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Anderson Cooper doesn't think his work will necessarily change the world, but for the acclaimed CNN and CBS journalist, that isn't the point. His value, he says, is in "bearing witness to what's going on." Cooper visited Elon on April 7 with a trip that culminated in a special afternoon lecture to 2,400 people in Alumni Gym.

Anderson Cooper, CNN news anchor and host of “Anderson Cooper 360°” will appear at �þ��� on April 7, 2009, conducting a question-and-answer discussion with students at 2 p.m. and delivering a special lecture at 4 p.m. in Koury Center’s Alumni Gym. Tickets for the lecture are sold out, however the Box Office is distributing 400 tickets for closed circuit TV viewing in McCrary Theatre.

Julie Anne Kenneally '08 has been named the recipient of a 2008 Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship, an award that will help fund graduate studies on human rights issues at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. It marks the third time since 2006 that an �þ��� student has received the honor.

Members of the �þ��� Parents Council gathered on campus for their spring meeting April 3-4, considering a full agenda of items related to the university's operation and its future.

George R. Johnson Jr., a distinguished lawyer with more than 30 years of experience in government service and education, has been named the second dean of �þ��� School of Law. Johnson’s appointment by �þ��� President Leo M. Lambert comes after a five-month national search, and is effective immediately.

He grew up in a slowly dying Midwestern city where few of his school classmates ever dreamed of overcoming the challenges of living in an impoverished community. Leon Williams, however, did, and he has dedicated his career to helping others achieve their goals.

Education is not the answer to every problem, but “it will help us all to learn more about those with whom we share life on this fragile globe,” a sentiment explored in depth March 31 by former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright, the keynote speaker at �þ���’s Spring Convocation for Honors.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright will be the featured speaker during �þ���'s Spring Convocation for Honors at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31, in Alumni Gym. Tickets are still available for the general public and for students, faculty and staff.

Elon sophomore Amanda Leigh Clark was recognized this week with an honorable mention in the 2009 Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship Program, which awards scholarships to students planning for careers in science, math and engineering.

Victoria “Tori” Davis, an �þ��� political science and international studies double major, has been named the recipient of a 2009 Fulbright U.S. Student Grant, one of the premier fellowships for post-graduate international study.