Campus

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NEWS 3/22/24 1:46pm

Elon University presents medal to founders of Live Oak Branch Shares for entrepreneurial leadership

By Maggie Reetz

W. Lee Williams III and James S. “Chip” Mahan III, founders of Live Oak Bank Shares, were honored on Thursday, March 21 as recipients of the 2024 Elon University Medal for Entrepreneurial Leadership. The award, presented by the Love School of Business and the Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, recognizes entrepreneurs who are leaders in their field and who represent Elon’s values. Live Oak Bank Shares is a digital banking company insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Mahan is the chairman and Williams is the vice chairman.

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NEWS 3/21/24 10:09am

Mental Health Statewide Issue

 

Nine North Carolina college newsrooms have united to address the pressing mental health crisis in their communities. Led by The Daily Tar Heel, The Pendulum and eight other newspapers delve into various facets of this issue, from the impact of COVID-19 isolation to alarming suicide rates among students. This collaborative effort aims to shed light on challenges faced by diverse groups, including students of color and athletes, emphasizing the urgent need for improved mental health support across campuses.

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NEWS 3/20/24 5:52pm

First Lady visits Research Triangle to highlight women’s health

By Joseph Navin

First Lady Jill Biden made a brief stop March 20 at Durham’s Research Triangle Park, as part of an effort by the White House to promote the administration’s initiative on women’s health research. The event held roughly 50 attendees. This comes after President Joe Biden passed an Executive Order on March 18 addressing women’s health as part of this initiative. According to the White House, the order will direct federal agencies and departments, such as the Office of Management and Budget and the National Institutes of Health to prioritize women’s health research. 

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NEWS 3/20/24 11:36am

NOAA issues fire spread warning for Alamance County until 8 p.m.

By Charles De Poortere

A fire warning has been issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration across central North Carolina from noon to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20. Otherwise known as a Red Flag warning, this means that the affected areas are at an increased risk of fires spreading due to a combination of high winds, low humidity and warm temperatures. The warning is in effect for Alamance, Person, Granville, Vance, Warren, Halifax, Forsyth, Guilford, Orange and Durham counties.

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NEWS 3/20/24 11:35am

HealthEU moves toward new wellness center

By Lilly Molina

Elon officials noticed there were different programs dedicated to students' well-being for years, but they were all scattered across campus, Elon University Dean of Students Jana Lynn Patterson said. In August 2022, the University launched HealthEU, Elon University’s health and wellness initiative, to organize those already existing organizations, but also promote them to students. Patterson said HealthEU is not only for students to take advantage of, but also for faculty and staff. The initiative consists of six pillars: community, emotional, physical, financial, purpose and social well-being. Patterson said all of these pillars are interconnected and centralized.

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LIFESTYLE 3/20/24 9:44am

Elon professor sheds light on college students with eating disorders

By Nia Bedard

According to the National Eating Disorders Association, Eating disorders generally begin to develop between the ages of 18 and 21 which is mainly college students. While in college, students participating in classes can be involved in clubs, internships or work creating a high workload and causing students to demand a lot of themselves. Elon psychology professor and clinician, Bilal Ghandour, whose research revolves around perfectionism and impulsive behaviors, has found that eating disorder behavior evolves from a strong sense of needing to be perfect and an inability to let go of high demands.

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NEWS 3/19/24 11:46pm

SGA announces election results for 2024-25 academic year

By Liya Rike

With 1,308 voter ballots cast, this year's student government association election concludes.  Despite the relatively low voter turnout compared to last year, SGA announced the results of the 2024-25 student body elections with 11 positions unfilled out of 60 spots. As for senior commencement speakers, due to a tie, there are four finalists instead of three: Grace Ackermann, Ayesh Award, Garret Fitschen and Mike Sanderson. Junior Taylor Cote was the only candidate to apply for and was elected as student body president. Junior Amanda Jacobson was elected as executive vice president, which was a newly added position.

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NEWS 3/19/24 11:11pm

Phoenix Free: Sobriety on campus

By Avery Sloan

Months before coming to Elon, current senior Syd Danziger made the decision to become sober. Without fully knowing what that would entail, Danziger entered Elon University feeling isolated and striving to keep this aspect of their identity quiet. Now, Danziger is the president of Phoenix Free, Elon’s collegiate recovery community. Danziger said despite initial hesitation around making their sobriety part of their identity – having Phoenix Free as a community has been crucial to their college experience and sobriety. Elon is one of nine universities in North Carolina receiving funding from North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services for its collegiate recovery program.

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NEWS 3/19/24 9:15pm

NC Court of Appeals rules Graham Confederate monument cannot be removed by Alamance County

By Joseph Navin

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was the first in a long line of plaintiffs in a lawsuit against Alamance County and its Board of Commissioners for protecting the Confederate monument located in front of the county courthouse in Graham. The North Carolina Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the county commissioners on March 19, stating that the commissioners lack the authority to move the monument due to North Carolina’s Monument Protection Law. The monument has been the subject of numerous controversies, events and protests — especially at the height of the George Floyd era in 2020.

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NEWS 3/19/24 3:25pm

Delta Delta Delta faces probation

By Elon News Network

Delta Delta Delta, otherwise known as Tri Delta, is one of Elon’s nine Panhellenic sororities and has been placed on probation. According to student involvement ambassador Aidan Connolly, Tri Delta is not allowed to recruit new members next spring and the organization's operations have been briefly suspended. According to university spokesperson Owen Covington, the sorority will face disciplinary probation for two years due to multiple violations of the Code of Conduct. This comes after investigations of activities related to its new member education program.

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LIFESTYLE 3/19/24 12:15pm

Student art gallery shapes future artists, promotes diverse perspectives at Elon University

By Ruth Cruz

The annual Juried Student Exhibition will be open through April 18 in Gallery 406 at Arts West. The student gallery featured 28 unique pieces that reflected concepts of identity, race, and community. A Juried Exhibition is an artwork gallery and competition that selects the best expressive art in a showcase. Chair of the art department Samantha DiRosa collaborated with students in the art program to promote the gallery. She said the gallery was a student effort that provided career opportunities for students to gain experiences in their field.

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LIFESTYLE 3/19/24 10:17am

Elon University DJs electrify college party scene

By Charlotte Pfabe

There’s a new wave of musical entertainment on the rise that has swept through Elon’s campus — DJs. DJs, also known as disc jockeys, are performers that play and mix pre-made music live. Shawn Kelly, an Elon senior and computer science major, found DJing during his sophomore year of college. Performing under the name 'djskelly,' he used his musical background and computer science knowledge to teach himself how to mix music. Since beginning his journey of making music and performing, Kelly has amassed over 24,000 followers on Instagram.

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NEWS 3/18/24 8:16pm

County Commissioners welcome ABSS interim superintendent

By Joseph Navin

Hours after being sworn in as Interim Superintendent of the Alamance-Burlington School System, Bill Harrison was welcomed into his role by members of the Alamance County Board of Commissioners during their meeting on March 18. He replaced former Superintendent Dain Butler who resigned earlier this month. Harrison is no stranger to Alamance County, he previously served as both interim superintendent and superintendent of the school system between 2014 and 2018. Before that, he served as the chairman for the State Board of Education from 2009 to 2013.

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LIFESTYLE 3/18/24 5:55pm

Original play by Elon student explores intersections of LGBTQ+ identities, Catholicism

By Sarah T. Moore

Senior Mallorie Sievert is determined to fill a gap in Catholic theater exploring LGBTQ+ themes and narratives. Inspired by the combined experiences of seeing a queer retelling of Joan of Arc at the Globe Theatre in London, visiting Santa Catalina monastery in Peru and her own Catholic upbringing, Sievert wrote a play about LGBTQ+ Catholic nuns in the 17th century. The play, which is part of her honors thesis, follows the love story of Ana and Teresa, who Sievert said were based on the biblical archetypes of the “whore” and the “bride,” respectively.

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NEWS 3/18/24 1:27pm

Three individuals trespass on campus; false rumors circulate

By Elon News Network

Last night, multiple Elon resident assistants sent messages to their halls warning students about going outside alone, as there were rumors circulating about three individuals targeting girls on campus. Elon University Campus Police Chief Joe LeMire said three individuals were found making rude comments and “racially charged words.” Elon News Network reached out to the office of campus police for comment at roughly 11:30 p.m. on March 17, and was told police were actively dispatched and unavailable for comment. Elon News Network then reposted the messages sent from RAs to Instagram and Facebook.

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NEWS 3/18/24 9:51am

Elon upperclassmen face challenges with on-campus housing changes

By Monika Jurevicius

Elon University upperclassmen face challenges with housing following residence life’s announcement no longer allowing all residents in the Crest, Danieley and Oaks apartments to renew their leases. Students living in Park Place and Station at Mill Point apartments were allowed to renew at designated times earlier this semester. Students living in Crest, Danieley and Oaks are able to participate in the housing selection process, the same as students who did not previously have leases in these neighborhoods. This is the first year the change will be implemented.

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SPORTS 3/17/24 9:52pm

Photo gallery: Elon Baseball wins weekend series over Minnesota

By Will Moss

The Elon University baseball team hosted the University of Minnesota team at Latham Park over the weekend on March 15, 16 and 17. Elon opened the series with a 2-1 win on March 15, followed by a 6-5 win on March 16. The series then wrapped up on March 17 with a 9-7 loss for the Phoenix. Elon’s Latham Park will host another game on March 19, with a game against East Carolina at 4 p.m.

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NEWS 3/17/24 6:29pm

Student Government Association hosts spring 2024 elections: meet the candidates

By Elon News Network

After extending the deadline for applications to run for a Student Government Association race, 44 candidates applied across all 60 spots. The deadline was extended twice — as no one applied to run for student body president. Voting opens on PhoenixConnect at 8 a.m. Monday, March 18 and closes 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 19. Elon News Network asked each candidate what they hope to accomplish in their role if elected, as well as how they plan to accomplish it.

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OPINIONS 3/17/24 1:49pm

OPINION: Elon University's silent streets: Closer look at lack of public activism

By Alex Nettles

On a small corner of green in Young Commons lies the Speakers’ Corner. All public demonstrations are supposed to be concentrated here. Events can be planned and registered to the university, but it rarely happens. The corner is virtually always empty. The campus is too. In 2024, we face an election and global upheaval. There has been the occasional protest, but they are not part of the daily rhythm of the university. Elon’s administration has fostered debate, but you don’t see overwhelming input from the students.

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LIFESTYLE 3/17/24 1:33pm

Professors handle students' mental health issues with university resources

By Jordyn Forni

Allen Russell, a professor of mathematics, has recognized a shift in campus mental health. Russell has been teaching at Elon for 27 years. While he saw its presence, he said mental health didn't appear to be a larger issue on campus until the 2000s. Russell himself struggled with anxiety during his return to campus after teaching virtually, and he believes that many students share in this experience. He has encountered students in tears stressed about "college life," he said. Sociology professor Karen Wirth attributes the uptick in the need for mental health resources partially to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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