Katharyn MacDonald

Recent Articles

LIFESTYLE 10/24/24 5:17pm

Computer canines take stage in ‘Legally Blonde’ at Elon University

By Katharyn MacDonald

Two robotic dogs are making their debut appearance during Elon University’s fall mainstage musical “Legally Blonde." As the production prepares for its opening Oct. 25, Elon engineering students are putting final touches on the robotic dogs, bringing the show’s beloved canine characters — Bruiser and Rufus — to life. Over the past five months, engineering students have done extensive research and work to build the dogs. Senior Zoë Scherpbier built shells of artificial fur and dog features to make the robots’ outsides as realistic as possible without falling into the uncanny valley.

LIFESTYLE 10/6/24 5:23pm

A cappella makes note-able mark on Elon culture

By Katharyn MacDonald

The sounds of singing and beatboxing echoed through Spence Pavilion. As students of different grade levels and majors filed into the room, they smiled and jumped right into the song that had begun. Rehearsal didn’t start for another 10 minutes, but everyone already wanted to start singing. At ROCKapella, a concert featuring all Elon a cappella groups over Family Weekend, the groups could be seen jumping and clapping for each other’s performances, their signature colors blending together into a crowd of musicians cheering on other musicians.

LIFESTYLE 9/23/24 3:22pm

Elon University ranks 9th in Playbill’s most represented universities on Broadway

By Katharyn MacDonald

Hannah Kevitt ’23 was wrapping up her senior year at Elon University when she found out where she would be going directly after graduation: to Broadway. After flying back and forth between North Carolina and New York City for auditions and callbacks since August of the previous year, Kevitt had booked an ensemble role in “Back to the Future.” Kevitt is one of 24 alumni who performed in Broadway shows from April 28, 2023 to April 25, 2024, leading Elon University to be named one of Playbill’s Big 10 Most Represented Colleges on Broadway.

NEWS 6/11/24 1:24pm

Elon graduates show large potential in job market

By Katharyn MacDonald

From the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, to the sudden swell of artificial intelligence, to an increasingly hybrid job market — this year’s graduating class has had a unique experience. Generally about 35% of students of all majors have a job by graduation, according to Ross Wade, Elon’s director of career services for the School of Communications. According to a survey sent to Elon alumni by the SPDC nine months after the class of 2023’s graduation, 96% of graduates are employed or in school, while 95% of those employed selected that their position is related to their career objective.

LIFESTYLE 4/22/24 11:08am

Elon University student organization K-DNS embraces K-pop and community

By Katharyn MacDonald

There were bright smiles and laughter as members of Elon University’s K-pop student organization K-DNS headed into a Koury Center studio Sunday evening, chatting about their weekends. As soon as the music was on, they were in position, smiles still on their faces and ready to dance. K-DNS, which stands for K-pop Dancing ’n Singing, is an audition-based group that provides a space for students to hone skills and share their love of K-pop. It has three subgroups, the Dance, Vocal and Rap Units — as well as general members that are involved in many facets.

LIFESTYLE 4/9/24 10:43am

Grand Night features student-produced music theater, emotional senior send-off

By Katharyn MacDonald

In four sold-out shows of song, dance and looking back on college journeys, Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music Theatre students performed together in Grand Night — a collage of performances that showcased the program’s talents — on April 5 and 6 in Elon University’s Roberts Studio Theatre. Students directed, music directed and choreographed 15 numbers across many genres. Caroline Borio, assistant student director and senior performer, said everyone always looks forward to doing their senior class number. Assistant Professor of Music Theatre Courtney Liu, who managed Grand Night with Guest Instructor Jane Lanier, called it a “real tear-jerker.”

NEWS 2/26/24 8:19am

AI and Elon University: grappling with generative AI in, out of classroom

By Tucker Price and Katharyn MacDonald

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction released guidelines on generative AI use on Jan. 16. According to the NCDPI, implementing these guidelines and familiarizing students with AI is essential to preparing them to enter the workforce. But as a private institution, Elon University is not obligated to follow these guidelines. The university instead created a set of its own principles as a framework for AI literacy at the UN's Internet Governance Forum this past October. Elon put forward six principles, spearheaded by university President Connie Book and Pew Research Scholar Dr. Lee Rainie, a scholar-in-residence at Elon.

NEWS 12/15/23 8:21am

Elon University granted reaccreditation by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

By Katharyn MacDonald

Elon University was granted reaccreditation after an examination of 73 measures of quality — ranging from academic affairs, to student life, administration and governing boards. Accreditation displays that a university upholds the standards of quality education and actively carries out its mission statement. According to Jessica Platania, associate provost for academic affairs, universities that fail to be granted accreditation cannot provide federally-funded financial aid to students, and credits earned are not recognized by any other institution if students are to transfer.

NEWS 9/24/23 2:19pm

Students express frustrations with Elon University campus crosswalks

By Kathan Gandhi and Katharyn MacDonald

After multiple collisions and near-incidents have occurred on Elon’s crosswalks throughout the first month of students being on campus, students have been voicing concerns and asking for more communication from the university, according to Campus Safety and Police. Campus Police and the town of Elon have opened discussions about possible courses of action, but said with a limited budget, there is little that can be done. All roads that pass through and border campus — crosswalks included — are regulated by both Campus Safety and Police and the town of Elon. 

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SPORTS 11/21/2024 9:42am
Elon University men’s basketball looks to win conference

After three straight losing-record seasons and two years under the leadership of head coach Billy Taylor, the Elon University men’s basketball team is ready for a Coastal Athletic Association Championship. According to senior Sam Sherry, the current squad is finally poised to make a run. The first two years in the Billy Taylor era weren’t successful record-wise but successfully developed key players like Sherry and junior TK Simpkins. Last year, the Phoenix just fell short in the first round of the CAA Tournament, losing to Hampton by one.

NEWS 11/19/2024 4:29pm
Republican candidate for North Carolina Supreme Court asks for recount

Democrat and incumbent candidate for North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Allison Riggs is currently leading over Republican candidate Jefferson Griffin by 625 votes. A representative from the North Carolina State Board of Elections told Elon News Network that Griffin filed a motion to request a recount earlier today, Nov. 19, and that the recount will begin Nov. 20 and will finish on Nov. 27. The NCSBE said a candidate can request a recount if the difference in votes is less than 1%. As of Nov. 19 at 9:55 a.m., Riggs is leading Griffin by 0.02% with 5.5 million ballots being counted.

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