During his first week at Elon, Lazoff found a group of hard-working, like-minded individuals within his cohort whom he can count on for anything even now four years later. He describes the Business Fellows program as being surrounded by over 30 of your friends.

The scholarship Lazoff received is the reason he was able to go to Dubai during his sophomore Winter Term and experience a different part of the world with his Business Fellows cohort. While there, he met with faculty and professionals at the World Exposition which broadened his views on international business.

Lazoff also had the opportunity to go to New York City with the program where he was able to give his resume and cover letters out to top banking firms. He states that the Business Fellows were the first people to be sent on a trip like this because they model the academic excellence that žĂžĂČČ strives for. Lazoff highlights that he feels he would not be the same person he is today without these experiences.

Other than being a Business Fellow, Lazoff is the president of the Real Estate Club. Through this, Lazoff participates in various competitions that promote professional development for students who strive to pursue a career in the real estate industry so that they have the necessary skills to find employment in the field.

Furthermore, Lazoff would have never thought he would be Hillel co-president. When he went to Hillel freshman year, he was overwhelmed by the experience, however, looking back as a senior now he is proud of how he has transformed the organization to what it has become. Hillel is a leading organization on campus that advocates against antisemitism with over 800 students – this would not have been possible without donor funding and support that progresses the organization and its Shabbat services. Lazoff feels that a lot of students don’t recognize how important it is to be educated on different cultures and religions on campus, thus Lazoff has made it his priority to partner with other organizations so they can learn about each other’s values.

Lazoff also had the opportunity to study abroad for a second time his junior Winter Term in Japan. He chose Japan because it was somewhere he had always wanted to go and a culture he had always wanted to learn about as well as experience firsthand. He feels that he would have not gotten such a fulfilling opportunity elsewhere – going to Hiroshima will be something that he will always remember. Reflecting on the trip, Lazoff feels he was truly able to step out of his comfort zone by trying new foods and growing as a person through his newfound appreciation for Japanese culture and religion as well as the challenges he dealt with and overcame involving interpreting a language he is unfamiliar with.

Lazoff encourages the future students of Elon to try their hardest in all their classes even if they have no connection to their major or minor because they can provide a new perspective of what direction you want your future to go in. He thanks donors for allowing him to figure out who he really is. Lazoff hopes to get a job right out of college in commercial real estate. He is doing everything in his power to achieve his goals because they are the reason he has been given the opportunity to explore his interests in greater depth.

The Class of 2023 graduate already thought that studying abroad would be difficult for him to tie into his studies, but he found a winter term trip to Panama that was a perfect fit.

Majoring in biology with a minor in neuroscience, he wanted something that would expand his hands-on research skills. The trip’s purpose was to record data at night, on and around an island in the middle of the Panama Canal, for a Smithsonian study of bats and their positioning on plants while locating insects.

When he arrived on the island — which was smaller than Elon’s campus — his main mode of transportation was by boat. This led to Murphy spending a lot of time on the water and also having the opportunity to record data on coral reefs for a module in the Caribbean Sea. In Panama, nature was his classroom and learning was hands-on, exactly what he was hoping to receive from his time abroad.

“I remember being in a small boat with my program, with the waves ranging from six to eight feet. The boat was jam-packed with all of our snorkeling gear,” Murphy said. “But also with our research equipment consisting of mallets, PVC pipe and waterproof paper, there was this moment where we all started singing sea shanties, including our professor as we rose up and down in the ocean, reassuring us that everything would be fine once we got to our destination.”

Murphy described getting into the ocean as an “out-of-body experience.” He said he felt like he was dreaming as the sun beamed down through the bluest parts of the water with fish swimming around him as he wrote his observations on his waterproof paper. Just the thought of having written underwater made him laugh.

When asked about his favorite experience, he said that writing underwater was the most memorable, but that it was impossible to choose a favorite because there were so many experiences packed into such a short period of time.

As the recipient of the Marvin and Eva Burke Clapp Odyssey Scholarship, Murphy’s time at Elon was made possible through the generosity of the Clapp family, who made a generous gift to Elon to endow the scholarship. He says being a part of the Odyssey Scholar program will forever be ingrained into his identity, just like his nickname “Murph.”

When first touring Elon with a friend, he said he wondered why everyone was so happy. He saw people laughing and high-fiving as they walked down North Williamson Avenue. But now, he looks back on that moment and thanks the Odyssey Program for giving him the opportunity to truly understand why Elon is such a special place.

Scholarships and donor generosity gave Murphy the opportunity to attend Elon, but it also allowed him to gain valuable experience, covering the costs of his tuition so that study abroad became a reality.

Following his trip, Murphy returned to Elon ready to explore a new interest that was developed abroad – conservation. He also continues his passion for research at a veterinarian’s office in Greensboro where he uses lab equipment and even conducts surgeries to research heart worms, a chronic problem for domesticated animals. During his time at Elon, Murphy was also able to work as a žĂžĂČČ assistant for biodiversity and aquatic biology. He loves how the newly built Innovation Quad and its state-of-the-art equipment and technology has evolved STEM programs on campus, helping students follow the constant changes of the science world.

Beyond Panama, Murphy’s scholarship funding also took him and his cohort to Boston for a networking event where many of the scholars received job offers. He has found that the close-knit community of the Odyssey Program helped him take advantage of the opportunities given to him. He is so grateful for the donors that made his experience along with so many others possible.

“Donations to Elon help people like me have the opportunity to travel and to meet people through these experiences who are going to be in our lives forever. These are the people who are going to survive through thick and thin with you. I am so grateful, and without the aid I received, it wouldn’t be possible to have the friends I have and to have accomplished all that I have here at Elon,” said Murphy.

Murphy is also grateful to his mentor Associate Professor of Biology Antonio Izzo for believing in him and helping him get his graduation plan back on track following the pandemic so that he would complete all of his requirements on time.

Post-grad, Murphy is taking a gap year to work in the research field before medical school, and he wants to get recertified as an EMT. One piece of advice he’d like to give current Elon students is to take chances.

“This is supposed to be the best four years of your life so don’t mess it up by sitting around and not trying new opportunities while you are here.”

The Inn at Elon opened in January 2020 as part of the Elon LEADS Campaign, thanks to more than 50 families that supported the project through their generous funding. Their generosity, the hard work of the Inn at Elon staff and university constituents, and guests that have stayed at the inn, made the scholarships a reality. The first scholarships from inn’s proceeds went to 92 currently enrolled students, with more to be awarded to members of the Class of 2027, that will matriculate this fall.

In attendance at the events were senior staff members, including President Connie Ledoux Book, as well as Inn at Elon staff members, and the students supported by the grant.

The hope was that staff would see firsthand what “a stay with purpose” truly means to these students, and that following these engagements they would be able to tell these students’ stories to guests of the inn. These events provided a space to celebrate with the students that have already, or will in the future, benefit from the proceeds that result from the staff members’ own work.

After opening remarks by President Book, the guests shared a meal together and sat at designated tables, where there were various prompts to get to know more about each students’ story and their Elon experiences. Conversations filled the room, with discussions of internship opportunities and research projects, study abroad trips, and post-graduation plans. It was clear that every student had a story to tell and achievements that were made possible because of the funding they received through their scholarships.

Some of those students included Jayla Martin-Beasley ’25, a native Greensboro, North Carolina, majoring in strategic communications and anthropology who is planning to study abroad in Argentina next year and is refining her Spanish language skills this summer in preparation for her travels. Or Korryn OShea ’25, who is interested in software development and is participating in two internships this summer in hopes that it will lead to more hands-on experience. Or even Jose Torres-Reyes ’25, a finance major and native of Alamance County who will be going abroad to Spain next spring thanks to his Inn at Elon scholarship.

žĂžĂČČ in attendance included:

• Noah Biggers
• Rafi Dahdal
• Yuzu Do
• Ryan Elad
• India Goode
• Moriah Griffin
• Kiara Hunter
• Kendall Lytle
• Jayla Martin-Beasley
• Daisy Martinez-Jimenez
• Korryn OShea
• Eva Real Roman
• Samuel Remes
• Isaias Reyes-Martinez
• Daija Rion
• Mari’ Robinson
• David Sawyer
• Kadin Simmons
• Ariston Tomes
• Jose Torres-Reyes
• Jennifer Tran
• Briston Whitt

The Inn at Elon staff enjoyed meeting with the students and hearing more about their plans. Kelly Uhl, one member of the housekeeping staff, commented that it was nice to be able to meet the students personally and hear more about how her own work is a part of helping them achieve their goals.

To learn more about the Inn at Elon or how to book your stay with purpose, click .

Many Elon students could easily recognize Carter for his unique pastime, lassoing. or as he calls it, “ropin’.” It wouldn’t be uncommon to see him lassoing a couple of stacked Adirondack chairs in the Historic Neighborhood. Though he recently used the downtown Elon Maker Hub’s resources to assemble a custom rope & steer, so nowadays you’ll see him use that instead of the chairs.

His love for lassoing originates from living in Western North Carolina, where he would ride on horseback rounding up cows for various purposes during the calving season. Anytime he practices, an audience of students, faculty, staff and families on tour watch as he goes about his business. Carter is open to žĂžĂČČ fellow students how to properly use a lasso, as most people have only witnessed lassoing through movies or TV shows.

“Roping is like a hidden gem. The community and the people that like doing it are amazing. It’s such a tight-knit community. Everyone is out there cheering you on,” he said.

Carter’s competitive nature at a young age led him to competitive roping. During that time, he won several belt buckles, which are given as accomplishments in the “cowboy” world, for having the best time. He used the skills learned on the farm to improve his technique, becoming a force to reckon with in the rodeo.

“When you’re in a rodeo setting, you practice and practice all the time, and you’ll be getting better day after day. Doing something new, learning something new and reinforcing those skills that by the time you get into the arena, and you get in that shoot, you need to leave all thought, and it should be just muscle memory.” That competitive nature seems to run in the family as Carter’s cousin competes in bull rides.

“There’s a lot more fame when it comes to that. I mean, I can name bull riders left and right, but when it comes to ropers, it’s a little more difficult,” he said.

Transitioning from high school to college can be personally and academically challenging for most first-year students. But that adjustment has been relatively smooth for Carter. Before his acceptance, he toured several other institutions before being convinced by his step-grandad, an Elon alumnus, to tour the school.

The weather was poor during his tour, but instead of ruining his experience, it provided a different perspective for viewing Elon. He believed if he could fall in love with a school on tour in inclement weather, then it was meant to be. “If I can love this place when it looks like this, imagine what it looks like when it’s bright and sunny, and people are out. That’s what gravitated me to attend Elon.”

Whenever Carter isn’t roping, he enjoys knitting beanies, gloves and scarves. Recently, he completed a full blanket for his dorm room, and whenever a friend needs a warm hat, he’s always ready to knit. Carter’s mother would occasionally knit similar items and one day when he didn’t have much happening, he sat with his mom and began learning.

Throughout the fall 2022 semester, Carter frequently drove to his grandmother’s farm in Yanceyville to visit and help her prepare the farm to sell. He would always look forward to his grandmother’s renowned pork chops. It was a combination of how his grandmother prepped and cooked the meat that made it so special. “She’d throw it on the cast iron and add a lot of seasoning to it,” said Carter, who still drives to his grandmother’s house hoping to get a serving or two. “Every bite was something new and while it was like chewing a ball of rubber, the flavor was what made it worth chewing,” he added.

Whenever he returned to his residence in Smith, Carter said, “They’d see me in my chaps, covered in dirt and mud. I probably didn’t smell too good.” His floormates are continuously captivated by the sight.

žĂžĂČČ football player Jon Seaton ’23 was featured in a recent article from FOX News for using his partnership with Outback Steakhouse to provide aid for women with cancer.

Seaton is a defensive lineman for the Elon football team and a TikTok star with nearly two million followers on the social platform. Through his NIL (name, image and likeness) deal with Outback, Seaton teamed with nonprofit organization Fighting Pretty to support more than 500 women who are battling cancer and honored his mother, Carole Seaton, who is a breast cancer survivor.

Elon students and community members were involved in putting together “Strength and Beauty” kits for women with cancer. The kits included Fighting Pretty pink boxing gloves, lip gloss donated by Thrive Causemetics and an inspirational note from Fighting Pretty’s founder to promote strength and encouragement during the fight against cancer.

Seaton told reporter Angelica Stabile that he feels “lucky” to have a large enough platform to help those with breast cancer, an issue that personally hits home for him.

“It’s really going to be just one of the proudest moments of my life so far,” Seaton said. “It means a lot to me just to be able to give back and to hopefully use my platform to try to make somebody else’s experience going through cancer a little bit easier.”

The full article can be read on .

Rachel Curtis ’24 became a service ambassador at the Kernodle Center for Civic Life through PACE, and has come to an understanding that, “It’s important to give back and develop an understanding of the world around us so that we can all be better.”

As a College Fellow, Curtis conducted research on Afghan refugee resettlement, which has opened her eyes to the lack of resources available to them. She is passionate about increasing the perceived self-sufficiency for refugees, and her human services minor has assisted in that endeavor. Curtis encourages students to engage with the community during their time at Elon, which is exactly what the Kernodle Center promotes through Alternative Breaks.

In the spring of 2022, Curtis led a “Hunger and Homelessness” service experience to Washington D.C. žĂžĂČČ partnered with agencies Martha’s Table and Bread for the City to prepare food for families in need. She states that Alternative Breaks are a great way to dig into social issues, enhance personal growth, work alongside the community and pop the “Elon bubble.” The breaks, which occur during Elon’s fall and spring breaks, provide students an immersive experience and allow them to connect with communities they wouldn’t typically connect with. This year, the Kernodle Center piloted a one-day experience to the International Civil Rights Center and Museum to learn about the role that Greensboro played in the Civil Rights Movement. The group then served at the Morrowtown Community Garden in Burlington.

As a service ambassador, Curtis promotes collegiate involvement in sustainable service, equitable communities and social justice.

“My role as a service ambassador has helped me find my purpose at Elon, and now I know what I’d like to do after graduation.” That purpose is promoting equity and implementing social justice initiatives where she can.

She came to Elon at the height of the pandemic, and the Kernodle Center provided her connection and acceptance. This connection was enhanced by the mentorship of Kernodle Center’s Program Assistant Nicole Bergen, who has empowered her during her time at Elon.

In addition to her involvement as service ambassador, Alternative Break leader, and College Fellow, Curtis is an Alpha Xi Delta sorority member. She encourages Elon students to get involved and apply for future Alternative Breaks. žĂžĂČČ can learn more about participation in or leadership for Alternative Breaks on or by visiting Moseley Center 232.

It was an opportunity as an Elon student that she may missed had it not been for the innovative work from a medical team at the Cleveland Clinic that removed a microscopic lesion from her left frontal lobe. The procedure has essentially cured her of an eight-year battle with epilepsy.

Since her life-changing procedure, her story  and she’s talked about her journey with local media outlets.

“I don’t know if I’m an inspiration, but I feel like I can help other people to know that there is this opportunity for other people who have epilepsy,” Sable said. “Hopefully, they get the same kind of seizure freedom that I now have.”

To combat her epilepsy, the Cleveland Clinic Neurological Institute used the 7 Tesla MRI, one of the strongest machines of its kind, and other standard-level MRIs to pinpoint the location of the lesion. With the lesion being one of the tiniest the Cleveland Clinic had ever seen, they were able to remove it with a robotic laser – versus more traditional and intrusive methods.

“It was kind of a surprise when they found the lesion because I’ve had numerous MRIs and they hadn’t been able to find it,” Sable said, a political science and journalism major.

Sable said the actual procedure took only about two hours, and her recovery took almost no time at all. “I was able to do whatever I wanted after that pretty much,” Sable said.

Since the removal of the lesion 17 months ago, Sable has been seizure-free. And thanks to the doctors who helped her through that time – Dr. Ella Pestana Knight, her neurologist, and Dr. William Bingaman, the neurosurgeon who did the surgery – Sable was to experience some things which had been foreign to her for more than eight years.

“I was able to go to another country … I was able to work at a sleepaway camp, now I’m working on getting my driver’s license,” she said.

With two summer internships already lined up – one with , a fake news filter where Sable will produce breaking news content, and the other with Lionox Master Company, an investment company, where she will write news stories in addition to creating videos and podcasts on different issues – Sable is excited to get a jump start on her career.

“Postgrad, I want to become a political analyst on television. I have always been passionate about politics and I also am a news junkie so being able to talk about it as a job would truly be the perfect blend of my two passions,” the political science and journalism double major said.

As miraculous as her story is, Sable is not resting on the miracle that was granted to her. She is focused on how she can be an advocate for others struggling with epilepsy. In her journey with the neurological disorder, Sable said she had trouble sharing her diagnosis with others. Now, she wants to let as many people as possible know that epilepsy is nothing to be ashamed of and nothing to ostracize anyone for.

In a video segment for WXII’s “12 Inspires” series, multimedia reporter Colette Stein spoke with Katz about her journey living with alopecia and how she looks to empower others who have the disease.

“Quarantine hit, I was in my room all the time. I was constantly surrounded by mirrors. In my room, at my desk, in my bathroom. And in July it got so bad that I just decided to shave it, I did a buzz cut. I felt so empowered by taking that step and taking control of my hair,” Katz said.

Since then she has been sharing her experience on social media, not only for those affected by the disease but for the parents of children with alopecia as well, to show that their children can “thrive” just as she has.

Watch the full segment .

Tillman had been selected to receive the Leon and Lorraine Watson North Carolina Scholarship in Elon’s nationally recognized Odyssey Program, which made her decision even tougher. Odyssey Program scholarships are awarded to high-achieving students with significant financial need.

“We really didn’t know if we were going to be able to get her,” Elliott, now director of the Odyssey Program, recalled. “We wanted her on campus, but we weren’t the only ones who wanted her. She had a lot of other suitors.”

On her visit to Elon, Tillman, of High Point, North Carolina, met with Elliott and then-Odyssey Program Director Esther Freeman. She took a tour of campus with a student in the Odyssey Program and then had lunch with Elliott and Freeman at The Root, a popular eatery adjacent to campus.

“I felt loved,” Tillman said. “That is ultimately why I came to Elon, that and the idea of studying abroad. I knew Elon had a high percentage of students who study abroad, which made it a better choice for me than some of the other schools. And not only is the Odyssey Program offered, but also the community within the program is part of it. žĂžĂČČ are mentored throughout by other scholars with the same background as me. The Odyssey Program showed me I had people I could confide in and trust.”

Elliott was thrilled with her decision.

“We really wanted her here because we felt the campus needed someone like Jewel on it. There were great mutual benefits for both her and the greater Elon community,” Elliott said. “I’m not a fortune teller, but I just knew that if she came to this campus with the qualities we saw on paper, throughout the interview process and when we met her, then she was going to change this campus for the better.”

Over the next four years, Tillman’s work as a scholar, mentor and leader made Elliott’s prediction come true.

A Voice of Reason

A sense of community and the Odyssey Program attracted Tillman to Elon. Community also defined her time on campus as an advocate for students, as a mentor and a powerful voice for social justice, diversity, equity and inclusion, said Randy Williams, vice president and provost for inclusive excellence and associate professor of education.

“I think that Jewel, and that’s a perfect name because she has been a jewel for us, impacted Elon on multiple levels — in her peer group in Odyssey and beyond her Odyssey group and in the Black community. She was a leader among students because she was able to articulate their interests to those who need to hear it, administrators and faculty members,” Williams said. “She was a broker between students and faculty.”

Elliott agreed.

“She has been able to challenge the way we critically think about how we go about each and every day,” Elliott said. “She was a student who respectfully challenged the way we think about the status quo.”

A first-generation college student, Tillman graduated in May with a degree in political science and minors in African & African-American studies and international global studies. Community engagement and service are deeply rooted through family and school experiences.

“I remember as a young child, my family was very involved in our community. They weren’t politicians, but they were well respected because they were always helping people in the community whether it was a clothing drive or prom dress giveaways,” Tillman said. “I remember how they have made such a large impact with the resources that they have. That fed into what I learned throughout middle school and high school.”

In middle school, Tillman’s focus was sharpened by an annual program of racial equity workshops offered by the Piedmont Triad chapter of the National Conference for Community and Justice. Through the workshops, she learned about equity, bias and systemic racism.

“Up to then, I had never heard those words. It was amazing to me,” Tillman said. “Service and equity work have been ingrained in me since childhood.”

Her social justice interests on campus included a role as president of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., a group dedicated to public service primarily in the Black community and developing its members as leaders. She served on the Elon History and Memory committee, which was formed by President Connie Ledoux Book in 2018 to examine Elon’s institutional history in a transparent, participatory and intellectually rigorous manner. Tillman joined panel discussions regarding the racial climate on campus and worked with campus leaders to improve policies and practices.

Williams said Tillman’s maturity, determination and leadership qualities stood out as key strengths in influencing changes on campus.

“She is assertive and clear but not abrasive, increasing listeners’ willingness to engage and consider her points. That makes her stand out quite a bit,” Williams said. “Jewel’s being able to speak with respect but also be clear in her stance made our interactions pleasurable, especially when we talked about serious topics that are important to students.”

Elliott called Tillman unflappable under pressure.

“In every space she occupied, she was the voice of reason,” Elliott said. “She demonstrated her commitment not only to her peers but also the faculty and staff mentors she gained along the way. She influenced them to be more critical in the way we move, think and traverse the campus culture and climate.”

An Emerging Mentor

Odyssey is a cohort-based program that fosters mentoring and success while creating a family atmosphere. While meeting a student’s full financial need, the scholarships also include a stipend for books and supplies, and a one-time $4,000 global study grant to be used for an approved study abroad or Study USA program. The program is based in Elon’s Center for Access and Success.

Tillman’s growth as a leader on campus began with interaction with her Odyssey cohort during Odyssey Week, the period before all students arrive on campus, when first-year Odyssey students come together for several days of activities, workshops and interaction with older Odyssey student mentors. It’s a way of introducing college life to the new students and a glimpse of what they can expect while building friendships and community within the program.

“You come in with a whole bunch of strangers. But by the end of the week, we were sitting in a circle talking about our experiences and our lives.” Tillman said. “I met my best friend in the Odyssey Program, and we haven’t been separated since Odyssey Week. When I think of the Odyssey Program the first thing I think of is family.”

Tillman quickly became a leader within the Odyssey Program and in other areas of campus. As a first-year student she connected with SMART — Student Mentors Advising Rising Talent, a peer-mentoring program offered through Elon’s Center for Race, Ethnicity & Diversity Education. She ultimately became a mentor in the organization, which offers support to students of color.

She’s inspirational. She has qualities that her peers seek to mimic and add into their toolbelt.

— Odyssey Program Director Marcus Elliot
about Jewel Tillman ’21

She also served as a mentor on the College Access Team (CAT), a group of students who guide and tutor students in Elon Academy, a Center for Access and Success program that gives high-achieving local high school students with no prior exposure to higher education access to the university and provides a foundation for them to one day attend a college or university.

“Everything that I’ve aligned myself with has been focused on giving back to my community, especially the CAT mentoring. They are first-generation students or who identify as a minority,” Tillman said. “It makes me happy that they had me as a resource to guide them when it comes to applying for college. They have a leg up in the application process. It’s something I wish I had when I was in high school.”

Elliott called her impact on other Odyssey Program students “amazing.”

“She’s inspirational,” he said. “She has qualities that her peers seek to mimic and add into their toolbelt.”

Building a Future

Tillman planned all along to major in political science at Elon. She enjoys policy studies and learning how government systems work. She plans to attend law school in the future. A minor in international global studies was not in her original plan.

“I chose to fulfill my global studies credit through language. In high school, I took a little Spanish. When I got to Elon I wanted to challenge myself. I thought, ‘What is something I can do here that I have never done?’ So, I decided to study Arabic. That turned out to be the best thing and the most challenging thing I could have done,” Tillman said.

As part of her studies, she began a study abroad in Egypt at the start of 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the world. During her short stay at the American University in Cairo, she was able to learn colloquial Arabic, which was no easy task. She helped celebrate American University’s 100th birthday and took part in a dance presentation. She was summoned home during spring break while camping in the desert.

Even though her study abroad course was cut short, it was a life-changing experience, she said.

“One of my best experiences was traveling to different parts of Egypt and meeting new people. I made a lot of friends and now have a community of people I know there. If I go back, I can even stay in their homes,” she said.

As she did at Elon, Tillman immersed herself in all that was available in Egypt. She joined the university’s Afro-dance group, met people from all walks of life and faced challenges head-on.

“I felt so at home with my dance family I ended up performing at one of the university anniversary celebrations. I was thinking, ‘Who am I, this random American girl, and now I’m on this stage performing for this anniversary.’ That was pretty cool,” Tillman said.

Williams noticed the same thing about Tillman at Elon.

“She didn’t need a role or a committee to be a leader and we benefited from that,” Williams said.

Her impact on campus at Elon did not go unnoticed. Tillman received the Wilhelmina Boyd African and African American Studies at Elon Award, honoring a graduating senior for academic achievement as well as demonstrating a commitment to African & African American Studies through coursework, citizenship/community engagement, scholarship, and student activities/leadership.

Before graduating, she was named Student Organization Officer of the Year by the Student Government Association for her leadership as president of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, which was also honored by SGA as the organization with the highest cumulative GPA on campus in 2020-21.

A Graduate the World Needs

Tillman is spending her first year after graduation as an Elon Year of Service Graduate Fellow. She works with Impact Alamance, a nonprofit foundation devoted to improving the health and well-being of Alamance County residents. Tillman is working on policy initiatives and leading training sessions on racial equity. After that, she plans to attend law school and pursue a career potentially in human rights law or international law, wherever she can make a difference.

Tillman credits the Odyssey Scholarship program for bringing her to Elon, providing a supportive community and offering access to academic, leadership and social opportunities that will help shape her future. Increasing funding for Odyssey Program scholarships and other scholarships is the top priority of the Elon LEADS Campaign, with a mission to produce graduates the world needs. Tillman is a good example of what an Odyssey Scholarship means.

“Being an Odyssey Scholar afforded me so many opportunities for my future. I didn’t have to think about how I could afford college or stress my parents out about affording college. I didn’t have to worry about being in debt. That peace of mind helped my mental health as well,” Tillman said. “Odyssey has equipped us with the tools to succeed in college and succeed after college.”

Williams and Elliott said Tillman will make an impact in her career just as she did at Elon. Williams noted her interest in addressing policy and social justice issues as a possible career path.

“That’s an awesome combination. To bring about real change, we need to get into the policy world and get at those policies that have existed for some time and see where the inequities are and what can be done,” Williams said. “Her interest in those two worlds is a really healthy combination for bringing about the changes we need in social justice work.”

“That’s in her DNA,” Elliott said. “I know her path will put her in a position to be at the table and have conversations with other influencers for affecting change in policy. Wherever she does land that organization or agency is getting a jewel, pun intended.”

About the Elon LEADS Campaign

With a $250 million goal, Elon LEADS is the largest campaign in the university’s history and will support four main funding priorities: scholarships for graduates the world needs, increased access to engaged learning opportunities such as study abroad, research and internships, support for faculty and staff mentors who matter and Elon’s iconic campus. As of June 14, donors have contributed $213 million toward the goal.

Every gift to the university—including annual, endowment, capital, estate and other planned gifts—for any designation counts as a gift to the campaign, which will support students and strengthen Elon for generations to come. To learn more about how you can make an impact, visit

As the Silvernails, of Lake Forest, Illinois, planned how to best support the university, they discussed Elon’s top priorities with campus leadership. Then they presented those priorities to their sons Koster and Spencer and daughter Alyssa.

“We have thought in recent years about how to make an impact. We want the entire family to participate in that,” Andy Silvernail said. “We’ve been blessed, and we want to be invested in programs that touch all our hearts. Odyssey really touched Koster.”

“The second they read off the description of the program and I read more about it, it struck me as the right choice,” said Koster Silvernail, a marketing major in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business, who will begin working as a project analyst for Strategex in Chicago upon graduation.

The family’s generous gift will create the Silvernail Family Odyssey Scholarship. Odyssey Scholarships are awarded based on academic success and high financial need. The Odyssey Program serves students who are frequently the first members of their family to attend college and have achieved academic success while overcoming adversity. They are consistently among Elon’s top-performing students. Odyssey is an extensive, cohort-based program that creates a family atmosphere among students and fosters mentoring, friendships and personal growth.

Each Odyssey Scholarship includes financial assistance that meets a student’s full need. In addition to annual tuition assistance, each scholarship includes a stipend for books and supplies, and a one-time $4,000 global study grant to be used for an approved study abroad or Study USA program. Based in Elon’s Center for Access and Success, the program is recognized as a national model for serving students who are underrepresented on college campuses.

Increasing funding for Odyssey and other scholarships is the top priority of the Elon LEADS Campaign. Elon reached the 200 Odyssey Scholarship mark thanks to gifts and commitments from donors like the Silvernails to the $250 million Elon LEADS Campaign. When fully funded, the Silvernail Scholarship will support two Odyssey students each year.

Shelby Silvernail, who was a first-generation college student, said diversity and inclusion in the Odyssey Program and how it improves the cultural and academic environment at Elon resonated with the family and especially with Koster.

“When I read the Odyssey brief and saw how the students are selected, learned about what’s offered in the program and talked to Odyssey scholars and heard their stories, I saw how driven they are to succeed. I was impressed. They are the kinds of Elon students that when I came here, I wanted to be,” Koster Silvernail said. “Odyssey puts the students at the buffet table that is everything Elon is, and they dig in.”

Jim Piatt, vice president for university advancement, thanked the Silvernail family for making Elon more accessible to a wide range of students through philanthropy.

“The ability to offer more Odyssey Scholarships will change the lives of even more incoming Elon students who go on to positively impact our campus community and the world,” Piatt said. “It’s truly inspiring to know that Koster and the Silvernail family were motivated by the excellence and dedication they see in our Odyssey scholars to make this generous gift.”

Increasing diversity and access

Koster Silvernail said he grew up in a largely homogenous suburban area near Chicago and found some similarities at Elon. He hopes programs like Odyssey can make Elon more diverse while providing greater access for high-achieving students who lack financial resources to attend a private university. It is also important that Odyssey students have the resources to participate in the Elon Experiences programs such as global study and have a built-in support system within the program.

“After his study abroad experiences, (Koster) wanted all students to have access to it,” Shelby Silvernail said. “He wants to attract more people from different backgrounds to the school and for them to have the resources here when they arrive to thrive. The Odyssey Program has a tremendous success rate for its students.”

Elon’s long-term goal is to endow 400 Odyssey scholarships, or 100 per class. The university is halfway to meeting that goal. Reaching that mark would make a big difference for all students at Elon, Koster Silvernail said.

“I think what resonated the most is the students really didn’t see an avenue of following their dreams and aspirations until the Odyssey Scholarship was presented. And then they ran with it. It was their drive and perseverance that impressed me,” Koster said. “I love the idea of having students who not only add to the diversity and great thinkers here, but also the drive. After talking to these students, I felt incredibly inspired. Having more Odyssey Scholars will add to Elon’s culture and make it even more of a great academic institution.”

Andy Silvernail is the chairman and CEO of Madison Industries, one of the world’s largest privately held companies. It is dedicated to fostering businesses related to health and well-being. The Silvernails have previously supported scholarships, including žĂžĂČČ First, an initiative launched during the COVID-19 pandemic to aid students whose families have undergone severe financial hardship as a result of the coronavirus.

The most recent gift was also part of a matching program on Elon Day, which was used to inspire more donations. Tait Arend, ’96, G’00, senior director of development, said Elon is thankful for such strong support from parents.

“The Silvernail family, through this gift will change the trajectory of lives forever,” Arend said. “The impact will be extraordinary, and we are forever grateful for their partnership in opening the doors of Elon to students that will change their world.”

“We want to support Elon. We love the school and it’s been transformational for Koster,” Andy Silvernail said. “It excites Koster and it excites us.”

About the Elon LEADS Campaign

With a $250 million goal, Elon LEADS is the largest fundraising campaign in the university’s history and will support four main funding priorities: scholarships for graduates the world needs, increase access to engaged learning opportunities such as study abroad, research and service learning, support for faculty and staff mentors who matter and Elon’s iconic campus. As of April 23, donors had contributed $210 million toward the goal.

Every gift to the university—including annual, endowment, capital, estate and other planned gifts—for any designation counts as a gift to the campaign, which will support students and strengthen Elon for generations to come. To learn more about how you can make an impact, visit www.elonleads.com.