Sixty-eight percent of American adults say they are proud to be American, and 79% agree the United States plays a uniquely important role in world history. At the same time, 69% believe the signers of the Declaration of Independence would feel more disappointment than pride about modern American democracy.

The survey of 1,000 adults in the United States, conducted April 30-May 4, 2026, explores how Americans view the nation���s past, present and future as the country prepares to commemorate its semiquincentennial.

���As the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Americans have complex and diverse feelings about America 250,��� said Jason Husser, director of the 消消犯 Poll and a professor of political science and public policy. ���We found several points of optimism among Americans, including pride in being American and belief that the United States has a uniquely important role to play in world history. At the same time, many Americans expressed significant concern about the health of American democracy today, and the country is split on its outlook over the next 50 years.���

More than half of Americans (52%) say the United States is unsuccessfully living up to its founding ideals, while only 30% say the nation is successfully living up to them. Nearly three-quarters of Americans (73%) rate the overall health of U.S. democracy as only ���fair��� or ���poor.���

The survey also found widespread concern about political instability and civic division:

• 68% believe elected officials today are worse than leaders of the past
• 80% say they at least sometimes feel no political party or movement represents their views
• 70% say the country is more turbulent than average compared with other periods in U.S. history
• 64% say they have little or no confidence that U.S. political institutions will make mostly good decisions over the next 50 years
• 68% predict America will become more politically divided by 2076

Americans are also pessimistic about the country���s long-term future in several key areas. Majorities predict that by 2076 the nation will have less freedom, less economic equality, a lower standard of living, and more pollution. More Americans also believe technology will create more harm than benefit over the next 50 years.

Despite those concerns, the poll found Americans still hold strong connections to the nation���s democratic ideals and history.

When asked which event best represented American democracy at its highest ideals, respondents most frequently selected the Civil Rights Movement and World War II. Abraham Lincoln was named both the historical figure who best exemplified democratic ideals and the greatest president in U.S. history.

The survey also revealed broad bipartisan resonance for many historic presidential messages when respondents were not told who made the statements. More than three-quarters agreed with quotations from George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, while large majorities also agreed with statements from John F. Kennedy and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Looking toward the nation���s semiquincentennial celebrations, Americans expressed greater interest in reflection than pageantry. Nearly seven in 10 (68%) said America250 should focus more on reflecting on U.S. history and values than simply celebrating national achievements, and 71% said smaller local events would feel more authentic than large national celebrations.

The survey found Americans entering the anniversary with mixed emotions. The most common feeling was pride, cited by 38%, followed by gratitude at 17%. But 21% said they have no strong feelings, 12% described themselves as conflicted, while others reported disappointment or frustration.

The margin of error for the 消消犯 Poll survey is +/- 3.95%.

Poll Methodology

Access the poll topline and methodology at:��www.elon.edu/elonpoll. The survey was developed by the 消消犯 Poll and fielded by the international marketing and polling firm YouGov as an online, web-based survey, self-administered with online panels. Between April 30 and March 4, 2026, YouGov interviewed 1,077 U.S. adults aged 18 and older. These respondents were then matched down to a sample of 1,000 to produce the final dataset.

The matched cases were weighted to the sampling frame using propensity scores based on age, gender, race/ethnicity, years of education, and home ownership. The margin of error for this poll (adjusted for weights) is +/-3.95%.

About the 消消犯 Poll

Established in 2000, the 消消犯 Poll conducts national and North Carolina surveys on issues of importance to voters and residents. Information from these polls is shared with media, citizens and public officials to facilitate informed public policy making through the better understanding of citizens��� opinions and attitudes. The poll is fully funded by 消消犯 and operates as the neutral, non-biased information resource.

The 消消犯 Poll is a charter member of in 2014 to educate polling firms on ways to better share how they collect and interpret their information. The Elon Poll���s voluntary participation in this initiative signifies a willingness to clearly state in its reports how questions were asked, in what order, who funded the poll and then conducted it, and a definition of the population under study, among other details.

Elon has been repeatedly recognized for the number of its alumni who participate in the Fulbright Program as teachers, graduate students, and researchers and has been named a top-producer of Fulbright students in six separate years. 消消犯 and alumni interested in the Fulbright Program or other nationally competitive fellowships are invited to contact the National and International Fellowships Office. The deadline to notify the office of your intent to apply for Fulbright in this upcoming cycle is June 1, 2026. Rising seniors are required to work with the National and International Fellowships Office to apply for Fulbright, and alumni are highly encouraged to do so.

Those who received awards this year are:

Azul Bellot ���26

Azul Bellot, a double major in psychology and sociolinguistics with a minor in TESOL, has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in Spain. She is The Elon Commitment scholar in the Odyssey Program and a student scholar with The Center for Engaged Learning.

Bellot has been preparing for an experience like Fulbright long before she arrived at Elon. Reflecting on her early years, she says, ���Growing up as the daughter of Mexican immigrants, I was my family���s translator from a young age. I navigated formal systems, adult conversations, and bureaucratic spaces in both English and Spanish long before I had the language to describe what that experience was doing to me. It gave me a deep understanding of what it means for language to be a gateway, and what it costs when that gateway is closed.���

These formative years laid the groundwork for her time at Elon, where she developed her own independent sociolinguistics major, volunteered as an English tutor for children and adults, and conducted research on meaningful mentoring relationships. To Bellot, a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Spain is ���the most honest intersection of everything [she���s] been working towards:��language, identity, education, and community.���

After Fulbright, Bellot plans to pursue more international fellowships before returning to academia to earn her PhD in Applied Linguistics. Her Elon mentors include Archie Crowley, assistant professor of English; Nina Namaste, professor of Spanish; and Sylvia Mu単oz, assistant dean of students and director for the Center for Race, Ethnicity and Diversity Education.

Anya Brati�� ���26

Anya Brati��, a double major in international & global Studies and public policy with a minor in public health, has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in Vietnam. She is an Elon College Fellow, a Periclean Scholar, and the Student Government Association Student Body President.

To Brati��, Fulbright represents the intersection of her two greatest passions: global engagement and 消消犯. She found ways to blend these passions during her time at Elon. As a Periclean Scholar, she had the opportunity to study abroad in India to understand what mutually beneficial relationships look like in practice, not just in theory. As a student consultant with the Center for Design Thinking, she developed a love for 消消犯 and facilitation, specifically the challenge of guiding others through the structured process of finding meaningful solutions to ���wicked��� problems. Serving as an English 消消犯 assistant will allow her to refine her intercultural and 消消犯 skills while strengthening diplomatic relations between the United States and Vietnam.

After Fulbright, Brati�� is interested in pursuing a career in diplomacy or global social impact. ���Simply put, I want to work at the intersection of people, policy and purpose,��� she says. Brati�����s constellation of Elon mentors includes Amanda Tapler, associate 消消犯 professor of public health studies; Safia Swimelar, professor of political science and public policy; Sean McMahon, professor of entrepreneurship; and Danielle Lake, director of design thinking and associate professor of human service studies.

Molly Moylan ���26

Biochemistry major Molly Moylan has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in Spain.

At Elon, Moylan took every opportunity to foster and blend her passions for STEM research, 消消犯 and service. As a researcher, Moylan worked with chemistry professor Dan Wright to study trace metals within medicinal herbs and spices. She refined her 消消犯 skills by serving with America Reads, the Village Project, the CityGate Dream Center, and more. Most notably, Moylan found a way to combine her passions by co-founding Imagine Science, a program designed to address declining student engagement in science education by bringing hands-on experiments and activities to local after-school programs.

In Spain, Moylan will serve as an English Teaching Assistant in Galicia, a region that is especially interested in promoting students��� scientific thinking skills. This Fulbright year will serve as crucial preparation for Moylan as she applies to medical school. The language and cultural skills she will gain in Spain will allow her to better serve Spanish-speaking patients in the future.

Moylan���s most influential Elon mentor has been Assistant Professor of Chemistry Dan Wright. ���Dr. Dan Wright has been instrumental in my success at Elon,��� she said. ���Through his continued support, my confidence in both my personal and professional capacities has grown immensely, and I am extremely grateful to have had him as a mentor.���

Madison Powers ���25

Madison Powers, who graduated in 2025 with a degree in journalism and a minor in Spanish, has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in Spain. At Elon, Powers was a communications fellow and a 2023 Pulitzer reporting fellow. Since graduating, she has served as an editorial intern at Garden & Gun Magazine in Charleston, South Carolina.

Powers has long had her sights set on a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Spain. During her 消消犯 years, she spent a semester in Sevilla and fostered her dual passions for cross-cultural exchange and global education. Eager to return, she applied for Fulbright in last year���s application cycle and was named a semifinalist. She remained so committed to the value of a Fulbright experience that she chose to reapply this year, and her hard work and persistence paid off.

Powers will serve as an English 消消犯 assistant in Madrid. She is excited to live and work in a large, diverse city while improving her Spanish language skills and forming connections with her community. Serving in Madrid will also allow her to work closely with students on Global Classrooms/Model UN projects, which are important to the development of their critical thinking and cross-cultural skills.

This Fulbright year will serve as a bridge between Powers��� current and future journalistic work. Upon returning to the U.S, she plans to work as a journalist reporting on and working in Spanish-speaking communities. Her Elon mentors include Kelly Furnas, associate 消消犯 professor of journalism; Jan Register, administrative assistant for the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life; and Pablo Celis-Castillo, associate professor of Spanish.

Aryanna Vindas ���25

Aryanna Vindas, a graduate of the class of 2025, has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in South Korea. She graduated with a BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography and a minor in Asian studies.

Serving as an English 消消犯 assistant in South Korea is a natural extension of the work Vindas began at Elon. She completed a two-year 消消犯 research project about Korean Buddhist mindfulness, studied abroad for a semester in South Korea, and undertook a rigorous course of Korean language study. Simultaneously, she developed her 消消犯 skills by serving as a volunteer English teacher, tutoring Spanish, and leading and assisting dance classes.

Because her grant does not begin until January 2027, Vindas has chosen to go above and beyond to prepare. She will spend this summer in South Korea completing intensive language study at Yonsei University in Seoul, which will help her integrate more successfully into her future host community and build more meaningful relationships with her students.

After Fulbright, Vindas plans to enroll in graduate school to continue the research on Buddhist mindfulness she began at Elon. Vindas��� Elon mentors include Renay Aumiller, associate professor of dance; the ���wonderful��� dance staff; and Pamela Winfield, professor of religious studies and associate director of international & global studies.

In addition to these students, one senior has been named an alternate. Alternates are still in the competition and have the chance to be promoted to finalists (recipients of the grant) up until the official start of the grant period. We will update this story as we continue to hear news of their progress.

Rebecca Lovasco ���26

Rebecca Lovasco, a psychology major with minors in women���s, gender, and sexuality studies and neuroscience, has been selected as an alternate for a Fulbright study/research grant in Taiwan to earn a master���s degree in Mind, Brain, and Consciousness at Taipei Medical University.

Lovasco is an Elon College Fellow who went on to win the Lumen Prize. Her research, which integrates cognitive neuroscience, clinical psychology, and philosophy of mind, explores how anxiety and depression affect reinforcement learning and conscious visual perception. Outside of her research, Lovasco is proud to have served as a law enforcement crisis counselor with the 消消犯 Alamance program.

Lovasco���s Elon mentors include Kristina Krasich, assistant professor of psychology; William Schreiber, associate professor of psychology; Kim Epting, professor of psychology; Alexa Darby, professor of psychology; and Jill McSweeney,��assistant director of the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning��and assistant professor of wellness.

���Part of the reason I picked Elon is that I had spent my whole life in Massachusetts,��� Honan said. “I was really excited to go somewhere new, meet new people, build new bridges, and most importantly, I was excited to be a part of the Elon community.���

Working alongside his Elon College Fellow mentor, Laura Roselle, former professor of political science and policy studies, Honan completed his application for the Lumen Prize. His focus was to combine his passion for writing and knowledge of political science to explore how presidents use storytelling to shape policy outcomes.

���I remember sitting in her office, and we were talking through my project. I was there for an hour and a half, and at some point, I stopped and said to her, ���This is really fun, I really like this.������ Honan said. ���For me, that was the moment that it clicked that I wanted to work in politics. I really enjoy thinking, writing and reading about politics. It certainly was the moment that sparked my intellectual curiosity in politics as a career.���

Both a Lumen Scholar and an Elon College Fellow scholarship recipient, Honan built a successful start in his career at Elon. He studied abroad in London for Winter Term and did a semester at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. He held leadership positions in Elon���s Model UN team and was also the president of the former politics forum club.

Most notably, he was an intern in the Office of the President for former President Leo Lambert. As an executive intern in the president���s office, he worked closely with Lambert and Jeff Stein, who, at the time, was chief of staff to the president.

���They had me working on communications. This was one of the first jobs I had where I was doing communications for a senior leader. In many ways, now, looking back, that was one of those moments where I was doing the career path that I wanted,��� Honan said.

This experience led him to advance his career and intern for David Gergen, who was a professor at Harvard Kennedy School and a CNN Senior Political Analyst.

���Most importantly, David Gergen was from North Carolina and was a huge Elon fan. He was also the chair of the board for Elon Law. I had met him through a few different Elon and Massachusetts connections. I ended up interning for him for two summers, and when I graduated, he hired me full-time, where I worked for him for three years,��� explained Honan.

Honan worked alongside Gergen full-time during the 2016 election cycle. His work included booking Gergen’s television hits, writing talking points, doing research and writing memos for Gergen.

“Working with him and being around him made me realize, not only did I like this work broadly as a career, but I wanted to be someone who was actually in these jobs that he had done,” Honan said. “I wanted to serve in government, I wanted to work on campaigns, and work for people that I cared about and believed in.���

Honan finished his two-year master’s in public policy program at Harvard Kennedy School, graduating in 2020, during the first two months of COVID-19.

���When I graduated, I told everyone I knew who was working on the campaign for then-Vice President Joe Biden, that I wanted to help and was willing to do anything and go anywhere,��� he said.

This drive to work for what he believes in led him to work on the Democratic Convention in Wilmington, Delaware.

���I was on the team that worked to help run COVID-19 testing centers, which at the time was a completely new thing. It allowed me to help with the convention, meet incredible people, and help build the momentum towards Joe Biden���s ultimately successful election in November 2020,” he said.

Honan then moved to Washington and spent two years as the Communications Director for a nonprofit called ���With Honor���, which works to advance veterans’ affairs issues in Congress.

It was around the time of the midterm elections in 2022 when he suddenly got a call to come into the White House and continue his work on COVID-19 operations. This was a perfect way for Honan to get his foot in the door and start working toward his dream position in the White House.

His hard work in COVID-19 operations eventually earned him a spot on the White House���s communications team, which Honan stated was ���what I had always dreamed of and doing what I wanted to do when I attended Elon.���

During the last year of the administration, Honan was the chief of staff to the White House communications director, the director of message planning and special assistant to the president.

���In those roles, I got to work with an incredible team of people who were supporting the president���s communications, and I had the job of a lifetime. If you had asked me what I wanted to do at Elon, it would have been that job,��� he expressed.

When reflecting on what choices he made at Elon that helped him get where he is today, Honan said, ���At Elon, I was surrounded by professors, staff and classmates who challenged me and made me smarter. They had my back and helped me figure out how to pursue the career and the life that I wanted. I just think back, and I���m so grateful for people like Laura Roselle and Heidi Frontani.���

After his successes at the White House, Honan returned home to Boston to fill the role of deputy chief of communications for the City of Boston.

���Everyone said to me, Mayor Michelle Wu is an incredible person to work for, and working for a mayor in a place that you love is one of the most rewarding jobs you could have in politics. Both of those things are 100% true,” he said. ���It is so special to live in the city of Boston and get to work on the issues that the people on my street, the people in my neighborhood and the people I take the train with every day really care about, and it impacts their lives. One of the coolest things about local government is that you���re working on problems that can immediately change people���s lives.���

This tangible and fulfilling work Honan is doing for his city has led him to extend a helping hand to others interested in politics as a career.

���I have incredible mentors who helped me get here. I am trying to spend as much time as I can mentoring other people. Politics is a tough business to get into, and you can���t just apply on LinkedIn, so I���ve helped people figure out how to get in the door because that’s what many good people did for me,��� he said. “I would not have any of the career success I’ve had without the people at Elon. To me, it feels like it’s my duty to pay it forward and continue that legacy.”

That sense of duty keeps Elon close to his heart no matter where his career takes him. Every Elon student he mentors, every alum he runs into in the professional world, pulls him right back.

“I’m immediately brought back, and I remember why it was so special and why the people who went there are so special,” said Honan.

The excitement, the community, the sense of purpose he first felt walking through the bricks and under the oaks, never went away. It grew into something bigger, something he now carries with him everywhere he goes, and something he’s committed to passing on.

Elon was selected to host the journal for its faculty���s established commitment to 消消犯 research and 消消犯, the breadth of expertise among faculty in the Department of Political Science and Public Policy, and faculty members��� standing within their areas of study. Each semester about 20 Elon students reviewed (and re-reviewed) more than 100 of submissions, judging each for methodology, thoroughness and originality of approach. At the conclusion of their term, ���the journal class��� students have evaluated 1,099 manuscripts and published 12 issues.

���Hosting the journal over the past six years has provided an exceptional engaged learning opportunity for our students,��� said Eaves, associate professor of political science and public policy and chair of the department. ���It reflects our department���s deep commitment to creating innovative and meaningful ways for students to engage in the discipline. I am especially grateful for the many outstanding students whose hard work and dedication have helped produce a truly exceptional publication, as well as for the faculty leadership that has sustained the journal���s success.���

Elon 消消犯s have reviewed hundreds of research manuscripts by their peers around the country and some from international institutions, scouring them for the best and most promising angles of political science research.

Baris Kesgin, associate professor of political science and public policy, led the effort to secure the journal for Elon students. During the journal���s first term, three department faculty Laura Roselle, faculty emeritus, Aaron Sparks, and Kesgin served as rotating advisors to the journal. In the second term, Kesgin was the sole faculty advisor.

���The journal offered a tremendous opportunity to grow for our students and an incomparable experience beyond academics,��� Kesgin said. ���Furthermore, ���the journal class��� has become a community. The journal elevated our department���s status in the discipline as well.���

Political science majors reflected on their time working on the journal.

• ���My time at the journal both reviewing, and graduating to senior editorial positions, has been incredibly fulfilling. Being a serious contributor to the publishing of 消消犯 research has taught me so much about leadership, management, and academia that I am sure to carry forward.” – Lana Jacobs ���26, the journal���s content editor in Spring 2026
• ���Serving as Junior Editor for the Pi Sigma Alpha Undergraduate Journal of Politics has given me so much insight into the manuscript publication process.�� My own research skills improved so much throughout my work on the editorial board.��� – Mira Fitch ���26
• ���Being on the editorial team helped me develop many more skills than I was expecting to. It was enjoyable to constantly learn more about some areas of politics for each review, and to have engaging discussions. The journal was a big part of my Elon experience, and it was a pleasure to be on a team of hard-working individuals.��� – Isa Van Schijndel Hemerik ���26
• ���The Pi Sigma Alpha journal has had a significant impact during my time at 消消犯. As a member of the PSA journal since Spring 2024, Junior editor Fall 2024 and Spring 2025, Lead editor Fall 2025, and currently one of the last senior editors, I���ve been able to witness and contribute to the growth of this journal. I am proud of all we have accomplished and will miss it dearly!��� – Mackenzie Perry ���26

Dr. Terri Towner, the president of Pi Sigma Alpha and a previous faculty editor of the journal, congratulated the department and its students in a letter and celebrated them for ���taking on an important national leadership role in supporting 消消犯 research.���

���Elon students and faculty built a strong, student-centered editorial process that gave 消消犯s meaningful experience in peer review, editing, and publication,��� Towner said. ���The Sigma Upsilon Chapter���s work has made a lasting contribution to Pi Sigma Alpha by expanding opportunities for 消消犯 research and publication. Most importantly, the journal runs because of the student editorial team. They reviewed hundreds of manuscripts, made hard calls, and upheld the journal���s standards. This work belongs to them.���

Founded in 1920, Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society, is one of the country���s oldest and largest academic honor societies. Membership is open to third and fourth-year 消消犯s who have excelled in their studies as well as graduate students and faculty in political science and related fields such as public policy. The society recognizes and promotes high academic achievement in political science and maintains over 800 chapters. Pi Sigma Alpha inducts more than 8,000 members a year and over its 100-year history has inducted more than 300,000 individuals including one U.S. president, three Supreme Court justices, and dozens of members of Congress. Elon���s chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, Sigma Upsilon, was established in 1992 and has inducted nearly 1,000 members since.

The Pi Sigma Alpha Undergraduate Journal of Politics was founded in the spring of 2001 by the Delta Omega Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha at Purdue University, under the name The American Undergraduate Journal of Politics and Government.�� With the sponsorship of Pi Sigma Alpha, the name of the Journal was changed to The Pi Sigma Alpha Undergraduate Journal of Politics beginning with the Fall 2004 issue. From July 2007 until July 2010 the Journal was based at the Zeta Upsilon Chapter at Union College, and in August 2010 moved to the Eta Rho Chapter at the College of William & Mary. From August 2013 to Spring 2020, the Nu Omega Chapter at Oakland University hosted the Journal. The Sigma Upsilon Chapter at 消消犯 has started its term as the editorial home of the Pi Sigma Alpha Undergraduate Journal of Politics in Fall 2020 and is now concluding its service with the Spring 2026 issue.

Beginning this fall, Queens will align its 消消犯 academic calendar with Elon’s 消消犯 calendar. The most notable change will be the reintroduction of Winter Term at Queens, a short, intensive session in January that allows students to focus on a single course or study abroad experience.

���J-Term gave Queens students something rare ��� three weeks each January alongside our closest friends to discover who we were through service, career exploration, and international travel,��� said Queens alumna Staci McBride ���92. ���We forged lifelong memories while living our motto, ���Not to be served, but to serve.��� I am thrilled that this transformative tradition will now be part of the student experience again, and I can���t wait to see the lasting bonds and impact it will have on their lives.���

A highlight for many students is the intentional opportunity to study abroad in January. Both institutions have thriving study abroad programs, from Elon���s nationally ranked participation rate to .

���J-Term gives students the opportunity to engage deeply in a single course, often in a global context, and to complement their learning in ways that are not possible during a traditional semester,��� said Nick Gozik, dean of global education at Elon. ���Expanding this approach to Queens creates a meaningful opportunity as the two institutions come together.���

For LMA Alexander, executive director of the Pulliam Center for International Education at Queens, this new term brings fresh possibilities for JBIP. ���The John Belk International Program is a cornerstone of the Queens 消消犯 experience,��� she said. ���Queens has a long tradition of dynamic, multi-disciplinary faculty-led programs, and the addition of J-term will create new opportunities for innovative programming in collaboration with our Elon colleagues.���

In another integration move designed to expand opportunity for students, the two institutions have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to formalize a priority-admission pathway for Queens 消消犯s to Elon���s School of Law. Both teams are actively working to share more details with students in the coming weeks.

J-Term gives students the opportunity to engage deeply in a single course, often in a global context, and to complement their learning in ways that are not possible during a traditional semester. Expanding this approach to Queens creates a meaningful opportunity as the two institutions come together.

– Nick Gozik, dean of global education at 消消犯

Evidenced through the service and experiential learning emphasized on both campuses, Queens and Elon share a commitment to civic engagement. This core belief will come to life through the Deliberative Citizenship Network (DCN), which recently invited both schools to join its inaugural cohort.

���The DCN highlights some norms or expectations that surround effective dialogues,��� said Naeemah Clark, associate provost for academic inclusive excellence at Elon. ���Active listening, empathic and ethical discourse, and evidence-based argumentation are essential elements that are at the heart of a liberal arts education.”

Margaret Commins, chair of the political science, international studies and sociology department, shared, ���We���re excited about the opportunity to work with a national cohort to learn best practices for integrating deliberation into the curriculum and co-curriculum, and for working with our Elon colleagues to develop creative campus and cross-campus programming in this area.���

The DCN program will bring together two faculty members, one staff member, and 10 students from each participating school. The program will teach best practices and innovative ideas that can be woven into and beyond the classroom. ���消消犯 who can demonstrate these skills will be better learners and leaders in their post-graduation lives,��� Clark added.

The Elon team will be led by Dillan Bono-Lunn, assistant professor of political science and public policy and faculty fellow for civic engagement; Bob Frigo, assistant dean of campus life and director of the Kernodle Center for Civic Life; and Andrew Moffa, assistant director of the Kernodle Center for Civic Life.

The DCN participants won���t be the only ones working together this summer. With an expected June vote on the merger by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, many administrative departments at Queens are preparing to integrate effective July 1, 2026, officially becoming employees of Elon.

The first phase of integration brings new employee benefits ��� along with understandable questions from staff. To help ease the transition, Jeff Stein and Pamela Davies, co-chairs of the integration team, are holding coffee chats ��� open hours where any Queens employee can sign up to learn more about the process and ask their questions. The plan is to extend these coffee chats to Elon employees as well.

���Mergers are hard work,��� Stein said. ���Yet it’s been exciting to see how collaborations across Queens and Elon have already produced new opportunities and pathways for students ��� an early signal of what becomes possible when we work together to build what students need next.���

Maddie Hewgley ���26 is using her 消消犯 research to explore a complex and timely question: Why are states continuing to pass Second Amendment Preservation Act laws even after courts have ruled them unconstitutional?

When Hewgley, a political science and music theatre major, Lumen Scholar and Elon College Fellow, began researching legislation from her home state of Missouri, she did not expect it to open the door to a much broader national conversation about federalism, state power and policy diffusion. She will present her findings during the Spring Undergraduate Research Forum (SURF) on April 28.

Her research project, ���Bullets & Bills,��� explores how and why the Second Amendment Preservation Act continues to be adopted at the state level, despite the federal court deeming it unconstitutional.

The Second Amendment Preservation Act aims to prevent states from enforcing federal gun laws that are not mirrored at the state level.

���These are laws that states are passing that attempt to nullify federal gun laws if there is not a state equivalent,������ Hewgley said. ���What surprised me most is that states continue to pass them even after federal courts ruled they violate the supremacy clause of the United States Constitution. Civilians can even sue law enforcement for enforcing this federal policy.���

Missouri became the first state to pass this law in 2021, sparking similar legislation in 14 additional states. Hewgley���s research focuses on understanding what is driving these laws.

���My main question is not just what these laws are, it���s how and why they are continuing to proliferate despite legal challenges,��� Hewgley said.

For Hewgley, this topic is not just academic, it���s personal.

���I lost loved ones to gun violence when I was younger,��� Hewgley said. ���I felt really helpless. This research feels like a way to take initiative on something that is much larger than myself.���

That experience led her to participate in gun violence activism and motivated her to conduct this research. She emphasizes that her research is not intended to advocate for one side of the debate, but to understand the mechanisms behind these laws.

Her findings show how states have adapted their strategies over time. Missouri���s original law included aggressive enforcement mechanisms and was struck down; states like South Carolina have passed revised versions with softer language or attached them to broader legislation to avoid legal scrutiny.

���States want to send a message or align themselves politically, but they are learning from earlier failures and adjusting their approach,��� Hewgley said.

To analyze this trend, Hewgley has studied the theory of policy diffusion, which examines how and why policies spread between states. Her work explores whether states are motivated by emulation, learning, competition or coercion.

���I think states influence each other,��� Hewgley said. ���Missouri isn���t usually a policy innovator, so the fact that they were the first to pass this and others are following is really interesting.���

Her research also examines external influences, such as advocacy groups and political shifts at the national level, and how they drive some of this legislation.

Hewgley has studied documents, legislation and conducted a content analysis to build her research. One of her surprising findings was that many residents in Missouri were unaware this law existed, despite its significant implications.

���That finding made me question whether these laws are really meant to have an impact or if they are more symbolic,��� Hewgley said.

Ultimately, Hewgley hopes her research encourages people to look beyond this law and consider larger questions about the balance of federalism in the United States.

���This is not just about gun rights; it���s about how states and the federal government interact and how that applies to so many other issues, from abortion to marijuana laws,��� Hewgley said.

Hewgley���s research was mentored by Dillan Bono-Lunn, assistant professor of political science and public policy.

���When I met with Dr. Bono-Lunn, I knew before I left her office that she was who I wanted to be by mentor because I came to her with two research ideas, one that was pretty fleshed out and the other was a headline about Missouri���s Second Amendment Preservation Act, which I was exceptionally interested in pursuing, but I did not have a research question,��� Hewgley said. ���She encouraged me to pursue a research idea that I was excited about, and now three years later I am pursuing that research. She allows me to follow whatever thread I find and has taught me that a good researcher stays curious and flexible at every stage of the process.���

As she prepares to present her research, Hewgley reflected on how far she���s come.

���If you had told me as a first-year student that I���d be researching something this complex, I wouldn���t have believed you,��� said. ���Now, I feel like I can really contribute to the conversation and it���s made me feel like I���ve made an impact.���

���Odyssey��� Book Club

Young���s book club is currently reading Homer���s ���Odyssey���, a well-known ancient Greek epic poem about Odysseus, an Achaean warlord on a long, tumultuous journey to his home in Ithaca after plundering Troy. Over the course of a decade, Odysseus encounters both incredible and dangerous things as his ship loses its way time and time again. Young explains how the epic goes beyond detailing the many obstacles Odysseus and his crew encounter on the trip. The story also delves into the protagonist���s personal journey toward moral and intellectual self-discovery, which connects to how many of the students in Young���s book club are set to graduate from Elon at the end of the semester.

���Odysseus is changed through this journey of discovery,��� Young said. ���That’s the story I hope stays with my students as they set sail on their next adventures.

Young explained that this book club was started because of his students. Toward the end of fall semester, many asked if he���d like to read a book with them during the upcoming spring semester while on 消消犯 sabbatical. Young quickly agreed.

Since many of these students had enjoyed reading Homer’s ���Iliad��� while taking his course, Democracy and Its Critics, ���Odyssey��� seemed like the perfect choice. It also coincided with student interest in Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film adaptation of the epic poem.

In addition to Young, there are nine students in the book club this semester, and the group meets every other week. While most participants are students in Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences, Young noted that the group is not off-limits to students outside of it. He also explained that he doesn���t show up to each meeting with an agenda for students to follow, instead allowing for open discussion on any confusing or interesting segments of the epic.

���I organize our meetings, but I’m not in charge of leading the discussion to some pre-established conclusion,��� Young said. ���My favorite moments are those where others are talking back and forth, voices raised, and I can sort of fade into the background.”

When reflecting on all he���s gained from running this book club, Young described that he���s continuing to learn more about ���Odyssey���, an epic he���s already read several times and knows very well. He appreciates the opportunity to read a book with a group of students outside of a formal classroom setting.

���I’m heartened to simply sit and read together, without the pressures of grades (for students) or grading (for me),��� Young said.

Young also described the sense of community his book club has brought to participants. One student created a group chat, and many members eat dinner together after weekly meetings. Young reflected on a recent dinner and discussion event he hosted at his farm in Chatham County, explaining that he plans to invite students back for a fancy-dress dinner party at the end of the semester to celebrate their achievement.

���When I look back to my own time in college, it was those long conversations about books and ideas, over and after dinner with friends, that I cherish the most,��� Young said.

Looking ahead, Young hopes to continue reading books outside of class time with students, staff, and faculty members. While he can���t confirm anything yet, classic works he���d like his book club to read next include Dante���s ���Inferno��� and Frederick Douglass��� ���Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass���.

���I said earlier that the ���Odyssey��� is a story about a journey of discovery and growth,��� Young said. ���I hope that ten or fifteen years, or forty years, in the future, my students will be well on their own journeys and look back on this semester as a highlight of their time at Elon. I hope they can sense the respect and appreciation I have for each of them, and the joy I take from their love of learning.���

���The Penelopiad��� Book Club

Meinking���s book club is currently reading Margaret Atwood���s ���The Penelopiad���. Meinking explained that during the fall semester, her Classical Mythology course read and discussed Homer���s ���Odyssey���. Because the class was working with Emily Wilson���s translated version of the epic, topics of discussion kept returning to questions of gender, translation and society.

Meinking expressed how focusing on these themes made her think even more deeply about retellings of classical myths. Upon receiving the Read On, Elon invitation to submit toward the end of fall semester, she jumped at the chance to investigate another retelling.

Wilson���s translation of ���Odyssey��� was also Meinking���s inspiration to choose ���The Penelopiad��� for her book club. This text retells the story of Penelope, Odysseus��� wife, and her slave girls, who are atrociously mistreated in ���Odyssey���. Other reasons for her choice were the novel���s accessibility to non-experts and manageability for a semester-long time frame.

Meinking���s book club currently has 17 members, consisting of 15 students, one faculty member, and herself. The group is currently about halfway through the book, and discussions have circulated around Penelope���s character, comparisons to Homer���s ���Odyssey���, the juxtaposition of Homer and Penelope, family structures and dynamics, how to depict the past, what ancient people would say about themselves 2,000 years later, and more.

���Our lively conversations so far have been driven by student observations, comments, and questions,��� Meinking said. ���I���ve been so impressed by how carefully and thoughtfully everyone has engaged with the book!”

Meetings are held once a month, and there will be four total over the course of the semester. Read On, Elon sponsored the book club, and the Classical Studies program will provide refreshments for the last meeting. While the group covers themes in classical mythology, it is open to everyone at Elon. Meinking hopes to host another bookclub during the upcoming fall semester, and encourages anyone who missed this semester to join.

Meinking also reflected on how her book club has fostered community among members, noting how it has helped both faculty and students connect with one another.

���Many of the students were in my fall course and some others are senior majors in Classical Studies,��� Meinking said. ���Whether or not someone is a major or minor, I think this has been a wonderful opportunity for students to get to know other students who share interests and are in different years of study at Elon.���

She describes book club meetings as ���pretty informal���, explaining how her role is more of an organizer and occasional facilitator. She does not control where conversations go, instead allowing everyone to share their perspectives outside of a formal classroom setting.

Meinking hopes that students gain either a better understanding of or new perspective on the ancient and modern worlds.

���The chance to read ���The Penelopiad��� so soon after reading ���Odyssey��� really opens up paths of inquiry and discovery, and the camaraderie of the reading group enhances and sustains that intellectual engagement,��� Meinking said.

When reflecting on all she���s gained from this experience, Meinking described how impressed she was by the students in her book club, who have spent many late Friday afternoons talking enthusiastically about the book and the ancient world. Discussing with these students has inspired her to continue hosting book clubs at least once each academic year. She also noted how her book club has given her ideas for potential courses to offer in future years.

While Meinking���s current book club will end this spring, Elon���s Classical Studies program will provide other opportunities in upcoming semesters. Looking ahead to future book clubs, many novels are strong contenders.

���Where to begin? I���m currently reading ���Wake, Siren: Ovid Resung��� by Nina MacLaughlin, which is amazing,��� Meinking said. ���A lot of students I talk with have read or are interested in reading Madeline Miller���s ���Song of Achilles��� or ���Circe���; there���s ���I, Medusa: A Novel��� by Ayana Gray, Costanza Casati���s ���Clytemnestra��� and ���Babylonia��� ��� we���ll see what students might like to explore.���

The article situates the analysis within a period of heightened instability, following renewed U.S. pressure on Iran and military escalation tied to nuclear concerns and regional conflict.�� Against this backdrop, Kesgin provided expert commentary on the limited and increasingly complex options available to policymakers.

Kesgin emphasized that while diplomatic solutions remain possible, they are becoming more difficult as the conflict intensifies and political stakes rise on both sides. He suggested that each potential ���exit��� ��� whether through negotiations, strategic restraint or continued pressure ��� carries significant risks and trade-offs, particularly given domestic political pressures and the broader geopolitical environment.

���Wars often test internal cohesion,��� said Kesgin. ���If the elites were to fragment, or if persistent popular unrest were to combine with a deterioration of Iran���s military capabilities, the political balance in Tehran could be seriously weakened. But a clear or immediate end is not on the horizon.���

The Mock Trial program is housed in the Department of Political Science and Public Policy as part of the Legal Professions program and is coordinated by Elisha Savchak-Trogdon, associate professor of political science and public policy.

Political science and public policy double major Isabel Schimpff ���29 and public health and public policy double major Lydia Credle ���27 took home outstanding witness awards. Elementary and special education major and Teaching Fellow Natalie Marmelstein ���29 was named the tournament���s top-ranked witness, receiving a perfect score of 20 ranks.

Marmelstein said she felt nervous going into the tournament after spending�� Winter Term away from campus and competing for the first time as an expert witness. She described her surprise at the result, calling herself ���my own toughest critic.���

���When they announced a perfect score, I was genuinely speechless,��� Marmelstein said. ���I had gone into the ceremony just hoping I���d made my coach and team proud; I never anticipated that kind of validation. I���d made a few mistakes and had mentally taken winning off the table. To come away with a perfect score was a surreal reminder to never count yourself out.���

Schimpff also recounted her Regionals experience, highlighting the supportive energy that the Mock Trial team members bring to one another at competitions.

���Being able to walk up onto the stage and represent Elon felt amazing, but what felt even better was that every single member of the team congratulated me in some way after,��� Schimpff said. ���That���s solidified what I had already known, which is that this team is something special.���

Adjunct competitive teams coach Kristen DelForge reflected on the program���s success during this year���s competition season. In addition to three wins at Regionals, several students in the program won awards at invitational tournaments. Public policy and strategic communications double major and Mock Trial president Alexa Jimeno ���27, and political science and strategic communications double major Olivia Villanueva ���28 earned outstanding attorney awards. Political science major Matthew Almonte ���28 earned an outstanding witness award.

At the Davidson College invitational tournament, the entire team was recognized for displaying fair play, civility and justice, an award voted on by peers.

���When I say we are a mock family, we mean it. But not just this team ��� our entire network of Elon Mock alums,��� DelForge said. ���We also say mock love is real love, and we mean that too. The team takes care of one another, inside and outside of the courtroom ��� during and after their mock trial competition years. My students mean the world to me, even after they graduate and I love every bit of being Elon’s mock trial coach.���

消消犯 competes in the American Mock Trial Association, which creates a new case each year for mock trial students. Teams prepare both sides of the case and attend tournaments where they compete againstother universities and colleges. This year���s criminal case, called State v. Charlie Martin, circulates around whether the Defendant, Charlie Martin, intentionally killed a fellow game show competitor.

DelForge describes mock trial as a varsity academic sport because of the significant amount of time and effort students need to put in to maintain their team���s success. The program teaches them how to prepare opening and closing arguments, direct examinations, cross examinations and witness roles. 消消犯 also learn how to communicate arguments grounded in case law and rules of evidence.

���Mock trial not only prepares you for law school, but also reinforces many life skills like working in team and individual settings, honing public speaking skills and learning how to disagree in a respectful manner,��� DelForge said.

Each year, the Mock Trial program competes in invitational tournaments in the fall and the regional tournament in February. 消消犯 who advance from Regionals move on to the Opening Round Championships. While they did not advance this year, DelForge noted that the program did last year and in previous years.

During the panel, moderated by Jason Kirk, professor of political science and policy studies, each professor used their academic research to explain the ���hows, whys and whats��� of the war.

���We are in a very different media and political economy compared to a generation ago,” said Kirk, “and that will be the deciding factor of how we view and remember this conflict.”

Baris Kesgin, associate professor of political science and public policy, explained the Iranian political system in which religious authority and democratic practices play a part in governing society. Using graphs that outlined the political hierarchy, Kesgin emphasized the seriousness of the death of Iran���s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and how Iran selected their new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.

���Iran is not completely a theocracy and not essentially a democracy,��� Kesgin said.

Thomas Kerr, assistant 消消犯 professor of political science and public policy, discussed the U.S. military, noting that, although the United States has the largest military in the world, it does not have unlimited resources. Regardless, Kerr explained, even with fewer available resources to defend other bases, the United States has proven in previous conflicts to beat Chinese war technology that is being used by Iran currently.

���The more we [the United States] dedicate our resources in Iran, means that less resources that we can guarantee towards our other bases in, for example, Ukraine and Taiwan,��� Kerr said.

Chelsea Bediako, a political science & international and global studies major,�� attended the panel to learn more about the conflict outside of what she was seeing in the news media.

���I am the type of person who information comforts me, for example, having a grasp on what���s going on and having less uncertainty makes me more comfortable, so I wanted to separate fact from speculation,��� Bediako said.

Geoffrey Claussen, professor of religious studies and the Lori and Eric Sklut professor in Jewish studies, spoke to the religious context of the war. He explained that although it is difficult to justify any war due to the human consequences, some ethicists use the criteria of the Just War Theory. This theory argues that for a war to be considered ���just,��� it must be a last resort (following unsuccessful non-violent solutions), have a ���just��� cause, must be produced from a valid authority, have a probable success, use only necessary force and must be fought fairly with minimal harm to non-combatants.

Claussen explained that the vast majority of the Israeli community supports this war, as they see Iran as an existential threat. In the U.S., Professor of Political Science and Public Policy Jason Husser noted that the American people are opposed, with recent polling showing 56% being against the war. Husser explained that these numbers can and will fluctuate as the conflict progresses, with the majority of Americans in the polls being against boots on the ground.

Ariela Marcus-Sells, associate professor of religious studies, covered the political and religious motives behind this conflict, including the unique societal view that Islam and, therefore, Iran is a threat to Western society. Marcus-Sells argued this is not a new concept, describing how in the 18th century, the idea of orientalism came from Western leaders of Europe seeing themselves as descendants of ���greater society,��� in comparison to the East, including people who followed Islam. This belief only grew over the years with the creation of America, the misconception of terrorists being associated with Muslims and media coverage of Islamic religious conservatism as ���something strange and oppressive.���

消消犯 were also able to ask questions of the panel. Mariama Jalloh, a public health major, came to the panel to listen to Elon���s faculty members��� opinions about the conflict and hear an academic perspective that was new to her

���I really appreciated Dr. Marcus-Sells and Dr. Kesgin explaining the landscape of the situation, both religiously and politically,��� Jalloh said. ���This panel gave students a platform to ask deeper questions that you wouldn���t hear on social media or the internet.���