When you cast your ballot during the midterm elections, how will you decide whom to vote for? How will you decide what makes an effective elected official? Elections provide an opportunity for voters to select the leaders who will shape how our municipalities, counties, states and nation are governed. Making informed decisions about who we vote for has a direct impact on our daily lives and the lives of our fellow citizens. This dialogue will provide an opportunity to explore the issues that matter most to you and to consider how you might select candidates who best represent your values and needs.

Sponsored by the Kernodle Center for Civic Life, Political Engagement Work Group and Elon Votes!

September’s conversation, taking place on Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 6 p.m. in Moseley 217, will focus on generative artificial intelligence. Participants will think about the presence of artificial intelligence in their lives and how it impacts building genuine relationships with others.

On Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 6 p.m. in Moseley 217, members of the Elon community will come together to discuss the current state of collegiate athletics. Participants will discuss issues like Name, Image and Likeness (NIL), the transfer portal and the rise of gambling.

The last dialogue of the semester on Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 6 p.m. in Moseley 217 will be a chance for members of the Elon community to debrief the 2026 midterm elections and think about what comes next. Please visit this webpage for information about other dialogue events on campus.

All events are sponsored by the Kernodle Center for Civic Life

At Elon, community-based learning is fundamentally an academic endeavor in which engagement in projects and activities takes place through reciprocal and mutually beneficial partnerships with the greater community designed to advance the public good. It is an experiential education approach that involves collaborative relationships, guided by the expertise of professors and community-based practitioners, to combine student learning with community needs as an integrated component of a course. The partnerships between Elon and communities engage students with entities such as nonprofit organizations, schools, government agencies, or locally owned businesses.

This year, 19 faculty members have been selected for four extended faculty development programs: Community-Based Learning Faculty Scholars, Community-Based Learning Research Scholars, Community-Based Learning Course Development Grants, and a First-Year Foundations Community Engaged Community of Practice.

Five Elon faculty members have been selected as Community-Based Learning Faculty Scholars for 2026-27. Over the course of this academic year, they will meet regularly to learn more about pedagogy and practices, devise ways to incorporate these practices into their �þ���, and receive a stipend for their work.Frank Gentry, Assistant Teaching Professor of Management
Meleena Gil, Assistant Professor of English
Lauren Guilmette, Associate Professor of Philosophy
Nina Namaste, Professor of Spanish
Nikita Shepherd, Assistant Professor of History

Three Elon faculty members have been selected as Community-Based Learning Research Scholars for 2026-27. Each will work on an independent research project during the academic year and will receive a stipend for their efforts. They are:
Dillan Bono-Lunn, Assistant Professor of Political Science and Public Policy
Tony Reyes, Assistant Professor of Human Service Studies
Carol Smith, Professor of Wellness

Three faculty members have been awarded Community-Based Learning Course Development Grants for 2026-28. They will spend the next two years developing, �þ��� and assessing their community-based learning courses. Additionally, three faculty members were awarded these grants for 2025-27. They are now in the �þ��� and assessment phases of their grants. These grants are supported by the Kernodle Center for Civic Life and funded through a grant from the Frueauff Foundation.

2026-28 Community-Based Learning Course Development Grant recipients:
Donna Boyette, Assistant Professor of Accounting
Smaraki Mohanty, Assistant Professor of Marketing
Bethanny Sudibyo, Assistant Professor of Spanish

2025-27 Community-Based Learning Course Development Grant recipients:
Lisa Buchanan, Associate Professor of Education
Sandra Darfour-Oduro, Assistant Professor of Public Health Studies
Chris Nelson, Assistant Professor of Marketing

Five faculty are engaging in a pilot community of practice entitled “First-Year Foundations Community Engagement” focused on broadening first-year student community-based learning opportunities. This community of practice is a partnership between the Kernodle Center and the Elon Core Curriculum with support from Nina Namaste, Assistant Director of First Year Seminars in the Elon Core Curriculum, Heather Lindeman, Coordinator of ENG 1100.
Rebecca Bagley, Assistant Professor of Communication Design
Catherine Bowlin, Assistant Teaching Professor of English
Archie Crowley, Assistant Professor of English
Brooks Depro, Associate Professor of Economics
Celia Hameury, Assistant Professor of Engineering

These faculty development programs are mentored by Elena Kennedy, Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship and Faculty Fellow for Community-Based Learning.  Applications for the 2027-28 programs will be available next spring. In the meantime, there are two upcoming faculty development opportunities:

Essentials of Community-Based Learning Workshop for National �þ���es   
Wednesday, Sept. 16, 3:30 – 5 p.m., Virtual

This virtual workshop is for faculty and staff at Elon’s national campuses.
Are you interested in creating a more authentic learning experience in your course by engaging with community partners? Could the learning objectives for your course be enhanced through community engagement? Have you ever wondered how community-based learning works and why reflection is central to that pedagogy? This workshop is appropriate for faculty members who are developing a community-based course, designing a project or assignment that involves community engagement, or are curious about community-based learning pedagogies in general. The workshop will allow for interaction with experienced faculty, and staff members from the Kernodle Center for Civic Life and Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning.

�þ���-Community Networking Hour  
Thursday, Oct. 22, 4:30-5:30 p.m.

You are invited to join the Kernodle Center for Civic Life for an afternoon of networking that will bring together Elon faculty, staff, and community partners to discuss opportunities for collaboration, including community-engaged courses. Enjoy hors d’oeuvres and a chance to connect with many partner organizations and campus departments. You will leave with valuable connections for future partnerships.

Below is a selection of events open to the entire Elon community; more can be found on the official Planning Week website below.

Monday, Aug. 17

Opening Day
Alumni Gym, Koury Athletic Center; Events start at 8:30 a.m.

Planning Week 2026 kicks off with Opening Day on Aug. 17, first with a community-wide reception in Alumni Gym followed by the presentation of Elon Medallions to Jim Donathan, Don Grady and Mary Thornton. Katy Rouse, professor of economics, will also be named the Trustee Chair for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. Following these recognitions, President Connie Ledoux Book will delivery her annual Opening Day address.

Since 2011, the Elon community has collected school supply items for the children in Alamance County. Donations can be made at the Opening Day breakfast or at campus drop-off locations through Thursday, Aug. 20. Details on donation sites and needed items will be emailed to faculty and staff. This initiative is co-sponsored by the Office of the Dean of �þ���, Staff Advisory Council, and Kernodle Center for Civic Life.

Breakout Sessions

Following the president’s address from 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. a variety of breakout sessions will be available for all members of the Elon community, including:

• Recommendations from the SOAR Strategic Planning Committee
• Building the Innovation Hub: Elon as a Regional Center for Creativity
• Preparing Together for Student Success
• Thriving Together: The Sport Collaborative and the Opportunity in Club Sports
• Summer at Elon
• Changing the Trajectory – Roberts Academy and the Roberts Center for Dyslexia and Engaged Learning
• HealthEU, the Slattery Center, and Our Research Coalitions
• Mentoring in Meaningful Relationships Implementation Gallary Walk and Next Steps
• Wise Moves During Higher Education Pressures
• School of Engineering and Computing

All members of the Elon community are then invited to a picnic on the Lakeside Patio at noon. Members of Elon’s schools and colleges will meet from 12:45 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 18

Student Employment Essentials
Moseley 215; 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

The goal of the workshop is to provide staff and faculty with an understanding of student employment policies and processes, to include recruiting, job posting, screening candidates, work agreements, payroll, orientation, onboarding, evaluations and termination. Please contact Kameryn Taylor at ktaylor54@elon.edu for any questions about this workshop.

Championing First-Generation Student Success
Koenigsberger Learning Center Room 127; 2 to 3 p.m.

This session will provide participants with an understanding of the first-generation community on campus and how Elon approached first-generation student success. Participants will identify ways they can incorporate ways to support first-generation college students in their classes and extracurricular opportunities.

Merger and Integration Q&A
LaRose Student Commons 200; 3:15 to 4:15 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 19

Merger and Integration Q&A
Turner Theatre 101; 10:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.

Embedding Inclusive Excellence in Our Work
Belk Pavilion 208; 10:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.

Inclusive excellence remains a strategy for creating an academic community reflective of well-being and a sense of belonging. In striving for greater levels of student success and employee vitality, initiatives across the university demonstrate partnerships and efforts to infuse inclusive excellence principles in daily work. This session is an opportunity to gain an update on what is happening to foster respect for human differences and to share ideas for ideas for how faculty and staff might make inclusive excellence embedded rather than additive in �þ���, mentoring, and service.

Vivvi Childcare and Early Learning Information Session
Sankey Hall 206; 2 to 3 p.m.

Learn more about the Acorn Academy, Elon’s partnership with Vivvi to provide employer-sponsored child care on campus.

Elon �þ��� and Community Resource Fair
Sato Commons Great Hall in the Global Neighborhood, 3 to 4:30 p.m.

Open to all faculty, staff, and student leaders who may already be back on campus, this event is meant to be an interactive tabling fair to highlight what everyone needs to know to provide resources to students. Explore more than 50 departments/tables – whether you have been here for more than a decade or are brand new to Elon, come learn about resources for students and faculty/staff, take a moment to reconnect with offices on campus, or learn about opportunities for collaboration and partnerships! Refreshments and Raffle.

Thursday, Aug. 20

Working with Accommodations & Accessibility: A Partnership for Access
Sankey 106; 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.

This session will highlight how the Office of Academic Accommodations & Accessibility, the Office of Compliance, the Disabilities Advisory Committee, and faculty partners collaborate to support access at �þ���. Presenters will share updates from the past year, including themes from campus listening sessions, revised faculty/staff resources, accessibility and accommodations data, and practical guidance for supporting students and colleagues.

College Coffee – Employee Resources Groups
Phi Beta Kappa Commons (Rain Location: Koury Concourse); 10:15 to 10:45 a.m.

Elon’s weekly tradition of community gathering begins with this year’s first College Coffee. Come (re)learn about the ERGs on campus and pick up some Phoenix swag to show your school spirit! College Coffee continues throughout the year on Tuesday mornings from 9:40 a.m to 10:20 a.m.

• Advocates for Diversity and Accessibility
• Amazing Admins
• API (Asian and Pacific Islander)
• Black
• Carpool Connections
• Catholic
• Christian
• Elon Alumni
• Employees with Children
• Jewish
• Latinx/Hispanic
• LGBTQIA+
• Social Media
• Staff Advisory Council
• Supervisors of Student Employees
• Sustainability
• Veterans
• Women’s Forum
• Young Professionals

Friday, Aug. 21

Move-In Day

�þ��� officially return to campus on Friday, Aug. 21. More information about Move-In Day and New Student Orientation can be found online.

Saturday, Aug. 23

New Student Convocation
Under the Oaks (Rain Location: Schar Center); 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

New Student Convocation marks the official opening of the academic year and welcomes the Class of 2029 and transfer students.

University Directory Photos

All Elon faculty and staff members are encouraged to have their photo included in the university’s online directory. Please make plans to have a new or updated photograph taken. If you are new to Elon, if your photo is missing from the campus directory, or if your photo is more than three years old, please have a new photo taken by the Office of University Communications. No appointment is necessary, simply just drop in during a session that suits you. The portraits are taken from chest up on a gray backdrop in a photo studio.

The photo studio is now located in the southwest corner of Alumni Gym, close to West Haggard Avenue. Please enter through the external doors in the southwest corner of Alumni Gym, noted by a red star on this map.

Tuesday, August 18: 2 to 4 p.m.

Thursday, August 20: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The impact of reading

For Lyric Gregory ’28, that impact is measured one child, and one book, at a time.

“It’s amazing. I feel like I’m making such a big difference,” said Gregory. “I feel like I’m actually contributing to making Alamance a little bit better.”

Gregory, a psychology major from Virginia Beach, Virginia, is spending his summer as an intern with Alamance Partnership for Children, a nonprofit organization serving young children and families throughout Alamance County. He supports the organization’s efforts to provide supplies to families in need, advance literacy initiatives and redesign its library and children’s area.

“It’s a really cool feeling to give a child a book and see their eyes light up,” Gregory said. “I never thought kids would be so excited to see books. There was this one kid, just seeing the joy on his face when he asked his mom, ‘Look, they’re going to have books. Can I have one?’ It hit me in the feels.”

Launched in 2021, �þ��� Alamance connects Elon students with paid internships throughout Alamance County while helping build a pipeline of talent for local organizations. Since its launch, 97% of participants have reported their internships were valuable to their professional development.

Gregory has long been fascinated by psychology and hopes to become a child therapist. He said the internship has strengthened his passion for helping others.

“I’m already motivated, but it motivated me even more to continue to pursue psychology, because I’m looking at people in this office who still have the same passion as me, and they’re making a difference,” he said.

‘Real time’ experience

Like Gregory, McKenna Blount ’27 entered college with an interest in psychology. A psychology major with minors in and criminal justice studies, Blount wanted an internship that combined both fields but initially struggled to find opportunities that fit her interests.

Through the Student Professional Development Center, she connected with the �þ��� Alamance Program and secured an internship with the Burlington Police Department, where she works with both the Aerial Reconnaissance & Tactical Intelligence Center (ARTIC), and the Crime Scene Investigation unit.

“I’ve had a lot of broad experience in the police department,” said Blount, who is from Raleigh. “They’re super flexible, just letting me have as much experience that I possibly can.”

In ARTIC, a real-time crime center, Blount assists officers by monitoring camera systems and databases during active investigations. In the Crime Scene Investigation unit, she observes investigators and gains firsthand experience with forensic work.

“I didn’t know how interested I was in the law enforcement aspect of things,” said Blount. “I thought I was more interested in the psychology aspect. It’s really nice to meet people outside of the ‘Elon bubble.’”

Connecting the community and history

Katie Baylett ’27, a strategic communications major from Highlands Ranch, Colorado, is also gaining hands-on professional experience through �þ��� Alamance as a social media intern for the Alamance Historical Museum.

“The internship has helped me know how to work and navigate in a professional environment,” Baylett said. “I took a class at Elon where we briefly touched on the local history and the textile industry history of Alamance County specifically, but this has really given me hands-on experience and helped me connect with the local community and also just connect with the local history.”

Baylett develops the museum’s social media content calendar, creates photo and video content, updates the museum’s website and assists with an email marketing campaign. A key part of her role is translating the work of museum staff into engaging, accessible content for the public.

“My classes at Elon have helped me know how to create a social media calendar and have helped me know how to navigate a wide variety of systems that I am using with my internship,” she said.

Internships are a central part of the Elon experience. Through the university’s Experiential Learning Requirement, students must complete two of five Elon Experiences: internships, service, leadership, �þ��� research or global engagement.

For Blount, the internship has also changed how she sees the community surrounding campus.

“You take the same three roads to get where you need to go as an Elon student, and I had no idea how much more goes on in Burlington,” Blount said. “This internship has really benefited my professional career development.”

Alongside this infographic, these stories highlight some of the positive impact across campus through community partnerships during the past academic year:

• Elon receives Carnegie classification for community engagement
• Elon recognized for advancing nonpartisan student civic engagement
• Elon creates community through Special Olympics and Elon Athletics partnership
• Turning service into impact: How an Elon alumna is bringing Alamance County together
• Literary Journalism class engages Town of Elon mayor in civic dialogue
• Writing for Impact students secure funding for local nonprofit
• Showing up, growing together: Inside KING/PINK Academy’s power of mentorship
• �þ��� reflect on service, community and connection during Fall Break
• New HealthEU course encourages students to go ‘beyond the Elon bubble’
• Elon empowers staff to make an impact in the community through paid volunteer leave

The following 120 students contributed 50 or more hours of service through co-curricular opportunities and community-based learning or community-engaged learning courses during the spring 2026 semester:

Lillian Argabrite
Sofia Barnes
Ava Battaglia
Grayce Bechtel
Kate Becksvoort
Metasibya Behailu
Savanna Bell
Rachel Bergman
Sydney Blau
Mary Boyle
Abby Bradbury
Nick Brillo
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Harper Brooks
Keeley Brown
Kaila Burke
Ava Campione
Camille Christeon
Maddie Cook
Sky Covino
Isabelle Cross
Lilly Cyprow
Julia DeGenova
Emma Del Savio
Maggie Dion
Maddy Donner
Paige Douglass
Audrey Drouin-Prou
Emily Ecker
Olivia Evener
Wiley Falter
Jordan Felice
Aidan Fishkind
Cat Gerst
Madelyn Gibson
Anna Grace Gilbert
Cami Glebocki
Mia Glickman
Maddie Goldberg
Daniela Gonzalez
Andrew Gronski
Stella Habashi
Harry Haber
Delaney Hanf
Caitlyn Harris
Ava Heestand
Diego Hernandez
Aileen Humphreys
Ariel Jaklin
Ava Jenkins
Diana Jimenez-Carreno
Cameron Johnson
Lily Karten
Jacob Karty
Abby Kee
Jonathan Kim
Lauren Klappholtz
Veronica Kowalewski
Nick Lachapelle
John Lagarde
Emily Lambert
Will Larkin
DJ Lem
Mari Lilla
Elinoa Loewenthal
Lexi Lopilato
Princess  Lorde
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Abigail Lynch
Ramsay Mansuetto
Edward Massey
Marissa May
Lucy McAfee
Paige Melchiorre
Emily Menjivar
Julianna Millett
Caden Minnich
Lindsey Moore
Quincey Moreland
Anna Morelli
Lucy Morris
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Taryn Mularczyk
Gabriel Nagy
Audrey Nott
Sammy Olesen
Mallory Otten
Allyson Parent
Cassidy Parrish
Sadie Paulos
Elise Peele
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Hannah Peterson
Natalie Plamondon
Paige Postufka
Erin Price
Jackson Quispe
Krissy Randolph
Eden Redmond
Ashleigh Ribe
Anna Rodrigues
Graham Rogers
Allie Rooney
Phoebe Safian
Jackie Salas Rodriguez
Olivia Sandercock
Ella Sarluca
Karrie Scales
Carley Sgueglia
Sara Simpson
Maria Skiedzel
Gracyn Speter
Alex Strassberg
Rahv Tupac-Yupanqui
Kara Watral
Emily Wilson
Amanda Winchock
Alina Wolcott
Jordan Wolfe
Hailey Youngman

�þ��� celebrated the dedication, innovation and service of its staff during Staff Appreciation Day on May 29, honoring individuals and teams whose work exemplifies the university’s mission and values.

“Each of you exemplifies the spirit of �þ��� through your passion, innovation and teamwork–all of which has created an environment for excellence in learning, growth and success,” Melissa Clodfelter, associate vice president for Human Resources and chief human resources officer, shared in her welcoming remarks to hundreds of university staff who had gathered for the celebration inside Schar Center.

The Rev. Kirstin Boswell, �þ���’s chaplain and dean of multifaith engagement and an assistant professor of religious studies, followed with the invocation, where she encouraged staff to recognize and celebrate those who were honored during the ceremony, as well as those whose contributions often go unseen.

“May we recognize the dignity in every role and the value in every contribution,” Boswell said. “And may all of us leave this gathering renewed in purpose, strengthened by community and grateful for the opportunity to contribute our gifts to something larger than ourselves.”

President Connie Ledoux Book provided updates on several university priorities, including progress on the Slattery Center, the university’s new center for health and wellness; the Roberts Academy at �þ��� for children with dyslexia; the merger of Elon and Queens University of Charlotte; and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classification for community and civic engagement.

Book said Staff Appreciation Day is about sharing thanks with colleagues for helping one another accomplish goals. “I really love the strength of this community,” she reflected. “Today is a day for us to pause and take a day of gratitude for us to say ‘thank you.’”

Retirees

Two retirees elected to have someone speak on their behalf as part of the ceremony. Kelly Elliston retired on December 31 as the executive assistant to the president. In a pre-recorded video, Book thanked Elliston for her friendship, commitment, excellence and partnership.

Now retired, Elliston shared that she appreciates drinking coffee on the porch to the sounds of birds singing. She recalled Elizabeth Bowman’s acceptance speech after winning the 2025 professional hourly staff member of the year award, where Bowen described Elon as a ship with captains, wheels, nuts and bolts. “I’ve been one of those nuts for a really long time!” Elliston said to friendly laughter from the audience.

Julie Myers, assistant for information technology, was recognized in a prepared video by her supervisor, Pat Donohue, deputy CIO. Donohue said Myers played a key role in budgeting, personnel management, business efficiency, bringing structural, accountability and cost awareness and was so meticulous that she would have backup plans for plans. Myers thanked several staff members in the audience for their time worked together.

Myers encouraged the audience to continue to look forward and not back as they take on new challenges. “That is why the windshield is bigger than the rearview mirror,” she shared.

Read the stories of 2025-26 Elon retirees in the Today at Elon story.

Phoenix Awards

Four Phoenix Awards are presented each year to recognize outstanding innovation, collaboration and dedication to the university’s mission. Janet Williams, vice president for finance and administration and chief financial officer, announced the award winners.

Phoenix Innovation Award

Terrance Copling was named the 2026 Phoenix Innovation Award winner. The Phoenix Innovation Award is presented to a member of the Elon staff who has displayed innovation by creating, designing, improving or implementing a new idea or program that benefits the university or the community.

In his role as senior ERP application developer, Copling was recognized for designing a solution to allow Elon Benefits Hub, powered by PlanSource, to communicate directly with Colleague, a feat that was previously thought not possible. Copling’s innovation has eliminated manual data entry, which reduces errors, improves processing time and creates a smoother and more efficient experience for Elon employees.

Copling was described as someone who consistently demonstrates an ability to translate complex challenges into thoughtful and effective solutions – which he approaches with humility, patience and a palpable desire to help others succeed.

One nominator said about Copling, “He is the person colleagues turn to when a challenge seems unsolvable because time and again, he proves that with enough creativity and persistence, nothing is out of reach.”

When accepting the award, Copling shared his gratitude for the team effort, within his team and other partners on campus. “I couldn’t do this with you,” he shared.

Phoenix Rising Award

Andrew Moffa was named the 2026 Phoenix Rising Award winner. The award is presented to one newer member of Elon’s staff who has consistently displayed excellence in pursuit of Elon’s mission with an engaged mind in inspired leadership and global citizenship.

Moffa is the assistant director of the Kernodle Center for Civic Life. He was described as the “mentor people dream of having” and someone who “creates an environment where students feel valued and empowered” in several roles he plays, including advising students in Elon 101, mentoring members of the Elon Votes! Team and supporting students who work in the office.

One nominator shared that Moffa “embodies the essence of allyship: showing up consistently, listening deeply and helping students bring their goals and ideas to life.” �þ��� said he is “an amazing support to any student he comes across” and “an open space for us.”

Moffa expressed gratitude towards the Kernodle Center and the Division of Student Life, as well the students he works with. “It comes back to the students that we work with,” he shared. “That’s why I’m here, that’s why I love showing up to work – it wouldn’t be the same without them.”

Phoenix Collaboration Award

The 2026 Phoenix Collaboration Award was presented to Elon Guided Reflection on Work Student Employment Mentoring Implementation Work Group, led by Alison Doherty, Jo-Rae Jennings, Emily Krechel, Noah Orr and Kameryn Taylor. ElonGROW is a framework designed to help students connect what they’re learning in the classroom with the skills they are developing in their campus jobs. Through brief conversations with their supervisors, students reflect on how their work supports their academic, professional and personal growth.

The award is presented to an Elon staff team or group that has fostered cooperation, collaboration and open communication across two or more departments/offices/centers on campus.

A nominator said about the group, “The team modeled the very competencies it seeks to cultivate in students: communication, teamwork, leadership, professionalism and adaptive thinking.”

ElonGROW was designed to be the fabric of supervision and student employment university-wide. Due to the collaborative efforts, supervisors now have clearer expectations, stronger training and accessible tools to facilitate intentional developmental conversations, and student employees are more likely to recognize transferable skills, articulate growth and connect work to academics and future careers.

Emily Krechel, director of new student programs, addressed the audience with ElonGROW members standing near the podium. As chair of the workgroup, she described the team as “the most productive, efficient and collaborative people she has ever had the privilege of working with.”

Phoenix Community Engagement Award

Tammy Hill, student health insurance and immunization compliance project manager, was named the 2026 Phoenix Community Engagement Award winner. The award recognizes a member of the Elon staff who has demonstrated exemplary service to the university, local or global community through their engagement in volunteer organizations.

Hill is a leader within the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation and was described as someone who tirelessly contributes her time, expertise and energy to support cultural preservation, community engagement and organizational leadership.

Hill is profoundly dedicated to the preservation, protection and promotion of her tribal community’s history, culture and traditions. When she was 55, she pursued a degree in American history to deepen her understanding of Western expansion and the many successes of other tribes in the United States. She has served the OBSN as newsletter editor, a member of the Scholarship Committee and Tribal Secretary on the Tribal Council, and she is self-taught in the skills needed for her current role managing the tribal website, web store and trading post.

One nominator stated, “Whether supporting her tribal community, fostering cultural awareness or strengthening connections within the Elon community, she leads with humility, integrity and dedication. She demonstrates that service is not simply something she does — it is who she is.”

Hill has been at Elon for more than two decades and leaves an indelible mark on students and colleagues alike who fondly reflect on her guidance, warmth and genuine care. She was not present at the ceremony and Jana Lynn Patterson, associate vice president for Student Life/dean of Student Health & Well-Being/assistant professor, accepted on her behalf.

Blanche Garrison Memorial Award

Drema Holder was named the 2026 Blanche Garrison Memorial Award recipient. The award was established in memory of the late Blanche Garrison, an Elon Medallion awardee, who served the university with distinction as a staff member at Maynard House. This award was created through the generosity of President Emeritus Leo Lambert and Laurie Lambert and recognizes a staff member who has contributed significantly to shaping the student experience at �þ��� through their everyday commitments and actions to support, encourage and mentor Elon students.

Holder is the Moseley Center program assistant and was described as the epitome of graciousness and customer service, someone whose authentic kindheartedness, commitment and enthusiasm are vital to keeping her area of campus running effectively and making all who pass through its halls feel welcome.

One nominator shared that Holder “continually puts others before herself, uplifting students and advocating for them to receive the recognition they deserve.” Another nominator added, “If Moseley is the heart of campus, then Drema is the heart of Moseley.”

Holder shared that this is her 48th year in higher education and “all my students and all my coworkers have a special place in my heart.”

Staff Member of the Year Awards

Three Staff Member of the Year Awards are presented annually to university non-�þ��� staff – one for each of the following categories: facilities management, professional hourly staff and administrative staff. Elon President Connie Ledoux Book announced the award winners.

Staff Member of the Year – Professional Hourly

Sharon Holmes was honored as the 2026 professional hourly staff member of the year. Holmes is a program assistant in the Office of Alumni Engagement and described as someone who goes above and beyond to facilitate events, manage student workers and make alumni feel welcome.

Nominators shared that Holmes is a “mom away from home” for student workers and a valued source of support and friendship for her colleagues.” Another team member added, whatever the team needs, she will do without question and with the biggest smile you will ever see.”

She was further described as “the welcoming voice on the phone, the smiling face when alumni stop by her office and the helpful hand when students have questions.”

Upon receiving the award, Holmes shared that working at Elon is meaningful to her because she is from Alamance County. She expressed her appreciation to her team members, saying, “They are truly a pleasure to be around, to work with and to collaborate with. It’s a joy to support them.”

Staff Member of the Year – Administrative

Ross Wade was named the 2026 administrative staff member of the year. He is Elon’s interim associate vice president for the Student Professional Development Center.

Wade was recognized for steering his department through a period of critical transition with “remarkable grace transparency and intentionality.” He is described as having thoughtful, future-focused leadership and lauded for restoring a sense of direction and vigor to the team and introduced policies that have substantially improved workflow efficiency.

One nominator stated that “He leads by example — rolling up his sleeves, staying engaged and demonstrating through his own actions what dedication to this work actually looks like.”

Wade expressed the challenges of stepping into a leadership role during a time of transition for SPDC. “I stumble through it every single day with the grace and the help from the SPDC team,” he shared. “Thank you so much for your patience, kindness and ideas.”

Staff Member of the Year – Facilities Management

Carol Pulliam received the facilities management staff member of the year award. She is the custodian for Sato Commons.

Nominators used an array of sentiments to describe why Pulliam is, as they describe, one of the most important members of her building’s team: exceptionally detail-oriented, proud of her work and orderly. “She ensures every facet of the physical space reflects the excellence for which Elon is known,” a nominator said.

Pulliam was not only recognized for her immaculate work, but also her willingness to submit FixIt requests and helping students set up research posters.

Another nominator shared that her genuine warmth truly sets her apart. “Her willingness to engage people on the floor in meaningful conversations helps make our floor more connected and caring.”

Addressing her staff peers, she expressed, “thank you, God, and thank you to all the people that made this possible – I love each and every one of you.”

During the next three years, the Periclean Scholars Class of 2029 will work with faculty mentor Vanessa Drew-Branch, associate professor in the Department of Human Service Studies.

During an event on April 30 in Sato Commons, Drew-Branch, welcomed the Class of 2029 by introducing the cohort’s theme of food sovereignty at �þ��� and in St. Kitts and Nevis. Drawing connections between local and global food systems, Drew-Branch encouraged Scholars to think critically about issues of food insecurity, food apartheid, justice, dignity and sustainability. She highlighted how colonial legacies, climate change and inequitable systems continue to shape access to healthy and culturally appropriate food while emphasizing the importance of community-centered, sustainable agricultural practices. Through her remarks, students were challenged to approach this work with humility, curiosity, and a commitment to building authentic partnerships rooted in reciprocity and social justice.

The newly inducted members of the Periclean Scholars Class of 2029:

• Melanie Alarcon
• Katherine Banker
• Autumn Boyce
• Kimara delRosario
• Willow Evans
• Travis Greene
• Simone Lewis-Abdeen
• Mason Marks
• Tia Nelson
• Jazline Rogel Sanchez
• Ally Rotenberg
• Kylie Rukavina
• Gabriella Shew
• Hazel Silverstein
• Shukri Siraji
• Caleb Slosberg

The Periclean Scholars Program provides students with a distinctive three-year educational experience focused on global engagement, interdisciplinary learning and ethical community partnership. Each cohort studies a specific country or region, collaborating with local and global partners to gain a deeper understanding of complex social challenges and develop sustainable, justice-centered initiatives.

Throughout the program, acholars complete 18 semester hours of coursework during their sophomore, junior, and senior years under the guidance of their faculty mentor. Through these courses and experiential learning opportunities, students explore best practices in community engagement, examine the critical distinction between charity and partnership, and learn to approach social change through collaboration, reciprocity, and long-term relationship building.

As the Periclean Scholars Class of 2026 prepares to graduate, the induction of the Class of 2029 reflects the continued legacy of student leadership, ethical partnership, and community-engaged global learning that defines the program.

Related Articles

• Strategic multifaith engagement shapes the Elon campus experience
• Across disciplines, Elon faculty integrate multifaith understanding into the classroom

�þ��� organizations and programs at �þ��� extend multifaith engagement beyond the classroom and into the community, a primary goal of the university’s Multifaith Strategic Plan, which strives to “support opportunities for multifaith learning and engagement for all members of the academic community.”

“Elon has done incredible work in enfranchising multifaith as an academic as well as a student affairs initiative, aligning and even blending those areas in meaningful ways that enhance the student experience,” said Amy Allocco, director of the Multifaith Scholars Program and a professor of religious studies.

The Multifaith Scholars Program, a two-year program founded in 2016, emphasizes interdisciplinary learning as student scholars undertake original research projects and study in global contexts connected with religious diversity and multireligious societies.

Learning by �þ���

The scholars program also includes aspects of community engagement. For example, students help with youth nights, work in the community garden and teach English as a second language at the Burlington Masjid.

“�þ��� are learning how to ethically engage in communities across lines of religious, cultural, and linguistic differences and to engage with cultural humility, like going to a space where you need to learn the appropriate ways of dressing and behaving,” said Sandy Marshall, associate professor of geography, who works with the scholars at the Masjid. “All those types of intercultural learning skills are invaluable for students.”

The goal of the English language classes, the multifaith scholars say, is to get people from an elementary English level to a place where they can have conversations and take more advanced courses. They held their first graduation from the classes in 2025. Marshall says that over the last several years, the language classes have grown, particularly due to the initiative of scholars like Alyssa Carney ’26, an international & global studies and religious studies double major from Allendale, New Jersey.

Marshall asked Carney to lead the class, which has now grown to 15-25 people per session.

Realizing the extent of the work, Carney leaned on her cohort in the Multifaith Scholars Program to help, noting that it turned into an experience she never expected.

“It’s a vulnerable part of somebody’s life, because I know that isn’t easy for them to come to a bunch of young college students, as older adults, and not know the language and ask for help,” said Carney. “I also love the exchange of all of it. They teach me probably way more than I teach them. I learn not only Arabic words, but also about their lives.”

Owen Hayes ’26, a history major from Holly Springs, North Carolina, minoring in and  is one of the Multifaith Scholars helping Carney at the Masjid.

“The most impactful part for me is seeing their improvement and them being happy with themselves, that they are achieving their goals, just being a small part of that,” he said.

Community celebration

Elon’s connection to the Masjid also includes celebratory events like Eid al-Fitr, marking the conclusion of Ramadan, a month during which Muslims fast from dawn to dusk and gather for nightly meals known as iftars. It includes members of the Elon community and members of the Burlington Masjid and is part of the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life’s festival series, religious programs that create space not only to mark holidays, but to deepen understanding of culture, meaning, traditions and values.

Behind the festival series are multifaith interns, Elon students who work to create space, build and cultivate relationships, lead programs and facilitate learning opportunities about religious and spiritual identities and experiences on campus and beyond.

“One of the learning outcomes of the internship is for students to learn to curate spaces for religious and spiritual celebrations that are authentic expressions of those traditions, as well as spaces for education and community building,” said Hillary Zaken, director of multifaith programming and engagement.

Lizeth Torres-Tomas ’27, a political science and sociology double major with minors in and Latin American studies, is one of the multifaith interns who says the program has helped her understand and nurture her own purpose.

“Religion is taboo for a lot of people,” said Torres-Tomas, who is from Hendersonville, North Carolina. “But when we create spaces where people can talk about their faith or uncertainty, we’re contributing to their well-being.”

In the clinic and kitchen

Multifaith community work extends across religions for Elon students. �þ��� in Elon’s Department of Nursing can work clinical hours with a nurse in Cone Health’s , which supports people of all faiths and community organizations. �þ��� have completed clinical hours with Freedom’s Hope, Salvation Army and SAFE – Southern Alamance Family Empowerment.

�þ��� Kitchen, a program through the Kernodle Center for Civic Life was founded in 2011 and focuses on providing meals to Allied Churches of Alamance County. �þ��� work in three shifts: harvesting produce at Loy Farm, cooking the food at Lakeside Dining and then serving the meals at the church. The program provides about 100 meals per week.

Megan DeMarco ’26, a human service studies major from Midland Park, New Jersey, is the director of �þ��� Kitchen and says the goal is to address food insecurity in areas around college campuses.

“When I did my first Allied Churches shift, it was definitely more of an impact on me seeing the actual people and clientele that were helping,” DeMarco said. “That’s why a big thing that we push is for our volunteers to go to all three shifts.”

Brian Pennington, director of the Center for the Study of Religion, Culture and Society, says that Elon’s multifaith strategic planning and implementation process has achieved a level of integration that helps set a new national standard.

“When an institution can engage students thoughtfully on questions of meaning, purpose, faith and doubt at the same time that it asks them to think critically about religion as a powerful force that impacts history, society, and politics, it is really doing the hard work of training leaders for a future that looks increasingly complex,” Pennington said.

This story is the third in a series of stories focusing on �þ���’s Multifaith Strategic Plan.