Campus

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LIFESTYLE 2/22/24 10:46am

Student-run LGBTQ+ arts festival aims to uplift LGBTQ+ communities at Elon University

By Sarah T. Moore

When sophomore Sophie Verrecchia remembers dancing in “Luminosity,” she thinks about the community she found and how everyone she worked with was warm and welcoming. Now, Verrecchia and 81 other students are working together to bring Elon’s student-run LGBTQ+ arts festival back for a second year. “Breakthrough” — this year’s festival — hopes to continue Morrill’s legacy, building off of their research and showcasing student creatives. The festival will have events from Feb. 23 to 25, starting with a kickoff celebration at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 23 in the Center for the Arts Isabella Cannon Room.

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NEWS 2/22/24 8:16am

Elon University changes selection process for 2024 student commencement speaker

By Reagan Sizemore

Elon’s Student Government Association is making a change to the student commencement speaker qualifications. In previous years, the student speaker has always been the senior class president; however, SGA announced that all seniors will have the chance to apply to speak at the 2024 graduation ceremony if they meet the following requirements: Applicant must be a graduating, full-time student who has been at Elon for at least five semesters; have a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher; must be in good standing with the university and may not be “a present or former SGA executive or senior class officer.”

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NEWS 2/21/24 9:35am

“Klan Whisperer” encourages respect, understanding to resolve conflict

By Nia Bedard

Elon University's Liberal Arts Forum invited musician Daryl Davis who famously befriends members of the Ku Klux Klan in order to change their beliefs to speak on campus as a part of the forum's speaker series. The Liberal Arts Forum is a student organization that brings academic speakers to Elon to discuss interests that are prevalent on campus. The Liberal Arts Forum's next event will host Greek-American filmmaker and Olympian runner, Alexi Pappas at 7:30 p.m. on March 11 in Whitley auditorium.

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NEWS 2/21/24 7:54am

Town of Elon implements hotel tax

By Alexa Citrin

The town of Elon joined the Alamance County Municipal Tourism Development Authority after the town council voted unanimously in a meeting on Feb. 14 to levy a local occupancy tax on hotels with a rate of up to 3%. The Alamance County Municipal Tourism Development Authority is designed to help increase tourism in the Alamance County area, mostly through advertising projects and events to help boost the economy in each town in the Authority. The Inn at Elon is the only hotel affected by the new tax — being the only hotel in the town of Elon.

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NEWS 2/20/24 5:01pm

ABSS suspends deputy superintendent with pay

By Sophie Rosenthal

Alamance-Burlington School System Deputy Superintendent Lowell Rogers has been suspended with pay following recent charges of failure to report a crime against a juvenile, ABSS announced Feb. 20. ABSS Public Information Officer Les Atkins said the school district is cooperating fully with law enforcement and taking steps to address the charges. This comes just one day after chief financial officer Kim McVey left the school district amid a financial crisis and legislative investigation. Rogers had taken on the role of acting chief financial officer yesterday, Feb. 19.

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NEWS 2/20/24 11:37am

Alamance-Burlington School System’s CFO ‘parts ways’ with ABSS amid financial crisis, investigation

By Sophie Rosenthal

Kim McVey left her position as chief financial officer for the Alamance-Burlington School System, according to a statement from Superintendent Dain Butler on Feb. 19. According to Butler’s statement, Deputy Superintendent Lowell Rogers will temporarily oversee finances until an interim can be hired. McVey’s departure from the school system comes about two weeks after State Sen. Amy Galey opened a legislative investigation into the district’s financial decisions. Galey requested the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations look into what the school board has declared to be a financial crisis.

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LIFESTYLE 2/20/24 8:09am

Netflix series ‘My Life with the Walter Boys’ features Elon University alum

By Sarah T. Moore

Greensboro native and “My Life with the Walter Boys” actor Jaylan Evans remembers going to see plays and musicals at Elon University throughout high school. As he was applying to music theatre programs across the country, Evans said he continued to find himself drawn to Elon. Evans graduated from Elon in 2020, amid a global pandemic, and moved to New York a year later. He had two roles under his belt by then, one as a guest star in an episode of “Power Book III: Raising Kanan” and the other as a voice actor in a Netflix animated children’s show.

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NEWS 2/19/24 11:42am

New Elon in Los Angeles director focuses on recruitment

By Ryan Kupperman

New Elon in Los Angeles Director Brad Lemack will be visiting Elon on Wednesday, Feb. 21 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the Snow Atrium for an informal meet and greet. After a few weeks on the job, Lemack said his primary goal for the program is recruitment. Lemack has been living and working in LA for decades — including as an Elon adjunct professor of strategic communications and entertainment public relations for the last 14 years. With the Elon in LA program being 15 years old, Lemack has been involved with the program for almost its entire existence.

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LIFESTYLE 2/19/24 11:11am

Abusua dance concert at Elon University explores Black narrative

By Ruth Cruz

Elon University’s Performing Arts department presented “Abusua” in honor of Black History Month. The performers reflected a narrative of the struggles within the Black community. They incorporated realistic experiences that captivated the audience with a mixture of contemporary and Jazz. The dedicated and passionate performers explored the beauty of Black culture through traditional African dance at McCrary Theater on Feb. 16 and 17. They used the term Abusua to represent their idea of family, according to artistic director Keshia Wall. This was a recurrent theme throughout the performance which reflected their values as a diverse group.

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SPORTS 2/19/24 7:23am

Online sports betting comes to North Carolina in March

By Miles Hayford

Starting in March, sports wagering in North Carolina will be undergoing a historic transformation. After being signed into law in June 2023 by Gov. Roy Cooper, House Bill 347 will be put into effect on March 11, and online sports betting will be legal for those 21 and older in the state for the first time ever. After almost 40 states legalized online sports betting, North Carolina has joined the rest of the country. Sport management professor David Bockino said he always expected for the state to eventually legalize sports betting.

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NEWS 2/18/24 5:53pm

Kernodle launches new volunteer opportunity for Boys and Girls Club

By Aidan Powley

The Kernodle Center for Civic Life started providing a new transportation service for students who would like to volunteer at Elon’s long-standing partner — the Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club of Alamance County — on Feb. 16. The Kernodle Center’s transportation service plans to run every Friday from 3 to 5:30 p.m., providing Elon students rides to the Boys and Girls Club of Alamance County. According to Associate Director of the Kernodle Center Kyle Anderson, Elon has given students the opportunity to volunteer at the local Boys and Girls Club for decades. 

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NEWS 2/17/24 11:38am

Alamance Crisis Diversion Center to open later this year

By Cap Henneman

Dr. Mark Quale, an emergency medical physician at Alamance Regional Hospital and EMS medical director in Alamance County, said he estimates that he sees one overdose patient each day on average. Quale said what would have been a normal dosage of heroin for an unsuspecting opioid addict turns lethal when mixed with even the smallest amount of fentanyl. Fentanyl is a drug often other drugs are laced with, it’s difficult to attribute the exact number of overdoses to fentanyl. The Alamance Crisis Diversion Center, a project announced in September 2022 and set to open early this year, is hoping to add more proactive resources.

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LIFESTYLE 2/16/24 10:59am

Phoenix Flavors vending machine opens in Truitt Center

By Jordyn Forni

The Truitt Center, located in the Numen Lumen Pavilion, is introducing a new dining option to Elon University's campus which includes kosher, halal and pareve food: the Phoenix Flavors vending machine. The machine is currently in a pilot period, but there is already a lot of excitement from students — according to Interim Assistant Dean of Multifaith Engagement Hillary Zaken. Kosher is a dietary restriction that is based on the Jewish religion, while Halal is based on the Islamic religion. Pareve foods — which are often vegan except for fish products — can be eaten with either meat or dairy products and still be kosher.

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LIFESTYLE 2/16/24 8:03am

African Diaspora LLC creates community on campus

By Kymani Jackson

Freshman Adrianna Stapleton was skeptical about what her social life would look like at Elon University due to the lack of diversity. That’s why she applied to live in the African Diaspora Living Learning Community for her first year. Elon’s African Diaspora LLC provides a residential space where students can live while learning about the Diaspora. The African Diaspora refers to the descendants of Africans who have migrated across the world, whether voluntarily or forcefully. This LLC highlights African American, Black and African cultures worldwide. 

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SPORTS 2/15/24 10:57pm

Elon University men's basketball pulls off upset against Delaware

By Miles Hayford

Elon University men's basketball team pulled off an incredible upset against the defending Coastal Athletic Association champions, defeating Delaware 73-67 on Feb. 15 at Schar Center. It was an upset no one saw coming with Elon missing star player graduate student Rob Higgins and coming off a brutal loss at Towson on Feb. 12.  The win was Elon’s first win against Delaware since 2019, and represents a turning point for the program. Elon will play next at University of North Carolina, Wilmington at 7 p.m. on Feb. 17 in Trask Coliseum.

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NEWS 2/15/24 3:28pm

Traffic on West Trollinger Ave; South Holt Ave; West Summerbell; Johnson Street to be blocked Feb. 19, 20

By Ryan Kupperman

Traffic will be blocked on West Trollinger Avenue, South Holt Avenue, West Summerbell and Johnson street on Monday, Feb. 19 and Tuesday, Feb. 20 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to an E-Alert sent on Feb. 15. Residents who live on South Holt Avenue, West Summerbell and Johnson Street will be allowed to access their homes from South Williamson Avenue at West Trollinger Avenue. Residents in the 200 to 600 blocks of West Trollinger will need to utilize Church Street, Summers Drive and Ball Park Avenue.

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NEWS 2/15/24 11:08am

Elon Women’s Basketball, Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority host annual breast cancer awareness game

By Fiona McAllister

Pink was everyone’s favorite color this Sunday, Feb. 11. In collaboration with the Elon Women’s Basketball team, the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority hosted their annual “Play4Kay” in honor of breast cancer awareness. The motto “Play4Kay” is in commemoration of former Elon Women’s Basketball coach Kay Yow. Yow was a huge advocate for breast cancer awareness — as she continuously fought her own battle. In 2009, Yow passed away after struggling with breast cancer for 22 years. The charity proceeds from this event went to the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. This cause has raised a total of $65 so far with a goal of $500.

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NEWS 2/15/24 10:33am

Sustainability, shadow of greenwashing

By Cailey Cetani

Though environmentally friendly initiatives have been around for years, we are only now seeing how it is impacting the environment, both positively and negatively. Pew Research Center reported in a 2023 study that around 61% of Americans polled believe that climate change is impacting their local community, although only 37% say that it should be the top issue being addressed by the government. As noted by Matthew Flacksenburg, a sustainability intern at Elon University, there has been an uptick in ethical consumerism, which has played a key role in how products are being marketed and produced.

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NEWS 2/15/24 8:29am

Elon University’s Student Government Association asks students to vote on new constitution

By Reagan Sizemore

Elon’s Student Government Association released a newly revised constitution for the student body to vote for or against on Feb. 16. Since March of 2023 the SGA has been working on a new constitution and on Feb. 1 the Senate approved it. On Friday, Feb. 2, Jon Dooley, vice president of student life, sent an email out to all undergraduate students encouraging students to read the new constitution and vote on PhoenixConnect. Dooley — in his email — urges everyone to take part in the democratic process on Elon’s campus.

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NEWS 2/14/24 8:15pm

Elon life trustee dies at 94, leaves mark on university community

By Ryan Kupperman

Elon Life Trustee Warren “Dusty” Rhodes died at the age of 94 on Monday, Feb. 12, according to an email sent to faculty by university President Connie Book. Rhodes served on the board of trustees for 14 years before being elected a life trustee in 2011. According to Book, Rhodes was “one of Elon’s most dedicated and passionate friends for more than 25 years.”  A celebration of Rhodes' life will be held at 3 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 16 at St. Mark’s Church in Burlington, and a burial will follow in the church cemetery.

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