Participating faculty will be Ariela Marcus-Sells, Baris Kesgin, Geoffrey Claussen, Jason Husser, and Tom Kerr, with Jason Kirk moderating.

�þ���, faculty, and staff are encouraged to attend.

Community Conversations & Civic Engagement

Deliberative Dialogue – America’s 250: What’s Next America?

Monday, Feb. 23, 4:30 p.m., Lakeside 212

As America marks its 250th year, this dialogue invites reflection on our shared past and the opportunity for diverse voices to share space and ideas to develop a collective vision for the next 250. Sponsored by the Kernodle Center for Civic Life and Political Engagement Work Group

Better Together: Breaking Bread, Building Bridges

Feb. 24 – May 5, every other Tuesday, 12:30-1:45 p.m.

Join us at Better Together this spring for connection and conversation. This time together invites us to live fully in the present and reflect on what makes this moment meaningful. Share stories, explore diverse perspectives, and build community. .

Dr. Habiba Sarabi: Education Rights of Afghan Women

Tuesday, Feb. 24, 4:30-5:30 p.m., Alumni Gym

Join a conversation with Dr. Habiba Sarabi on the global impact of Afghanistan’s ban on women’s education and the fight for educational rights and gender equality. Dr. Sarabi, an Afghan politician, women’s rights activist, and medical doctor made history as the first woman to be appointed a provincial governor in Afghanistan, leading Bamyan Province. She previously served as Minister of Women’s Affairs and Minister of Culture and Education, where she focused on expanding education, protecting the environment and advancing the rights of women.

State of the Union Address Watch Party

Tuesday, Feb. 24, 8-10:30 p.m., Moseley 105

Join us for pizza and a live viewing of President Trump’s first State of the Union address of his second term. Come watch, discuss and stay informed. Sponsored by Elon Votes!

Love Your Body, Berry Much

Wednesday, Feb. 25, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Lakeside Entrance

Stop by for coconut-lime strawberries and a strawberry mocktail, courtesy of Elon Dining, while also learning tips for mindful eating. Swing through, grab a treat and discover ways to build healthier habits. Visit the for more information.

Cynthia Miller-Idriss – “Man Up: Understanding Misogyny to Prevent Extremism

Lauren Dunne Astley Memorial Lecture

Thursday, Feb. 26, 4:30 p.m., Numen Lumen Pavilion, McBride Gathering Space

Extremism expert Cynthia Miller-Idriss examines how misogyny – online and off – fuels the rise in far-right and mass violence, and offers strategies for interruption and prevention rooted in everyday life. The Lauren Dunne Astley Memorial Lecture honors Lauren, who was set to join Elon’s Class of 2015 before her murder by a former boyfriend in July 2011. Established in her memory, the fund educates the Elon community on healthy relationships and building a culture free from violence. Visit the Spring Cultural Calendar for more information about upcoming events this semester.

Adventure Time with Elon Outdoors!

Adventures in Leadership Summer Staff Positions Available

Applications are now open for summer Adventures in Leadership staff positions, where you’ll guide incoming first-year students through exciting outdoor experiences. Earn potential internship credit and build leadership skills. Apply today on the Elon Job Network!

Elon Challenge

The Elon Challenge is a great way to help classes, teams, organizations, corporations or cohorts grow through building authentic relationships, learning how to manage resources, developing creative thinking, and applying knowledge in new ways. Visit the Elon Challenge website to review the options, gather your group, and complete the interest form to schedule a customized, no-cost experience.

Last Chance to Become an Orientation Leader

Application Deadline is Friday, Feb. 27

The Orientation Leader application is still live. As an OL, you are an integral part of the orientation process. You will play a pivotal role in the transition of all the new students to Elon, serving as a guide and mentor to new students throughout their transition. by this Friday, Feb. 27.

Miranda is the sixth Elon student in five consecutive years to receive District 7690’s Rotary Club’s Global Grant. She follows Faith Leslie ‘21, Allison Potter ’22, Kiara Hunter ’23, and joint recipients Megan Curling ’23, Ava de Bruin ’23 and Nazaneen Shokri ’24. All recipients since 2022 have had at least one major in public health, a testament to the Department of Public Health’s ability to successfully prepare leaders who address the most pressing public health concerns of the 21st century.

This opportunity is not limited to public health majors, though, and all interested Elon students and alumni should contact the National and International Fellowships Office for more information about the application process.

From Elon to the CDC

At Elon, Miranda double majored in public health studies and international & global studies and minored in geography. She made the most of her �þ��� experience by engaging in research and service, and studying abroad in Tanzania. Outside of the classroom, she worked in the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life and is proudest of her time as a Multifaith Intern.

The combination of these experiences prepared Miranda well for a post-graduate career with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where she served for five years. She first served as a COVID-19 epidemiologist in Kentucky before transitioning to a new role at the Vermont Department of Health, where she specialized in public health emergency preparedness and response. Miranda’s time with the CDC helped her clarify her passions and refine her professional philosophy: “equitable access to healthcare is essential for thriving communities.”

With this domestic training under her belt and her philosophy front of mind, Miranda was ready to go global.

An Intersection of Values

When the time came to think about furthering her education, Miranda grew confident in her decision to look beyond the United States.

“I knew I wanted to shift my career toward global health, but I also knew I did not want to do so without first understanding my own interests, values, and limits through hands-on experience,” she explained. “When I began thinking about graduate school, I realized that studying abroad would allow me to expand that perspective while learning how health systems operate in a different cultural and policy context.”

Miranda was drawn to Taiwan for its strong public health infrastructure and commitment to disease prevention. National Taiwan University’s MSc in Global Health program, with its emphasis on international perspectives, offered an unparalleled opportunity for her to deepen her academic and technical training.

To support her goal of attending NTU’s Global Health program, Miranda began working with the National and International Fellowships Office at Elon, which assists students and alumni in identifying and applying for externally funded scholarships and grants. She first applied for a study/research grant through the and was unfortunately unsuccessful, but undeterred. She continued conversations with Ann Cahill and Nicole Galante, director and assistant director of the Elon National and International Fellowships Office, and it quickly became clear that she was a perfect fit for another fellowship: The Rotary Global Grant.

Guided by their core areas of focus, Rotary is a highly values-based organization that seeks to support students who are just as passionate about solving the world’s problems as they are. The intersection between Miranda’s work and Rotary’s goals was evident to both Miranda and her advisors.

“I couldn’t think of a better fit. It’s almost as if Holly has spent her whole life preparing to be a Rotarian without actually knowing it,” said Galante.

It was no surprise, then, when Miranda applied for and ultimately received the $30,000 grant that enabled her to begin graduate studies in the fall of 2025.

Returning to the Classroom While Arriving in a New Country

Returning to the classroom after five years—in a new country, no less—presented its challenges for Miranda, but she quickly found her footing.

During her first semester, she took courses like Global Health Science, Introduction to Epidemiology, and Social and Behavioral Health, while also participating in field trips to the National Health Care Agency, the global think tank CAPRI, and the Taiwan International Workers Association. To get the most out of her experience in the country, Miranda also took advantage of the free Chinese language courses offered by NTU for international students. Her intensive winter course met for three hours a day, five days a week.

As she looks towards the remainder of her time in the program, Miranda is eager to begin her master’s thesis.

“I’m looking forward to conducting my thesis research, focusing on adolescent mental health. I am honored that Professor Shu-Sen Chang is my thesis advisor; he is a leading expert in mental health and suicide prevention in Taiwan and the region. It is a privilege to be part of his lab and to contribute to this area of public health, which I am deeply passionate about,” she said

Once she graduates, Miranda will be well prepared to re-enter the workforce, strengthening health systems, enhancing disease surveillance, and improving outbreak preparedness. In the long term, she aspires to lead outbreak response efforts with Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), combining the values and experience she’s gained from Elon to Taiwan, to no doubt make this world a better and healthier place. 

Fulbright grantees are not just funded to teach or research—they are expected to serve as valuable cultural ambassadors in their respective host countries, both representing the United States and learning about their new communities.

Fulbright grants are awarded on the basis of academic and professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields. As semifinalists, these Elon students and alumni have been recommended by the National Screening Committee of the Institute of International Education for final consideration by review panels in their respective host countries. Semifinalists will be notified of their final award status this spring, beginning in late March, barring any delays or disruptions at the federal level.

This year’s Fulbright semifinalists are:

Azul Bellot ’26

• Psychology and Sociolinguistics
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English �þ��� assistantship to Spain

Jo Bogart ’26

• Creative Writing and Classical Studies
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright study/research grant to the United Kingdom

Anya Bratić ’26

• International & Global Studies and Public Policy
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English �þ��� assistantship to Vietnam

Rony Dahdal ’26

• Computer Science, Math, and Philosophy
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright study/research grant to Sweden

Jubitza Figueroa ’21

• Political Science
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English �þ��� assistantship to Spain

Alex Fleischmann ’26

• Psychology
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English �þ��� assistantship to South Korea

Rebecca Lovasco ’26

• Psychology
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright study/research grant to Taiwan

Caroline Mitchell ’26

• Middle Grades Math and Special Education
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English �þ��� assistantship to Bulgaria

Molly Moylan ’26

• Biochemistry
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English �þ��� assistantship to Spain

Madison Powers ’25

• Journalism
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English �þ��� assistantship to Spain

Aryanna Vindas ’25

• Dance Performance & Choreography
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English �þ��� assistantship to South Korea

Elon students and alumni interested in the Fulbright Program or other nationally competitive fellowships are invited to contact the National and International Fellowships Office. To begin the Fulbright application process, please visit the Fulbright Application Process page to register for one of the following virtual Fulbright information sessions during the spring semester:

• Wednesday, March 11 at 4 p.m.
• Thursday, April 9 at 4:30 p.m.
• Thursday, May 21 at 12 p.m.

Join colleagues and students from �þ���, University of Warwick, University of Leeds and partner institutions for a transatlantic collaboration exploring critical questions in higher education �þ���. This series is convened by Tom Ritchie, US-UK Fulbright Scholar and visiting professor at Elon from the University of Warwick, working with Sarah Bunnell and colleagues at CATL.

This partnership brings together:

• Elon’s Center for the Advancement of Teaching & Learning (CATL)
• (WIHEA) and (IATL)
• (LITE)
• Members of the UK SoTL alliance
• Colleagues and students from Canadian universities

Each session will feature a short presentation from one of the partner institutions, followed by facilitated small group discussions and sharing across institutions. All sessions run 11 a.m.to Noon EST via Microsoft Teams. Participants may join individual sessions or participate in the full series.

Schedule:

• Feb. 11: What makes �þ��� “excellent” in your context?
• March 4: How do we teach for a sustainable future – embedding sustainability across disciplines?
• March 25: Belonging and exclusion – frameworks for understanding and action
• April 15: Teaching in the age of AI – opportunities and boundaries
• May 6: How can assessment drive learning – not just measure it?
• May 20: Building transatlantic partnerships – what could we create together?

Register for sessions

“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.

Four �þ��� juniors were inducted last spring into Phi Beta Kappa, the oldest and most prestigious honor society, a testament to their academic achievement and an honor that typically occurs during a student’s senior year.

Mira Fitch ’26, Daisy Martinez-Jimenez ’26, Sara Fritz ’26 and Rony Dahdal ’26 were selected for early induction based on their academic excellence across a broad liberal arts and sciences curriculum, intellectual maturity, scholarly potential, and accomplishments beyond their major fields.

Early induction also provides opportunities for scholarships and fellowships offered through Phi Beta Kappa, leadership positions within the chapter, and expanded professional and academic networks.

“When evaluating juniors for Phi Beta Kappa induction, we are not solely interested in those who meet the eligibility requirements — we are interested in those who have gone above and beyond to demonstrate ‘breadth and depth’ in their commitment to the liberal arts and sciences,” said Anthony Rizzuto, associate professor of chemistry and president of Elon’s Eta Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. “That means junior inductees typically have multiple majors and minors across Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences departments, conducted �þ��� research and have completed far beyond the math and foreign language coursework necessary to just make them eligible.”

Sixty-one �þ��� students overall were inducted in April into Phi Beta Kappa, which has established over 290 chapters at colleges and universities in the United States. Each year, the top 10% of arts and sciences graduates at these institutions are invited for membership.

“These four students serve as role models on campus, showing what it means to balance intellectual curiosity, academic integrity and service,” Rizzuto said. “Their distinction also brings visibility to the university when they pursue fellowships, graduate programs, or other opportunities that highlight the strength of our community.”

Mira Fitch ‘26

Fitch, a political science and statistics major from Lewisville, North Carolina, and a Lumen Prize recipient, said she was surprised and honored to learn of her induction as a junior.

“It is wonderful that Phi Beta Kappa recognizes intellectual curiosity and desire for learning beyond one’s major, even as a junior,” Fitch said. “Recognition through Phi Beta Kappa feels like an honor for my hard work and dedication to my education. A liberal arts education has been essential to my academic journey. I have a wide variety of intellectual interests and access to in-depth learning about all my interests has only deepened my curiosity.”

Fitch said that she has had several meaningful experiences during her time at Elon, including conducting legal research for her Lumen Prize on juvenile transfer — the process through which youth are tried as adults in the criminal court system — and analyzing the factors that contribute to those decisions. She also studied aboard and sang in the university choir at Deustuko Unibertsitatea in Spain. After graduation, she plans to attend law school.

Daisy Martinez-Jimenez ‘26

Martinez-Jimenez, a public policy and economics major from Burlington, North Carolina, described her induction as a great achievement that allowed her to reflect on her academic journey at Elon.

“After I learned I would be recognized a year early, it made me pause and think about the effort and my success in navigating academics, even with courses I was initially nervous about,” said Martinez-Jimenez, a member of the Odyssey Program and recipient of the Douglas and Edna Truitt Noiles ’44 Scholarship. “I have immense gratitude for my professors who have helped me with this achievement.

“From the Department of Political Science and Public Policy, to the Department of Economics, I have found so many professors that serve as my mentors, who have pushed me towards new opportunities and who encourage me when I am doubtful.”

After graduation, Martinez-Jimenez plans to pursue a career in policy research, analysis and advocacy at a nonprofit before earning a master’s degree in public policy or economics.

Sara Fritz ‘26

Fritz, an international and global studies and economics major from West Hartford, Connecticut, said that Phi Beta Kappa will help her with her career endeavors after graduation.

“A liberal arts education was always important to me since no one truly knows what they can excel in until they try it,” Fritz said. “Coming to college, I didn’t know what I wanted to major in and through our liberal arts education, I was able to figure out I had many interests, and I could explore all of them. Phi Beta Kappa represents a support system with Elon professors that I know believe in me academically and personally.”

She shared that she has made many impactful relationships with her professors while at Elon and Phi Beta Kappa has allowed her to meet more faculty within Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences.

“At the chapter meeting this fall, I gained insight into what Phi Beta Kappa really values, which is sponsoring education and promoting excellence,” Fritz said. “This also allowed me to meet more professors and create connections with them. I have enjoyed taking classes with every one of my professors I have had, and I owe where I end up to each one of them.”

Fritz said she hopes to work for a nonprofit as a sustainable economic developer following graduation or receive a Fulbright scholarship to teach in Thailand.

Rony Dahdal ‘26

Dahdal, a triple major in computer science, mathematics and philosophy, from Wake Forest, North Carolina and a Goldwater Scholar and Lumen Scholar, was grateful for the opportunity to be inducted into the chapter as a junior as it was a reminder of the continued support from his mentors at Elon.

“I recall the induction ceremony, and how, now more than ever, the pursuit of knowledge is one of the fundamental ways we can improve the well-being of others,” Dahdal said. “My recognition by Phi Beta Kappa was, and still is, an encouraging push to continue working towards my future as a researcher.”

He noted that the liberal arts exposed him to a variety of subjects at a high-level and allowed him to ask big questions within a diverse set of academic perspectives.

“Phi Beta Kappa’s mission to honor and promote the importance of the liberal arts is aligned with the ‘fully lived life’ they advocate for,” Dahdal said. “It was inspiring to be a part of Phi Beta Kappa as a junior. The honor has helped remind me of the importance within learning and unique truth-seeking that has led to pursue research in the first place.”

After graduation, Dahdal plans to pursue a Ph.D. focused on applied and reliable reasoning agents in fields such as smart healthcare and assisted agriculture.

Biggers has been enrolled in a business and legal studies pathway since high school. His consistent hard work throughout his early studies and his passion for change within the business world led him to strive for a rigorous graduation plan.

As a scholar in the Odyssey Program, through the Leon and Lorraine Watson scholarship, and actively pursuing his dual degree, Biggers has the opportunity to achieve his career dreams early.

“I feel like I can do anything,” he said. “It’s amazing because people from Gastonia don’t normally get exposed to the opportunities I’ve had here at Elon.”

Biggers has been interested in the intersection of business and legal studies since his high school accounting class, where he learned about the effect of the 2008 market crash and the Enron and WorldCom scandals that shaped corporate accountability.

“Studying those cases made me realize I wanted to be part of the solution,” Biggers said.

He recognizes the unethical practices of some corporations, expressing his sincerity for the real people affected and hurt by these practices.

“In accounting, they say we ensure the public’s trust,” he said. “I want to make sure that businesses are held accountable and that they are not just seeking to gain profit but also doing good for the world.”

This belief system heavily impacted his career aspirations. “I would love to be an attorney who protects consumers from corrupt behavior by businesses. I want to ensure that businesses act ethically and don’t harm consumers in small communities,” Biggers adds.

Recognizing his hard work in high school, he was drawn to Elon to continue his rigorous studies in the Odyssey Program and the 3+1 program. After setting foot on Elon’s campus, he knew this was the place for him.

“I fell in love with the campus when I visited for the first time. It was the first college campus that felt doable and I could see myself here, living and going to class, joining clubs and pursuing the opportunities they have here,” explained Biggers.

However, there was a financial barrier he would have to overcome to study here. After he received his dual degree program offer, which solidified his desire to study at Elon, he recalls that “the Odyssey Scholarship was the icing on the cake because it eliminated the financial barrier.”

His first year marked the beginning of his journey to explore opportunities outside of his comfort zone.

Starting with joining the Student Government Association, Biggers experienced firsthand how supportive Elon’s faculty and staff were in pushing him towards his goals in SGA and his aspirations beyond the organization. He expresses, “Since that initial push, I’ve continued to go even further, from running for SGA, doing �þ��� research or studying abroad. The faculty pushing me has been my fondest memory at Elon.”

His career aspirations are materializing due to his hard work and the extra push from Elon’s staff and the Odyssey program. He expresses that Odyssey taught him that he has the potential to achieve great things in his life and that he has to push to reach his goals, study abroad being one example he mentions.

This past August, Biggers studied abroad in London, England, at the London School of Economics and Political Science, taking a course in competition law and policy. He notes that, at first, he was fearful of traveling so far to an unknown place, but Elon’s faculty constantly pushed him to reach for and accomplish things he’d never done before.

“I was honestly afraid to go because no one in my family had ever traveled outside of the country. But faculty at Elon pushed and inspired me to do something that I’d never done before,” said Biggers.

Martha Lopez Lavias and Kenneth Brown Jr., two staff members in the Center for Access and Success, were instrumental in encouraging him to take advantage of the “once-in-a-lifetime experience”.

“I’m glad they pushed me because had I not gone, I would still have the fear of traveling abroad, and now I can’t wait to go back,” he said.” Once you go somewhere like that, you can go anywhere.”

Now, he is going to do just that. In January, he will be traveling to Portugal to study
environmental social governance reporting, which supports his academic and career aspirations.

Biggers extends his gratitude for his “family on campus,” which he fondly calls the people he’s met through the Odyssey program.

“Now that I’ve had these experiences, I get to share with other students in the Odyssey program who are also looking to join. It’s like we’re all in this together, and my success is your success,” he said.

She presented the work of the Diocesan Commission for the Defense of Nature (CODIDENA), an organization that advocates for the restoration of the identity and spirituality of the Xinka Indigenous people of Central America while protecting nature against extractivist mega-projects. Lemus talked in detail about the case of the peaceful resistance to the Escobal mining project, and their everyday struggles against the government and the mining corporations.

During the talk, she shared the values of her community to protect the earth and how they recognize themselves as Xinka by recovering their language and their culture. She also expressed the difficult reality faced by her community in rural areas as well as the challenges faced by organizers advocating for the Xinka land rights. The talk explored how they were able to stop the development of the mining project after three years of struggle, based on the Indigenous and Tribal People Convention, an international agreement acknowledged by the International Labour Organization, in which indigenous people must be consulted in case of any project affecting their population. In this case, after consulting with the Xinka people, they decided to reject the mining project given the multiple threats to their health and the environment.

Lemus also showed her grassroots initiative with young scientists in the Xinka community to address water contamination issues provoked by mining operations. This project not only capacitates the new generations, but also advocates for an intergenerational collective growth of the whole Xinka people. As a result of this initiative, community members created a system for measuring the degree of contamination in the water, empowering communities to defend themselves in their fight for environmental justice.

Over 50people attended the event. �þ��� from peace and conflict studies, Latin American studies, as well as from different Spanish courses, the Core Curriculum, and philosophy classes learned about the complexity of current environmental struggles in Guatemala. After the talk, students asked several questions regarding the role of the Guatemalan government in this conflict and the recognition of the Xinka identity, engaging in a very fruitful dialogue about the importance of advocating for indigenous rights and environmental justice in peaceful demonstrations. The conference was conducted in Spanish with interpretation performed by Emily Rhyne from the organization Witness for Peace.

Lemus also participated in a roundtable discussion in Spanish with other human rights activists at El Centro. The roundtable focused on Guatemalan history and cultural diversity, generating a constructive dialogue among students learning about Latin American indigenous identities. The speakers talked about the work of their organizations at the local, national and global level, emphasizing the need to construct strong networks of solidarity. �þ��� from the Spanish program engaged in a vivid conversation during the event, learning about the intercultural richness of Central America and the political relevance of the region in relation with the U.S. government today.

This visit was co-organized by the Peace and Conflict Studies program and the Latin American Studies program, and it was sponsored by the Department of World Languages and Cultures; El Centro; the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning; International and Global Studies; Isabella Cannon Global Education Center; Women’s, Gender, and Sexualities Studies; the Department of Philosophy; and the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.

Allocco opened the session with her paper, “Generational Innovation among Tamil Hindu Ritual Drummers.” She discussed how Hindu drummer-priests, known as pampaikkārar, adapt their music and rituals in response to changing religious sensibilities, aesthetic tastes and new media environments. Her paper highlighted how younger generations of drummers have begun to use digital technologies and social media platforms to reach new audiences and sustain their art in an increasingly technological world. Through this research, Allocco demonstrated how their creative innovations reflect not only the social and economic aspirations of these ritual artists but also the tides of globalization and neoliberal consumption so prominent in Tamil society today. Allocco drew directly on material from her recently completed sabbatical fieldwork project in Tamil-speaking South India, which was supported by a Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Fellowship and an American Institute of Indian Studies (AIIS) Senior Fellowship.

This was Allocco’s first time attending and presenting at the ECSAS, which meets biennially. This year’s conference brought together 900 scholars from around the world for more than 125 sessions of interdisciplinary exchange on the study of South Asia. It was organized by the renowned South Asia Institute of Heidelberg University, Germany’s oldest university, founded in 1386, and held at Heidelberg’s Neue Universität.