To kick off聽the summer,聽Beyond聽12 welcomed聽50聽rising sixth, seventh. and eighth-grade students to 久久热 for a hands-on exploration of career聽pathways and聽interests.聽Throughout two days, students traveled across聽campus,聽participated聽in interactive learning experiences, and engaged with 久久热 faculty, staff, and community聽members聽representing聽a variety of professional fields.

Each session聽offered聽a unique聽learning聽experience for the students.聽During an introduction to cinema and television arts led by Bryan Baker, director of technology, operations and multimedia projects in the School of Communications, students explored the university’s live television studio and聽viewed聽student made聽productions. Participants also gained hands-on聽experience聽such as with Elon鈥檚 Interprofessional Simulation Center, where Nita Skillman, director of the ISC, and Bethany Fearnow, simulation coordinator, introduced students to聽using聽healthcare simulation technology.聽In addition to exploring聽careers, students were able to聽observe聽different facilities on聽Elon鈥檚聽campus. During a sports management session led by Jenn Strawley, director of athletics, participants stepped into the world of collegiate athletics with a visit to the Schar Center, where they聽got a behind the scenes look at Elon Athletics.

“Spending time with the Beyond 12 program was such a rewarding experience. I appreciated聽their curiosity and loved their questions,鈥� said聽Strawley.聽鈥淚 hope that hearing about my journey and learning about career pathways in college athletics opened their minds to new possibilities and inspired them to continue to dream.鈥�

久久热 also had the opportunity to engage in thoughtful conversations with presenters, asking questions, and gaining deeper insight into different fields.

鈥淚 spoke with the students about what finance, corporate finance, and investment really are, and I was genuinely surprised by how interested they were,鈥� said Feng Dong, director of the Reed Finance Center. 鈥淢any asked great questions, and even the teachers were engaged. Beyond 12 gives students an early, hands-on look at fields they may not have considered,聽exactly the kind of exposure that can shape where they go next.鈥�

The program had an equally聽meaningful impact on聽the聽presenters聽involved. Dr. Janine A. Scott, founder of聽TriUnity聽Healthcare Inc., shared her story of overcoming adversity and creating positive change through her work in healthcare, and found herself thinking about the impact of programs such as Beyond 12.

鈥淚 really enjoyed myself during my interaction with both the students and staff,鈥� Scott said. 鈥淛ust hearing what they were doing prior to coming to our session made me wish I was a student again and able to participate.鈥�

Through experiences like these,聽Beyond聽12聽is聽helping聽students recognize聽a wide range of聽opportunities聽within their reach.

鈥淚 remarked to someone that I wish I had the opportunity to attend a program like this back in my day.聽I聽truly believe聽that exposure and representation聽matters, and that is exactly what these students gained from being part of the Beyond 12 program,鈥� said Scott.

Following the summer session,聽participating聽students from Turrentine Middle School and Broadview Middle School will聽attend聽monthly Beyond 12 sessions throughout the academic year, where they聽will continue聽to focus on career readiness and聽developing essential life skills.聽Beyond 12 programming is made possible through the generous support of Glaxo Smith Kline.

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

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

久久热 Assistant Professor of Finance Andrew Schwartz was featured in a recent WalletHub expert panel discussing the benefits of credit cards that do not charge foreign transaction fees and what travelers should consider when choosing a card for international use. The article, 鈥�,鈥� brought together financial experts to provide guidance on managing spending while traveling abroad.

In the feature, Schwartz emphasized that foreign transaction fees can quickly add up for travelers, making it important to understand the full cost structure of a credit card before using it internationally. He encouraged consumers to look beyond promotional perks and focus on how a card aligns with their spending habits and financial goals.

“One common pitfall is assuming that “no-foreign-transaction-fee” means there are no additional costs when making purchases abroad,鈥� Schwartz said. 鈥淎s with any credit card, carrying a balance, missing payments, or incurring cash-advance fees can be very expensive.”

Schwartz also discussed the broader role credit cards can play in personal financial management, noting that the best card is often the one that complements an individual鈥檚 financial situation rather than simply offering the most rewards or benefits.

Developed in collaboration with the City of Charlotte, the challenge focuses on how local businesses and communities may be affected as the proposed Red Line corridor moves forward. Participants will work in teams to explore real data, uncover insights and develop practical recommendations that can help city leaders better understand potential impacts and identify opportunities for support.

The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at 久久热 in Charlotte, located at 330 W. Tremont Avenue. No coding, programming or analytics experience is required.

鈥淭he Charlotte Decision Challenge reflects the kind of work our MSBA Flex program is designed to support,鈥� said Mark Kurt, associate dean for the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business. 鈥淧articipants will have the opportunity to use data in a practical, accessible way while contributing ideas that can support real decision-making in the Charlotte community.鈥�

Individuals and teams are welcome to participate. The event is designed for anyone interested in business, analytics, public policy, economic development, transportation, community engagement or civic problem solving.

Breakfast, lunch and refreshments will be provided at no cost.

Losing a parent changes everything. How you see the world. How you build relationships. How you understand risk, love and time.

Aidan Steinbach 鈥�23 knows this all too well. He was just seven years old when his mother died. A respected scholar and professor of public health, Michelle Mayer dedicated her life to bringing quality healthcare to communities in need before her life was cut short by a rare autoimmune disease that she battled for more than 12 years. She was 39 years old.

To honor her memory, Steinbach made a $2 million estate gift to create the Michelle Mayer Endowed Scholarship. The scholarship will assist students who have experienced the death of a parent or guardian, with first preference given to entrepreneurship majors in Elon鈥檚 Martha and Spencer Love School of Business, where Steinbach earned his degree in management in 2023.

Endowing the scholarship is Steinbach鈥檚 way of paying tribute to his mother鈥攚ho helped fund his Elon education鈥攁nd helping future generations of students grappling with the same kind of loss he experienced.

鈥淢y Mom was Wonder Woman,鈥� Steinbach said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 who your mom is when you鈥檙e seven years old. She鈥檚 the person who protects you, clothes and feeds you, and teaches you right from wrong. I聽miss her every day.鈥�

Mayer was also someone who valued education and ensured Steinbach and his older sister Amelia had the chance to go to college.

鈥淢y Mom wasn鈥檛 wealthy. She didn鈥檛 leave behind real estate or investments or anything you鈥檇 call an estate,鈥� Steinbach said. 鈥淲hat she left was a life insurance policy that helped pay for my Elon education. I got to go to school debt-free because my mother died. I鈥檝e sat with that fact for most of my life. It鈥檚 not something you ever fully resolve. You just learn to carry it.鈥�

Michelle Lynn Mayer died October 11, 2008, at the Duke Hospice Inpatient Care Facility in Durham, North Carolina, after battling scleroderma, part of a group of chronic autoimmune disorders marked by hardening and tightening of the skin. Scleroderma can also damage the lungs, heart, kidneys, digestive track, muscles and joints, and other internal organs.

It was a struggle Mayer chronicled in her blog, 鈥淒iary of a Dying Mom,鈥� where she wrote essays on parenting, living and dying to help families facing the challenges of terminal illnesses.

鈥淚 deal with the topic of death head-on in an unflinching way,鈥� Mayer wrote in one entry. 鈥淚 believe that, as a culture, we shy away from anything surrounding death and, consequently, deprive ourselves of all the lessons inherent in the dying and grieving process. We ignore the reality that death is as much a part of life as birth.鈥�

A Philadelphia native, Mayer graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania (1990) with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in nursing and a minor in economics from the Wharton School of Business, before earning her master鈥檚 degree in public health education (1992) and a doctorate in health policy and administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1997). During her doctoral program, Mayer also served as a health economics consultant for the World Bank in Washington, D.C., and in Nairobi, Kenya.

In 1997, Mayer married Dr. William J. Steinbach after the two met as graduate students at UNC.

The couple (and later their young children) briefly lived in California during Dr. Steinbach鈥檚 medical residency. During this time, Mayer worked as a clinical research associate in the Department of Pediatrics at Stanford University and as research director of the Children鈥檚 Health Initiative at the Lucile S. Packard Children鈥檚 Hospital in Palo Alto, California. The family then moved back to the Triangle in 2001, and Mayer served as a research fellow at the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research and a research assistant professor in the School of Public Health at UNC-Chapel Hill, until stepping down in 2007 due to her illness.

In the family鈥檚 Durham neighborhood, Mayer started a group for families with young children, which was a vital source of support for her family during her illness. Mayer also regularly volunteered at her children鈥檚 school, even after the disease had curtailed many of her daily activities. Throughout her ordeal, Mayer remained passionate about improving access to quality healthcare for underserved communities, supporting women and families, and promoting awareness of scleroderma.

Steinbach is grateful to his mother for giving him the gift of education. He is equally grateful to Elon for providing him with an outstanding experience, including participation in the Isabella Cannon Leadership Fellows program and Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which prepared him for success. Steinbach, who lives in San Francisco, is a banker at Erebor and also runs his own consulting firm, working with companies backed by Andreessen Horowitz, Y Combinator and others.

Steinbach hopes the scholarship will encourage students to follow their dreams, knowing someone is willing to invest in their success.

鈥淢y mother inspired me to be a better person. I hope this scholarship inspires others to be better as well, and, in turn, to own that obligation as they go out into the world,鈥� he said. 鈥淓lon gave me a chance during a stretch of my life when the odds weren鈥檛 obviously in my favor. The scholarship is my attempt to extend that same chance to someone else who didn鈥檛 ask for what happened to them, but is still here trying to figure out what comes next.鈥�

鈥淎idan鈥檚 desire to honor his mother鈥檚 legacy while creating opportunity for others is a wonderful example of the power of philanthropy to change lives,鈥� said Leanna Giles 鈥�02, associate director of planned giving. 鈥淗e didn鈥檛 just want to honor her memory鈥攈e wanted to transform something painful into possibility for someone else. For that, the Elon community is grateful.鈥�

Make An Impact

To learn how you can make an impact at Elon through your estate, contact Leanna Giles 鈥�02, associate director of planned giving, at (336) 278-5798 or lgiles@elon.edu.

鈥淚 was always told going abroad would change you as a person, but I never knew that feeling was real,鈥� said McDermott, a marketing and international business major from Newburyport, Mass. 鈥淚f you had asked me three years ago where I thought I鈥檇 be, studying in Australia and working in Singapore would have never crossed my mind.鈥�

This spring, the second-year class in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business鈥檚 Business Fellows program studied abroad together through a new Asia-Pacific semester experience. The program began with coursework in Sydney, Australia, continued with a week in Vietnam and concluded with full-time internships in Singapore.

In Sydney, students took courses in management, marketing, operations and supply chain, and Australian life and culture. They then traveled to Vietnam for company meetings, lectures from local faculty and cultural activities before beginning internship placements in Singapore through Global Academic Ventures.

For McDermott, the semester鈥檚 first weeks in Australia helped her build confidence in unfamiliar settings.

鈥淏y immersing myself in the culture, I found an increase in my confidence levels,鈥� McDermott said. 鈥淚 became more independent, more willing to take risks and more open-minded in situations that once would have felt daunting.鈥�

Her internship in Singapore also challenged her expectations. McDermott expected more content creation work, but her early assignments focused on writing scripts for a developing podcast.

鈥淚 learned that not every professional experience will fit perfectly into my expectations, and growth often comes from the assignments that challenge me the most,鈥� McDermott said.

Eli Karpas 鈥�28, a finance major from Houston, Texas, chose the program because he wanted to explore a part of the world he had never experienced.

鈥淚 chose this program because I wanted to explore Asia, a new area of the world I鈥檝e never been to,鈥� Karpas said.

While in Australia, Karpas said he embraced the daily rhythm of Sydney, from morning runs along Bondi Beach to afternoons at beachside cafes after class. The semester also gave him opportunities to travel beyond Sydney, including Fiji, Tasmania and New Zealand.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 expect there to be so many opportunities to travel outside of Sydney,鈥� Karpas said.

In Singapore, Karpas worked as an investment analyst at a boutique private advisory firm.

鈥淚 was thrown into real work from day one,鈥� Karpas said. 鈥淚 reviewed and created pitch decks for fund managers, built market maps, wrote about global events affecting private markets and attended a conference on artificial intelligence in the workforce.鈥�

Olivia Gover 鈥�28, a marketing major from Stamford, Conn., said her internship helped her better understand cross-cultural communication. Working with colleagues from a variety of cultural and professional backgrounds, she learned how strongly workplace communication depends on patience, curiosity and mutual understanding.

鈥淣ot only was I able to build a deeper connection with the people I work with, but I also gained new global knowledge,鈥� Gover said.

Some of that learning happened in everyday moments. Coworkers taught her local expressions, shared food during lunch and asked questions about life in the United States.

鈥淭his showed me how a well-rounded work environment requires mutual understanding of one another, allowing relationships to build,鈥� Gover said.

For Parker Forgash 鈥�28, an entrepreneurship major from Laguna Beach, Calif., the internship showed him the difference between classroom confidence and professional readiness.

鈥淭here was a version of me from before this semester who thought he was pretty prepared,鈥� Forgash said. 鈥淗e had taken the finance courses, written the case studies, and could talk about markets with enough fluency to feel confident in a classroom.鈥�

That confidence was tested when Forgash received an open-ended research assignment early in his internship. With no template and a real deadline, he had to analyze unfamiliar markets, organize his findings and work through uncertainty.

鈥淒elivering that report was the first moment I felt like I was actually contributing something real, not just completing an assignment for a grade,鈥� Forgash said.

By the end of the semester, the experience had changed how students understood themselves as learners and future professionals.

鈥淚f I were sitting in an interview, I would want an employer to know that I am someone who can easily adapt, communicate effectively, and be placed outside my comfort zone,鈥� McDermott said. 鈥淭his abroad experience has shaped me as a student today and the professional I hope to become.鈥�

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As the 2025-26 academic year drew to a close, May was marked by celebration, reflection and new beginnings across 久久热. From Commencement festivities and awards ceremonies to end-of-year traditions, performances, and moments of community, the month showcased the accomplishments and experiences that defined another successful year on campus. These photos highlight some of the memorable scenes and milestones that made May a special month at Elon.

Engineering excellence

久久热 in Elon’s Department of Engineering聽put their classroom learning into practice through six capstone projects showcased May 8 in Founders Hall as part of the Engineering Senior Design course.

Coolin’ on the Commons

久久热’s Black Student Union held Coolin’ on the Commons in May, which featured live music, games and fun.

‘Elon will never leave you.’

The Class of 2026 gathered Under the Oaks on May 19 for Numen Lumen: Senior Baccalaureate, a time for reflection on the light students will take into the world. During the event, Jana Lynn Patterson,聽associate vice-president for student life, dean of student health & well-being, and assistant professor, reminded graduates about the importance of the relationships they’ve built at Elon. Patterson will retire from the university this summer after 40 years.

Think critically, lead empathetically

Candidates from graduate-level programs in the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education and Martha and Spencer Love School of Business received their diplomas during a joint Commencement ceremony on May 20 in Alumni Gym.

In her address, journalist and author Katherine Blunt 鈥�15 acknowledged a challenging reality 鈥� that today鈥檚 graduates are leaving institutions of higher learning across the country and embarking on professional journeys in a world where artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how people work, learn and think.

But she reminded the graduates that聽while many people may be tempted by the path of least resistance, Elon cultivates leaders who are deeply rooted in collaboration, communication and, most importantly, the ability to think critically.

Celebrating community

Ahead of and during Commencement Week, Elon held a variety of affinity celebrations celebrating and engaging graduates who share common identities, passions and connections that exist throughout various affinities. Those include Lavender Celebration, , Celebremos: Graduates Take Flight and Donning of the Kente.

‘Be-possible-ists’

During the 136th Commencement Ceremonies in Schar Center on May 22, President Connie Ledoux Book asked the Class of 2026 to look back on their聽New Student Convocation in 2022,聽1,371 days prior.

During their first year, the Class of 2026 all read the Common Reading book聽鈥淔actfulness鈥� by Hans Rosling. In his book, Rosling described the word 鈥減ossible-ist:鈥� someone who looks honestly at the world鈥檚 problems and still believes, based on evidence, that things can get better, and that they are getting better. Book asked the graduates to be “possible-ists” as they enter the world.

Elon celebrated graduates in two ceremonies 鈥� the morning event for the School of Communications and the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business, and the afternoon event for Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences, the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education and the School of Health Sciences.

Teza shares what she hopes to accomplish in her new role and how 久久热 students can benefit.

How would you describe your career path?

My career path consists of a series of lateral and advancement roles that provided exposure to multiple facets of the apparel industry. These positions prepared me to lead several market-leading brands, develop strong teams and implement transformation across complex regional and global businesses.

What does serving as an Executive in Residence at the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business mean to you?

I am excited to mentor and guide the next generation of leaders. I look forward to translating classroom learning into real-world scenarios and creating professional pathways through networking, internship opportunities and exposure to different industries.

What kinds of conversations and experiences do you hope to create for Elon students during your time on campus?

I look forward to meaningful conversations regarding leadership, insights into managing domestic and global businesses and how students can create a pathway to finding a career in which they will thrive.

What perspectives from your work in global consumer brands are you most excited to share with Elon students?

Leading a winning global brand combines emotional brand equity, operational scale and local execution. Managing global teams is both challenging and rewarding; it is critical to be well-versed in regional cultures to maximize employee engagement, create consistency in brand positioning and delight consumers.

What advice would you offer students who are interested in leading teams or managing large, complex organizations?

Leading a large organization requires the alignment of people, capital and processes to deliver results at scale. Aligning on priorities, building strong teams, operational excellence, constant communication, establishing decision-making rights and protecting a culture are the foundational blocks for success.

Beyond your r茅sum茅, what should people know about you and what you enjoy outside of work?

My primary focus is my family and making the most out of every day. My husband and I travel extensively to explore off-the-beaten-path locations, and we have a passion for boating, pickleball and golf. We enjoy spending time with our three children as they navigate their own career and life journeys, and we continue to coach people and businesses to help them maximize their potential.

The Chandlers remain impressed by Elon鈥檚 commitment to sound strategic planning and doing what鈥檚 best for students. It鈥檚 what inspired the couple鈥檚 gift to Slattery Center, the university鈥檚 new hub for health and wellness that will integrate academics, wellness, campus recreation and fitness programs to ensure students gain the skills they need to succeed on campus and throughout their lives.

Scheduled to open later this year, Slattery Center is located within Elon鈥檚 Innovation Quad, home to the university鈥檚 engineering and other STEM programs. The center is part of the university鈥檚 broader HealthEU initiative to serve students, faculty and staff.

鈥淚t adds value and is beneficial when you can provide a place where students can go to be in community, exercise, receive counseling and focus on their well-being,鈥� said Bob Chandler, former executive vice president of Chandler Concrete Co. 鈥淭his facility shows that the university is aware of the challenges students face and how to help them in all aspects of their health.鈥�

The HealthEU initiative focuses on six dimensions of health and wellness: community, emotional, purpose, financial, physical and social. The three-story Slattery Center will feature new classrooms, student-faculty research spaces, multiple floors for wellness and fitness activities, and the Mark and Kim Tyson Counseling Center, which will provide individual and group therapy, as well as workshops and outreach programs.

Through coursework, as well as workshops and training programs focused on health and wellness, Slattery Center will impact all students as they progress through their education and learn essential skills and practices related to wellness and well-being. The center is a key priority of the Boldly Elon strategic plan that will guide the university to 2030.

The couple鈥檚 gift will also endow the Chandler Family Global Experience Fund, strengthening Elon鈥檚 commitment to provide each of the university鈥檚 17 varsity teams with a global experience every four years.

鈥淕lobal experiences are a cornerstone of an Elon education, and thanks to Bob and Amy Chandler, our student-athletes will have the opportunity to deepen their understanding of the world while sharing their sport across cultures,鈥� said Jennifer Strawley, director of athletics. 鈥淏ob and Amy are truly special people who value the holistic development of our student-athletes and their generosity will be felt for generations. I am deeply grateful for their many years of dedication to this university and for the profound difference they make in the lives of our student-athletes.鈥�

鈥淥ur family has been sports fans for as long as I can remember. We love the energy and excitement athletics brings to campus and the opportunities it provides to students,鈥� Bob Chandler said.

鈥淓lon is a national leader in global study, and we are thrilled to help provide this experience for student-athletes,” he added. “It鈥檚 essential that students have the opportunity to witness other cultures and encounter the differences and similarities of the people there. It provides tremendous growth for a person and a deeper understanding of the world.鈥�

The Chandler family is among Elon鈥檚 most generous and devoted donors, helping to shape one of the finest learning environments in the nation through their gifts to Belk Library, Rhodes Stadium, Ernest A. Koury, Sr. Business Center, Gerald L. Francis Center, Alumni Field House, Richard W. Sankey Hall, Schar Center, The Inn at Elon and Innovation Quad.

Bob Chandler鈥檚 parents, Tom and Lynn Chandler, also endowed the Chandler Family Professional Sales Center in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business. Tom Chandler was the chairman and former CEO of Chandler Concrete, which he founded in 1973, and he served on Elon鈥檚 Board of Trustees for more than two decades before being elected Life Trustee in 2021. In 2023, Tom Chandler received the Elon Medallion, the university鈥檚 highest honor.

鈥淓lon鈥檚 trajectory shows remarkable advancement,鈥� Bob Chandler said. 鈥淓lon has a vision of what鈥檚 to come and how to keep the university moving forward. It is a vibrant and thriving university that is gratifying for the students, faculty and community.鈥�

The university鈥檚 influence extends far beyond the campus.

鈥淭he impact that Elon has on Alamance County and the region is significant, and we feel it鈥檚 important for our family to support the university,鈥� Bob said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a community that we are proud to be part of.鈥�

Rain didn鈥檛 stop the light of more than 1,500 久久热 students shining bright as the Class of 2026 became alumni during the university鈥檚 136^th Commencement Ceremonies on May 22 in Schar Center.

Despite the wet weather, families, friends, faculty and staff gathered to celebrate graduates who were encouraged not only to pursue success, but also to embrace failure as an essential part of growth.

Patricia Walsh Chadwick P鈥�16, an Elon trustee and accomplished Wall Street strategist, delivered the Commencement address, reminding graduates that quitting is the 鈥渙nly true definition of failure鈥� and urging them not to let fear guide their decisions.

鈥淧undits have a way of forecasting disaster every spring just as college graduates step into the world. My advice is simple: ignore them,鈥� she said. 鈥淭echnology will not be the ruin of us all; it opens far more doors than it closes. You are the future of the workforce, and that should excite you.鈥�

The paths to success

Chadwick reflected on her own unconventional path, emphasizing that there is no 鈥渕agic potion鈥� for success. She shared how she grew up in a religious sect, which she later described as a cult, and was forced out at 17 years old.

鈥淔earful of the world, and in my na茂vet茅, I turned to a single phrase for guidance: 鈥楩ailure is not an option,鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淲hat I hadn鈥檛 realized is that no one is immune from mistakes or failures. Those two words, dreaded by so many, are part of the learning process.鈥�

Technology will not be the ruin of us all; it opens far more doors than it closes. You are the future of the workforce, and that should excite you.

Patricia Walsh Chadwick P鈥�16

She also spoke about her son, Elon alumnus Jim Chadwick 鈥�16, who had planned to launch a gaming company after graduation. After spending a year pursuing that dream, he realized it was not the future he had envisioned and eventually transitioned into private finance.

鈥淩emember to take something of value from every employment experience before moving on to the next one,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 like to think of a career path as a circular stairway, where each success leads to a new challenge winding slowly upward toward your dreams.鈥�

Elon celebrated graduates in two ceremonies 鈥� the morning event for the School of Communications and the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business, and the afternoon event for Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences, the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education and the School of Health Sciences.

The Rev. Kirstin Boswell, 久久热’s chaplain and dean of mulfifaith engagement, opened each ceremony with the invocation.

鈥淎s these graduates step into what comes next, grant them wisdom beyond knowledge, courage beyond fear and compassion deep enough to serve a world that is in need,鈥� Boswell said. 鈥淢ay they use their gifts not only for personal success, but for healing, for justice, for truth and for the flourishing of others.鈥�

Corinne Wilson 鈥�26 performed the Star-Spangled Banner, and led the singing of the alma mater, while Mindy Monroe 鈥�26 and Malia Horst 鈥�26 gave a special musical performance of 鈥淔or Good,鈥� from the musical 鈥淲icked.鈥�

The Elon magic

Graduates reflected on the experiences that shaped their time at Elon, including the university鈥檚 commitment to 久久热 久久热. In 2025, for the fifth year in a row, Elon topped a 鈥淏est Undergraduate Teaching鈥� list published by U.S. News & World Report.

“Professors can actually invest in you because of the class sizes being so small,” said Robbie Simpson 鈥�26, an Elon native who earned a degree in exercise science. “I really appreciate that because professors get to take their time to understand you, get to know you and invest because they have a personal connection to you, so it makes them it more valuable to them.”

The strong relationships with faculty were an important part of Honors Fellow Diego Hernandez’s 鈥�26 Elon experience.

“The time that the professors have taken out of their day and their lives to support us as students, that’s one of the best things I got from Elon,” said Hernandez, who earned a degree in engineering. “That’s something that I’m going to take with me.”

The myriad of involvement opportunities was also essential for graduates.

Autumn Goyette 鈥�26, who earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in聽accounting through the Love School of Business Accelerated 3+1 Dual Degree Program, says her time working for Residence Life and in the Love School of Business Dean鈥檚 Office has made an impact on her time at Elon. She will soon be moving to Virginia to work for Ernst & Young.

鈥淚’m just so grateful for everything that Elon gave me and brought to me,鈥� said Goyette, who is from Pittsburg, North Carolina. 鈥淭his place is my home and has been my home for four years.鈥�

Decked out in various graduation cords, Ella Allen 鈥�26, a Teaching Fellow who earned a mathematics degree with teacher licensure from Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences, was heavily involved on campus, including as an orientation leader and a member of Kappa Delta sorority. Next, Allen will be pursuing her Master’s of Higher Education at Elon. She noted that the people and support she received at Elon were invaluable.

Lilly Ikle 鈥�26 of Baltimore, Maryland, earned a聽cinema & television arts聽degree from the School of Communications. She says the time has flown by and she feels like she was 鈥渄ropped off yesterday.鈥� Ikle initially came to Elon for its nationally recognized musical theatre program and for Elon鈥檚 ability to work with students with learning disabilities.

鈥淢y major really helped me get that creative outlet that I wanted in musical theater, but it also gave me the practical side of work I wanted to do in the future,鈥� said Ikle, who plans to move to Nashville after graduation to pursue music. 鈥淢y major gave me a creative outlet, let me get kind of that artsy side out of me, but also taught me things that I can bring into the real world.鈥�

The Class of 2026 includes many stand-out stories:

• After a trip to Ecuador, Bernardo Vargas-Lopez 鈥�26, who earned a degree in聽sport management, and Juan Daniel Chiriboga 鈥�26, who earned a degree in聽entrepreneurship & innovation, built聽YAPA, a plant-based energy drink shaped by friendship, curiosity and mentorship.
• Kaitlyn Lewis 鈥�26, who earned a degree in聽elementary education, came to Elon through three of the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education鈥檚 primary scholarship programs: Alamance Scholars, NC Teaching Fellows and, post-graduation, Teach for Alamance.
• Jonathan Weaver 鈥�26 originally intended to go into finance, but through exploration and faculty mentorship, switched his major to biology, and is now going to dental school at The Ohio State University.
• Being waitlisted for one program allowed Allie Schult 鈥�26 to realize her true passion for nursing.聽She now has a post-graduate position at Children鈥檚 Healthcare of Atlanta.
• Rony Dahdal 鈥�26, a Goldwater Scholar and Lumen Scholar, earned a degree in聽computer science, mathematics and philosophy聽and did three different 久久热 research projects while at Elon. The first was helping to create a mathematical model of complex equations that predict how the human immune system responds to COVID-19; another was developing an autonomous robotic arm to monitor and tend to crops by training the 3D machine-learning model to understand plant anatomy, and a third was developing a method to gather medical vital signs.

All of these students were helped by what student commencement speaker Ruby Radis 鈥�26聽of Chicago called the 鈥淓lon magic.鈥� Radis, who earned a degree in聽human service studies,聽delivered the 鈥淢essage of Appreciation鈥� on Friday.

鈥淔rom the moment I stepped onto this beautiful brick-covered campus, one truth became clear: there is magic here,” Radis said. “That Elon magic builds a community where students know their neighbors, teachers and coworkers.聽Rather
than a quick hello, connections are founded on respect.”

Radis emphasized that Elon helped “emphasize the value of human difference,” and her fellow graduates should take that forward with them.

“Using those lessons, we can work together to uplift each other, amplify voices often left unheard and sprinkle a little of our very own Elon magic on everyone we meet,” Radis said.

That Elon magic builds a community where students know their neighbors, teachers and coworkers.聽Rather聽than a quick hello, connections are founded on respect.

Ruby Radis 鈥�26

Be possible-ists

In her charge to the graduates, Elon President Connie Ledoux Book asked the Class of 2026 to look back on their New Student Convocation in 2022,聽1,371 days prior.

“That morning, we placed an acorn in your hand, and I asked you to do something simple, and yet profound: To grow deep roots, and to reach high. Today, I look out at you, and I see what’s grown,” Book said.

During their first year, the Class of 2026 all read the Common Reading book聽鈥淔actfulness鈥� by Hans Rosling. In his book, Rosling described the word 鈥減ossible-ist:鈥� someone who looks honestly at the world鈥檚 problems and still believes, based on evidence, that things can get better, and that they are getting better.

鈥淐lass of 2026, through your Elon journey,聽you have grown into聽these聽possible-ists,鈥� she said.聽鈥淵ou have learned to hold complexity without losing hope, to see what’s broken without losing your willingness to build, to zoom out and recognize progress, and to keep moving forward.聽That is the Elon way, and the world needs聽more of聽it.鈥�

View the full 久久热 commencement program online.