose of this project is to expand opportunities for Elon students to develop global intercultural competency through Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL). Specifically, this project will promote COIL at Elon by providing faculty and staff with training and support to strategically develop and implement COIL initiatives.

Anne-Marie Iselin, associate professor of psychology
“Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation Language Revitalization Conference”

Grounded in partnerships between Indigenous knowledge holders from the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation (OBSN) and the Elon community, this project seeks to implement a half-day mini-conference that centers and celebrates the OBSN’s language revitalization of Yesa:sahį́, the indigenous language of the OBSN and Yesáh. This grant also secured funds for a permanent outdoor historical marker on Elon’s campus that includes the words taskahu: nągíse (Yesa:sahį́ for a grove of oaks) and an acknowledgment that Elon is situated on the land of the OBSN and Yesáh.

Blake Hament, assistant professor of engineering
“Stormwater Unmanned Aerial Surveillance”

During storm events, rain washes residential and commercial pollution into major waterways. The majority of runoff is flushed into these waterways in a short window of time, beginning roughly 15 minutes after a storm begins and continuing for about an hour. State-of-the-art practices for monitoring storm runoff involve manually collecting water samples. Only a handful of manual water samples can be collected in this short time window.

An exciting research opportunity exists to develop an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to automatically collect samples during this period. With additional samples, the point sources producing the highest levels of runoff can be better identified and remedied. The challenges of this project involve developing a UAV that can perform well under the high winds and rain of storms. It should also be equipped with an appropriate sampling mechanism that is lightweight and reliable. This project will produce new opportunities for research mentorship of students, interdisciplinary engineering work and partnerships with local and regional environmental groups.

Danielle Lake, director of Design Thinking and associate professor of human service studies
“Storying Place: Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration”

This intercultural and intergenerational storytelling initiative engages Elon students across five Community-Based Learning courses in innovative on-and off-campus mentoring opportunities with refugee and immigrant organizations and local schools. �þ��� will work with refugee elders and youth, community organizations, local schools, Parks & Recreation, and the public libraries to record, preserve, and share the stories of migrant and refugee residents in our community, amplifying their ingenuity, strength, and resilience.

Hwayeon Ryu, associate professor of mathematics
“STEM Interdisciplinary Connections”

This project aims to establish a series of events designed to strengthen interdisciplinary connections across STEM students. By encouraging student interaction and engagement with different disciplines and the way they are studied, coupled with fostering a sense of community and professionalism, our proposed work will complement the existing efforts at Elon in response to the evolving needs of our society.

James Holsinger, executive director of the Koenigsburg Learning Center
“Summer Faculty Institute on Neurodivergency”

This grant will help create a second iteration of the Neurodiversity Institute, which is designed to help STEM faculty better support neurodivergent students. The goals of the institute are twofold: to educate faculty regarding recent research on specific needs of neurodivergent students and to help faculty develop concrete, actionable plans for future courses so that they can offer more intentional support for neurodivergent students. The institute seeks to enroll ten faculty members who teach major and/or nonmajor STEM courses, and the institute will run for three days (9am-3pm each day). The core aim of the Institute will be to help faculty re-imagine their fall courses through revision of pedagogical practices, assignments, and modes of assessment with neurodivergent students in mind.

Shannon Zenner, assistant professor of communication design
“Phoenix Visual Design Futures Lab”
The Phoenix Visual Design Futures Lab is a strategic initiative designed to explore the intersection of visual design, communication design, and innovation. By creating a dynamic research environment, the lab aims to prepare students for rapidly evolving creative industries through hands-on research and industry collaboration.

Amanda Laury Kleintop, assistant professor of history
“Digital and Spatial Humanities Center”
The grant will support a Digital and Spatial Humanities consortium (DASH). The digital humanities (DH) is a diverse field that applies computing, data analytics, data visualization, and public accessibility to research in the humanities, and the analysis of their application to humanities research.

Emily Ecker ’26 and Scott Morrison, professor of education
“Elon and Morrowtown: Sustainable Solutions”

The proposed project aims to build upon an ongoing collaboration between the Morrowtown Community Group, Emily Ecker ‘26, and Scott Morrison, Professor of Education. The Morrowtown community is a historically Black, under resourced neighborhood in Burlington, North Carolina. Morrison and I have worked closely with Morrowtown residents to co-develop a two-year community-engaged research study to understand how their community garden can serve as a public health intervention. The community garden has seven raised beds, an in-ground bed with eight rows, a dilapidated shed, and a small playground.

Through interviews with residents, several critical needs for the garden were identified, including constructing a sustainable, multi-purpose meeting space, which would be in place of the current old and poorly built shed; a solution to address water runoff in the in-ground garden, which would enhance water conservation and reuse efforts; and improvements to the garden infrastructure.

Emily Wright ’28 and Sandra Darfur-Oduro, assistant professor of public health studies
“LifeLONg Lung Health”

Chronic Lung Disease is one of the top five causes of death, hospital admissions and chronic health conditions in America. Over 15 million Americans are diagnosed, but data suggests that there is another 15 million undiagnosed. LifELONg Lung Health would screen entering and returning students. They could record their personal Lung Health metric on their cell phone. Additionally, if students consent to being part of the LifELONg study, they would be made aware of the study design, IRB approval, and requirements for joining the study.

Evan Small, assistant �þ��� professor of wellness
“Mental Health Through Nature”

This grant will support NatureRxplorer, a mobile app designed to foster intentional and mindful outdoor engagement on campus. This app will encourage users to engage with natural spaces around campus through guided activities and resources that can promote all of the dimensions of wellness. This app is directly tied to HealthEU initiatives and can be a unique opportunity to enhance health and wellbeing among students, faculty, and staff.

NatureRxplorer will feature an interactive map showcasing Elon’s green spaces, gardens, trails, and unique outdoor spots. Each location will include activity suggestions tailored and geo-located to the space, such as guided meditations, mindfulness practices, information on forms of wellness, or recreational activities designed with inclusivity in mind. The app will also provide seasonal tips and challenges, inspiring users to connect with nature throughout the year.

Lilly Arora ’25 and Ahlam Armaly, assistant professor of chemistry
“STEM Saturday with ABSS HS �þ���”

This project will extend STEM Saturday, the first program of its kind at �þ��� that engages local high school students with STEM through interactive workshops, demonstrations, and presentations. There is also dedicated time for ABSS students to engage in conversations with Elon students. Outreach programs designed to expose students to exciting concepts in STEM are imperative in shaping accessibility and diversity in STEM fields. Last year, STEM Saturday welcomed 50 ABSS students and ran programming from 12 different STEM organizations on campus. This grant will work to make STEM Saturday a recurring event at Elon.

Lori Hubbard, assistant professor of nursing
“Friday Night at the ER Simulation”

Friday Night at the ER is a board game simulation experience where participants are asked to manage human and physical resources in a hospital setting in a fun, engaging format. The game has been widely used by hospital systems, academic institutions, and Fortune 500 companies to promote the power of collaboration, to recognize the presence of mental models and their impact on behavior and decision-making, and to decrease siloed disciplinary practice that hinders innovative thinking. Groups of participants are scored on their collective decision-making in balancing quality, cost, and efficiency of care with the goal of enhancing systems-thinking. The game takes about an hour to play, followed by a 1to 1 ½-hour debriefing session led by a trained facilitator.

The Interdisciplinary Education Committee in the School of Health Sciences proposes to purchase game kits in sufficient quantity to offer simulation events allowing one or two students from each of the academic programs in the School of Health Sciences (Nursing, Physical Therapy, and Physician’s Assistant) to participate per kit.

Parker Felumlee ’26 and Kim Shively, associate professor of performing arts “Equitable Access to Actor Training”

Currently, Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) Actor training is inaccessible due to obstacles faced by under resourced high school students. At Elon, informal polling has found that 1/3 of BFA students spent over $10,000 on training before college auditions. How can higher education institutions assist under resourced high school students in preparing for and accessing BFA training? First, there will be a survey of high school and BFA theatre teachers and students to discover their current curriculum and needs. Then Design Thinking methods and Kraehe’s Equity Framework for Arts Education will be used to lead two workshops for local students to prepare for competitive Acting BFA auditions. Next, the survey data and the steps taken will be documented to build workshops in a guidebook, which will ensure the workshop’s continuation at Elon.

“We both wanted to create a space for like-minded people,” said Joshua Mason ’25, a financial technology major from Cameron, North Carolina. “We like learning about new technologies and it’s hard to find people like us around campus.”

Mason and club co-founder Aaron Satko developed the organization in 2023 with faculty advisor Mustafa Akben, Elon’s inaugural director of AI integration.

“We just saw this new storm that was taking over Elon, education and the world in general and we wanted to bring that to Elon,” Mason said.

Both students started their Elon career as finance majors, but each shifted during their time, Mason moving to financial technology and Satko majoring in computer science.

“With computer science, I can build whatever I want and I wanted to innovate and make new tools that can help others,” said Satko, who is from Lewisville, North Carolina.

In spring 2024, Mason and Satko were one of nine projects awarded an Elon Innovation Grant to help with the club and its efforts, including hosting Hackathons and other events. The Elon Innovation Council provides funding to faculty, students and staff for projects that deepen Elon’s values, intellectual community and great work.

“�þ��� strives to be at the forefront of new trends and plans to put students in a space to succeed regardless of the ever-changing world around them. We envision a future where students are not sitting in fear of becoming obsolete by new technologies but rather can harvest them, using them to bring new life into their already imaginative and ever-expanding vision,” wrote Satko and Mason in their grant proposal.

AI continues to be a big issue in higher education – a January survey from Elon’s Imagining the Digital Future Center and the American Association of Colleges & Universities explored how higher education leaders are navigating challenges posed by AI. A March Elon Poll also found that 52% of U.S. adults now use AI large language models like ChatGPT.

Mason and Satko are taking advantage of this new frontier. With their Elon Innovation Grant, the A.I. & E.T. Club hosted an image generation competition in 2024 where students create images around Elon themes using AI generative technology. A campus vote determined the winner. Part of the club’s work is also to help students attend conferences related to AI. In April, they are partnering with Elon’s AI Initiative, alongside Akben and others at Data Nexus��for the DataFest 2025 on April 10-14, which will include multiple workshops and challenges centered around AI.

“I’m just excited for the future,” said Mason. “We’ve had some planning for the next semester and making budget requests and people are emailing (us about the club) even over J term.”

The mission of the Elon Innovation Council is to catalyze a culture of curiosity and creativity within the Elon community where people are empowered to discover, develop, experiment, and pilot mission-aligned innovative solutions.

“The��Elon��Innovation Council is proud to support innovation at��Elon,” said Scott Wolter, associate professor of engineering and former council chair. “Each year we offer Innovation Grants on topical areas that we deem highly relevant to the life of the university.”

Nine projects were awarded in spring 2024, including six faculty/staff projects and three student teams. More information on applying for this year’s grants can be found on the council’s website.��The deadline to submit proposals is Dec. 15 at 5 p.m.

�þ��� Mediation Program
Fredrico Pous, associate professor of Spanish, and Sandy Marshall, associate professor of geography

This grant will help continue the mediation program started in 2021 in the Student Conduct Office’s “Pathways to Conflict Resolution.” Four trained mediators from PCS 1210 “Intro to Mediation Skills” course volunteered as mediators and four more students were added each year. The plan is to continue using the eight trained student mediators.

“Our world is in desperate need of peacemakers. Mediation is a peacemaking process that is led by trained mediators, who empower disputants to solve their conflicts by keeping information confidential and who do not judge, do not take sides and do not give advice,” Pous wrote in the grant proposal. “�þ��� experience conflicts with their roommates, as well as classmates and organization members. Conflicts cause anxiety, tension, and stress when not attended to.”

Computational Social Science Initiative
Hyunuk Kim, assistant professor of business analytics

This project’s goal is to raise interest in computational social science, an emerging field that aims to understand human behaviors and social systems by melding principles from social science with data science methodologies.

The effort will include six monthly seminars led by faculty members and two annual summer institutes designed to equip Elon students with social science theories and data science methods, allowing them to tackle real-world issues under the guidance of faculty mentors.

“Leveraging �þ���’s academic strength and ongoing efforts, this proposal aims to build a community of faculty, staff and students viewing real-world issues through the lens of computational social science,” wrote Kim in their grant application.

Expanding Qualitative Research Methods for STEM Undergraduate �þ���
Heather Barker, assistant professor of mathematics and statistics

This project will create an online course covering the fundamentals of qualitative research methodologies and establish a structured micro-credential program to validate participants’ understanding of qualitative research basics. It will also offer in-depth workshops for students to gain hands-on experience with Dedoose, a leading qualitative data analysis software.

“At �þ���, where a qualitative methods course currently exists, demand exceeds capacity, highlighting the necessity for a more accessible and comprehensive approach,” wrote Barker. “Despite the growing prominence of qualitative research in STEM, misconceptions persist about its rigor, emphasizing the need for proper training.”

Experience Engineering: Inspiring the Next Generation
Center for Access and Success, Sirena Hargrove Leak, professor of engineering and Blake Hament, assistant professor of engineering

The Center for Access and Success and the Engineering Department plan to work collaboratively to develop a STEM program to help students discover real-world applications, spark creativity and develop 21st-century skills to help young students think critically about the world around them. The project aims to engage families who identify as members of groups historically underrepresented in STEM in engineering-related activities. �þ��� in fourth and fifth grades will work in small groups to complete hands-on, age-appropriate activities to experience the work of engineers and reinforce complementary, foundational STEM concepts.

“The proposed program is designed to produce and inspire the next generation of scientists, technologists, engineers, and mathematicians, but also help prepare ALL students to successfully compete in the 21st-century economy,” reads the proposal. “This program is innovative because it gives elementary students and families access to advanced STEM equipment, concepts, and mentorship at an early age.”

Improving Student Success in Introductory Mathematics and Statistics Courses through a Learning Assistants Program
Kristen Mazur, associate professor of mathematics and statistics; Ryne VanKrevelen, senior lecturer of mathematics and statistics

The grant will help develop an �þ��� learning assistant (LA) pilot program for MTH 1510 “Calculus 1” and STS 2120 “Statistics in Application.” In this pilot, two sections of Calculus 1 and two sections of Statistics in Application will have an LA who will help facilitate active learning, metacognition and belongingness during class and who will run weekly supplemental instruction sessions to review course content outside of class.

At least one course, “Calculus 1” or “Statistics in Application,” is required for most STEM majors, yet students struggle in these courses because they are fast paced, cover a large curriculum and require that students learn new technology.

“The overall goal of the LA program is to improve student learning outcomes and sense of belonging in Calculus 1 and Statistics in Application by training and mentoring a team of �þ��� learning assistants to provide additional support for students as they navigate these challenging, technology-heavy, and fast-paced courses,” wrote Mazur.

Promoting Mental Health and Wellness Mini Course for �þ���
Rabbi Mendy Minkowitz, Chabad community affiliate and Rivka Taskin, Chabad community affiliate

This project will develop the “Promoting Mental Health and Wellness Mini Course for �þ���,” to empower students with essential tools to enhance their mental well-being and equip them to maintain a healthy work-life balance. It will consist of a series of modules, workshops and resources that address key aspects of mental health and wellness. The course will be designed to cater to various learning styles and preferences, ensuring accessibility to a wide range of students.

“The ‘Promoting Mental Health and Wellness Mini Course for �þ���’ aims to have a profound and lasting impact on the mental health and overall well-being of our student community,” said Rabbi Minkowitz. “By providing essential tools and knowledge, we aspire to create a campus environment that prioritizes mental health, empowers students and ultimately promotes their success.”

Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies | Newton Network
Aaron Satko ’25 and Joshua Mason ‘25

This project will focus on introducing generative artificial intelligence to the university in a digestible and practical way. The main themes of this project include an interdisciplinary newsletter, a speaker series, a meet-up with others interested in the tech space from nearby universities, trips to relevant AI headquarters (OpenAI, Computer Vision Summit, The AI Summit New York, etc.), hosting hackathons and Internet literacy classes or workshops.

“�þ��� strives to be at the forefront of new trends and plans to put students in a space to succeed regardless of the ever-changing world around them. We envision a future where students are not sitting in fear of becoming obsolete by new technologies but rather can harvest them, using them to bring new life into their already imaginative and ever-expanding vision,” wrote Satko and Mason. “The Newton Network plans on bringing together students of different backgrounds in a place in which they can better learn complex technologies through hands-on experience and experiential learning.”

STEM Saturday at Elon: Undergraduate-Led STEM Outreach to Educate, Empower, and Connect with ABSS High Schoolers
Christopher D’Inzeo ’24 and Samuel Ramirez ‘24

This project will develop “STEM Saturday at Elon,” a new science outreach initiative conceptualized and designed by Elon students. The program aims to engage local high school students with STEM at Elon through interactive workshops, demonstrations, and presentations. STEM programming will include efforts from student-led STEM organizations across Elon’s campus, including clubs from chemistry, biology, computer science, physics, and math. The program was piloted in Spring 2024 and again in Fall 2024.

“As we reflect on our own experiences, we see how the education, empowerment, and mentorship received through high school outreach programs such as NC STEM Alliance prep program provide a long-lasting positive impact on program participants,” wrote D’Inzeo and Ramirez.

The Found Focus Elon Pilot Program
Charlie De Poortere ’24

The Found Focus Elon Pilot Program would provide Elon students free access to the Found Focus app for two years, while Found Focus develops a model to scale. Found Focus is an app that provides technology and human support for college students and young adults with ADHD. Throughout these two years, Found Focus will improve accessibility for ADHD student support services by bridging the gap between Elon’s current student support offerings and services that are typically offered outside of university settings.

“With access to the Found Focus app, Elon students develop autonomy, build self-esteem, and practice strategies for self-regulation and relaxation,” wrote De Poortere, who founded the app. “This can obviously change the life of an individual student. However, it is important to note that the impact is exponentially larger than this. Each student that has increased access to the support that they need and deserve, will be more likely to flourish. This will launch their success well beyond their own personal well-being.”

The history major admits that he didn’t fully begin to understand his attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) until he transferred to Elon during his junior year. Previously, he found that medication didn’t work for him. Few, if any, of the books he read helped. And there were numerous doctor’s visits without any concrete results.

A full scholarship offer led him to a college in the North, but he struggled mightily to cope with his transition to higher education. He was overwhelmed and isolated. He came to a crossroads and sought a change.

With the help of family, friends and doctors, De Poortere identified his learning profile – essentially learning how he learned. Thanks to a life coaching program, he also identified his purpose. And, on a second look, found what he needed at Elon.

“Basically, I’ve struggled with ADHD my entire life,” De Poortere said. “It took me a really long time to figure out what I needed. And it was a really complicated process in that.”

Unraveling that process for others is the objective of his new start-up, Found Focus, a comprehensive lifestyle program for young adults with ADHD that addresses the specific challenges of shifting to independence while managing the disorder. With the upcoming launch of Found Focus’ pilot program in mid-June, De Poortere is taking the next step in a journey he never expected.

The soon-to-be Elon graduate didn’t envision himself as an entrepreneur. He has an interest in history and analytics, and pursued ways to delve into data. In fact, this past year he served as Elon News Network’s director of analytics.

In the weeks leading up to De Poortere’s Incubator/Creativity/Innovation/ Entrepreneurship class last fall, Associate Professor Sean McMahon emailed him and his fellow classmates with a charge: they should start thinking of projects and arrive ready to work.

Immediately, De Poortere said he was hit with doubt. He had no business experience. He didn’t know exactly where to start. But he realized the assignment was an opportunity.

“Eventually, I told my parents, ‘You know, this could be an opportunity where I can just try something and if it doesn’t work, that’s OK.’ But I at least want to try this out,” he recalled. “And, lo and behold, I now have the prototype of the app on my phone.”

So, what is Found Focus? It is an evidence-based program that provides an expert-reviewed curriculum partnered with individual weekly coaching sessions. In addition, the app includes group forums, habit tracking, lesson library, daily planner, organization and planning tools, and a pomodoro method timer.

Ultimately, the program is designed to help college students understand how ADHD impacts them and what behavior changes can support a healthier, happier life.

During the development and implementation process, De Poortere partnered with several faculty and staff members at Elon, Wake Forest University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This pool of advisers included Kelly Furnas, senior lecturer in journalism, who assisted with the mobile application’s usability and technology barriers, James Holsinger, executive director of the Koenigsberger Learning Center, who provided research support and general guidance, and Alexa Darby, professor of psychology, who helped brainstorm the program’s coaching curriculum.

Darby, who has nearly three decades of experience working with college students with ADHD, met with De Poortere weekly, sharing research and recommendations. She implored him to make Found Focus’ offerings based in research, and the Elon �þ��� followed her advice.

To Charlie’s credit, he really educated himself. He read a ton of ADHD, and he brought what he learned into the app’s different units on mindfulness, nutrition and other topics.

Alexa Darby, professor of psychology

Darby noted that the coaching aspect of Found Focus fulfills an obvious need.

“The coaching the app offers is really new ground,” she said. “Yes, the daily aspects of the program are great, but the coaching is one of the things I personally like about the app. I think that’s going to appeal to a lot of students where they receive real-time assistance.”

Elon’s support of De Poortere didn’t stop there. The project also secured funding through an Elon Innovation Grant that will help financially support the pilot program’s coaches.

Despite graduating this May, De Poortere’s time at Elon won’t come to an end. Beginning in the fall, he will start the M.S. in Business Analytics program offered by the Love School of Business. It is a fitting next step for someone who knows where they want to go and how to get there.

“I feel like that I finally figured out what my brain is really good at, right?” he said. “For me, I enjoy data and identifying problems and looking for connections that are there. You just have to look for them.”

Sports are a results-based industry measured in wins, losses and statistics.

So, it only makes sense to evaluate the first year of the Sports Media Lab at �þ��� in a similar fashion –��and the metrics look good.

Since the lab’s launch in September, the inaugural student cohort – led by Associate Professor of Sport Management David Bockino – has embraced opportunities and avenues to pursue sports media-related research questions. The five Elon students and their faculty mentor have examined topics such as sports gambling, fantasy sports, player/team content creation, broadcast innovations and the perceived value of streaming services.

Supported by an Elon Innovation Council grant, the lab has provided a structure for students, faculty and sport industry partners to workshop new ideas about relevant research and find ways to make them a reality. The lab’s objective is simple: to make Elon an industry leader in sports media research.

“It has been an exciting first year for our Sports Media Lab, providing our students with a cohort-based �þ��� research experience that supports their curiosity in sports media,” Bockino said. “And we feel fortunate to find partners who have been eager to collaborate with us and expand our research.”

The lab has had an active first year examining the sports media habits of college students, including multiple focus group sessions in November and March. The first set of focus groups covered sports gambling and player/team content creation, while the second group explored the perception and value of sports streaming services and content piracy.

Based on focus groups discussions, as well as interviews and surveys, the lab published in February a Sports Business Journal op-ed, titled “” The lab also garnered media attention in the days following North Carolina’s March launch of statewide sports wagering. Bockino was featured in several media interviews, including an in Greensboro.

In addition to their cohort experience, all five student participants in the Sports Media Lab tackled individual research topics. Subjects varied from how European soccer clubs market their team to American audiences to the cohesive aspect of sports viewership on college campuses among international students to the way different groups perceive the value of NFL players.

Elliot Rezek ’24, a media analytics and computer science double major, spent this year using eye-tracking software to study viewers’ affinity for new camera angles in NFL broadcasts. He has worked closely with Professor of Strategic Communications Qian Xu to delve into the subject, trying to identify if viewer camera angle preferences are based on how familiar viewers are with the sport.

“I was initially drawn to the lab because it was a combination of my two main interests: academic research and sports,” he said. “As someone who isn’t a sport management major, it was a great way to study sports in ways I don’t often get to in my other classes.”

Rezek credits Xu and Bockino for helping him tighten his project’s parameters, while pushing him to expand his skillset and look for experiences for personal growth. This includes his upcoming oral presentation in April at the (NCUR) in Long Beach, California.

“Well, I won’t lie. I’m pretty scared to present at NCUR,” Rezek quipped. “I’ve never done anything like this before. I am excited however because I’ve worked hard to get my research to where it is now. I want to present what I have learned through my results and process. Dr. Bockino has encouraged me to present at NCUR because he knew it would push me outside of my comfort zone, and that’s what makes him a good mentor.”

Anthony Bamford ’25, a media analytics major, echoed Rezek’s sentiments, noting the benefits of working in collaboration with Bockino. Together, the student and mentor have partnered with the Atlantic Coast Conference to explore the variables behind college football game lengths. Bamford was recently accepted into Elon’s SURE program to continue with this research and to eventually present his findings to the ACC.

“Dr. Bockino is very good at asking questions that challenge me to think critically about not just the topic at hand, but how outside factors may influence my research,” said Bamford, who completed an internship with the ACC last fall. “His mentorship has been important over the past year in helping me narrow my project scope.”

The Sports Media Lab’s latest news drop is the April 1 publication of Bockino’s new book, “Game On: How Sports Media Grew Up, Sold Out, and Got Personal with Billions of Fans.”

, the book is the first comprehensive look at the evolution of the sports media industry and suggests that the increased personalization of content (i.e. social media, fantasy sports, gambling) is in stark contrast to the industry’s initial focus on the collective experience. The text delves into what the introduction of widespread legalized gambling – a key component to this evolution –��could mean for fans, for sports teams and leagues, and for society overall.

According to Bockino, the idea for his new publication traces back to his Through the Lens of ESPN course, a Winter Term offering that explores the intersection of sports, media and culture. His past courses have traveled to Argentina, Brazil, Spain and Uruguay.

“It was during this class that I found myself wishing I had a comprehensive overview of the history of sports media. So, I wrote one.”

– David Bockino

Bockino’s text provides necessary historical context, pointing out that thanks to radio and broadcast television coverage sports was largely a shared experience enjoyed with others – at the same time. But since the 1979 launch of ESPN, which Bockino called the “turning point” of sports media consumption, there has been greater and greater fragmentation among sports fans.

“From talk radio to fantasy sports, video games, and now widespread sports gambling, fans have more and more control of what they watch, who they watch, and who they root for,” Bockino said. “The book addresses this idea of the personalization of the sport fan experience, and whether or not it’s good for society as we fall further into a self-centered media experience overall.”

While the academic year nears its conclusion, Bockino and the Sports Media Lab have already turned their attention to the upcoming year. The lab has already secured a partnership with Charlotte FC where students will pursue research projects developed in collaboration with the Major League Soccer team. It is a collaboration is Bockino is excited for – and something he envisioned when he initially launched the lab.

“An integral component to the Sports Media Lab is its mutually beneficial relationship with sport industry partners,” Bockino said. “We really look forward to kicking off our partnership with Charlotte FC this coming fall – a relationship we expect to be beneficial both to them and to us. And we continue to seek out additional partners who are interested in studying emerging trends within the sports media environment.”