At every graduation President Lambert shares an old Elon adage with hundreds of seniors ready to embark on a new chapter of their lives: "You may leave Elon, but Elon will never leave you". While the phrase may ring true for many graduates, some chose to begin a new chapter on familiar ground.
"I was kind of waiting for that post graduation meltdown of 'everyone's going back to school and I'm not going back to school, it's crazy - and then I came back to school," said Elon alum Diana Abrahams.
Abrahams, class of 2014, majored in Exercise Science with a minor in Jewish Studies, and worked at the Truitt Center for Religious Life as an undergraduate. Now she's the new Interfaith and Intern Coordinator.
Alumni returning to Elon for work isn't a rare occurrence. According to Durice White, Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement and class of 2009 alum, over 100 Elon employees are also Elon alumni. One of the best-known Elon alumnus-turned-employee is Dr. Earl J. Danieley, class of 1946;
"This is really work that I want to be doing. I get to work with students, I get to work with professional staff who are fantastic, I get to talk about stuff that I want talk about all day an that's my job and so it's fantastic," said Abrahams.
Abrahams isn't the only familiar face back at Elon from the most recent graduating class. Tyler Johnson, class of 2014, now works in the Admissions Office as a counselor after spending more than three years as an Elon tour guide. Johnson also served as vice president and business manager for Rip_chord, one of the two all-male a capella groups at Elon, and obtained a degree in Strategic Communications.
"Admissions was something that I fell in love with after I had a very fabulous tour guide who kind of showed me the ropes and took on a mentorship role for me," Johnson says.
Johnson's love for his work would lead him right back to Elon.
"I like to talk, I'm a storyteller, so why not have the chance to talk about something you love so much?" says Johnson.
Though alumni are excited to return to campus, Abrahams noted the quick transition from student to employee has its challenges.
"I spent a lot of time before students got here kind of just worrying about what that would be like and now they're here so it's a little easier to kind of feel it out as it goes," said Abrahams.
But now two weeks into their job, both said their friends are helping them work through it.
"I thought it would be so difficult with the transition but it's actually been quite fluid and my friends are my biggest supporters also," said Johnson.
With a supportive community of colleagues, students and Elon alumni behind them, the newly hired employees were optimistic about being back on campus.
"Elon is home and even though you're here for four years and you graduate there's always time to come back and Elon has a good way of making alumni feel like you are part of something bigger, you are back home," said Johnson.