Traffic appears light in downtown Elon a week before the semester starts.
During a quiet summer, the town of Elon prepared to welcome about 6,000 Elon University students back to campus. According to Elon Mayor Emily Sharpe, for a town with about 6,000 permanent residents, the return of thousands of students can have an effect on everything from public services to local businesses.
Dedication to the craft, leadership and unique opportunities are just some of the features of Elon University Music Theatre, or “MT” program, that faculty and students said make their program award-winning. In May 2026, the Music Theatre program was included in a Hollywood Reporter article listing the top 25 drama schools in the world, and in August 2026, Elon was named the top school in the Princeton Review’s “Best College Theater” category.
A wave of new students packed Schar Center on Aug. 23 for an opening-weekend pep rally and women’s volleyball exhibition against Duke University. For many students, the night was their first opportunity to experience the energy of Elon athletics and their first time inside Schar Center.
