News

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NEWS 12/13/24 11:21am

Elon names next dean of Martha and Spencer Love School of Business

By Nia Bedard

Love School of Business Associate Dean and professor of management information systems Haya Ajjan will take over as dean of the Love School of Business starting June 1, 2025. During her time at Elon, Ajjan contributed to the development of the Master of Science in Business Analytics graduate program, the establishment of the business analytics and financial technology majors and development of the cybersecurity minor. Ajjan will be taking over for outgoing dean Raghu Tadepalli who will be retiring at the end of the 2024-25 academic year. 

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NEWS 12/11/24 5:36pm

Student Perceptions of Teaching survey results sent early to professors in error

By Avery Sloan

Elon’s Student Perceptions of Teaching, a survey sent to students to provide feedback on each course and professor, provides data that is made available to faculty members for all semesters the survey is completed. This data, while names have been removed, has previously been released to faculty after the deadline for submitting grades has passed, to avoid any grading bias. This semester, data was sent to faculty members this week, while finals are being administered and grades are not finalized. 

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NEWS 12/9/24 11:50pm

Culver’s expands to Burlington

By Anjolina Fantaroni

Culver’s, a Midwest fast-food chain, has made its way to Burlington. The blue-and-white-themed restaurant is one of 17 locations in North Carolina but the only one in Alamance County, which opened Dec. 9 at 1430 University Dr. The Burlington Planning and Zoning Commission voted to approve the building site in August 2023. The restaurant, filled with workers and locals, offers a wide variety of food — from its famous “ButterBurger” and fries to a fresh frozen custard selection, which customers can buy by the pint. 

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NEWS 12/14/24 11:42am

Elon Law celebrates commencement for the class of 2024

By Alice Morrissey

As undergraduate students hurried to their morning finals and packed up to head off to break, the Elon Law class of 2024 was savoring their final moments before officially receiving their Jurisprudence Doctorate during the commencement ceremony for the class of 2024 on Dec. 13 in Alumni Gym. Student commencement speaker, Robert Retic, said not only was his class ready for the next chapter, but they are on the road to change the entire industry with their work with everything they have learned at Elon Law. 

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NEWS 12/13/24 6:29pm

Elon School of Health Sciences celebrates graduating class of 2024

By Nia Bedard

Elon University’s School of Health Sciences class of 2024 transitioned from students to alumni during the school’s commencement ceremony on Dec. 13 in Alumni Gym where Commencement speakers father and son, Jeff Shoup G’ 00 G’ 05 and Durand Shoup G’ 22, encouraged graduating students to leave their profession better than they found it. The ceremony recognized 18 graduating students from the accelerated bachelor of science in nursing program, 36 graduating students from the master of science in physician assistant studies program and 41 graduating students from the doctor of physical therapy program. 

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NEWS 12/3/24 9:07am

School of business dean prepares for departure from Elon after 13 years

By Lilly Molina

Despite his departure as dean of the Love School of Business, Raghu Tadepalli won’t be gone for long. He will return after a yearlong sabbatical in 2026 and work remotely as dean emeritus and special assistant to Elon University President Connie Book. According to the American Conference of Academic Deans, the average time spent as a dean at a university is 5 years or less, which makes Tadepalli a clear outlier after 13 years. Because of this, he said he hopes whoever fills his shoes knows the importance of growth.

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NEWS 12/1/24 4:00pm

Elon’s Lights and Luminaries to focus on community, student traditions

By Neil Parmar

Ahead of the Festival of Lights and Luminaries, the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life is working with multiple groups on campus to ensure those on campus can see a reflection of who they are amongst the lights of the night. Hosted by Elon’s Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life, the Festival of Lights and Luminaries is set to take place Dec. 3. This event has been an Elon tradition for longer, but this will be its fourth year called Lights and Luminaries.

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NEWS 11/27/24 3:25pm

Alamance County Behavioral Health center open for five months, plans for 24/7 expansion

By Madison Powers

The Alamance County Behavioral Health Center served 723 individuals last month, Donald Reuss, vice president of behavioral health and intellectual/developmental disability network operations at Vaya Health, said at a Nov. 18 Alamance County Board of Commissioners meeting. The center officially opened June 19 after a two-year-long collaboration between Vaya Health, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, RHA Health Services and other community partners, according to Reuss. He said conversations revealed a need to support the crisis system in Alamance County to divert people with mental health and substance abuse issues from jail.

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NEWS 11/26/24 3:44pm

Elon uses peer institution as a benchmark, has one mutual peer

By Avery Sloan

Elon has 15 peer institutions and 47 colleges and universities chose Elon as one of its peers, according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics’ Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. Yet, none of Elon’s peers deemed Elon as one its peers, as of data from IPEDS for 2022-23. Many colleges and universities have not updated their peer institutions since then, with the exception of Furman University, where Elon is now one of its peers, according to its website. Elon selected its peers in 2022, Jason Husser, chair of Elon’s Long Range Planning Committee, said.

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NEWS 11/21/24 8:58pm

Transgender Day of Remembrance and Resilience prompts reflection

By Katharyn MacDonald

Beaten. Stabbed. Shot. Suicide. Run over by car. These words seemed out of place next to the names, ages, photos and heartfelt stories of the 67 transgender and genderqueer people memorialized in Numen Lumen. Elon students, staff and community members honored National Transgender Day of Remembrance with a Remembrance and Resilience ceremony, during which people could read stories and see faces of those whose lives have been lost to transphobic violence or suicide in 2024 so far.  Transgender Day of Remembrance was first established in 1999 on the last day of Transgender Awareness Week in memoriam of Rita Hester, a trans woman who was killed in Massachusetts.

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NEWS 11/19/24 4:11pm

Oct. 7 survivor, hero comes to Elon, shares how he saved 750 people

By Fiona McAllister

Rami Davidian, once a farmer, saved 750 people from the Hamas attack Oct. 7, 2023, at the Nova Music Festival in Israel. Elon Chabad, in collaboration with Elon Hillel and Elon Jewish Life, invited Davidian to speak at Elon University on Nov. 18 in Whitley Auditorium. Davidian stopped at Elon as part of his U.S. speaking tour. Joining Davidian was Millet Ben Haim, a survivor of the Oct. 7 attacks, who translated Davidian’s story from Hebrew to English. On the Oct. 7 attack at the music festival, Davidian helped Ben Haim escape from Hamas militants.

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NEWS 11/18/24 12:32pm

Daycare to open in psychology, human service student building

By Avery Sloan

A senior student who wishes to remain anonymous found out in a meeting with his research mentor that his psychology research will need to be conducted in Lindner Hall instead of the psychology building. Next fall, the building on South Campus that currently houses the psychology and human service studies majors will become a child care facility. Originally, the student said he was told he, along with other researchers, would be asked to move by the end of October, but the move has now been pushed back until the end of the semester.

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NEWS 11/12/24 10:04pm

Elon Town Council to continue partnership with Link Transit, moves forward with energy audit of town facilities

By Nia Bedard

The town of Elon held a town council meeting Nov. 12 and discussed energy audits and voted to continue the town’s partnership with Link Transit. The council also welcomed the first inaugural class of the Elon Police Citizens Academy. Town planner Isabell Cooper presented the council with potential options to conduct an energy audit on town of Elon facilities. The facilities include Town Hall, Public Works Main Building, Parks and Recreation Building, Fire Stations 8 and 18, and the Fire Tower.

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NEWS 11/12/24 9:29pm

Elon University department of political science hosts ‘After the Vote’ forum

By Trista Panagakos

On Tuesday, Nov. 12, the Elon University Department of Political Science hosted a panel of political science professors in East Neighborhood Commons to discuss the results of the recent election. The event was part of the Active Citizen Series, which held multiple forums and panels in the lead up to the national election about different issues within politics. This event is the last scheduled Active Citizen Series event for the semester, but there is another post-election discussion being held in Lakeside Meeting Room 212-214 on Nov. 14 at 4:30 p.m.

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NEWS 11/12/24 8:56pm

Martha and Spencer Love School of Business dean candidates present to faculty, staff

By Kate Gray

Since the outgoing dean of the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business, Raghu Tadepalli, announced his retirement in April 2024, a search committee has evaluated a pool of applicants and identified four final dean candidates. They were each hosted on campus in late October and early November to tour classes and present to Love School of Business faculty and staff. The presentation involved a 40-minute response to a prompt on how to respond to the demands of changing perceptions of the value of higher education and the increasing needs for both social responsibility and workforce readiness.

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NEWS 11/12/24 5:42pm

Elon Bursar worker remembered for caring spirit, philanthropy

By Monika Jurevicius

Elon University student account specialist Susan “Sue” Harris was the “resident essential oil expert” and masterchef of the Bursar’s office, her coworker Alessandra Gabriel said. Coworkers remember her as someone who was always willing to help out when someone needed a hand.  Harris died unexpectedly due to complications with pancreatic cancer Sunday, Nov. 10., according to an email sent by Elon President Connie Book to students and staff. Harris’ best friend Leesa Holley said she was diagnosed with cancer three months ago, having had a heart attack three weeks prior to her diagnosis. She died at 57-years-old.

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NEWS 11/11/24 11:35pm

Q&A: Retired admiral shares ways to support veterans, hopes for next administration

By Charlotte Pfabe

As a part of the Veterans’ Day events --- Elon hosted retired Adm. Mike Mullen to kick off the Carol Ann Walker International Lectureship Series. As Mullen spoke to veterans and other Elon community members in McCrary Theatre on Nov. 11, he shared the ways in which the U.S. can better support veterans as they transition from active duty service to civilian life. Mullen sat down with Elon News Network to discuss his views on the current state of support for veterans. 

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NEWS 11/7/24 5:30pm

University president outlines plans for diversity, student support, campus growth

By Liya Rike

Elon Student Government held an event with Elon University President Connie Book and Vice President for Student Life Jon Dooley to discuss topics such as raising the federal Pell Grant threshold and how election results might affect university plans. Dooley addressed the university’s approach to balancing activism and safety on campus. He emphasized that Elon encourages students and community members to engage in activism and voice their opinions on difficult or contentious issues in ways that align with the university's values. Freshman Olivia Glover said she came to the event to ensure students feel supported and safe enough to express themselves.

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NEWS 11/7/24 12:46pm

Elon invites hope through public art display post elections

By Avery Sloan and Anjolina Fantaroni

Hugs, smiles, tears and words of encouragement filled Haggard Avenue on Nov. 6 following the election results between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. In the early hours of Wednesday morning, former President Trump was elected the 47th President of the United States. Elon University invited students, staff and faculty to express words of hope on the portion of Haggard Avenue in front of Young Commons — closing the road from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to showcase and work on their public art display.

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NEWS 11/4/24 1:51pm

oSTEM returns to campus after 2 years

By Neil Parmar

With senior Maria Ledin leading as president of oSTEM this year, they aim to change the status of the organization to have more presence on campus. For the past two years, oSTEM was not active on Elon’s campus. After complications with the COVID-19 pandemic and a leadership team that had mostly graduated, the organization temporarily disappeared. Ledin said they were inspired to jumpstart the organization in part because they knew of individuals on campus that could and would benefit from the space that oSTEM provides.

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