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.”

�þ��� 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. �þ��� 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. �þ��� 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 �þ��� 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.”

�þ��� 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.”

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

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

�þ��� Professor of Political Science and Public Policy Jason Husser provided analysis in a recent WXII-12 news report examining the close Republican primary race for North Carolina Senate District 26, where just two votes separated the candidates following Election Day.

The article explains that Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page held a two-vote lead over longtime Senate leader Phil Berger after more than 2,600 ballots were counted, with dozens of provisional ballots still left to review in Rockingham and Guilford counties.

Husser told WXII-12 that the race represents an unusually competitive contest that will likely become a �þ��� example for years to come. He also outlined the complex process required before a winner can be officially declared.

“They’re doing a number of audits behind the scenes. They are making sure that indicators match up, that they didn’t miss certain ballots, or there wasn’t any type of tampering,” said Husser. “The canvass is that process of making sure everything is counted very accurately, very deliberately. It goes beyond the unofficial results and converts those unofficial results to official results in an election this close, though, the canvass might not be the last word.”

Read and watch the .

�þ��� Professor of Political Science and Public Policy Jason Husser was quoted in The Assembly examining the razor-thin Republican primary between North Carolina Senate leader Phil Berger and Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page. The story, explores how turnout patterns and political geography helped shape one of the most dramatic primary contests in recent state history.

With unofficial results showing the race separated by only a handful of votes, the article notes that the portion of Senate District 26 located in Guilford County played a pivotal role. Berger performed strongly there, while Page dominated in Rockingham County, making turnout differences between the counties a key factor in the close outcome.

Husser offered insight into why Berger may have seen stronger support in the Guilford section of the district. He pointed to demographic shifts and migration patterns in the region.

“One reason Berger might have done better in Guilford is there is more population mobility there,” Husser told The Assembly, noting that Republicans moving to fast-growing areas near Gibsonville along the I-40/I-85 corridor may not have long-term ties to the region.

Husser also noted that voters may see Berger as the Republican endorsed by President Donald Trump and as a major architect of policy victories of the state’s Republican majority.

“People who haven’t been attached to town politics for 30 years would likely say, ‘Let’s go with the establishment guy,’” Husser said.

Since his 2023 arrival at Elon, Kelly has hosted a ‘listening tour’ and spent time with each department to hear directly from faculty and staff about what they value. Kelly said that common themes soon emerged from those conversations and the new statement reflects dozens of discussions.

Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences new vision statement reads: “The Heart of an Elon Education: Ignite Curiosity, Engage Challenges, Transform Worlds.”

The mission statement then declares:

“Upholding the centrality of the liberal arts, we explore and apply disciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge for inquiry, creativity, discovery and problem solving in a complex and changing world.”

The statement lists core values that include accessibility, belonging, critical thinking, diversity, equity and inclusion, integrity, intellectual curiosity, problem-posing and respect for human dignity.

Community Reflections

• “There were several opportunities for different groups, departments, branches, interdisciplinary programs, to discuss versions on the table. It was in those conversations where we might learn how a word or phrase was heard within and across disciplines; where we found convergence, deeper awareness, and respect. The both-and of this process modeled what we value and genuinely captures our shared identity as Elon College.” – Caroline Ketcham, associate dean of Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences and a professor of exercise science
• “It was always important to us that this wasn’t a process where faculty were just asked to weigh in at the end, after the real decisions had already been made. From start to finish, it was grounded in listening to what faculty across the college say we do well and what values they believe guide our shared work. Our task wasn’t to invent a mission, vision and values, but to clearly articulate what faculty are already living and leading with. I think that’s why faculty can so readily see themselves and their departments represented in the final statements.” – David Buck, associate dean of Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences and an associate professor of psychology
• “Having shared goals and articulated values helps everyone in the college feel connected as a community, value each other’s work and prioritize our energies on initiatives that matter to us.” – Shannon Duvall, interim associate dean of Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences and professor of computer science
• “I appreciated the collaborative nature of it all, not just between the dean’s office and department chairs, but also extending to faculty members across Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences. It really did involve all of us. What particularly stood out to me were the conversations in our chairs’ meetings with the dean where we came to agreements on core values. It’s inspiring to see that distinctly different types of disciplines uphold the same core values.” – Joel Karty, chair of the Department of Chemistry and �þ���’s Sydney F. & Kathleen E. Jackson Professor of chemistry
• “I appreciated being part of a process that felt genuinely collaborative. Our participation was not merely symbolic. It felt meaningful, and I experienced the dean’s office as truly listening. The process itself was also inspirational, and I feel bolstered in leading my own department through similar work. It was powerful to see such a broad, collective effort take shape into something tangible.” – Samantha DiRosa, chair of the Department of Art and a professor of art and environmental studies
• “The process of creating a new vision statement, mission statement and core values for Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences was both thoughtful and deeply collaborative. Over many months, department chairs worked together to reflect on what makes us distinctive and how best to express those qualities in guiding statements. The process intentionally sought input from across departments, ensuring that everyone in the college had the opportunity to contribute their perspectives. Personally, the time spent reflecting with fellow chairs on what makes each of our departments special fostered a deeper sense of shared purpose and collective commitment.” – Carrie Eaves, chair of the Department of Political Science and Public Policy and associate professor of political science and public policy

Kelly said he was pleased the final language resonated with the faculty in the college.

“The true measure of a successful attempt to lead a group or an organization towards a renewed vision, mission and core values is whether the words and sentiments ‘sound like us’,” he said. “When I heard that some faculty believed my presentation of our vision, mission and core values at our spring faculty meeting ‘sound like us,’ I knew that our work together in small and large group settings was a huge success. It means that stakeholders were heard and that the words resonate so much so that the tune or melody is familiar. The vision, mission and core values reflect truly who we are and where we are going with much intention.”

Mitchener’s connection to Elon began through an unexpected source: her mother’s nursing practice. Her mother was treating a patient who was attending Elon, which gave Mitchener access to explore the campus.

She recalls the day she visited for the first time: “While my mom was seeing her patient, she left me downtown. I went to Oak House and walked around the campus. And after the tour, I fell in love with Elon. I knew that this was my campus, and this was my home,” she said.

After this newfound love, Mitchener explored ways to begin her Elon journey through financial aid programs. She discovered and applied to both the Odyssey Program and Public Health Scholars.

She remembers the night her academic potential was recognized; it was the night of her final senior year dance concert. As the show wrapped up, she received a call from Elon’s Odyssey Program delivering good news of her acceptance into the program through the Kerrii Brown Anderson Odyssey Scholarship.

Now a senior double major in public health and policy studies, Mitchener is actively involved in creating solutions for the community’s public health problems.

“Growing up, I always thought the way to help others was just being a doctor,” she said. “I really love how public health is grounded in not only finding the root issue, but understanding the community that you’re working with.”

While Mitchener was in a public health course that was required for the Public Health Scholars Program, she recalls her professor, Associate Professor of Public Health Studies Stephanie Baker, stating: “If you’re going to be a healthcare professional and be upset at the systems that don’t allow you to help your patients to the full extent that you want to, being a healthcare professional might not be for you.”

“That stuck with me, because I think of insurance and how much medicines can cost, making it very difficult for people to access healthcare. I want to be a piece of the healthcare solution,” said Mitchener.

Now, Mitchener and her course group are currently working to revise the Public Art & Honorary Policy for the city of Burlington. This includes making an application form for any community member who wants to donate a piece of art or get a memorial plaque. Additionally, she created a resource for community members to connect with local and statewide art collectives.

“We share all of our deliverables with the city in hopes that they will implement the policy. They can make any edits they see fit, and it was a collaborative process where we were constantly in contact with the city,” said Mitchener.

Also involved with Periclean Scholars, Mitchener was able to mentor the sophomore class and go to their global partner in Sri Lanka.

“The Periclean cohort has honestly just been such a light in my Elon experience and not only given me community but also purpose,” she said.

Her initiative for change doesn’t stop there; Micthener is also a HealthEU Senator with Elon Student Government Association.

“A big piece of Student Government is writing legislation and advocating for the student body and what they need,” she said.

Through the SGA, she has already taken noticeable action to improve the Elon community through HealthEU policy. She identified a lack of seating accessibility at the bus stop near the Dalton L. McMichael Sr. Science Center. Now, there is now a covered seating area that sits beautifully outside the McMichael Science Center.

Mitchener also took the initiative to further amplify student voices at a dinner with Elon President Connie Ledoux Book. Through her connection to the community and the students in it, she identified a common problem among Elon students having access to transportation to the airport during breaks. After she represented and stood up for community needs, changes were made. �þ��� now have wider access to airport transportation through Elon-provided shuttles.

“It taught me how important having connections is,” she said. “If I didn’t have a connection with those students, if I didn’t take my time to ask and understand their needs and why they have them, the problem wouldn’t have been addressed or been on the radar.”

Remembering the help she received along the way, Mitchener states her Odyssey scholarship acted as a “launching pad” for her success in her public health and policy studies.

“The Odyssey Program doesn’t just keep you stagnant,” she said. “It empowers you to branch out and pursue whatever you want on campus. It’s allowed me to fully embrace the college experience.”

Mitchener describes a recent “melt your heart moment” she experienced with another student. While leading a tour of Elon to prospective students, one girl spoke up and said, “I love this school. I want to go here so badly. But I don’t know if I can afford it.” It was then that she offered to share the Odyssey and scholarship resources with the prospective student to help her achieve her dream Elon experience. Just a year later, the prospective student had committed to Elon on an Odyssey scholarship and is now Mitchener’s mentee.

“Donors get to empower a student,” said Mitchener. “I don’t think about it like you just give a student money and walk away. Instead, you’re empowering them and giving them the tools to pursue whatever it is that they want.”

Husser said the governor’s visit is an important moment to make sure that a campaign message on healthcare and affordability resonates with voters, especially for a high-profile race being watched across the nation.

“We’re seeing people nervous about changes to health care system, with the big, beautiful bill,” Husser said. “We’re seeing a potential referendum on the Trump administration’s last year and a half of changes that come down to health care.”

He said that the timing and focus of Cooper’s campaign visit to Greensboro is strategic.

“The campaign is betting on that Democrats are going to do better if voters are thinking about health care when they are thinking about this election,” he said.

Read and watch Husser’s interview .

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

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

This year’s Fulbright semifinalists are:

Azul Bellot ’26

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

Jo Bogart ’26

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

Anya Bratić ’26

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

Rony Dahdal ’26

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

Jubitza Figueroa ’21

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

Alex Fleischmann ’26

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

Rebecca Lovasco ’26

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

Caroline Mitchell ’26

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

Molly Moylan ’26

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

Madison Powers ’25

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

Aryanna Vindas ’25

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

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

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