TRAILBLAZERSElon Law charter class graduates

T H E M A G A Z I N E O F

S P R I N G 2 0 0 9

President Leo M. Lambert sounded the opening bell of the New York Stock Exchange March 9 on a day when Wall Street celebrated Elon’s academic achievements. Joining Lambert on the platform were Elon students, alumni, parents and Mary Gowan, dean of the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business. They visited the city as part of the regional kickoff of the Ever Elon Campaign, and their NYSE appearance marked a historic milestone for the market. The next day, stocks began a major turnaround following months of declining values (see story on page 9).

Features

Departments

Faculty Profile:

Unlocking the Secrets of MemoryBY DAVE HART

More of us are living longer, which makes Amy Overman’s research on aging and memory more important than ever.

Alumni Profile:

Serving the Common GoodInspired in part by their Elon experiences, many alumni have made a career of helping people in need. Read their essays to learn more.

Honoring the SacredBY REV. RICHARD MCBRIDE

After serving for 25 years as Elon’s chaplain, Richard McBride retires this spring and reflects on his career in campus ministry.

Cover Story:

Setting a PrecedentBY DANIEL J . ANDERSON AND PHILIP CRAFT

The charter class of Elon University School of Law writes a new chapter in the university’s history.

Celebrating a Century of Hoops BY KRISTIN SIMONETTI ’05

Elon marks 100 seasons of men’s basketball by retiring the jerseys of Jesse Branson ’65 and Tommy Cole ’72.

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T H E M A G A Z I N E O F

The Magazine of ElonSpring 2009, Vol. 71, No. 2

EditorJaleh Hagigh

DesignersChristopher Eyl Carolyn Nelson

News EditorEric Townsend

PhotographerGrant Halverson

Copy EditorKristin Simonetti ’05

Class NotesHolley Berry

Student WritersRobert Hoppey ’09 Bethany Swanson ’09

Director of University RelationsDaniel J. Anderson

The Magazine of Elon is published quarterly for alumni, parents and friends by the Office of University Relations.336-278-7415

Editorial officesThe Magazine of Elon2030 Campus BoxElon, NC 27244-2020

Class NotesElon Office of University Relations2030 Campus BoxElon, NC 27244E-mail: alumniclassnotes@elon.edu

Elon Web sitewww.elon.edu

Magazine Web sitewww.elon.edu/magazine

Board of Trustees, ChairAllen E. Gant Jr., Burlington, N.C.

Elon Alumni Board, President Bill Coffman ’86, G’88, Greenville, N.C.

Young Alumni Council, PresidentCaroline Sage ’02, Atlanta, Ga.

Parents Council, Co-PresidentsDave & Ellen Kay P’10, P’12, Oakton, Va.

Board of Visitors, Chair Alva S. McGovern ’72, Atlanta, Ga.

School of LawAdvisory Board, ChairDavid Gergen, Cambridge, Mass.

Love School of BusinessAdvisory Board, ChairPeter Tourtellot, Greensboro, N.C.

School of CommunicationsAdvisory Board, Chair Don Bolden, Burlington, N.C.

Phoenix Club Advisory Board, ChairAmy Thomas Hendrickson ’69, Raleigh, N.C.

Director of Alumni RelationsSallie Hutton ’92

Director of Parent Programs Maggie Byerly

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10 PHOENIX Sports

26 ALUMNI Action

30 CLASS Notes

40 MAKING A Difference

The issue of college grade infla-tion made its way back into the news recently, spurred by

former Duke University professor Stuart Rojstaczer who has charted grade infla-tion for 20 years. His figures show the national grade point average is between 3.0 and 3.1, and predicts that will rise to 3.6 or higher within 30 years, if current trends hold.

Elon faculty members have also been expressing concern about grades at the university, where the average grade point average for the fall 2008 semester was 3.16. Moreover, 40 percent of the grades assigned last fall were A’s. Faculty pre-pared for our April faculty meeting by holding a series of small group discus-sions about the pattern of rising grades. There is a growing concern about the trend and an increasing awareness of the complexity of the issues.

The grade inflation discussion at Elon coincides with other campus initiatives to increase academic challenge to keep pace with the rising quality of the stu-dent body. Addressing the grading issue is a natural outgrowth of those efforts.

Of course, the assignment of grades is a faculty prerogative. Some faculty mem-bers believe standards are completely out of whack with what is published in the university catalog, where a C is defined as

“average performance in which a basic un-derstanding of the subject has been dem-onstrated.” They question whether the

“distinguished” meaning of A grades has been diluted. One tongue-in-cheek idea floated on campus is that the photo of se-nior Breanna Detwiler, national Truman, Mitchell and Udall scholarship winner, should flash on the computer screen every time a faculty member enters a grade of A, prompting a not-so-subtle comparison to everyone’s ideal of a great student!

For other faculty members, today’s higher grades reflect a university culture of engaged learning and increasing quali-fications of entering students. The Class of 2013 entering this fall is projected to have an average high school grade point average in core subjects above a 4.0. Clearly, Elon students do not have a lot of experience earning grades be-low B in high school. There is no doubt that this generation of students is grade conscious, with students highly aware of faculty grading standards and how to go about meeting them. They also are aware that their academic records will have a very real impact on their applications for graduate or professional school or their

ability to compete for work in a tough job market.

Many faculty members argue convinc-ingly that Elon’s learning-centered culture leads to higher grades overall. For exam-ple, many faculty members react to draft after draft of their students’ major papers, helping them to understand in a specific academic context what the standards for distinguished work are and how the cur-rent drafts might fall short. This is how learning to do excellent work is taught in many settings — not only academic ones — where critical feedback, revision and reworking leads to better results. In my view, this represents an important shift in the conversation, placing a premium on student learning. It is no wonder that the faculty at Elon, and at colleges and uni-versities across the nation, are conflicted on the topic of grade inflation.

Clearly, we must remain committed to maintaining standards of excellence. At Elon, we also will keep the primary campus conversations focused on pro-moting academic rigor, because the col-lege experiences that have the greatest lasting impact and value are those in which we were most challenged and taught important lessons of perseverance and resilience.

Leo M. LambertPresident

Who is anA student today?

Go to www.elon.edu/magazine to see animated motion graphs of grade distributions at Elon over the past three decades. Anthony Crider, as-sociate professor of physics, created the graphs.

A A-

B+ B B-

C+ C C-

D+ D D-

FOTHER

Elon fall 2008 gradE distribution

SOURCE: ELON UNIVERSITY REGISTRAR’S OFFICE2 MAGAZINE OF ELON

ELON News

Leo M. Lambert

Johnson named dean of Elon Law George R. Johnson Jr., a distinguished lawyer with more than 30 years of experience in government service and education, has been named the second dean of Elon University School of Law.

Johnson had served as interim dean of the school since August 2008, when founding dean Leary Davis stepped down because of health issues. Johnson also served as the school’s associate dean of academic affairs and was instrumental in helping Elon Law become one of 200 law schools approved by the American Bar Association.

“As we conducted our national search for Elon Law’s next dean, it became apparent that George Johnson provided the perfect combination of experience, skill and vision,” says President Leo M. Lambert.

Johnson, a faculty member with Elon Law since it opened in 2006, said he is honored to provide the next stage of leadership for the law school.

“Our approach to legal education is breaking new ground, helping students understand the important roles they will play as society’s leaders,” Johnson says.

After earning his law degree from Columbia University in 1976, Johnson began his public service career as assistant counsel for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs. He joined the Carter administration in 1979 in the Executive Office of the President, serving as assistant general counsel for the White House Council on Wage and Price Stability.

Johnson’s teaching career began in 1981 when he joined the George Mason University law school. He joined the Howard University School of Law as visiting professor in 1988, was named full professor there in 1989 and was promoted to associate dean for academic affairs in 1992.

From 1996 to 2002, Johnson served as president of LeMoyne-Owen College in Memphis, Tenn. He entered private practice in 2003 and served three years at Saint Louis & Johnson law firm in Washington, D.C.

BUSINESS SCHOOL EARNS RE-ACCREDITATION

Elon’s Martha and Spencer Love School of Business has been re-accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (aaCsb International), the world-wide accrediting agency of collegiate business schools and accounting programs.

aaCsb International accreditation is the hallmark of excellence in business education and has been earned by less than 5 percent of the world’s business schools. The Love School initially was accredited in 2004.

Since that time, the Love School of Business has moved into the 60,000-square-foot Ernest A. Koury, Sr. Business Center; established the Doherty Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership and professorship following a $1 million endowment gift from Ed and Joan Doherty, of Saddle River, N.J.; created the Wesley R. Elingburg Professorship following a $1 million endowment gift from Wes and Cathy Elingburg, of Greensboro, N.C.; and established the Chandler Family Center for Professional Sales through a $500,000 en-dowment gift from Thomas E. and Lynn B. Chandler, of Burlington, N.C.

In addition, the Mba program has been named the top part-time program in North Carolina, #2 in the South and #12 in the na-tion (BusinessWeek magazine 2008). The Mba program also has been recognized as one of “The Best 290 Business Schools” (2008 Princeton Review).

COOPER NAMED EDUCATION DEAN

David H. Cooper, a respected educator who specializes in early childhood learning, has

been named dean of the School of Education.

Cooper, associate dean for undergraduate programs and school partnerships in the College of Education at the University of Maryland, begins his du-ties June 1 and succeeds Gerald Dillashaw, who stepped down as dean

last spring after serving for 16 years.During his career, Cooper has focused on

A student today?

David H. Cooper

early childhood education with an empha-sis on preschool and primary-grade students with learning and behavioral disabilities. His research interests include student achievement in professional development schools, as well as disorders of literacy development. He is co-founder of Camp Attaway, a Maryland thera-peutic day camp for children with emotional or behavioral disorders.

GRANT FUNDS DNA EQUIPMENT

An $84,000 grant from the North Carolina Biotechnology Center will fund the purchase of two pieces of scientific equipment for pro-cessing dna samples.

The dna sequencer and a Real-Time PCr thermal cycler will be installed in McMichael Science Center. The dna sequencer allows for highly detailed analysis of dna fragment size and composition. Its primary purpose is to obtain genetic sequences of samples. Previously, students and faculty have sent samples off campus for sequencing. The Real-Time PCr thermal cycler allows researchers to target, amplify and quantify specific genes in a sample.

The equipment, scheduled to be avail-able this summer, will accelerate and expand undergraduate research in the sciences, says Antonio Izzo, assistant professor of biology and director of the grant application.

George R. Johnson Jr.

ELON News

MAGAZINE OF ELON 3

was committed to sharing that passion with his students.

Students, faculty, staff and friends gathered April 7 for a me-morial service at Elon Community Church.

Gooch’s wife, Marcia, has requested that memorials be made to the American Heart Association or a charity of choice

in Gooch’s honor. Condolences may be sent to the Gooch family at 2015 Westover Dr., Burlington, NC, 27215.

STUDENT WINS FULBRIGHT FELLOWSHIP

Senior Victoria “Tori” Davis has received a 2009 Fulbright U.S. Student Grant, which will support her graduate studies in Japan this fall.

Davis will research modern Japanese di-plomacy and study whether efforts to address terrorism are undermining the government’s professed support for “universal values” and human rights. The Fulbright Grant will fund Davis’ full tuition, as well as re-search costs, a living stipend and health insurance during her studies.

The native of Fripp Island, S.C., double-majored in political science and in-ternational studies. Her research on American anti-human trafficking policies has been pub-lished in Virginia Policy Review. Last fall, she presented her honors thesis research on ter-rorism and diplomacy at the International Studies Association Conference.

Davis is the second Elon student or gradu-ate who has been named a Fulbright recipient since 2007.

NEWHALL JOINS BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Ashton Newhall ’98, of Owings Mills, Md., was inducted this spring as a member of the board of trustees. Newhall is co-founder of Montagu Newhall Associates, a venture

Faculty author new booksFour faculty members have authored books exploring constitutional law, media coverage of terrorism, the ethics of environmental activism and the writings of a German theologian executed by the Nazis.

Steven Friedland, professor of law, co-authored Inside Constitutional Law: What Matters and Why. The book is a guide for law students to supplement and enrich casebook reading and classroom experience in the study of constitutional law.

In Brooke Barnett’s new co-authored book, Terrorism and the Press: An Uneasy Relationship, the associate professor of communications examines the consequences of the way American media report on terrorist acts.

Anthony Weston, professor of philosophy, wrote The Incompleat Eco-Philosopher, a collection of essays chronicling his experiences and research over the past 15 years. In his book, Weston explores topics such as evolution, teaching principles and ethics.

Jeffrey C. Pugh, the Maude Sharpe Powell Professor of Religious Studies, interprets the thoughts of a German theologian involved in plots to kill Hitler in Religionless Christianity: Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Troubled Times. The book puts into contemporary context ideas Bonhoeffer contemplated regarding Christianity and its relationship with governments.

Victoria “Tori” Davis ’09

his students. He specialized in chemical education and organic chemistry, and was an authority on nuclear magnetic resonance, natural products, organic syn-thesis and molecular modeling. His colleagues describe him as a bright scholar who had a pas-sion for organic chemistry and

Anthony Weston

ELON REMEMBERS FACULTY MEMBER

The campus community mourned the loss of longtime chemistry professor Eugene Gooch, 57, who was killed April 3 while rid-ing his bicycle near campus. A motorist who failed to see Gooch struck the avid cyclist on University Drive in Elon.

Gooch joined the Elon faculty in 1988 and was an active scholar and mentor to Eugene Gooch

Steven Friedland Brooke Barnett Jeffrey C. Pugh

ELON News

4 MAGAZINE OF ELON

Circle, Palladian Society and Order of the Oak, the university’s planned giving society.

KISER HONORED FOR SERVICE LEARNING WORK

A coalition of colleges and universities has honored professor Pam Kiser with its annual award for dedication to connecting service with learning in higher education.

Kiser received the 2009 Robert L. Sigmon Service-Learning Award from North Carolina Campus Compact during its statewide confer-ence held on campus on Feb. 11. The coali-tion of schools seeks to increase campus-wide participation in community and public service.

Kiser is one of the faculty leaders in incorporating service initiatives into aca-demic courses.

“As educators, we have a responsibility to prepare our students to tackle the diffi-cult issues of their time,” says Kiser, Watts-Thompson Professor in human services. “As part of this preparation, I consider it wise to provide our students with firsthand opportu-nities to grapple with the issues concretely as well as intellectually and to wrestle with their own understandings, values and motivations related to pursuing ‘the common good.’”

Kiser will begin serving as interim dean of Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences, on June 1.

capital firm based in Owings Mills.

Newhall’s firm manages multiple funds with a com-bined total of more than $1.5 billion in committed capital invested by corpo-rate pension funds, endowments, foun-

dations, superannuation funds and family offices. He serves on the boards of Domain Associates, the limited partners board for Frazier Healthcare Ventures, QuestMark Partners and the Mid-Atlantic Venture Association Selection Committee.

Newhall was appointed in 2003 to the advisory board of the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business and in 2007 was rec-ognized as Elon’s Young Alumnus of the Year. As a student, he served as president of the Student Government Association, and was a member of the Alpha Kappa Psi professional business fraternity and Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity.

HENDRICKSONS RECEIVE SOCON AWARD

Trustee Jay Hendrickson ’71 and his wife, Amy ’69, of Raleigh, N.C., are among the 12 recipients of the 2009 Southern Conference Distinguished Service Award. The SoCon award recognizes individuals from its mem-ber institutions who have contributed to all aspects of the university.

The Hendricksons have served their alma

mater with distinction. As charter members of the Phoenix Club iMPaCt Circle, they are among the most generous supporters of Elon athletics. In 2007, the couple made a $1 million commitment to the Ever Elon Campaign to name the Hendrickson Football Center, planned for Elon’s North Athletics Complex, in honor of Jay’s father, Horace J. Hendrickson, one of Elon’s all-time greatest coaches.

Amy Hendrickson serves as chair of the Phoenix Club advisory board and is a mem-ber of the university’s board of visitors. Jay Hendrickson served on the board of visitors before being named to the board of trustees and to the board’s athletic policy committee.

As devoted alumni, the couple have served on the Elon Alumni Board and Elon Society Executive Committee. They have generously supported athletics scholarships through annual gifts to the Phoenix Club and in 2000 endowed the James A. and Amy T. Hendrickson Engineering Scholarship. They are members of The Elon Society President’s

Amy ’69 and Jay Hendrickson ’71

“The United States has to do a better job of explaining itself to the world and also of learning from it. If not, our actions will continue to be misunderstood and our leaders will continue to be surprised by the attitudes of people overseas.… Our ability to prevail in these struggles must begin with a desire to learn.”

Former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright delivered the keynote address March 31 at A Convocation for Honors. She discussed the role of education in the world, the importance of international learning and the process of “connecting what we know to what we do.”

Ashton Newhall ’98

Pam Kiser

ELON News

MAGAZINE OF ELON 5

“You should never underesti-mate the value of working harder than anybody else around you … and you’re best able to do that if you figure out what you’re passionate about. If you’re able to some-how harness that passion and pursue that passion in what-ever you’re doing, that’s going to allow you to work longer than everybody else because it’s not going to feel like work.”

During an April 7 visit to campus, CNN news anchor Anderson Cooper spoke with students in the School of Communications before delivering a lecture to more than 2,400 people in Alumni Gym. He shared stories from his career and gave students advice on how to succeed in any profession.

GOODNIGHT AWARDED ENTREPRENEURIAL MEDAL

Jim Goodnight, co-founder and CEo of the Cary, N.C.-based software giant sas, re-ceived the first Elon University Medal for Entrepreneurial Leadership on April 9.

The medal was created to recognize leading entrepreneurs who exemplify Elon’s values of integrity, innovation and creativity, as well as

a passion for lifelong learning and a commit-ment to building a dynamic community.

President Leo M. Lambert presented the inaugural medal to Goodnight, saying, “Jim and his wife, Ann, are leading citizens of North Carolina. They have done so much to transform education around the state and around the world.”

Goodnight co-founded the privately held sas in 1976 and since then has served as the company’s chief executive officer. A global leader in business analytics, sas has more than 11,000 employees in 54 countries. In 2008, the company posted revenues of $2.2 billion, its 33rd consecutive year of growth and profitability.

Before receiving his award, Goodnight shared with students some of the factors that have led to his success.

“I’ve never been a really hands-on, top-down manager,” Goodnight said. “I don’t really believe in it. What I like to do is find really good people, give them the ball and let them run with it.”

Entrepreneurial education is the focus of the Doherty Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership in Elon’s Martha and Spencer Love School of Business.

TROXLER HONORED FOR SERVICE TO ELON

George Troxler, a long-time professor of his-tory, was honored March 31 at A Convocation for Honors for guiding the Office of Cultural and Special Programs for the past 23 years. Troxler is stepping down this spring as dean of cultural and special programs.

Normally working behind the scenes at Convocation, Troxler was invited to sit on the platform in recognition of his extraordinary service to Elon. In addition to bringing excel-lent cultural programs and performances to

ALLEN RECEIVES HONORARY DEGREE

Trustee Noel L. Allen ’69, whose distinguished legal career has won international accolades, received an honorary doctor of humane let-ters degree March 31 during A Convocation

for Honors. Allen has been a

member of Elon’s Board of Trustees since 1985 and served as the board’s chair from 2001 to 2003. He chaired the three stra-tegic planning commit-tees that for two decades guided Elon’s unprec-edented growth, and he

chaired the 1998 presidential search commit-tee that brought President Leo M. Lambert to the university. Last fall, he received the Distinguished Alumnus of the Year award.

Allen played a pivotal role in establishing the Elon University School of Law and is a member of the law school’s advisory board. Allen is president and founding and managing partner of Allen & Pinnix law firm in Raleigh, N.C. A respected author and practicing at-torney, Allen has received recognition as one of Business North Carolina magazine’s “Legal Elite” and a “North Carolina Super Lawyer.”

Allen serves as legal counsel for the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy and several North Carolina professional li-censing boards, including the Board of CPa Examiners and the Board of Architecture. He also has served as chair of the Antitrust Section and the International Law Section of the North Carolina Bar Association.

He is the author of North Carolina Unfair Business Practice and Antitrust Law in North Carolina and serves as U.S. editor of the multi-volume treatise Competition Law of Western Europe and The United States. He also has published articles on ethics, the use of expert witnesses and legal challenges for regulating Internet practice.

Allen and his wife, Sandra Robinson Allen ’72, have generously supported their alma mater, and are members of Elon’s Order of the Oak and the School of Law’s Founders’ Society. The couple are the parents of Brenner and Jeremy, a 2007 Elon alumnus.

To watch a video clip of Noel Allen’s re-marks, go to www.elon.edu/magazine.

George Troxler

Noel Allen ’69 Jim Goodnight

ELON News

6 MAGAZINE OF ELON

Periclean Scholars travel to Ghana for health clinic openingWhen torrential rains make the roads from your village impassable for half the year and the nearest medical facility is miles away, the only way to ensure full access to healthcare is to open your own clinic. That’s just what residents of one village in Ghana did in January with help from Elon’s Periclean Scholars Class of 2010.

Four Periclean Scholars and faculty member Heidi Frontani traveled to Ghana for the Jan. 10 opening of the Kpoeta Community Clinic. Another eight scholars plan to visit Kpoeta when they study in the West African nation later this year.

The 32 members of the Periclean Scholars Class of 2010 raised more than $43,000 for development projects, including more than $20,000 for construction and furnishing of the clinic in Kpoeta. In recognition of their efforts, villagers presented students with strips of kente cloth while Frontani, professor of geography and mentor to the scholars, was installed as Development Queen Mother of Kpoeta.

“It was a wonderful and moving experience to be in Kpoeta with several Periclean Scholars for the clinic’s grand opening,” Frontani said.

The Kpoeta project was launched in 2007 when visiting Fulbright Scholar

Francis Amedahe proposed that the 2010 Periclean Scholars partner with the people in his village to build a community clinic. Amedahe explained to students that the 10,000 people of Kpoeta lacked regular access to healthcare.

The students’ fundraising efforts sped up construction of the 10-room clinic, while the Ghanaian government agreed to post a full-time nurse and a midwife in the clinic to provide basic medical care to the people of Kpoeta.

The next phase of the project will focus on keeping medical professionals in the peasant farming community, including building a duplex to house them.

The Periclean Scholars program is the centerpiece of Elon’s Project Pericles, which is part of a national initiative to raise the level of civic engagement and social responsibility among college and university students. Periclean Scholars take special courses during the three-year program and select one or more class projects that

address global or local social change. For more information on the clinic

and other Class of 2010 Periclean Scholars projects, go to org.elon.edu/pericleanscholars2010. To learn more about Project Pericles, go to www.elon.edu/pericles.

Elon, Troxler has led the planning for major campus events, including Commencement and fall and spring convocations.

President Leo M. Lambert praised Troxler for the thousands of life-enriching speakers and performances he helped bring to Elon, calling his life and career “living testimony” to the university’s mission.

“Hundreds of thousands of people have en-countered art, music and theatre, and been introduced to great artists and great minds because of George’s discerning judgment, his planning, organization and his flawless atten-tion to detail,” Lambert said.

Troxler came to Elon 40 years ago with his wife, Carole, who retired from the Elon

faculty in 2003. He said he never expected to stay so long.

“Elon very much became my institution, my university, my home,” he said. “This school became the place where I wanted to be and have been blessed to share. It has been wonderful.”

ELON NAMED TO PRESIDENTIAL SERVICE HONOR ROLL

The Corporation for National & Community Service has named Elon to its 2008 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll With Distinction, the third time in as many years that the university has been

recognized by the federal government for its commitment to service learning and civic engagement.

Launched in 2006, the Honor Roll is the highest federal recognition a school can achieve.

Sixty percent of Elon students participated in service and civic activities within the past year, contributing more than 90,000 hours to community causes, the equivalent of 43 full-time employees working 365 days per year.

Elon was one of three institutions recog-nized by President George W. Bush when the university received an inaugural Presidential Award in 2006. The university made the Honor Roll With Distinction in 2007.

(l-r) Periclean Scholars Tracey Evans, Mica McCullough, Briana O’Neil and Megan Prilutski in Ghana with Francis Amedahe, former Visiting Fulbright Scholar at Elon.

ELON News

MAGAZINE OF ELON 7

Update

The Patricks say serving overseas made their children think more globally. Their son, Michael, an Elon senior, participated in a service trip to Brazil, while daughter Melissa, a freshman, spent January’s Winter Term serving in Honduras.

“Bob and I feel like you learn the most about yourself when you help others, and we try to instill that philosophy in our chil-dren,” says Kathleen Patrick. “You can study forever and not learn as much as when you step outside your comfort zone and help others. Bob and I want to do whatever we can to provide that op-portunity to students who want to participate in service but can-not afford to.”

Hunts assist studEnts witH nEEd and talEnt Making an Elon edu-cation possible for ad-ditional students with financial need and special talents inspired trustee Vicky Hunt and her husband, Sam, of Burlington, N.C., to make a $250,000 gift to endow a scholarship in their names.

Funds from the endowment will provide need- or talent-based scholarships, including athletics scholarships, for deserving stu-dents. The Hunts say it was important to them that their gift helps as many students as possible.

tHE univErsity’s gEnErous bEnEfaCtors con-tinue to respond enthusiastically to the Ever Elon Campaign to build the endowment, increase annual and planned gifts, and preserve and build the campus.

Recent major gifts from parents and friends will endow scholarships to enable additional students to participate in service and study abroad programs, as well as support enhanced athletics facilities. As of late April, donors had contributed more than $62 million in gifts and pledges toward the $100 million compre-hensive campaign goal.

Ever Elon donors support scholarships, athletics facilities

Major gift boosts atHlEtiCs ProjECt Enabling Elon to provide outstanding facilities for students was the motivation behind a $500,000 gift to the new athletics field house, which will serve teams that compete in the north athlet-ics complex.

Dave Blank, director of athletics, thanked the donor, who asked to remain anonymous, for helping Elon be more competitive in its 16 men’s and women’s sports teams.

“We are very grateful for this generous gift to our field house project,” Blank says. “Gifts that enhance our facilities are critical from a recruiting standpoint, but most important, these gifts al-low us to ensure that our student athletes enjoy first-rate facilities during their Elon careers.”

PatriCk faMily ExPands sErviCE oPPortunitiEs Bob and Kathleen Patrick, of Naples, Fla., were so impressed with the service experiences their children have had at Elon that they gave $250,000 to establish the Patrick Family Endowment For Service Learning Travel.

The couple want to expand the number of service trips the uni-versity offers and deepen students’ learning experiences. Funds from the endowment will provide travel grants to more students participating in service trips.

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Vicky and Sam Hunt

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“There are so many students out there who need help,” she says. “Hopefully, we can keep adding to the scholarship.”

rECord Crowd attEnds EvEr Elon in nEw yorkMore than 280 alumni, parents and friends gathered March 9 for the New York launch of the Ever Elon Campaign. President Leo M. Lambert discussed the goals and progress of the campaign, and sev-eral guests shared stories of how their lives have been transformed by Elon. Following those testimonials, performing arts alumni Rob Marnell ’06, Lindsay Northen ’03 and Connie Renda ’03, who have appeared on Broadway and at other venues, performed vocal selections for the audience.

The Ever Elon launch was made possible by generous gifts from parents Ed and Joan Doherty, Charles and Diana Revson, Frode and Katherine Jensen, Arne and Bonnie Arnesen, and Christopher Martin ’78. Following the launch, young alumni gathered for an ignitE nitE to educate alums about the new giving program for graduates of the past decade.

Earlier that day, Lambert led an Elon group to ring the open-ing bell at the New York Stock Exchange (see inside front cover). On the bell platform were senior business majors Kyle McGrath, Jessica Connelly, Will Taylor, Amelia Henderson and Rachael Graham. Elon parent Peter Murphy, president of the former Bear Wagner Specialists, now Barclays Capital, sponsored Elon’s open-ing-bell ceremony. Joining the group were Christopher Martin ’78, president and chief operating officer of Provident Financial Services, Sam Burke ’89, partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers, and parent Kevin Kelly, former managing partner at Bear Stearns.

donors join ordEr of tHE oakOrder of the Oak, Elon’s planned giving recognition society, wel-comes the following new members: Elon parents A. Roger Gibbs ’52 and his wife, Betty, of Greensboro, N.C.; Luther R. Conger ’55 and his wife, Louise, of Kernersville, N.C.; and parents John Bowie Gray v and his wife, Adele.

For more information on Ever Elon, go to www.everelon.org.

“Sam and I believe that the endowment campaign is very im-portant,” Vicky Hunt says. “We know that Elon’s endowment needs to be increased and that we need to make the Elon expe-rience available to as many students as possible. Everyone gains from an endowment gift — the student, the donor, the university and hopefully the world.”

Hunt says scholarship support is even more critical during chal-lenging economic times.

“I do feel that this campaign is even more timely now than when it began. That is what the endowment is all about, making this Elon experience available to more students. I think we are such a great value for an independent university.”

Vicky Hunt is CEo of Hunt Electric Supply Co. and a former member of Elon’s Martha and Spencer Love School of Business Advisory Board.

Sam Hunt is chairman of Hunt Electric Supply Co. He served four terms in the North Carolina House of Representatives and as the state’s transportation secretary from 1993 to 1995.

Edwards faMily funds study abroad sCHolarsHiPsBruce and Susan Edwards, of Columbus, Ohio, know the power of studying abroad to enhance students’ education. That is why they made a gift to establish the Emily M. Edwards and Kelsey A. Edwards Scholarship for International Study.

The endowment, named in honor of the couple’s daughters, will enable more students with financial need to study abroad during Winter Term. Susan Edwards says it was important to Kelsey, an Elon senior, and Emily ’08 that the scholarships assist students with significant financial need.

“The girls had a fabulous experience at Elon, and we just wanted to give back,” Susan Edwards says. “Both our girls were able to study abroad, which was priceless, and we felt it was important to help other students have the same experiences.”

Edwards says she and her husband look forward to watching their scholarship grow.

Lindsay Northen ’03, left, and Connie Renda ’03

MAGAZINE OF ELON 9

For the third consecutive year, the men’s tennis team has been ranked among the top-75 teams in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s nCaa Division i

rankings. Senior Damon Gooch peaked at No. 6 in the regional

and No. 56 in the national singles rankings — both program records. Sophomore Oscar Podlewski cracked the top-125 national singles rankings, while Gooch and sophomore Philip Nemec reached a program-record No. 20 in the national doubles rankings.

One of the most decorated tennis players in Phoenix his-tory, Gooch is a two-time team MvP, a three-time First Team

All-Southern Conference singles and doubles player, a five-time SoCon Player of the Week and a three-time SoCon Athlete of the Month.

Gooch, who anchored the Phoenix at No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles through-out his career, earned SoCon Freshman of the Year acco-lades in 2006 and led his team to a pair of SoCon regular-sea-son championships as well as a SoCon tournament title and an nCaa tournament appear-ance. Last fall, he advanced to the 2008 ita Mideast Regional Championship semifinals, marking the best finish in the tournament by an Elon player. He also has been named to the Academic

All-Southern Conference and ita Scholar-Athlete teams.Coach Michael Leonard ’91, a two-time SoCon Coach

of the Year, entered his fifth season at Elon this spring with eight of 10 players returning from the 2008 SoCon regular season and tournament runner-up squad. By late April, the squad was 19–5 overall (9–1 in SoCon).

Gooch, Nemec, Podlewski, senior Kevin Beard, junior Clark Howell, sophomores Chase Helpingstine and Alberto Rojas, and freshman Carlin Murray tallied winning singles

records in dual-match action this spring. The men’s team has amassed a 70–21 (28–3 SoCon) record during the past four years.

The women’s team began its fifth year under coach Elizabeth Anderson by returning only one senior to the squad. By late April, the team had tallied a 13–11 overall record (5–5 in the SoCon).

Senior Whitney Butcher, junior team co-captains Laura Graybill and Paige Kensrue, sophomore Jessica Margolis, ju-niors Anna Milian and Hayley Wahl, and freshmen Lauren Sessoms and Elisa Simonetti led the Phoenix.

Last fall, Kensrue and Milian advanced to the 2008 Intercollegiate Tennis Association Southeast Regional in singles and doubles. Butcher, Milian, Sessoms and Simonetti posted perfect singles records at the Elon Invitational last October.

This spring, Milian earned SoCon Player of the Week sta-tus once while Kensrue was named SoCon Student-Athlete of the Week once. In 2008, Milian earned First Team All-SoCon distinction in singles and doubles on her way to collecting team MvP accolades.

Anderson guided the Phoenix to strong seasons in 2008 (15–10 overall, 5–4 SoCon) and 2007 (13–10 overall, 6–3 SoCon) after five consecutive losing seasons. In 2008, the women’s team advanced to the semifinals of the SoCon tour-nament for the first time.

Tennis teams continue winning ways BY MATT EVISTON

Damon Gooch ’09

Anna Milian ’10

10 MAGAZINE OF ELON

BASEBALL SQUAD STARTS SEASON STRONG

BY CHRIS RASH

The Phoenix baseball team sat atop the Southern Conference standings in mid-April with a 14–4 conference record despite incon-sistent play early in the season.

The season began with the Phoenix taking two games of a three-game series on the road against the Auburn Tigers of the sEC. Elon then battled conference foe Appalachian State, winning two games in a series shortened by bad weather. The Phoenix next headed to Charleston, S.C., for a three-game series against The Citadel. After dropping the opener, the Phoenix rallied to a 17–5 victory over the Bulldogs in game two, handing head coach Mike Kennedy ’91 his 400tH career victory — the most wins of any coach in the program’s history. Kennedy’s squad also claimed a three-game SoCon series sweep of College of Charleston, the first series win for the Phoenix over the Cougars.

As in past years, the 2009 Phoenix season includes matchups against top teams in the aCC, sEC and Conference usa. By early April, Elon had tallied four wins against teams in those leagues.

The SoCon recognized three Phoenix play-ers for their performances in the first three months of the season. Junior outfielder Justin Hilt was named SoCon player of the week after hitting .583, and junior catcher Mike Melillo received the same honor after hit-ting .474 with three homers and nine rbi. Sophomore left-handed pitcher Jimmy Reyes was named the league’s pitcher of the week after throwing a career-long 8.0 innings and striking out a career-best 11 hitters in the con-ference win over unC-Greensboro.

For game schedules and the latest Phoenix news, go to www.elonphoenix.com

By early April, seniors Bennett Davis and Pat Irvine had climbed into the program’s all-time top 10 in career home runs this season. By late April, the team was 25–13, including 14–4 in the conference.

BASKETBALL TEAMS CONCLUDE CHALLENGING SEASON

BY JEN BLACKWELL

The men’s and women’s basketball squads struggled during the 2008–2009 season, tallying overall records of 11–20 and 5–26, respectively.

Seeded fifth in the North Division, the men’s team advanced to the second round of the SoCon tournament before losing 79–78 to eventual tournament champion Chattanooga.

For the second consecutive season, Elon’s Ola Atoyebi was named to the third-team all-conference squad for his efforts throughout the season. The senior forward concluded the regular season leading the Phoenix in scoring

and rebounding, averaging 14 points and six rebounds per game. He also ranked among the top 10 in the SoCon and among the national leaders with a 57.3 field goal percentage.

The women’s team scored an upset win over Georgia Southern in the opening round of the SoCon tournament before losing to Western Carolina in the second round.

Tiara Gause earned SoCon Freshman of the Year honors, marking the first time an Elon player has earned the award since join-ing the conference. Gause also was named to the SoCon All-Freshman team along with Courtney Medley. Medley was named to the All-Tournament team after averaging 19.5 points per game and scoring a career-high 25 points against Georgia Southern in the open-ing round of the tournament.

Matt Matheny named new men’s basketball coachMatt Matheny, a 16-year assistant basketball coach at Davidson College, has been selected to lead Elon’s men’s basketball program. Matheny, 39, says his goals are to ensure the academic success of the players and propel Elon to a spot in the NCAA Division I tournament.

At Davidson, Matheny served as an assistant coach for 10 seasons (1993–2003) and the associate head coach for the past six years under head coach Bob McKillop. Matheny will lead the Phoenix into the program’s 101st season this fall.

“Our mission is to give our student athletes a wonderful college experience,” says Matheny, a former Wildcats football and basketball team captain. “We are going to prepare these young men for life after Elon. That being said, we want to go to the NCAA tournament.”

After Matheny joined the Davidson staff in 1993, the Wildcats amassed 310 victories with 10 SoCon division titles, five SoCon tournament championships, five NCAA tournament appearances and four postseason NIT trips. During that time, Davidson had 10 seasons of 20 or more victories and three undefeated SoCon regular seasons.

Matt Matheny

Bennett Davis ’09

PHOENIX Sports

MAGAZINE OF ELON 11

12 MAGAZINE OF ELON

As many people know firsthand, when you reach a certain age, you begin to notice that some of the bits of information stored in your brain — names, events, where you put the car keys — become more difficult to retrieve.

The deterioration of memory with age is such a familiar phe-nomenon that it serves as fodder for comedians, sitcoms and dinner table stories about the time grandpa forgot that grandma was still in the shoe department when he drove home from the mall.

Funny stories notwithstanding, the effect of aging on memory is a serious issue, with damaging and potentially dangerous con-sequences for many people. That is why Amy Overman and her students are determined to unlock memory’s secrets.

Overman, assistant professor of psychology, specializes in the study of memory and aging, particularly the neurological aspects of that relationship.

“What I’ve been fascinated with for a long time is how the brain works,” Overman says. “There has been a lot of work looking at how memory works from a behavioral standpoint — how do people act, what do they do? What I’m most interested in is looking at how memory works from a neurological standpoint. What is going on inside the brain when people do what they do?”

Overman’s research has never been more relevant — or im-portant. The nation’s population is aging, and people are living longer thanks to advances in medical science. We can keep the body functioning until an advanced age, but can we improve the longevity of memory and other mental abilities as well? Overman’s research might reveal clues to help do just that.

“It’s a very important field,” says Maurice Levesque, professor of psychology and associate dean of Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences. “The work she is doing offers a lot of insights into the basic cognitive processes of memory and aging.

“She fills an important gap here in terms of her primary re-search,” Levesque adds. “We’ve had pockets of faculty who have had some interest in aging, but she brings a real focus on that. In a short time, she has managed to get a very active lab going, with a lot of student interest and participation in doing scholarly work.”

Overman discovered and fell in love with her field almost by accident. A native of northwest Pennsylvania, she became the first person in her family to earn a college degree when she graduated from Allegheny College. Until her sophomore year, she had no firm idea what she wanted to study until a psychology class introduced her to the concept of neuroscience, the study of the brain and nervous system. She was hooked.

“Like a lot of people, I had the idea that psychology was all about therapy,” Overman says. “We got a handout about neurosci-ence, and I thought, ‘What’s that?’ I’ve always loved science, and the more I learned about neuroscience, the more interested I became. I thought, ‘Learning the secrets of the mind? How cool is that?’”

Pretty cool, it turns out. Overman did her undergraduate thesis in neuroscience on the different ways the brains of expert musicians and non-musicians respond to music. She earned her master’s and doctoral degrees at the University of Pittsburgh and the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, where she first began exploring the mysteries of memory. For her master’s work, she studied memory

Amy Overman, at right, works with junior Kimberly Duggins and senior Brian Smith in Elon’s Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, which Overman helped set up. The electrode cap Smith is wearing captures the responses from his brain to various stimuli, which are then analyzed.

Unlock ing the s ecret s of

MAGAZINE OF ELON 13

in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, which was challenging. For her doctoral work, she switched to studying memory in healthy aging adults.

“It was emotionally draining to work with Alzheimer’s patients,” Overman concedes. “They were so generous with their time and so gracious, and it was hard for me to do that and not be able to offer them any immediate help. So I said, ‘Let me switch over to study healthy individuals.’ If we can understand how the brain works when it works right, we can better understand what’s happening when it doesn’t.”

Overman pursued those questions during her doctoral research and in her previous teaching posts at Pitt and Denison University. She happened upon Elon in much the same way she discovered her academic discipline — by chance.

“I was in the job market, but I wasn’t really looking beyond the Ohio-Pennsylvania area,” she says. “Then I saw an ad for a biological psychologist at Elon, and I thought, ‘Wow, this job is made for me.’ Thank goodness they thought it was made for me, too.”

Overman joined the Elon faculty in 2007. She had never been to North Carolina, but after a quick visit — while seven months pregnant — she made her decision.

“It was a little scary to move so fast, but I loved the university,” she says. “I gave a teaching demon-stration, and the students were so interested and asked such great questions. I liked the collegiality in the department and the richness of the research being done. It was just a really vibrant place.”

Overman wasted no time once she arrived on campus. Young and energetic, she radiates a contagious enthusiasm for her teach-ing and research. Students respond to that energy and eagerly have signed on to be part of her classes and research projects.

“She has brought in a tremendous amount of energy and ex-citement,” says Chris Leupold, associate professor and chair of the psychology department. “She’s doing a great job of nurturing and mentoring the next generation of neuroscientists.”

Overman and her students have visited retirement homes near campus to work with residents. She also has outfitted a research lab so more detailed experiments can be conducted. Her students are deeply involved in the nuts and bolts of the research and in preparing findings; already some students have co-authored papers and presented their work at conferences.

“Dr. Overman not only treats you like an adult and a researcher but expects you to act and perform like one as well,” says senior Brian Smith. “She knows that we are capable and puts a lot of responsibility in our hands, which is exactly what someone who is looking to do research would hope to have. Doing research with her has helped me become a better researcher. The hands-on experience I have gotten

with writing proposals, going to conferences and using real-world technologies is invaluable.”

Much of Overman’s research focuses on the specific mechanisms we use to remember things and how age affects those mechanisms. Memory isn’t just one process; it’s a complex network of processes. Remembering who the first president was is a very different process than remembering your last birthday party, and those differences show up in your neural activity. By measuring brain activity while subjects try to recall particular bits of information, Overman and her students learn important things about how memory works.

One of the areas she has been exploring for some time is “binding,” or linking dispa-rate things together in the mind. Binding is an important facet of memory, according to Overman, and her research indicates that it is one of the elements of the memory process that is especially hindered by aging.

“You might look at that blue chair, for ex-ample, and associate it with this coffee shop,” she says, sitting in a Panera Bread restaurant in Burlington, N.C. “If I ask you later where you saw the blue chair, you can probably tell me. But as we age, binding becomes more difficult. It gets harder to make those connections. You might remember seeing a blue chair, but you can’t remember where you saw it.”

The results of the research Overman and her students have been conducting on binding could have important practical consequences.

“If we know how binding takes place, if we know how the brain binds things together, maybe we can come up with methods to improve memory,” Overman says.

Her students are eager to join her in the quest for answers. “It’s very hands-on stuff,” Overman says. “We talk a lot at Elon

about how important it is for students to be actively engaged in their education and to take responsibility for their work. Here, they do, and we’re on the threshold of a lot of exciting things.”

“The more I learned

about neuroscience,

the more interested

I became. I thought,

‘Learning the secrets

of the mind? How

cool is that?’”

Amy Overman Assistant Professor of Psychology

memoryUnlock ing the s ecret s of BY DAVE HART

From providing meals to the elderly and homeless to fighting for the rights of children, Elon alumni have pursued careers that enable them to serve some of society’s most vulnerable populations.

In the following essays, Holly Soderquist Johnson ’93, Kevin Gilmore ’96, Tony Roper ’90, and Deana Joy ’00 reflect on their careers for the common good and how their Elon experi-ences inspired them to serve their communities. Becky Handforth ’05 and Andrea Sjogren ’06 discuss their careers in essays at www.elon.edu/magazine.

I ALWAYS KNEW that I wanted to help people. I was 5 years old when I saw my first homeless person on the streets of Washington, D.C., and asked my parents for a dollar so the man could get some-thing to eat.

When applying for jobs after graduate school, I found myself only interested in those that offered an opportunity to help someone in need. I guess this work has always been in my blood.

For the past 10 years, I’ve worked at Catholic Charities of Tennessee, where I serve as state coordina-tor of refugee services. I help some of this country’s most vulnerable and poorest residents, people who were forced out of their homeland by unthinkable violence and civil wars, find work and raise their chil-dren as American citizens.

Each year, Catholic Charities in Nashville serves approximately 330 refugees. After meeting them at the airport and getting them settled in an apartment, we help them apply for Social Security cards, get medical attention, enroll their children in school, find jobs and enroll in English classes, among other services.

As state refugee coordinator, I monitor budgets so the money we have for our clients will stretch as far as possible. I write grants so we can do even more to help our clients than we are doing now. I support the work our caseworkers do and listen to them when they need to talk through a problem. Helping our caseworkers is important because I know it is through them that lives are changed.

One of the most rewarding moments of my career occurred four years ago when I had the great privilege of watching my friend, Veton Novosella, become an American citizen. Veton, his wife and their four children escaped the violence in their native Kosovo in June 1999 to become the first Kosovar refugees to arrive in Nashville. I met them

at the airport and later helped Veton get a maintenance job at a local Catholic school. It was the start of a wonderful friendship.

The day Veton became an American citizen was emotional for both of us. Students and teachers from the Catholic school attended

the ceremony to support a man they had grown to love. I was incredibly humbled that this man would choose to revoke the citizenship of the country he knew and loved to become a citizen of mine.

My Elon degree prepared me well to help others. I learned how to work with others and for others and to communicate and collaborate. I was challenged, corrected, encouraged and praised at Elon, and those experiences have equipped me well to thrive as an adult. My leadership experience with Alpha Omicron Pi sorority helped me become responsible, account-able and professional. All of these experiences taught me how to take pride in my work and myself.

The most important thing working with refugees has taught me is that we should be thankful for what we have. We live in a great country full of freedoms and opportunities that we all take for granted. I often think, “What if I’d been born in a refugee camp? Could I have survived that life?” No matter how difficult things get, I have nothing to complain about. I always knew I was blessed, but I am so much more aware of that now.

I’m more open-minded now. (Professor George Taylor would be proud of me!) When I encounter someone who is from another country, I go out of my way to smile and make them feel welcome. I think that people appreciate this. I know I would.

In the 16 years since I left Elon, I’ve never had a moment of regret for choosing this career path. I don’t expect I ever will.

W E L C O M I N GTHE NATION’S N E W C O M E R S

By Holly Soderquist Johnson ’93

Common GoodS E R V I N G T H E

14 MAGAZINE OF ELON

Common GoodWHEN I ARRIVED at Elon 17 years ago, I participated in PreSERVE, which brings new students together to build homes with Elon’s chapter of Habitat for Humanity. I never would have guessed that Habitat would later become my career and maybe even my life’s work.

I remember going on a Habitat Winter Term trip to Homestead, Fla., to help build homes following Hurricane Andrew. Since that experience in 1993, I have visited hundreds of Habitat sites in several countries and have done my small part to contribute to the success of this amazing organization, which has provided affordable housing to more than 1.5 million people worldwide since 1976. I have learned that Habitat has a tremendous power to bring ordinary people together to do ex-traordinary things.

As the son of a Presbyterian pastor and a nurse, I suppose I was predisposed to a life of service. After graduation and working briefly at Habitat head-quarters in Americus, Ga., I spent four years serving with Habitat in Guatemala. During my second year there, Elon Chaplain Richard McBride asked if he could bring a group of students to Guatemala to help build homes. It was a joy to share that won-derful country and its people with Elon, and I am proud that students still volunteer with Habitat in Guatemala during Winter Term.

For the past four years, I have served as executive director of Habitat in Sussex County, Del. In this role, I have the opportunity to put my Elon degree into action and serve a cause that I love. Every time we dedicate a new home to a family or I visit the job site and see crowds of volunteers building a home, I am proud to see how our affiliate has grown.

Habitat is my calling, my passion. This is what I think God wants me to do at this point in my life. I see my work in the community as a sort of bridge bringing people together. Elon taught me the power of service to bring people together who may not otherwise interact with each other. I believe that to successfully address our societal problems, we need first to understand people. Spending the day on a Habitat site

with a future homeowner gives me a better understanding of the is-sues that he or she faces in life, and they are going to understand me a little better, too.

I recently was reminded of the true meaning of our work. A group of high school students framed the walls of a new home as part of a class. At the end of the course, we gathered with Martha, the new homeowner, and her family to celebrate the students’ work. Martha had tears rolling down her cheeks as she said “thank you” to everyone in the room. After the ceremony, I saw Martha walking through the studded walls of her future home with a marker in her

hand. At the ceremony, the students wrote messages of hope and blessings on the walls. Martha read every message and wrote the date under each one. This was a day she would remember for the rest of her life.

Habitat truly changes lives. Martha will soon move into her new house and her children will have their own rooms for the first time. Habitat keeps me humble. I try not to take what I have for granted. I count my bless-ings, and I hope that God uses me to help others. Every day, I see people in need in our community, people who just need an opportunity to better themselves. Habitat has taught me to believe in people, and I believe in the volunteers who carry out our mission and in the

homeowners we are serving.Working with Habitat, I have matured professionally, become

a better leader and stretched beyond my comfort zone. Sometimes I make a mistake and sometimes we succeed. I have learned that as executive director, I must make the best decisions I can at the moment and keep moving forward.

At Elon, I learned the power of people and ideas. I learned that good ideas, when executed with passion, dedication and thoughtful-ness, can motivate people to do amazing things. I left Elon thinking that I could do anything I want with my life.

Now I look at all the challenges and successes I have experienced since my Elon days, and I still think I can do anything I want with my life. In fact, that is exactly what I am doing.

O R D I N A R Y PEOPLE DOING EXTRAORDINARY T H I N G S

By Kevin Gilmore ’96

Kevin Gilmore ’96 spent four years serving with Habitat for Humanity in Guatemala.

MAGAZINE OF ELON 15

MANAGING AN ORGANIZATION that provides ser-vices to 2,800 people each year is a little like riding a seesaw — it has its ups and downs. But the great thing about that is, no two days are the same.

I enjoy people and I love pulling for the underdog. As executive director of the Alamance County Community Services Agency, I get an opportunity every day to help people succeed and improve their quality of life.

When I graduated from Elon with a degree in psychology, I knew I wanted to work with the community, but I wasn’t sure in what capacity. After six months of Army officer basic training in Fort Knox, Ky., I returned to Burlington, N.C., and within weeks started working as a resident counselor at Elon Homes for Children.

Working with youths from broken homes, victims of abuse and those struggling with poverty ignited a passion in me to build a career in the helping pro-fession. After serving as a resident counselor for two group homes and working for seven years with the Greensboro Housing Authority, I found my niche — helping low-income families.

Being part of the communities that normally ap-pear in a negative light on the news has given me a sense of purpose. Through keeping young people off the streets and away from the constant threat of violence, I have found my calling.

After serving with the Housing Authority, I spent five years mobilizing residents in High Point’s Macedonia community. The Macedonia Project was an eight-year initiative that revitalized the once-thriving mill community.

In 2006, I took over leadership of Community Services. Our staff of 16 helps families in crisis, assisting with food, utilities and housing. Each day, we serve lunch to senior citizens at five sites throughout Alamance County. We also provide weatherization and other energy-reduction services to homeowners. Through our case management program, we offer job placement assistance and coaching.

Our agency is a Certified Housing Development Organization,

which allows us to develop housing subdivisions for first-time hom-eowners with modest incomes. There is nothing like the feeling of handing a set of keys to a new homeowner or getting a thank-you note from a family you helped remain in their home. When someone takes the time to express their gratitude, it makes all the challenges worthwhile.

One of the things we stress to clients, especially those in our self-sufficiency program, is learning how to identify their marketable skills and promote themselves in the workforce. My philosophy is that we are our own marketing machines. Last year, we helped a woman

avoid home foreclosure with some agency funding and counseling from one of our case managers. The woman used her five years of experience in childcare to open a daycare center in her home, turning her largest investment into a vehicle to generate income. With our help, she found the confidence to become an entrepreneur. I spoke with her recently and am happy to report that her business is doing well.

My work helping people has opened my eyes to the balancing act that all professionals in my field face every day. You try to meet the significant needs of the less fortunate while encouraging those with

financial resources to support their community.My wife, Lisa Ratliff Roper ’93, assistant director of alumni rela-

tions at Elon, and children Quintin, an Elon sophomore, and Quierra support me and keep me grounded. My experiences at Elon, including tutoring at the elementary school and participating in community clean-up projects and food drives, instilled in me the helping spirit that pushes me even today.

While society defines success by the ability to acquire material wealth, I define success by the number of families whose lives are improved through my work. If you have to be motivated to get up in the morning to come do this type of work, you need to check your heart. Helping people succeed against the odds is the best job in the world.

P U L L I N G F O R T H E U N D E R D O G

By Tony Roper ’90

Tony Roper ’90 with one of the seniors who receive meals each day

through Alamance County Community Services Agency. Roper is

the agency’s executive director.

16 MAGAZINE OF ELON

WHEN I WAS ASKED to write about my life and career path since leaving Elon, I thought of the long road and journey I have been on over the past 10 years. The common good is defined in many ways. One is the ability to provide the greatest possible good to the greatest number of individuals. Another is that all individuals have equal ability to possess the basic rights of society. Neither of these definitions seems to fit the path that I have chosen.

The common good that I have spent the past decade hoping to fulfill refers to the ability to help what society often considers “the least of these,” individuals society is unaware of, sometimes unforgiving of and more often turns its back on. I’m speaking, in part, of victims of sexual violence.

I was raised in a home that considered volunteerism and helping others a priority. My family worked hard to help me recognize issues that many struggled with, including homelessness, poverty and violence. I came to Elon with these lessons already etched onto my soul.

At Elon, I had many professors, including Steve Braye, Jeffrey Pugh and Cindy Fair, who worked hard to challenge the concepts of society and the ideals that my classmates and I had been raised with. They challenged me to reach beyond myself, to learn the world around me as it really is and to find ways in which I can make an impact. My experiences through internships, volunteering and coursework helped me learn about the realness of the world that I live in, the struggles that man-kind faces and how I can make a difference.

Yet my journey to where I am today is due to former Elon pro-fessor Tommy Gumm. I first met Tommy as a sophomore, and he continued to teach me throughout my time at Elon and throughout his lifetime. After graduation, he introduced me to CrossRoads: Sexual Assault Response & Resource Center in Burlington, N.C. He sat on the CrossRoads board and told me about a job opening. I began my career as a victim advocate serving adult and child victims of sexual violence.

Since that time, my heart has become so interconnected with the issue of sexual violence and CrossRoads that I cannot imagine my life being any different or on any other path. As an advocate for victims, I provided crisis intervention, court preparation and helped to protect their basic rights. In 2006, I was promoted to executive director, and my responsibilities grew to include guiding and directing the agency toward its mission and raising funds to ensure its future. I also am responsible for conducting forensic interviews with child victims for law enforcement and the Department of Social Services.

Most important, I have spent 10 years of my life teaching society about sexual violence and how to treat the victims whose lives have been shat-tered. I have worked with hundreds of adults and children throughout my time at CrossRoads and been forever changed by their stories.

I will never forget a young woman who told me that she would rather have been killed than have to live with the violence she had experienced. Her offender had taken her soul. She no longer knew who she was, and she couldn’t recognize the woman in the mirror. Sexual violence victims come

in as shattered souls, their entire world turned upside down, and I have the great honor of being the person who picks them up and helps them through the darkness to find light and life again.

What I have learned through my experiences at Elon and CrossRoads is that the true gifts that life has to offer come from the most unexpected places. While most would say that I have spent my life helping others, the truth is those individuals have been the ones to change my life forever.

I will spend the rest of my life fighting for, supporting and pro-viding an unfailing love for all mankind. The gifts and lessons I have been given are immeasurable in worth and lifelong in value.

H E A L I N GS H A T T E R E D L I V E S

By Deana Joy ’00

Deana Joy ’00 at CrossRoads: Sexual Assault Response & Resource Center in

Burlington, N.C.

MAGAZINE OF ELON 17

This spring, the Rev. Richard W. McBride retires after serving as Elon’s chaplain for the past 25 years.

In addition to leading the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life, McBride founded Elon’s chapter of Habitat for Humanity, helped start the Elon Volunteers! service program and created some of the university’s most innovative student programs. An eloquent speaker, his stirring remarks have uplifted the campus during times of joy and sorrow.

McBride will deliver Elon’s 119th Commencement address on May 23. In the following essay, he reflects on his 39-year career in campus ministry and the generations of students he has touched.

�

i bEgan My CarEEr in CaMPus Ministry at Wake Forest University in 1969 with our nation fractured over the war in Vietnam. Later this month, I will end my career at Elon with our nation seeking to extract itself from another divisive war in Iraq and poised to deploy more troops to Afghanistan. “Wars and rumors of wars” have framed my career, making me keenly aware that all spiritual life occurs within cultural and political contexts.

In the spring of my first year at Wake Forest, four students were killed on the Kent State campus by National Guard troops who fired on a group protesting President Nixon’s expansion of the war into Cambodia. Within hours, four crosses bearing the students’ names appeared on Wake’s central courtyard, and I was called to lead a prayer vigil. Within days, rows of 1,100 wooden crosses were planted on the campus bearing the names of North Carolinians who had died in Vietnam.

Hundreds of students helped plant that Flanders field of crosses. We worked just outside the library to construct them, consulting the Congressional Record to find and write on each the name of a soldier who had died. I walked among those crosses carrying my 15-month-old son, Scott, in my arms. Today, that son, a 1991 Elon graduate, is on his second tour of duty as a soldier in Iraq.

During the ’70s, student activism was high around issues of war and peace, systems of injustice and care for the earth. Students held campus events to draw attention to world hunger, and they buried a car engine on campus to celebrate Earth Day.

Reflections from Elon’s chaplain

Honoring Sacredthe

BY RICHARD MCBRIDE

18 MAGAZINE OF ELON

BY RICHARD MCBRIDE

��

In the early ’80s, however, quietism returned. Students fo-cused more on achieving personal goals. The goal of life was no longer justice for the earth and its people but securing a profitable career.

By the end of the ’80s, a new energy emerged — a re-newed commitment to strengthen community life. During 1988-1989, Elon’s Centennial year theme was “Reaffirming a Tradition of Service.” John Barnhill ’92, an energetic freshman from Massachusetts, joined me in founding the nation’s 30th collegiate chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

In its first 20 years, our chapter has built 18 houses in Alamance County and, during a visit by Habitat founder Millard Fuller in 1995, became the first chapter in the nation to pledge to build one house every year. The chapter has sent students on spring break trips to West Virginia, Mississippi and the Dominican Republic. We also launched Winter Term service learning courses in South Carolina and Florida after Hurricanes Hugo and Andrew destroyed so many homes. The success of Elon Volunteers!, also formed in spring 1989, was assured by a growing surge of student interest in providing direct service to individuals in need.

Throughout the ’90s and continu-ing into the new millennium, students responded to multiple efforts on campus to establish Elon as a premier institution for engaged learning. As a result, service learning courses have flourished.

I launched a Winter Term course in Guatemala in 2001 with the help of Kevin Gilmore ’96, who was serving as a Habitat in-ternational partner there. During the past nine years, more than 200 students have partnered with Habitat para la Humanidad, working alongside families of pure Mayan and Mestizo descent. April Hewitt Post ’01 served as translator on that first journey and today teaches Spanish at Elon.

Parker Palmer, a Quaker scholar, has been a major influence on my life and ministry. I once heard him recount a conversation he had with students at a large public university. “Our lives don’t matter here,” the students said. “There’s stuff our faculty want us to know. We take it in through their lectures and give it back to them on exams, but our life experiences don’t matter.”

So I began to imagine what a course would look like if students’ life experiences did matter and if they were invited to critically examine the significant events and relationships that have shaped their view of themselves and their world. Life Stories was born.

After beginning as a Winter Term course in 1994, Life Stories has evolved into a spring semester course for graduating seniors who have a high motivation to figure things out before they are catapulted out of the comforts of Elon into the briar patch of their future. They explore such questions as: What challenges has life presented to me? What choices have I made? How have I changed in my college years — intellectually, relationally, spiritu-ally — so that I have a clearer view of who I am and what I have to contribute to communities I am about to join?

The Life Stories course became a centerpiece of my effort to help students accomplish a primary life goal during the college years: graduating from adolescence into adulthood. Of course, they are new at it. They are emerging adults. After a staff meet-ing in which we discussed what language best describes this life transition, I went out to my car to find that a student had parked beside me with a bumper sticker that read, “Cleverly Disguised as a Responsible Adult.”

My entire career, including 39 years in campus ministry and four years of high school teaching, has kept me attending to a steep learning curve. In my early years of teaching American literature and composition, the goal was to understand myself as a professional on the other side of the desk. When my seminary career opened the door to campus ministry, I learned what this new role asked of me — offering pastoral care to those who were hurting, gathering the community around its experiences of joy and sorrow, and probing the distance between institutional purpose and practice.

In the ’70s, I decided that my vocation would be lived in higher education, but I wrestled hard with whether I wanted to be a professor or a chaplain. I dreamed that I entered a faculty meeting accompanied by a student friend. When the dean of the

faculty saw the student with me, he shouted, “He does not belong here!” and I was confronted with the question: Do I leave with my student or stay here with the faculty? The dream ended abruptly, and I woke with my vocational question starkly clarified. It took another two years and a second master’s degree for me to see the path ahead. My primary identity would be as a chaplain, but I’d seek to work for colleges where I could also teach. Gardner-Webb gave me that opportunity, and in 1984, so did Elon.

Over the past 25 years, Elon’s transformation has presented continual learning challenges. The presence of more diverse fac-ulty and students has required new understandings of hospitality and new approaches to building community. For example, in recent years, Elon’s Thursday Chapel has focused on spiritual questions experienced by widely divergent people. We have ex-plored themes such as “Living the Questions,” “Companions on the Journey” and “Finding the Sacred in Everyday Life.”

My career with students, staff and faculty has taught me that life is most fully lived when we are engaged in asking big ques-tions and searching for worthy dreams, to borrow a phrase from author Sharon Daloz Parks, whose work has inspired me.

I have discovered that the most distinctive thing a chaplain brings to a university is prayer, which is not to say that chaplains are the only ones who may pray! The vocation of a chaplain is centered on naming — and helping the university to celebrate — the connection between ourselves and those things we honor as sacred. We hold our institutional history in sacred trust. We honor the experience of teaching and learning as a sacred voca-tion. And we honor what is holy in each of us. Namaste: the light within me honors the light within you.

"The vocation of a chaplain is centered on naming — and helping the university to celebrate — the connection between ourselves and those things we honor as sacred."

MAGAZINE OF ELON 19

October 2002

Elon University Board of Trustees authorizes feasibility study for a school of law

October 2004

Trustees vote to establish the law school in downtown Greensboro, N.C., following a successful fundraising effort led by Elon President Leo M. Lambert and Jim Melvin, president of the Joseph M. Bryan Foundation

January 2005

Work begins on the law school facility, the former Greensboro Central Public Library building

The practice of law became real and very rewarding to Leslie Price as she trudged through the mud along railroad tracks on a rainy day in January 2008.

The Elon Law student was scouting properties in down-town Greensboro, getting a firsthand look at the urban landscape as part of her research on land title, zoning and easement issues. She was laying the legal groundwork for a major initiative to build a greenway hiking and cycling trail around the city’s central business district.

Who owned the land in the path of the greenway? How could property easements be obtained? Could fed-eral laws be used to convert the old railroad right-of-way to public use?

Price and other law students tackled those questions, devoting evenings and weekends to burrow through rel-evant laws and gather information needed by the Downtown Greenway Steering Committee and Action Greensboro, a nonprofit civic organization. Using skills she learned in classes, Price gathered facts, wrote memos and defined the legal hurdles that would need to be cleared to make the greenway a reality.

Price says she never thought of the experience as a burden or a distraction from law school, but as an integral part of her legal education.

“I valued the opportunity to help improve the city’s quality of life,” she says. “And it was great to apply con-

BY DANIEL J. ANDERSON AND PHILIP CRAFTprecedentElon Law charter class writes new chapter in university’s history

Setting a

“Elon Law has made me think about the kind of leader that I want to be. It has been a great experience of self-discovery.”Alix Hazel

Class of 2009

20 MAGAZINE OF ELON

Setting a

“We’ve been able to create a foundation for a law school that is going to be top tier, there is no doubt about it.”Damon Duncan

Class of 2009; president, Student Bar Association

March 2005

Noted North Carolina legal educator and lawyer Leary Davis named founding dean

September 2005 Former presidential adviser David Gergen named chair of Law School Advisory Board

January 2006

Law school facility named for Greensboro business leader and philanthropist H. Michael Weaver; inaugural faculty announced

cepts from the classroom to the very real challenges of urban development.”

April Harris, executive director of Action Greensboro, praised the work of Price and her fellow law students.

“They were exceptional to work with, very professional in their presentations and particularly helpful because they solved a very specific legal issue we had with the project.”

A class of pioneersThat kind of civic engagement and hands-on learning occurred regularly with members of Elon Law’s charter class. Recently, they reflected on their three-year partner-ship in helping to launch a law school with a difference, where students not only receive an excellent legal educa-tion but also the opportunity to work with practicing attorneys and civic leaders.

Members of the charter class decided to commit their time and resources to enroll at a school that had never held a class. Their careers were at stake in 2006 as the university hired the inaugural faculty, developed the cur-riculum and assembled the myriad pieces of the puzzle that would become Elon Law. Faculty members call the students “pioneers” who had strong faith in the university, as well as the ability to understand the risks and oppor-tunities associated with a new school.

“It has paid off exponentially for all of us,” says Heather Quinn, who after graduating this spring will head to a judicial clerkship with the New Hampshire Superior Court. “We were able to shape and form the school in ways that no other class will ever be able to do. We started student organizations from the ground up — it was a unique opportunity.”

Founding Dean Leary Davis notes the singular posi-tion held by the 107 members of the first graduating class.

“They created the organizations that students at other schools take for granted,” Davis says. “They also estab-lished a culture of engaged learning and public service that has justified the confidence of all who sacrificed to make Elon Law a reality. Our pride will only grow in the future as they use their legal educations to help people and to make the world a better place.”

The students are grateful to the hundreds of people

who conceived the school, generously contributed start-up funding and committed their time and skills to build a school that was dedicated to re-envisioning the stan-dards of legal education. Members of the charter class in turn contributed more than 21,000 hours of service to the community during their time at Elon Law.

“Without the support of the community, this law school would be just like every other law school,” says Damon Duncan, a Charlotte, N.C., native and Elon University alumnus who intends to open a branch of his family’s law firm in Greensboro. “We have been over-whelmed with support, and because of that, we’ve been able to create a foundation for a law school that is going to be top tier. There is no doubt that this law school is going to be one that people are talking about, not only in North Carolina, not only in the Southeast, but na-tionally and internationally.”

Developing lawyers who leadSuch ambitions for excellence were evident in 2002 when Elon trustees and administrators first discussed the idea of establishing a law school.

They were intrigued when former Greensboro Mayor Jim Melvin brought up the idea of locating the school at the center of his city, rather than on the Elon campus. As the novel idea took root, Elon leaders declared that the university was not interested in starting a school that would merely duplicate programs at existing law schools.

The goal was to push beyond the boundaries of traditional legal edu-cation, drawing on the university’s core strengths: engaged learning, a focus on leadership and an inter-national perspective. With those high aspirations, Melvin and President Leo M. Lambert found enthusiastic support from indi-viduals, law firms, foundations and businesses that embraced the law school vision.

The substantial investments

MAGAZINE OF ELON 21

July 2006

Weaver Building completed; North Carolina Business Court hears first case in law school’s courtroom

September 2006

U.S. Supreme Court Justice (ret.) Sandra Day O’Connor formally dedicates the school with inaugural class of 115 students

September 2007 Joseph M. Bryan Distinguished Leadership Lecture Series begins, featuring noted leaders such as former N.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Henry Frye

that have been made over the past seven years pay first dividends with the May 24 graduation of the charter class. Elon Law’s first graduates have already developed a vision for how they can contribute to the practice of law and to the betterment of their communities. Their capacity to make an immediate impact comes in part from direct contact they have had with legal leaders, such as former presidential adviser David Gergen, chair of the law school’s advisory board, who will deliver the inaugural Commencement address.

“Already we are getting calls and inquiries from other law schools about what we are trying to do here,” says George R. Johnson Jr., who was named the school’s sec-ond dean in February. “It is just a matter of time before we see other law schools taking up this whole question of leadership. I think that is going to be the difference that will set this class and future Elon Law classes apart. They will be leaders in their communities.”

Johnson says the emergence of Elon Law graduates comes at an opportune time, as the nation faces public policy and economic crises.

“We really need people who can look at problems and come up with innovative solutions,” Johnson says. “It is tough, but it is in the tough environments where real creativity can emerge. That is going to be a real strength of this class and those who follow.”

Hallmarks of qualityCharter class graduates are giving valuable feedback and input as the law school matures, pointing out hallmarks of excellence as well as programs that can be improved. Johnson says the students have been “enthusiastic, quite energetic and sometimes cantankerous” in their roles as partners in building the school.

“I think we owe an enormous debt to this charter class,” Johnson says. “The success of this law school is largely their doing.”

Students often cite the school’s small size and close community feel as among its greatest strengths.

“I know every person in my class by name, and it has been that way since the first month we were in law school,” says Andrea Dancy Harrell, who is preparing to begin work at a Greensboro law firm following the bar exam.

“Some of my friends at bigger law schools know their little section and that is it, not anybody else.”

Phillip Cornett, who is headed for a Court of Appeals clerkship after graduation, has high praise for the school’s faculty.

“They are right there with you,” Cornett says. “I have had a lot of professors sit down with me and take the time to show me where I went wrong or explain some-thing to me.”

Jason Aycoth agrees, and he also notes the wide range of talents and experiences the faculty bring to the class-room.

“Professors come from all over the world,” Aycoth says. “I was instructed this past term by (faculty) from the University of Virginia, from England, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Iran, you name it. They all came and instructed us, so it gives us more of a world view.”

Aycoth intends to build a career of service on the state or federal level.

“Making a difference in the world will be our way of conveying appreciation in a lasting and meaningful way,” he says.

Students consistently praise the local attorneys and judges who joined Elon Law as preceptors — professional mentors who develop personal, coaching relationships with students.

“My preceptor brought me over to her office, showed me case files, showed me the types of things that she was working on, and when I had a question about personal jurisdiction, she said ‘Oh, let me show you how that works,’” recalls Michelle Cybulski, who fulfilled her life-long dream of attending law school following a midlife career transition. “The preceptors really help put into context what we are learning in the classroom and show us how it applies in practice.”

Preceptors say the students’ experience will be a valu-able advantage as they begin their careers. Greensboro attorney Sarah Roane, whose firm has hired charter class member Sean Olsen, says new law school graduates must have the skills and knowledge to make immediate con-tributions on behalf of their clients.

“That is what makes Elon Law students so attractive,” Roane says. “They have worked in legal practice during

22 MAGAZINE OF ELON

May 2009 Elon University School of Law graduates its charter class

February 2009 Constitutional scholar and former White House counsel George R. Johnson Jr. named second dean of law school

September 2008 Law school reaches full enrollment comprised of three classes and more than 300 students

law school, they have developed legal dexterity by apply-ing their education in the law to specific client circum-stances, and they exhibit a professionalism that is unique among law school graduates.”

Charter class members also have benefitted from op-portunities to interact with such prominent figures as CNN’s Gergen and Jeffrey Toobin, former N.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Henry Frye, former N.C. Gov. Jim Hunt, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian David McCullough and others who spoke at the law school as part of the Joseph M. Bryan Distinguished Leadership Lecture Series.

“We are extremely lucky to have movers and shakers on an international scene that want our school to succeed in a big way,” says Alix Hazel, a Harvard University alumna who plans to work for a law firm in Virginia.

“Being here has made me think about the kind of leader that I want to be. It has been a great experience of self-discovery.”

A school with a destinyWhile the spring 2009 graduation marks a historic mile-stone for Elon Law, members of the charter class are already thinking of ways they will be enthusiastic and engaged alumni of the school. An alumni association has been formed, and more than 90 percent of class members have contributed to the charter class gift to Elon Law.

Beyond celebrating the Class of 2009, faculty and current students are considering the next steps in the school’s maturation. The focus will clearly remain around developing lawyers as society’s leaders.

“As we know, the reputation of lawyers is not all that wonderful in our society,” says Steven Friedland, one of the founding faculty members. “Lawyers are seen as tak-ers, as people who take from others. We want to try to reverse that here and show that lawyers are also givers. They give to the legal profession, they give to the com-munity at large, they give to politics and our democratic system.”

Johnson says that kind of thinking is rare in law schools. In talking with students who will follow in the footsteps of the charter class, he has a compelling story to tell.

“Here you can begin to think about how you relate to others, how you think of yourself and how you can work to better an organization, a community or any en-vironment where you find yourself working and living,” Johnson says. “You can get a great legal education in almost any law school in the United States. At Elon, you will get something in addition to that.

“I think our destiny is to be a premier player in legal educa-tion. I think there is the com-mitment of the university and the faculty to help us get there. And that is what we will do.”

“Our goal is to be among the premier law schools in the United States, making a real difference at a critical time in our nation’s history.”George R. Johnson Jr.

Dean, Elon University School of Law

MAGAZINE OF ELON 23

Jesse Branson ’65 and Tommy Cole ’72 fought back tears as they looked to the rafters of Alumni Gym. The capacity crowd roared when black drapes fell to the floor, revealing the retired jerseys of two of the greatest basketball play-ers in Elon history.

Afterward, the two men stood at midcourt, each with an arm around the other’s shoulders, posing for photos and acknowledg-ing the cheering crowd. “This is the best moment of my life,” Cole said. “I’ve waited 37 years for this moment. It’s the greatest recognition an athlete can receive.”

Said Branson, “The fans of today, even though many didn’t quite know us, they cheered us and they appreciated us. That was special.”

The Feb. 7 ceremony highlighted a weekend of celebration commemorating the 100th season of men’s basketball at Elon. More than 40 former players representing nearly 60 years of the program returned to campus to participate in the historic event.

Dave Blank, director of athletics, said the ceremony dem-onstrates the athletics department’s commitment to “transcend what happens on the field of play” by celebrating Elon’s rich athletics history.

For former players such as Charlie Van Lear ’68, the reunion illustrated the power of college athletics to develop character and foster lifetime friendships.

“The older you get, the more you appreciate who you’re around,” Van Lear said. “It has been 40 years since I’ve seen some of these guys. It has been a great reunion.”

The early yearsElon’s basketball program was formed in 1908, though the team did not begin playing a complete schedule of games until 1912, according to The Fighting Christians, a history of Elon athletics, by James M. Waggoner ’55.

That year, Elon joined other cen-tral North Carolina institutions, includ-ing the University of North Carolina, Trinity College (now Duke University) and Wake Forest University, to form a basketball league that became the North State Conference in 1931.

Elon enjoyed early success, win-ning state championships in 1914 and 1915. In 1915, Elon was the first team in four years to defeat the Blue Devils on their home court in Durham. Elon bas-ketball continued its winning ways after

entering the North State Conference, capturing three conference titles (1932, 1935, 1937) and tying for a fourth (1934).

The dedication of Alumni Gym on Jan. 14, 1950, and a new coach, Graham L. “Doc” Mathis, energized the campus and the team following a difficult period during and after World War ii. Mathis’ squads won the North State regular season title in 1952, the conference tournament in 1956, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (naia) district titles in 1956 and 1957, and earned three berths to the naia national tournament in 1952, 1956 and 1957. Leading the way for Elon was center Dee Atkinson ’57, the North State MvP in 1957 and, at the time, holder of nine of Elon’s 12 individual basketball records.

‘Miller Time’In 1959, Mathis stepped down as head coach after tallying a 162–120 record. He left big shoes for his successor, William R. “Bill” Miller, to fill, but the new coach from Campbellsville, Ky., was up to the task. Bill Morningstar ’64, who played for Miller and later served as his longtime assistant coach, said his mentor was a demanding coach on the court but quick to support his players off of it.

“He was like a father to me in so many ways,” recalled Morningstar, currently head coach of Elon’s men’s golf team.

Miller’s teams brought Elon’s basketball program to unprec-edented heights. The first two basketball All-Americans in Elon’s history, Branson (1964, 1965) and Cole (1971, 1972), thrived under

BY KRISTIN SIMONETTI ’05

Jesse Branson ’65, at left, and Tommy Cole ’72

24 MAGAZINE OF ELON

Miller’s watch. Elon captured the 1971 regular season title in the Carolinas Conference, the renamed North State Conference. Miller’s teams also won three conference tournament championships (1965, 1971, 1972), including a thrilling finish to the 1971 season when Cole sank a free throw with two seconds left in the title game, sealing a 58–57 victory over defending champion Guilford.

Miller’s former players, who refer fondly to their playing days as “Miller Time,” remember the overwhelming fan support more than the feats they achieved. Branson recalled that students, faculty and the community packed Alumni Gym for games.

“Sometimes the fire marshal had to turn people away it was so crowded at games,” Branson said.

Moving upIn 1979, two significant changes came to the basketball pro-gram and Elon athletics. Miller stepped down as coach after the

1978–1979 season with 341 victories, the most in Elon’s history, and was succeeded by Morningstar. Alan White became Elon’s director of athletics, a title he held until retiring in 2006. The next two and a half decades saw Elon athletics rise to increasingly higher levels of competition and visibility, moving from naia to nCaa Division ii competition in 1990, to Division i in 1999 and to the Southern Conference in 2003.

Despite the challenges, Elon basketball enjoyed some memo-rable performances in the ’80s and ’90s. Lee Allison ’81, a four-time all-conference selection and an honorable mention All-American in 1981, finished his career with 1,941 points, the fourth-highest total in Elon history. His daughter, Nicole Allison ’07, followed in his footsteps, starring on the Elon women’s basketball team.

Another child of an Elon star, Brian Branson ’87, Jesse Branson’s son, led Elon’s 1988 regular-season conference cham-pionship team and earned Academic All-American of the Year honors, as well as conference and naia District 26 player of the year awards.

After Elon left the naia for nCaa Division ii play in the South Atlantic Conference, Chris Kiger ’98 helped lead Elon to the 1997 conference tournament championship, which was Elon’s last season in the division.

“We had a pretty good season that year, but no one expected us to win the tournament,” recalled Kiger, who the following year garnered Academic All-American of the Year honors. “It was a great experience.”

A bright futureElon earned its first regular-season conference title in more than 30 years in 2006, winning the SoCon North Division champi-onship. That season included Elon’s first victory against an aCC opponent, over Clemson at Littlejohn Coliseum.

Success continued in March 2008 when Elon played its way into the SoCon tournament championship game against Davidson, which was broadcast nationwide on EsPn2. The Phoenix fell to the Wildcats, 65–49, but not before bringing national attention to the team and the university.

A catalyst for Elon’s success was Montell Watson ’07, who finished his career ranked fourth in the Elon record books for assists, steals and three-point field goals.

“I loved every second of my time as an Elon basketball player, especially the 2006 championship season,” Watson recalls. “The bond our team shared that season was like family.”

Watson was the youngest of the former players honored alongside Branson and Cole on Feb. 7 when Elon faced off against Appalachian State.

At halftime, the former players gathered near the south end of the gym for the jersey retirement ceremony.

“The old players started sharing stories you’d forgotten until someone started retelling them,” Branson said. “It’s an honor to be here.”

Most left Alumni Gym that evening humbled by the experi-ence and grateful for their Elon memories.

“Elon gave me the opportunity to go to college, then it gave me the opportunity to do what I love to do, which is coach,” Morningstar said. “You grow to realize how much Elon means to you. It’s the biggest part of my life.”

hoops

Former Elon basketball coach Bill Miller, at left, with the 1972 Carolinas Conference Tournament Championship team. Tommy Cole, front row at right, holds the trophy.

For additional coverage of 100 seasons of men’s basketball, go to www.elon.edu/magazine.

MAGAZINE OF ELON 25

Let Elon be your support networkOn May 23, I will join the campus community for Elon’s 119th Commencement, when we will welcome the Class of 2009 into the Alumni Association.

Graduation is not only a time to recognize the achievements of our newest alumni, it also is a moment when we give thanks to our

support networks — the parents, grandparents and other family members who helped make our Elon experiences possible.

At my graduation, I remember feeling a deep sense of gratitude for the many people who saw me through moments of joy as well as disappointment. I know that without the support of my mom, Shirley, my challenges would have been much greater. My mother’s main focus has always been to make sure that my brother and I had all the opportunities that she did not. She was selfless in ensuring that I was able to attend Elon no matter the cost, and I saw her sacrifice her own dreams to make sure I

realized mine, especially earning an Elon degree. For that, I am forever grateful.

As a proud Elon graduate, I feel a similar sense of gratitude for the Elon community, which can be a valuable support network for all alumni, particularly in these challenging times. We can get so caught up in our lives that it’s easy to forget that we have a lifelong connection to a special community of people who care. Remember what President Lambert often says: You may leave Elon, but Elon will never leave you.

I urge you to tap into the benefits and services of your Alumni Association during all stages of your life.

Reconnect with a favorite faculty or staff mentor by looking them up on the university’s online directory. Return to campus for Homecoming and reunite with friends and professors who helped make you who you are today. Join your local alumni chapter and attend social and service events with alums of all ages. You’ll have fun and meet new friends as well.

You can tap into Elon’s career services, including Career Beam, which helps you craft an effective resume, prepare for interviews and launch a strategic career search. You also can mentor students through the Elon Career Network or join the Elon Alumni Association group on LinkedIn, an online professional networking resource. You can find links to all these programs and more at www.elon.edu/alumni.

The care and support of the Elon community go with you wherever you are and in whatever you do. Make Elon an active part of your life and reap the benefits that come from a lifelong relationship with your alma mater.

Wishing each of you the best in these challenging times,

Sallie

Sallie Hutton ’92

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION WELCOMES NEW BOARD MEMBERS

The Elon Alumni Association this spring welcomed new members to the Elon Alumni Board (Eab) and Young Alumni Council.

Members of each advisory board serve three-year terms and play an integral role in ensuring Elon’s success and strengthening ties between alumni and the university.

Alumni who have graduated eight years ago or more are eligible for service on the Eab. Alumni who have graduated no more than seven years ago are eligible to serve on the Young Alumni Council.

For more information on either of these boards, visit www.elon.edu/alumni or contact the alumni office at alumnirelations@elon.edu or toll free at 877.784.3566.

The new members of the Eab and Young Alumni Council are:

Elon aluMni boardJohn Hill ’76, Severna Park, Md.Chris Martin ’78, Manasquan, N.J. Lennie Dutton Edwards ’91, Louisburg, N.C.Heather Middleton ’99 (Alumni Chapter

Representative), New YorkTracey Walser Nugent ’84, Chevy Chase, Md.Julia Strange Chase ’84, Richmond, Va.Carolyn Wright McDuffie ’64, Greensboro, N.C. Tyrone McDuffie ’66, Greensboro, N.C. Lee Thomas ’91, Charlotte, N.C.

young aluMni CounCilChris Gaylor ’03, Arlington, Va. Cara Catalfumo ’04, Charlotte, N.C.Shelby Peterson ’06, Arlington, Va.Lauren Murphree ’08, l’11, Greensboro, N.C.Ablavi Gbenyon ’03, Charlotte, N.C.Susan Denny ’03, Apex, N.C.Carson Foushee ’07, Atlanta David Morrow ’07, l’10, Burlington, N.C.Lisa Dawn “LD” Akers ’08, Bluffton, S.C.Christine Jordan ’03, AtlantaErryn Gallasch ’07, Alexandria, Va.Kristin Smith ’07, Cary, N.C.Erica Ayala ’08, New YorkHilaire Pickett ’08, Cary, N.C.

PHYSICAL THERAPY REUNION OCT. 10

Physical therapy graduates will gather on campus for the first time on Saturday, Oct. 10, to celebrate the program’s 11-year history at Elon.

All alumni of the master’s and doctoral physical

ALUMNI Action

26 MAGAZINE OF ELON

The Alumni Relations Office is located in Johnston Hall at 123 S. Antioch Ave. and can be reached toll-free at 877-784-3566 or by writing to Campus Box 2600, Elon, NC 27244.

Alumni donors celebrated at Elon … Pass It On The campus community celebrated philanthropy on March 17 with Elon … Pass It On, a new event sponsored by the Alumni Association and Office of Annual Giving to educate students about the vital role that alumni, parents and friends play in supporting their Elon education.

The event, held during College Coffee, included posters featuring alumni donors and their testimonials about giving to Elon. The posters and statistics about giving at Elon were displayed in academic buildings across campus for the day.

In addition to learning about the donors who have helped make their Elon experiences possible, seniors were encouraged to “pass it on” to future generations by contributing to the Senior Class Gift and joining IGNITE, Elon’s young alumni giving program, after they graduate.

The following giving statistics from 2007-2008 were shared with the campus community:

• Total giving to Elon: $16.6 million• Total gifts from alumni: $6.8 million• Total gifts from parents: $3.1 million• Number of alumni donors: 4,397• Number of young alumni donors (graduates of the past 10 years): 1,147• Number of gifts from alumni, parents and friends: 11,504

Welcome to the neighborhoodMoving to a new city can be daunting, so let the Elon Alumni Association and alumni chapters make it a little easier.

This summer, the association and leaders of the regional chapters will host their third-annual Welcome to the City events to help alumni get settled in a new city. It is a great way for alumni, particularly new graduates, to meet other alums in their area and maintain their ties to Elon. All alumni are invited to bring family or friends to welcome 2009 graduates to their city.

The following events have been scheduled:

Atlanta: Sept. 8, 7-9 p.m. at Wildfire RestaurantBaltimore: Aug. 15, 4-7 p.m. at the Baltimore Marine CenterBoston: Aug. 27, 6:30-9 p.m. at McFadden’sCharlotte: Aug. 12, 6:30 p.m. at The Gin Mill Charleston: Sept. 18, 5:30 p.m. at Tommy Condon’sNew York City: Aug. 25, 7 p.m. at Mad46 (rooftop of The Roosevelt Hotel) Philadelphia: Sept. 10, 7-10 p.m. at Manayunk BreweryPiedmont Triad: Sept. 10, 6:30 p.m. at Natty Greene’s Richmond: Sept. 10, 7 p.m. at Capital Ale House in InnsbrookWashington, D.C.: Sept. 30, 7-9 p.m. at the Clarendon Grill, Arlington, Va.

“We want recent grads to meet other Elon alumni in a relaxed environment to help open doors for networking and friendships,” says T.J. Rose ’00, a Baltimore Chapter member. “We chose Crab Fest for our event because eating crabs is a Baltimore tradition and provides a great opportunity for conversation.”

A full list of Welcome to the City events will be posted on the alumni site. Contact the alumni office at 877.784.3566 or alumnirelations@elon.edu for more information.

therapy programs are invited to join faculty and staff at the reunion, which will include a free continuing education course, reunion T-shirts, family activities, dinner and tours of the Center for Fitness & Human Movement Studies at Alamance Regional Medical Center (arMC). The center, which opened on arMC’s campus in 2006, is a partnership between Elon and the hospital.

Elon began its master of physical therapy degree program in January 1998 before chang-ing to a doctoral program in 2003.

Graduates interested in helping to plan the reunion may contact Lisa Ratliff Roper ’93 in the alumni office at 877.784.3566 or lroper@elon.edu. Reunion details will be e-mailed or mailed to alumni and posted on the alumni Web site.

NIGHT OF THE PHOENIX RAISES $50,000 FOR SCHOLARSHIPS

Alumni, parents and friends helped raise more than $50,000 for athletics scholarships Feb. 20 at the annual “Night of the Phoenix” event held in Alumni Gym.

Many in the crowd participated in a silent auction, bidding on more than 150 items, in-cluding a Sunbrella furniture set and an au-tographed Michael Jordan jersey. The crowd also heard remarks from Dave Blank, Elon athletics director, Amy Hendrickson ’69, chair of the Phoenix Club Advisory Board, and Wes Durham ’88, radio announcer for the Atlanta Falcons and Georgia Tech athlet-ics, who served as master of ceremonies.

“In these uncertain economic times, the generosity displayed was amazing, and we were able to exceed our goal of fund-ing one full athletics scholarship at Elon,” Hendrickson says.

Mike Cross, vice chair of the advisory board, says the fundraiser is a great way to stay connected to Elon.

“Not having attended Elon, I have discov-ered over the last few years what a great insti-tution it is by attending events like ‘The Night of the Phoenix’ and athletics contests,” Cross says. “I am glad to participate and help show the community what can be accomplished when we give back. We appreciate the many businesses in the area that contributed items for the auction.”

ALUMNI Action

MAGAZINE OF ELON 27Alumni Relations Office staff:  Director, Sallie Hutton ’92, alumnirelations@elon.edu  •  Assistant Director, Lisa Ratliff Roper ’93 Assistant Director for Young Alumni, Lindsay Gross Hege ’04  •  Coordinator of Alumni Chapters, Lauren Kelly ’08  •  Program Assistant, Kelly Elliston

ALUMNI BEGIN 2009 IN HIGH SPIRITS

From cheering on the Phoenix basketball teams to serving their communities, mem-bers of Elon’s alumni chapters began 2009 with a flurry of activity.

In Atlanta, alumni kicked off 2009 with a Jan. 7 New Year’s party at the Warren City Club. The following month, chapter mem-bers put on their Phoenix gear and headed

to Fox Sports Grill to watch the men’s bas-ketball team take on Appalachian State. They also gathered at the Hudson Grill to watch the men’s team battle University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

The Baltimore Chapter held a mid-January New Year’s celebration, which drew 30 mem-bers to Claddagh Pub in Canton near the Inner Harbor. In March, alumni laced up their bowling shoes and played a few games at Mustang Alley’s in Fells Point.

In Boston, alums chased away the winter blues by watching the 2008 nba champion Celtics defeat the New Jersey Nets. They also turned out to watch the Boston Bruins take on the New Jersey Devils in hockey.

Phoenix basketball was on the minds of Charleston alumni, who cheered on the women’s team in a matchup against the College of Charleston. Alumni also watched the men’s squad take on The Citadel and later celebrated the team’s win over College of Charleston during a post-game get-together

at The Mellow Mushroom. On St. Patrick’s Day, chapter members traded their maroon and gold for green during a celebration in the city’s Market Street area. In April, they got together for the Charleston Riverdogs minor-league baseball game.

Charlotte, N.C., alumni co-hosted the fourth-annual Faculty/Staff Social in March. Paul Parsons, dean of the School of Communications, and Mary Gowan, dean

of the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business, joined other faculty and staff mem-bers at the Fox & Hound in the Uptown district.

Members of the newly formed Chicago Chapter gathered in March at Webster’s Wine Bar to celebrate their group’s launch. In Hampton Roads, Va., alumni got together for happy hour at Baron’s Pub in Suffolk, Va. In April, chapter members traveled to Norfolk, Va., to watch the Phoenix baseball team take on Old Dominion.

Los Angeles alumni began the new year with happy hour gatherings at Big Wangs in North Hollywood and McCabe’s Bar and Grill in Santa Monica. At McCabe’s, alums welcomed Peter Falcone ’04, who recently moved to Santa Monica from New York and helped plan the event.

In New York, alumni in January joined Elon students, faculty and staff for a Broadway performance of “Wicked.” After the show, the group received a backstage tour from cast member Lindsay Northen ’03.

Piedmont Triad alumni met in January at Elon University School of Law in down-town Greensboro for a Winter Mingle. Elon Law student David Morrow ’07 led a tour of the school’s H. Michael Weaver Building. In April, the chapter hosted a happy hour at the Fox & Hound in Winston-Salem.

Alumni of all ages in Richmond, Va., turned out for a chapter kickoff social at Legends Brewery, where alums and members

GET YOUR ELON LUGGAGE TAG

Want to show your Elon pride on the road? gEt taggEd with a complimen-tary Elon luggage tag from the Alumni Association.

Mail your business card to the uni-versity and you will receive a laminated maroon and gold luggage tag with the Elon logo on the front and your busi-ness card on the back. The tag is sturdy, waterproof and a great way to make your luggage stand out in a crowd.

To get your tag, mail your business card to: Office of Alumni Relations, 2600 Campus Box, Elon, N.C., 27244.

of the chapter’s newly restructured board dis-cussed future events.

The Triangle Chapter hosted its fourth-an-nual Groundhog Day party at Hi5 in Raleigh. In March, alums attended a social before watching a Carolina Hurricanes hockey game and posing for a photo with Stormy, the team mascot. In April, the chapter participated in the Angels Among Us 5k and Family Fun Walk at Duke Medical Center in Durham.

More than 75 mem-bers of the Washington, D.C., Chapter attended a New Year’s celebration at Whitlow’s on Wilson Bar and Grill. In February, alumni volunteered with kEEn (Kids Enjoy Exercise Now), which provides rec-reational opportunities to children and young adults with developmental dis-

abilities. On St. Patrick’s Day, alums gathered at McFadden’s Restaurant and Saloon to cel-ebrate all things green and watch the opening game of the nCaa basketball tournament.

For more information on chapter events, go to www.elon.edu/alumni.

Chicago

Richmond

ChicagoChicago

Richmond

Triangle

ALUMNI Action

28 MAGAZINE OF ELON

For the latest alumni news, go to www.elon.edu/alumni

Coming Events 2009

If you have dreamed of touring Ireland or seeing New England’s fall foliage, now is your chance.

The Alumni Association travel program continues Aug. 21–29 with a trip to Ennis, Ireland. The trip includes tours of the ancient Burren and windswept Cliffs of Moher; Bunratty Castle, one of Ireland’s most famous medieval castles; the Aran Island of Inishmore and the cliffside fortress of Dún Aengus; Coole Park in County Galway, featuring a beech tree bearing W.B. Yeats’ initials; and the 16th century tower of Thoor Ballylee, where Yeats lived.

The cost is approximately $2,595 per person plus airfare and taxes (double occupancy).

Young alumni are invited to take in New England’s beautiful fall colors Oct. 16–19 in Fryeburg, Maine. The trip package includes a three-night stay in a bed and breakfast, tours of local towns, biking, rock climbing, yoga and massage. Fryeburg is located on the New Hampshire border in the Mt. Washington valley and offers a variety of recreational activities.

Prices range from $425-$475 per person (not including airfare). The registration deadline is June 15, and 50 percent of the trip fee (per individual) is due by that date to secure your reservation.

For more information on these trips, go to www.elon.edu/alumni or contact the alumni office toll free at 877.784.3566 or alumnirelations@elon.edu.

MAY 21 Washington, D.C. Chapter happy hour, 6:30 p.m. Union Jack’s, Bethesda, Md.

JUNE 6 D.C. Chapter Race for the Cure, National Mall

D.C. Chapter Nationals vs. New York Mets, 7:05 p.m. Pre-game barbeque 5 p.m.

Philadelphia Chapter Wilmington Blue Rocks baseball game, 6 p.m.

JUNE 6–7 Young alumni service trip, Washington, D.C.

JUNE 11 Charleston Chapter Riverdogs vs. Augusta Greenjackets baseball game, 7:05 p.m.

JUNE 12 Baltimore Chapter happy hour, 5 p.m. Rams Head Tavern, Annapolis, Md.

JUNE 13 Triangle Chapter Komen Race for the Cure, 7 a.m. Meredith College, Raleigh, N.C.

JUNE 16 Piedmont Triad Chapter Martini Night, 6 p.m. Dick & Jane’s Tapas and Martinis, Mebane, N.C.

JULY 2 Charleston Chapter Riverdogs vs. Greenville Drive baseball game, 7:05 p.m.

JULY 17 Triangle Chapter Carolina Mudcats vs. Chattanooga Lookouts baseball game, 7:15 p.m.

AUG. 13 Charleston Chapter Riverdogs vs. Delmarva Shorebirds baseball game, 7:05 p.m.

AUG. 29 Baltimore Chapter Orioles game, 7:05 p.m. Oriole Park at Camden Yards

SEPT. 10 Schmoozapaloza alumni/student networking event, McKinnon Hall, Elon

SEPT. 11–12 National Alumni Executive Board fall meeting, Elon

SEPT. 12 Richmond and D.C. Chapter Day, Philip Carter Winery, Hume, Va.

SEPT. 19–20 Young Alumni Council fall meeting, Elon

OCT. 10 Physical Therapy alumni reunion, Elon

OCT. 16–19 Fall in New England young alumni trip, Fryeburg, Maine

OCT. 23–25 Homecoming Weekend

Get your travel on!

NEW ALUMNI WEB SITE DEBUTS

Graduates of all eras will find something to like on the newly redesigned alumni Web site.The site features more alumni stories and news, an enhanced events calendar, career

information and links to Elon on Twitter, YouTube and Facebook, as well as the LinkedIn professional networking resource and E2, the university’s social network. If you have moved recently or changed your e-mail address, you can update your information on the site.

Announcements on major events and alumni services are featured in the “What’s Happening” section while “Look Who’s Talking” includes young alumni blogs and stories of alums from all eras. A new alumni chapter map and individual chapter pages keep alums up to date on the activities of Elon’s growing regional chapter program. The young alumni section includes information on the Young Alumni Council, travel program and ways to reconnect with Elon, as well as information for Elon seniors.

Check out the new site at www.elon.edu/alumni.

ALUMNI Action

MAGAZINE OF ELON 29

Class Notes

’40sBetty Lynch Bowman ’44 says she dreamed of attending Elon since she was in elementary school and is grate-ful that her dream came true. She says Elon was the perfect place for her to launch a career in education. She worked for more than 40 years in edu-cation, first as a teacher and later as a principal. As an Elon student, she ap-preciated the caring attitude, wisdom and guidance of all her professors. They instilled in her a love of education and a thirst for knowledge that she shared with her own students during her ca-reer. She is retired and enjoys spending time with her wonderful family. She lives in Burlington, N.C.

’50sREUNION ’59

Burley W. Dunn ’50 is thankful to Elon for preparing him for a success-ful career. He remembers socializing with his classmates and has great memories of former Elon President Leon E. Smith and professor Daniel Bowden. Dunn advises current Elon students to befriend as many people as they can on campus because you never know where those friendships will lead. He looks forward to Elon’s continued success and hopes that the school will hold tight to its Christian tradition.

Jacqueline “Jackie” Royals Manzi ’50 has many fond memories of Elon, in-cluding catching the eye of her late husband, football hero Claude Manzi ’50. She remembers periodically scrub-bing the dorm floors and how much fun she and her roommates had with that chore, as well as sitting under Elon’s magnificent oak trees. She hopes that Elon will hold true to its ideals and traditions, and that current students will make the most of their valuable opportunities. She lives in Greensboro, N.C.

Hugh Brantley Wall ’50 is forever grateful to Elon for contributing to the successes he has achieved. He fondly remembers professors Alonzo

Hook, Albert Coble and Earl Danieley ’46, all of whom were great educators and role models. Wall encourages fel-low Elon alumni to support their alma mater generously and wholeheartedly, and to help the university continue its

“march to greatness.” He hopes Elon will allocate more resources to science and technology so the university stays

“on the forefront of helping our great nation reclaim our place as global lead-ers in invention and innovation.”

Fred W. Yarbrough ’50 credits his Elon education with helping him land his dream job. He worked for the same company for 36 years. He loves to look back on his time at Elon and re-members the caring faculty and stu-dents, many of whom became lifelong friends. He hopes that Elon continues to thrive and progress, and that his fel-low alumni will support the school and help Elon achieve its future goals.

Henry Carr Jr. ’51 says Elon gave him a wonderful start in his pursuit of a career in medicine. He thoroughly enjoyed playing freshman basketball and living in Old North Dormitory. He made many wonderful friends, and he encourages current students to ap-preciate all that they are experiencing at Elon and to make the most of their opportunities.

Jane Upchurch Roshelli ’51 went on the Elon Alumni Association trip to Italy last fall. “It was the most amaz-ing trip of my life,” she says. She is a retired teacher living in Cary, N.C.

D. Frank Ingram Jr. ’52 is grateful for the skills and knowledge he gained as a student at Elon. He says those skills gave him the edge he needed to climb the ladder of success. He warmly re-members living in the apartments for veterans and his neighbors, Bob Dolly and Lefty Taylor. He encourages cur-rent students to pursue their dreams vigorously. He hopes that Elon will

“keep on keeping on.”

Ronald E. Black ’54 credits Elon for thoroughly preparing him to be a mu-sic teacher. After a short stint in the U.S. Army, he taught for a couple of years at a school near Elon before mov-ing to Rising Sun, Md., where he con-tinued teaching for another 11 years. He then became a professor at Cecil Community College and is now retired. Some of his favorite Elon memories are singing and touring with the choirs.

He would love to hear from other Elon alumni and encourages them to share their favorite Elon memories and ex-periences with the magazine. He says he has high hopes for Elon’s continued growth and success.

Don L. Allen ’56 says Elon fully pre-pared him to take on the challenges of life and to pursue his lifelong career. He says he loved every minute of his time at Elon and is forever grateful to his outstanding teachers. He encour-ages everyone to support Elon in any way they can to ensure that the uni-versity continues to thrive.

Carol Coble Brooks ’56 worked as a secretary for Burlington Mills after graduating from Elon. She married

shortly after graduation and had a son. She says she reflects often on her time at Elon and the people she met, many of whom have passed away. She urges cur-rent students to enjoy the opportunities they have been given and to make the most of their education. She hopes that Elon will continue to flourish.

Edwin “Ed” Davidson ’57 calls at-tending and graduating from Elon the defining period of his life. He says he is very fortunate to have at-tended such a fine institution. He treasures the friendships he forged with his football teammates on and off the field. That group gets together every Homecoming to celebrate their friendship and their alma mater. They worked together to establish the Sid

Charitable gift annuities can provide income for lifeA charitable gift annuity of $10,000 or more to Elon will guarantee you a fixed income for the rest of your life. With market interest rates near historic lows, a gift annuity is an attractive way for you to increase your income and make a gift to Elon at the same time. You will receive immediate tax benefits and can defer capital gains. The payment rate of a charitable gift annuity depends on your age at the time of the gift — the older you are, the higher the rate.

Sample Rates effective February 1, 2009:

ONE BENEFICIARY

AGE ANNUIT Y RATE

60 5.0% 65 5.3% 70 5.7%

T WO BENEFICIARIES

AGES ANNUIT Y RATE

60/65 4.8% 67/67 5.0% 71/73 5.3%

Annuity rates are subject to change. The annuity rate remains fixed once your gift is made.

To calculate a gift annuity for you or your spouse or a family mem-ber, go to www.elon.edu/giftplanning.

For more information on how you may benefit from a life income gift to Elon and other gift planning opportunities,

please contact:

Jamie Killorin, CPA/PFS, CFP®, Director of Gift PlanningToll free 877.784.3566

Jkillorin2@elon.edu • www.elon.edu/giftplanning

CLASS Notes

30 MAGAZINE OF ELON

Varney Scholarship Fund and name the Varney suite at Rhodes Stadium. He advises current students to set their goals high because Elon will take them where they want to go. He hopes that Elon will continue to be considered a jewel in higher education.

William “Bill” Joyner ’59 loved living in Old North Dormitory and having a gym in the middle of the dorm. He also remembers skipping out on cha-pel services to get a cup of coffee. He is grateful to his Elon professors for helping to shape his faith and religious philosophy. He challenges current Elon students to “question authority and think for yourselves.” He lives in Sarasota, Fla.

’60sRebecca Webster Graves ’66 retired last spring after a 42-year career in teaching, most recently in the Alamance-Burlington School System. Her husband, William L. Graves ’61, is a retired principal. They live in Burlington, N.C.

Walton C. Jennette ’66 enjoyed a 25-year career in banking and financial services with several large institutions across the country before starting First Colony Asset Management llC, in Raleigh, N.C. In his free time, he enjoys golfing, gardening and boat-ing with his wife, Pat. They live in Raleigh.

David J. Johnson ’68 is co-author of Fort Monroe (Arcadia Publishing), a pictorial history of the famous fort overlooking Hampton Roads Harbor in southeast Virginia. Currently, he is working as an archivist and historian in Hampton, Va., where he lives.

Barton C. Shaw ’69 recently co-edited a book with Paul A. Cimbala, a history professor at Fordham University. The book is titled Making a New South: Race, Leadership and Community After the Civil War (University Press of Florida). He lives in Bethlehem, Pa., where he is a college professor.

’80sREUNION ’84

Virginia N. Davis ’82 recently re-ceived a master’s degree in education

from Salem College. She is a first-grade teacher at Vienna Elementary in Winston-Salem, N.C., where she lives.

Aaron “Ron” Price ’83 has been pro-moted to vice president of Yukon Learning. He specializes in build-ing custom e-learning solutions us-ing Yukon’s proprietary C3 learning model.

Caryl Smith Van Fleet ’83 recently earned a master’s degree in elementary education from North Carolina a&t State University. She is the curriculum facilitator at Eastlawn Elementary and lives in Haw River, N.C.

Bill Bride ’85 was one of the Phoenix fans who descended on Comcast Center Dec. 30 for the Elon vs. Maryland men’s basketball game in College Park, Md. Bill reports that even though Elon didn’t win the game, the team played well against an aCC opponent. He is confident that Elon will continue to develop a strong basketball program. He says he thoroughly enjoyed the evening and was impressed by the large number of Elon alumni who turned out to cheer on the Phoenix.

’90sREUNION ’99

Stephanie K. Dawkins ’90 recently was appointed assistant city adminis-trator and director of administrative services for the City of Geneva, Ill., where she lives. Her responsibilities include administration oversight, hu-man resources, information technol-ogy and finance.

Babette Riley Robbins ’90 has been promoted to senior service delivery manager in staff operations at Bank of America. She manages a team that provides technology, process and com-munications support to the global staffing organization. She lives with her husband, James, and their children in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Burt N. Repine ’91 celebrated his 40tH birthday by climbing Mt. Aconcagua in the Argentinean Andes. The 13-day expedition took him to the top of the tallest peak in the Western Hemisphere, which is 22,834 feet above sea level. He lives in Isabelino, Calif.

Robert Britt Deviney ’93 is a financial planner and has accepted a partnership with Palm Planning Group, a financial planning firm in Florida that special-izes in values-based financial planning. He lives in West Palm Beach.

Timothy C. Hall ’93 is the author of several secondary social studies textbook supplements, curricula and standards. He has written test items for multiple student and teacher social studies exams. He wrote The Complete Idiot’s Guide to World History and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Middle Ages, published in February, and the AMSCO Guide to World History: Preparing for the Advanced Placement

Examination, which will be available in August. He currently teaches at The Franklin Academy, a college pre-paratory public charter high school in Wake Forest, N.C. He is pursuing a doctorate in interdisciplinary stud-ies at Union Institute and University. Through his studies, he hopes to gain an understanding of the historic con-nection between religion, state and culture in world history. He lives in Wake Forest.

William C. Chisholm ’95 received a master’s degree in educational lead-ership from Argosy University in Chicago. He recently was promoted to assistant principal at North Moore

Alumna has ‘surreal’ meeting with first lady Ashley Lawson ’07 and her colleagues at Miriam’s Kitchen had a big surprise for the homeless men and women they feed each day in Washington, D.C.

On March 5, the staff called their clients to the serving line as they do each day. The men and women were shocked to find first lady Michelle Obama prepared to serve them their meal. After serving food, Obama spoke one-on-one with some of the guests, listening to their stories and giving them hugs.

“Meeting Michelle Obama was a surreal and inspiring experience,” Lawson says. “For our clients, her visit reaffirmed the notion that they matter and that people care about them. It was truly inspiring to see that she also shares a passion for service to those in great need.”

The first lady visited the kitchen to draw attention to the importance of good nutrition and volunteer service. The kitchen serves meals to more than 200 homeless men and women daily.

“Many of our guests are suffering with severe health problems, and our mission is to serve them great-tasting homemade meals as well as offer them comprehensive social services,” says Lawson, who serves as the volunteer and development coordinator.

The Cleveland native began working at the kitchen shortly after earning her human services degree. She credits a Winter Term class on homelessness and poverty with Beth Warner, assistant professor of human services, with her decision to work with the homeless.

“I was passionate about being part of an organization that served homeless individuals with the dignity and care that they deserve,” Lawson says. “Each day I know that I am making a difference in the lives of the men and women who come to Miriam’s Kitchen.”

PHO

TO: RO

DN

EY CH

OIC

E

Ashley Lawson ’07, in a white sweater, sits next to Michelle Obama.

Ashley Lawson ’07, in a white sweater, sits next to Michelle Obama.

CLASS Notes

MAGAZINE OF ELON 31

High School, his alma mater. He lives with his wife, Yolanda, in West End,

N.C.

Matthew B. Haas ’95 is an account management team leader in market-ing for aaa. In March, he coordinated the aaa Eagles Fan Cruise, a seven-day trip around the eastern Caribbean that gave Philadelphia Eagles fans a chance to meet some of their favorite players, past and present. The players included Brian Dawkins, Hugh Douglas, Troy Vincent, Brent Celek, Chris Gocong and A.J. Feeley. Haas says he spent more than a year planning the cruise, which was a big success and one of the highlights of his career. He lives in West Chester, Pa.

Tiffany Smith ’97 is the staff recruit-ment, retention and development co-ordinator for Pender County Schools. She lives in Rocky Point, N.C.

Meghan McGlinn Manfra ’98 is an assistant professor in the College of Education at North Carolina State University. She lives with her husband, Dennis, in Raleigh, N.C.

Stacy Imler Rose ’98 has received her National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification in lit-eracy. She lives in Fredericksburg, Va.

Leslie DeJohn White ’98 is a social services coordinator at the Elaine

Clark Center for Exceptional Children. She lives in Atlanta with her husband, Kevin, and their children, Warren and Kerin.

Dana M. Disborough ’99 recently joined Golden Living as a public re-lations specialist. Her new responsi-bilities include communications and public relations for Golden Living’s national service companies: Aegis Therapies, AseraCare Hospice, Home Health and 360 Healthcare Staffing. She lives in Crofton, Md.

’00sREUNION ’04

Ali Luchetti ’01 is an account ex-ecutive at Worldlink Media in New York. Worldlink is a multi-platform advertising sales firm. Ali is respon-sible for television ad sales for fox Sports and syndicated shows, includ-ing “Roseanne” and “The Cosby Show.” She lives in New York.

Robin Beers ’03 is a special education teacher with Anne Arundel County

Public Schools. In January, she graduated magna cum laude with a master’s degree in special educa-tion with a concentration in early childhood education from Loyola College in Baltimore. She works with special needs students ages 3 to 5. She lives in Arnold, Md., and says she would love to hear from her friends and classmates at elonrobin@yahoo.com.

Joshua Campbell ’03 is the business development manager at Locum Leaders, a recruiting agency specializing in tempo-rary medical staffing. He lives in

Alpharetta, Ga.

Peter P. Falcone ’04 recently was promoted to assistant vice president of Willis Group Holdings ltd in the aerospace division. He lives in Santa Monica, Calif.

Gabrielle Komorowski ’04 has been promoted to anchor of the 5:30 p.m. newscast at wPtZ-tv, an nbC af-filiate in Burlington, Vt. She previously served as morning anchor and says she doesn’t miss going to work at 2 a.m. While working at wPtZ, she has interviewed several high-profile people, including Hillary Clinton during last year’s presidential primary. She received a Special Mention from the New York State Associated Press Broadcasters Association for a feature story she produced about Avatars. She lives in Plattsburgh, N.Y.

Jonathan P. Lindberg ’04 is an ex-ecutive administrator for the North Carolina Board of Education. As part of the Healthy Responsible Students

Alumna stars on “One Tree Hill”If you are a fan of the hit television show “One Tree Hill,” then you’ve seen Lisa Goldstein ’03. She plays Millicent Huxtable, the quirky assistant to Brooke, played by actress Sophia Bush.

Goldstein’s on-air relationship with Mouth McFadden, played by actor Lee Norris, has led to a regular role on the show, which is filmed in Wilmington, N.C. Goldstein couldn’t be happier that fans have embraced her character, known as “Millie.”

The theater veteran is having fun learning the workings of a television series.

Growing up, she never dreamed of becoming an actress. Acting is something she grew to love, beginning as a teenager when she attended the Walnut Hill Summer Theatre School in Naticky, Mass.

At Elon, she majored in music theatre and performed in “Music Man,” “Comedy of Errors,” “Songs for a New World,” “12 Angry Jurors,” “Closer Than Ever,” “Marvin’s Room” and “You Can’t Take it With You,” in which she played Penny, still one of her favorite roles.

After graduating, Goldstein performed in regional theater, including the Naples Dinner Theatre, the Heritage Repertory Theatre and the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, eventually landing a role in the original cast of “Finding Nemo: The Musical” in Disney World.

In August 2007, she received the phone call of a lifetime. The creators of “One Tree Hill” loved the audition tape she sent in and hired her to play Millicent.

“I had to have one of my best friends listen to the voice mail because I didn’t believe it was real,” Goldstein recalls.

Goldstein credits the fundamentals she learned at Elon with helping her succeed.

“Whenever I am questioning something or am unsure of what I should be doing with a scene, I always go back to my Elon ‘toolbox’ and find what I need,” she says.

Last fall, Goldstein returned to campus and joined Hannah Campbell ’02 and Christian Brescia ’03 to be recognized during Alumni Leadership Weekend.

“I miss the closeness of the performing arts department and always being in an acting class,” Goldstein says. “The professors really opened my eyes to what a challenge acting is and how rewarding it is. I tell students to use Elon’s resources now while they can because they’ll miss Elon as soon as they’ve gone.”

Lisa Goldstein ’03

Gabrielle Komorowski ’04

Bobby Griffin ’05 (center)Leslie DeJohn White ’98 with husband, Kevin, and their children, Kerin and Warren

Matthew Haas ’95 pictured with past and present team members of the Philadelphia Eagles during a promotional cruise

CLASS Notes

32 MAGAZINE OF ELON

ill children to one of the Hole in the Wall camps. Corey encourages alumni to go to www.teamholeinthewall.org to learn more. She lives in Lewisville, Texas.

Brandon K. Gauthier ’06 is pursuing a doctorate in United States diplomatic history from Fordham University. He lives in New York.

Phoebe R. Lott ’06 is pursuing a mas-ter’s degree in behavioral health psy-chology from Boston University. She lives in New York.

in finance at the University of Denver. He lives in Denver.

Elizabeth A. Corey ’06 is a caseworker at Bryan’s House, a nonprofit organi-zation that serves children with or af-fected by Hiv and other serious medi-cal conditions. She currently is pursu-ing a master’s degree in community counseling with an emphasis in play therapy from the University of North Texas. In April, she ran in the Boston Marathon as a member of Team Hole in the Wall. She has committed to per-sonally raising $3,000 to send seriously

player but prefers coaching to playing. He lives in New Bern, N.C.

Michael N. Hodges ’05 works for Richard Childress Racing’s #33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper team, headlined by Sprint Cup driver Clint Bowyer. He enjoys traveling across the country with the team. His home base is Lewisville, N.C.

Brendan Maxwell ’05 is an auditor at Level 3 Communications. He is pursuing a master’s degree in business administration with a concentration

group, he is working to implement several key child obesity reduction pilot programs used throughout the state public school system. He lives in Raleigh.

Bobby J. Griffin ’05 is a teacher, head football coach, baseball coach and wrestling coach at West Craven Middle School. This year, his wrestling team was 10–0 and won the confer-ence and tournament championships

— a first in West Craven’s history. He says he always enjoyed playing sports and loved his time as an Elon football

Working for her mom BY BETHANY SWANSON ’09

Stacy Harris Koon ’96 remembers exactly when her life changed forever.

It was 9 p.m. on Jan. 21, 2006. The phone rang at her home, and she knew right away that something was wrong. A police officer told her that a drunk driver had killed her mother, Faith Coleman.

Adding to Koon’s pain was learning that the man who killed her mother was a repeat drunk-driving offender. He was convicted and sent to prison. After his release later this year, authorities are expected to deport him to his native El Salvador.

Since that night, Koon and her sister, Jill Woody, have embarked on the kind of journey that comes with the loss of a loved one. A search for closure led them to work with North Carolina’s chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and Guilford County court officials to establish a Victim Impact Panel program in the county.

The panel, which is part of a national program, enables victims of drunk driving accidents and their families to share their stories with offenders and put a human face on the consequences of drinking and driving. Judges can order drunk drivers to participate in the one-hour program as part of their probation. Koon signs participants’ certificates after they complete the program.

“My sister and I realized we wouldn’t have closure until we tried to make a difference,” says Koon, who is a full-time teacher and volunteers with the program outside of work.

The program can be a powerful deterrent to drunk driving, Koon says.

“I like to think there’s a little bit of humanity in every person,” she says. “Maybe I’m crazy, but I feel like if they knew our stories, maybe it would make a difference. And it’s a lot like therapy (for

me). I get to sign a certificate at the end of each session, and every time I do, I feel like I’m working for my mom.”

Coleman, known as “Grandma Fay-Fay” to Koon’s two young sons, was a beloved staff member in the school of education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she worked as a program coordinator. Many of Coleman’s colleagues attended her funeral and shared with Koon how much her mother meant to them.

“She was a surrogate mom for a lot of

people,” Koon says. “She always treated everyone the same. She was so special.”

Last summer, Koon was selected as one of Nabisco’s 100 Calorie Pack “100 Extraordinary Women.” Koon says thousands of women are nominated each year for making a difference in their communities and with their families. Koon traveled with her sister to Los Angeles to accept her award and also appeared in People magazine.

“My face was about the size of a dime, but it was still an amazing experience,” she says. “These women were so awesome.”

Koon, who majored in English, lives in Graham, N.C., and teaches English at River Mill Academy. She says she has wonderful memories of her Elon days, which have been a source of strength since her mother died.

“My friends exuded such positive energy,” Koon says. “Everyone goes through so many changes in college, and the people you live with are your family. College is where you find your voice, and those are the people you find it with.”

Today, Koon chooses to lend her voice to eliminating drunk driving. She knows all too well the cost of such tragedies.

“It feels good to be able to do this,” she says. “It’s not something I ever thought I would be doing, but you just do it. The people who’ve died should have been able to do what they wanted with their lives. And I like to think that in doing this, I’m offering a little bit back to them for their loss. I miss my mom every day. I wasn’t finished asking her questions.”

Stacy Harris Koon ’96

CLASS Notes

MAGAZINE OF ELON 33

Weddings

’90sJohn D. Floyd ’90 and Ann Green, 11/29/08. Shane Yount ’91 and Stewart Arens ’89 participated in the wedding. In attendance were: Doug Payne ’88, Trey Siner ’91 and Suzy Simpson Arens ’91. John is a stand-up come-dian. For more information about his career, visit his Web site at www.clean-comedyinc.com. The couple reside in Wilmington, N.C.

David “Muddy” Waters ’93 and Erica Lee Waters, 4/20/08. David is a free-lance assistant director for film and television in Hollywood. The couple live in Marina del Rey, Calif.

Tori Young ’97 and Nick Selimis, 11/8/08. Tori is an associate at Booz Allen Hamilton. The couple live in Rockville, Md.

Melissa Catherine Cafiero ’99 and Aaron P. Cook, 2/27/08. Elon alumni who participated in the wedding were: Amanda Moore Roberts ’99, Joseph Roberts ’00 and Kimberlee Hicks Edwards ’99. Melissa is a zookeeper. The couple live in Taylors, S.C.

’00sAmanda Curran ’00 and Nick DiPietra, 6/1/08. The couple were married in the Chart House in Weehawken, N.J., overlooking the New York City sky-line. Elon alumni in attendance were: Kristin Hartley Gardner ’00, Misty O’Day ’98, Amy Frazier Spirides ’00, Brett Williams ’00, Todd Gardner ’00, Dayna Dhein Craig ’00 and Elisabeth Wise ’00. Amanda is a project man-ager at AllianceBernstein. The couple reside in Hoboken, N.J.

Corbie Meadows ’00 and Christopher Lathan, 5/17/08. Jill Schweback Rose

Chisa Pennix Brown ’01 and Montro Brown and friends

Anne DeVoe Garcia ’03 and Luke Garcia and friends

Melissa Cafiero Cook ’99 and Aaron Cook

Kara Hopkins Emes ’05 and Brian Emes ’05 and friends Lindsey Paquette Barnes ’06 and Andrew Barnes ’06 and friends

Corbie Meadows Lathan ’00 and Christopher Lathan

Amanda Mann Thomas ’03 DPT ’06 and Jon Thomas

Amanda Curran DiPietra ’00 and Nick DiPietra and friends

Lindsey Conley Slaughter ’04 and Christopher Slaughter

Randi Oxendine McMillen ’05 and friends

Stafford Lewis Kim ’03 and Michael Kim and friends

Amy Osleger Piccoli ’00 and Christopher Piccoli

Trista Duval-Wilkinson ’06 and Thomas Wilkinson

David “Muddy” Waters ’93 and Erica Lee Frene Waters

Brittany Boda Saxe ’06 and Fabyan R. Saxe IV

John D. Floyd ’90 and Ann Green Floyd and friends

Alumna receives Rotary ScholarshipJulie Anne Kenneally ’08 has received a 2008 Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship, a $24,000 award that will fund her graduate studies on human rights issues at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. It marks the third time since 2006 that an Elon graduate has received the honor.

Kenneally was an Honors Fellow at Elon and double majored in political science and international studies. She conducted research on media coverage of female suicide terrorism and presented her work at a conference of the North Carolina Political Science Association and at the International Studies Association-South Annual Conference.

“I am so honored to have been given this opportunity,” says Kenneally, who works at the U.S. Census Bureau in Washington, D.C. “I can’t wait to go abroad and experience another culture firsthand. I think that living in another country is the only way to fully understand its beliefs, values and culture, and to understand its way of life.”

Kenneally participated in the Isabella Cannon Leadership Program and volunteered as a tutor for Spanish-speaking children, as well as with Loaves & Fishes Christian Food Ministry and Safe Rides, a student-run university program that offers free late-night rides to students.

Julie Anne Kenneally ’08

CLASS Notes

34 MAGAZINE OF ELON

’00 participated in the wedding, and Steffany Lindell Hester ’00, Beth Harper Salzberg ’00 and TJ Rose ’00 were in attendance. The couple live in Orlando, Fla.

Kristen Grace Nastasia ’00 and Christopher S. Dundov, 8/8/08. Elon alumni in attendance were: Allison Riley Knode ’99, Allison Ricciardi DeMacy ’99, Kelly Hayman Steele ’99, Dena Gregory ’00 and Angela Olsen ’99. Kristen is a reporter for wsPa-tv, a Cbs affiliate serving Anderson, Greenville and Spartanburg, S.C., as well as Asheville, N.C. The couple re-side in Greer, S.C.

Amy Osleger ’00 and Christopher Piccoli, 10/25/08. Elon alumni in at-tendance were: Eric Osleger ’98, Karen Mullis DeSouza ’00, Jennifer Selitto ’00, Elizabeth Kelly Cioffi ’00, Jessica Wallace Moran ’00, Mia Manzotti ’00 and James Puleo ’00. Amy is a mar-keting manager at Coupons Inc tv. The couple live in Suffield, Conn.

Chisa Dene Pennix ’01 and Montro D. Brown, 2/14/09. Elon alumni in attendance were: Jernan L. Smith ’01, Tashina DeVeaux ’01, Leeya Curry-Winstead ’01, Larry D. Baldwin ’01 and Anika Davis ’03. Chisa is an events planner. The couple reside in Greensboro, N.C.

Anne DeVoe ’03 and Luke Garcia, 6/7/08. Beth Alexander ’03 served as a bridesmaid. Other Elon alumni in attendance were Bryan Psota ’01 and Elizabeth Richter Psota ’01. The couple reside in Naples, Fla.

Whitney “Stafford” Lewis ’03 and Mike Jong Min Kim, 9/27/08. Elon alumni who participated in the wedding were: Kelley Kruse ’01, Kylle Ashby Hall ’02, Dalton Dorn Fitzsimmons ’03 and Kat O’Connor ’03. Elon alumni in attendance were: P.J. Kennedy ’01, Marshall Glass ’01, Courtney Wells ’01, Christine Glatsky ’02, Sarah Aurigemma ’02, Amy Grzeskiewicz ’02, Sara Beaty ’03 and Anne Grosvenor ’03. Stafford is a

certified project manager and has her Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certifica-tion. She is a project manager at CPs Professional Services llC. The couple reside in Fairfax, Va.

Amanda Renae Mann ’03 DPT ’07 and Jon M. Thomas, 10/25/08. Amanda is a physical therapist at Randolph Hospital. The couple live in Asheboro, N.C.

Lindsey Conley ’04 and Christopher S. Slaughter, 10/12/08. Elon alumni in attendance were: Michael Lopata ’03, Shannon O’Connor Lopata ’02, Julie Salvatore ’05, Victoria Whipple ’03, Liz Eddy ’04, Crystal Pape McBane ’01, Megan Pinnell ’04, T. Scott

Training for success BY MEGAN KIRKPATRICK ’09

For many people, their job is simply that — a job. Not for Alan Stein ’99.

He wakes up most days at 4:30 a.m. to work out before meeting with clients to help them break a sweat.

Stein, a former point guard on Elon’s basketball team, has made a name for himself as a strength coach for top young basketball players. He has trained some of the NBA’s biggest stars before they became household names, including Linas Kleiza of the Denver Nuggets, Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Michael Beasley of the Miami Heat.

Stein is the head strength and conditioning coach for the boys’ basketball team at Montrose Christian, a prep school in Rockville, Md. He also is a performance consultant with Nike basketball and head conditioning coach for the annual McDonald’s All-American game, the Jordan All-American Classic, the NBA Players Association’s Top 100 Camp and Five Star basketball camps. Stein has been featured in publications such as Men’s Health, Winning Hoops, Dime, American Basketball Quarterly, Stack and the Sports Illustrated Web site, SI.com.

“I love what I do and am thankful for the variety and mix of people that I get to work with,” Stein says. “I am very fortunate to be so passionate about doing this.”

It took a lot of hard work and perseverance for Stein to achieve success.

After graduating with a degree in leisure and sport management, he helped Elon develop a strength program for several varsity sports before moving to the Washington, D.C., area to work with prep school athletes. It was at this time that Stein began focusing exclusively on training basketball players. His big break came in 2002 when he got the attention of Stu Vetter, famed basketball coach at Montrose Christian and twice-named National Coach of the Year by USA Today.

“I finally got to work with a few Montrose guys, including Linas (Kleiza),” Stein recalls. “Coach Vetter was pleased with their (physical) shape and let me start

working with the program. They are a nationally recognized team, which helped open some doors for me. Just having the ability to work with someone like Kevin Durant makes you more recognizable.”

Being a former basketball player has helped Stein relate to his clients and stand out in a crowd of football-trained strength coaches. He works with athletes on flexibility, injury prevention, nutrition and agility conditioning.

“I can get them to work at 100 percent every time they come in,” Stein says. “I make sure my program is comprehensive and includes everything except skill work.”

Stein admits that playing basketball at Elon was not always easy. He spent a lot of time sitting on the bench, experience that helps him relate to other players.

“That helped me build character,” Stein says. “The friendships and life lessons learned on that team are invaluable. The Elon environment is exactly what I needed at that time in my life. I needed a family approach.”

Stein’s dream is to take his workouts to the international stage by training the U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team.

“It would be an amazing experience to go to the Olympics,” he says. “That is my ultimate goal. For now, I want to keep doing what I am doing. I am so thankful every day that I get to do something I love.”

Alan Stein ’99 and former client Kevin Durant on the night of the 2007 NBA Draft.

CLASS Notes

MAGAZINE OF ELON 35

Whipple ’00. Lindsey is a manage-ment analyst for the Department of Veterans Affairs. The couple reside in Clemmons, N.C.

Kara Lynn Hopkins ’05 and Brian Edward Emes ’05, 7/12/08. Ashley Brown ’05, Alison O’Hara Miller ’04, Emma Douglas ’05, Katie Wade Donald ’05, Karen Van Hoewyk ’05, Ryan Moore ’06 and Bryan McFarland ’04 participated in the wedding. Elon alumni in attendance were: Amy Flower ’04, Rebecca Grice ’04, Dan King ’05, Elizabeth Kind ’04, Brian Gift ’06, Rebecca Sieger ’05, Mary Britt Burke ’05, Michelle LeDonne ’05, Laura Kirby ’03, Danielle Blakely ’08, Meg Ellis ’04, Jenny Clark ’05, Alexis Walters ’05, Fran Brown ’05, Andrew Tomkiewicz ’04, Eric Nielsen ’05, Emily Coons ’02, Jake Cooper ’05, Kathryn Atkinson ’06, Erin Day ’06, Bill Campbell ’07, Neil Millhiser ’05

and John Finucane ’04. The couple reside in Montclair, N.J.

Randi Michelle Oxendine ’05 and Jordan D. McMillen, 12/20/08. Randi teaches kindergarten for Vance County Schools. The couple reside in Henderson, N.C.

Alison Gray ’05 and Michael G. Wille ’05, 6/7/08. Elon alumni in attendance were: Emily Sprouse Walker ’04, Matt Wille ’07, Alden De Lamarter ’07, Ashley Kehrer ’02, Bowie Gray ’00, Matt Crews ’05, David Ratz ’01, Tracy Trave ’06, Jen Quast ’05, Cassie Cosentino ’07 and Elon professor Linda Poulson.

Brittany Erin Boda ’06 and Fabyan R. Saxe iv, 9/5/08. Brittany works at Abercrombie & Fitch. The couple re-side in Columbus, Ohio.

Trista J. Duval ’06 and Thomas M. Wilkinson, 1/11/09. Trista is an actress. Corey Marie Roberts ’05 was in at-tendance. The couple reside in Kent, Wash.

Lindsey Paquette ’06 and Andrew Barnes ’06, 10/18/08. Elon alumni in attendance were: Jay Myers ’07, Austin Ferin ’07, Colleen Jones ’04, Ashley Mielak ’04, Brad Austin ’07, Lauren Summers ’07, Ashley McNally ’07, Kristie Anderson ’06, Chelsea Goodwin ’06, Shane Gerken ’06, Elliott Cardano ’07, Dan Ennis ’06, Brittany Saxe ’06, Kimy Dixon ’06, Alison Fiske ’06, Alice Gridley ’04, Jenna Bailey ’07, Kyle Lopriore ’06, Elizabeth Kernodle ’06, Robert Torres ’06, Emily Walker ’06, Lesley Merrill ’07, Kat Mellor ’07, Clayton Collins ’07, Charles Keenan ’06, Mallie Colavita ’05, Caity Cummings ’07, Christin Hopewell ’06 and James

Evan Parsons ’02, Jennifer Long Parsons ’03 and daughter, Ava Marie

Allison Poinsett Peretin ’98, husband, Jared, and daughter, Lily Clair

Gregory Lasser ’00 and son, Benjamin

Kerrie Greeson Corbett ’97, husband, Jarad, and daughters, Madalyn and Emma

Amanda Holtzman Fortson ’01, Brian Fortson ’00 and daughter, Kendall

Mark Tyson ’98, Kim Henry Tyson ’99, and son, Eli

Robert Davidson ’00, wife, Jennifer, and daughter, Madelyn Scott Lewis ’03, Brandi

Anderson Lewis ’03, and son, Connor

Cara Belt Losurdo ’03, husband, Anthony, and daughters, Brielle and Genevieve

Kristin Smith Barrier ’04, husband, Whitaker, and daughter, Grace

Mindy Carden Buchanan ’02, husband, Bradley, and daughter, Isabella

Jennie Urrutia Fisher ’01, husband, Daniel, and daughter, Mia

Jeff Trauring ’04, wife, Brittany, and daughter, Laura

Jessica Balon Baun ’00, husband, Scott, and children, Ethan and Logan

Laura Holtry-Hughes ’99, husband, Todd, and daughter, Ellery

Chris Rash ’02, wife, Ashley, and daughter, Elizabeth

Jodi Pearlman Rosenthal ’97 and twins, Levi and Lexi

Katie Beaver Parsley ‘03 and daughter, Lena

Rill ’06. The couple live in Charlotte, N.C.

Jenifer Blowe ’07 and Steven Riddei, 3/13/07. Jenifer is director of the Student Success and Technology Center at Horry-Georgetown Technical College. She gained the necessary expertise to run the center by working with the Elon’s elite pro-gram. She lives with her husband in Conway, S.C.

Births

’80sLisa Emerson Bittle ’88 and Bennie T. Bittle, Henderson, Nev. Son: Luke Samuel. 2/23/09. He joins older brother, Noah. Lisa is a lead mam-mographer and is pursuing a master’s

CLASS Notes

36 MAGAZINE OF ELON

degree in teaching and learning with technology.

’90sVictoria Karukas Schumacher ’93 and Eric Schumacher, Williamsburg, Va. Daughter: Sophia Claire. 2/18/09. She joins older brother, Jake. Victoria is a corporate meeting planner at Kingsmill Resort & Spa/Anheuser Busch Companies.

Ames Emory Forish ’95 and Jason Forish, Boston. Son: Tanyon Burke. 1/1/09. Ames is director of operations for MaidPro.

Kristin E. Hayes ’95 and David Hartnett, Long Branch, N.J. Son: Maquire “Mac” Reid Hayes-Hartnett. 8/21/08. Kristin is a learning disabili-ties teacher and consultant.

Brian Weckerly ’96 and Jessica Weckerly, Orlando, Fla. Daughter: Helen Ann. 12/18/08. Brian is a

comedic improvisational actor for Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Meghan Zanouski Campbell ’97 and John Campbell, Oxford, Pa. Son: Brendan Paul. 4/9/08. Brendan joins older brothers, Luke and Jack.

Kerrie Greeson Corbett ’97 and Jarad Scott Corbett, N.C. Daughter: Madalyn Rose. 3/6/08. She joins older sister, Emma.

Alicia Otte Regan-Laur ’97 and Jesse Adam Regan-Laur ’97, Mount Airy, Md. Son: Jack Henry. 6/17/08. He joins older sisters, Gracie and Caroline.

Stephanie Hicks Meyer ’97 and Tim Meyer, Winterville, N.C. Son: Jacob Lovell. 9/2/08. He joins older brothers, Andrew, Patrick and Hagan.

Jodi Pearlman Rosenthal ’97 and Martin Rosenthal, Highland Park, Ill. Twins: Levi Elijah (son) and Lexi

‘They just want to be loved’ BY ROBERT HOPPEY ’09

Natasha Christensen ’07 and Liz Earle ’07 were so inspired by their

undergraduate work helping poverty-stricken children in Honduras that they have vowed to continue serving children in the Central American country, which they call their “second home.”

Christensen and Earle credit Elon’s Peri-clean Scholars program with igniting their passion. They were among 15 students in the Periclean Scholars Class of 2007 who selected malnutrition as their global is-sue to address during their Elon careers. Following extensive research, they chose to focus on Honduras, one of the poorest countries in Latin America.

They joined other Periclean Scholars who traveled to Honduras during Winter Term 2007 to see firsthand the effects of malnutrition. They volunteered with faculty members to help build a dining facility in the pediatric ward of a hospital

in the city of San Pedro Sula. They visited the capital city of Tegucigalpa, where they immersed themselves in Honduran culture and met with representatives of Hope for Honduran Children Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Elon par-ents Karen and John Godt. The students accompanied Karen Godt to Flor Azul, a farming community affiliated with Godt’s group that serves neglected boys. They also interacted with children in the village of Nuevo Paraiso.

“When you go there, they don’t care who you are or where you’re from,” Earle says of the Honduran children. “They just want to be loved. Once you make those connections, it is hard not to go back. I can’t pretend it’s not going on.”

Following graduation, Christensen and Earle vowed to continue their volunteer work in Honduras. In January 2008, they joined Emily Sargent ’07 and Rhiannon Staub ’07 and returned to the country to volunteer with Elon students participat-ing in a Winter Term program. The alums visited the boys they had befriended at Flor Azul, taught them English and helped build a classroom on the property.

“The farm is home for them, a safe haven,” Christensen says. “Many walked or ran from their circumstances, which include abject poverty, violence and the lure of gangs, and have triumphed. They teach us Spanish and hold our hands. The fact that they still smile and enjoy life is astounding. We learn as much from them, if not more, than they learn from us.”

Christensen says it’s important to con-tinue sending Elon students to developing countries such as Honduras so they can

gain a global perspective and share their knowledge with others.

“Elon provided a place where we could think globally and find ways to become global citizens,” she says. “Our education has given us so many opportunities, and we want to extend that chance to the children of Flor Azul. This service trip made us realize that we can become social en-trepreneurs and work to bridge the gaps between cultures.”

The alums plan to take their dedication a step further by starting a nonprofit orga-nization to help Honduran children. They hope to launch the group by spring 2010. Joining them in this effort are former Peri-clean Scholars Jennifer DeSimone ’07, Amie Ritchie ’07, Beth Roberts ’07 and Sargent, as well as Staub, who became interested in Honduras while working on a senior seminar photography project there.

Christensen and Earle juggle full-time jobs with their volunteer work in Hondu-ras. Christensen is pursuing a master’s de-gree in public policy and peace operations at George Mason University and works at the State Department in Washington, D.C. Earle works in the insurance industry at AIU Holdings, Inc. in Boston.

“The most important thing I’ve learned from Honduras is that you need to believe change is possible,” Christensen says. “You can learn so much about yourself by learn-ing from others.”

Adds Earle, “You cannot feel bad about your lifestyle. You just have to be willing to tweak it to help someone else and make the world a better place.”

(l-r) Natasha Christensen ’07, Liz Earle ’07, Jen DeSimone ’07, Rhiannon Staub ’07 and Emily Sargent ’07 in Honduras.

CLASS Notes

MAGAZINE OF ELON 37

Avital (daughter). 12/11/08. Jodi is a cantor.

Allison Poinsett Peretin ’98 and Jared Peretin, Annapolis, Md. Daughter: Lily Clair. 5/15/08. Allison is a teacher.

Myron Shawn Stevenson ’98, Leland, N.C. Son: Xavier Allen. 12/29/08. He was welcomed home by big brother, Elijah. Myron is a computer analyst at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

Mark Tyson ’98 and Kim Henry Tyson ’99, Monroe, N.C. Son: Eli Brody. 2/4/08.

Laura Holtry-Hughes ’99 and Todd Hughes, Arlington, Va. Daughter: Ellery McLeod. 8/29/08.

Amy Brechka Mammano ’99 and Erik Mammano, Ocean, N.J. Daughter: Kylie. 10/30/08. She joins big sister, Sophia. Amy is a teacher in Matawan, N.J.

Thomas F. McDow ’99 and Holly Weeks McDow ’99, West End, N.C. Son: David Bradley. 9/11/08.

Kristen Kurtz Robiglio ’99 and Moe Robiglio, Mason, Ohio. Daughter: Katherine Julia. 8/26/08.

’00sJessica Balon Baun ’00 and Scott Baun, Myrtle Beach, S.C. Son: Logan Alexander. 10/6/08. He joins older brother, Ethan. Jessica is a homemaker.

Robert Davidson ’00 and Jennifer Davidson, Midlothian, Va. Daughter: Madelyn Audrey. 12/31/08. Robert works for Wells Fargo.

Brian Fortson ’00 and Amanda Holtzman Fortson ’01, Nashville, N.C. Daughter: Kendall Victoria. 4/19/08.

Gregory Lasser ’00 and Andrea Lasser, New Milford, Conn. Son: Benjamin Nathan. 12/5/08. Gregory is a financial analyst at IBM.

Jessica Cyran Redner ’00 and Paul Redner, Suffern, N.Y. Daughter: Margaret Patricia. 9/17/08. Jessica is a reading specialist in Monroe, N.Y.

Elizabeth Day Schoenecke ’00 and Phillip Schoenecke, Chicago. Daughter: Caroline. 2/24/09. Elizabeth is a real estate agent.

Jennie Urrutia Fisher ’01 and Daniel Fisher, Apex, N.C. Daughter: Mia Grace. 1/10/09. Jennie is a supervisor for Biogen Idec.

Steven W. Harrell ’01 and SunSarae Harrell, Greensboro, N.C. Daughter: Pyper CoraRose. 3/4/09. Steven is associate director of Carmichael Complex Facilities and Operations at North Carolina State University.

Gretchen Hall Archibald ’02 and Timothy Archibald ’02, Gainesville, Va. Daughter: Grace Ann. 1/6/09.

Mindy Carden Buchanan ’02 and Bradley Buchanan, Mebane, N.C. Daughter: Isabella Lea. 12/6/08.

Evan T. Parsons ’02 and Jennifer Long Parsons ’03, Rural Hall, N.C. Daughter: Ava Marie. 4/18/08.

Chris Rash ’02 and Ashley Rash, Tucker, Ga. Daughter: Reagan Elizabeth. 8/9/08.

Scott F. Lewis ’03 and Brandi Anderson Lewis ’03, Graham, N.C. Son: Connor. 2/11/08.

Cara Belt Losurdo ’03 and Anthony Losurdo, Raleigh, N.C. Daughter: Genevieve. 8/23/08. She joins older sister, Brielle.

Katie Beaver Parsley ’03 and Brad Parsley, Mocksville, N.C. Daughter: Lena Katherine. 10/23/08. Katie, a for-mer staff member in Elon’s University Relations Office, is enjoying being a stay-at-home mom.

Kristin Smith Barrier ’04 G’07 and Whitaker Barrier, Whitsett, N.C. Daughter: Grace Whitley. 11/17/08.

Jeff B. Trauring ’04 and Brittany Trauring, Crystal, Minn. Daughter: Laura Ruth. 1/30/09. Jeff is a pub-lic relations manager at Snow Communications.

Julie A. Fogt ’06, Burlington, N.C. Daughter: Callie A. Bryand. 5/6/08.

Deaths

’30sMargaret Hinshaw Abernathy ’33, Graham, N.C. 2/18/09.

Mary Sue Rawls Parker ’33, Suffolk, Va. 1/6/09.

’40sGladys Wright Holmes ’41, Chapel Hill, N.C. 3/10/09.

Viney Sue Rigney Jones ’41, Galax, Va. 11/21/08.

Alumni start scholarship to honor a good friend Friends and family of Matthew John Ford ’04 remember him as a loyal friend and proud Elon graduate who was as passionate about computers as he was about the Carolina Panthers football team.

Ford, 28, died last October following an accident at Southland Electric Supply in Burlington, N.C., where he had worked for four years. Ford’s family and friends, including many Elon alumni, are raising money to endow a university scholarship in his name.

“Elon meant a lot to Matt and to us, and we wanted to create a permanent tribute to him at Elon,” says Kristi Hollins ’05, of Greensboro, N.C., who is leading the fundraising effort with her husband, Andrew Hollins ’05. “Once he embraced you as a friend, he’d do anything for you. He was a computer and electronic genius. He could fix anything from computers to cars.”

The goal is to raise $25,000 to fully endow the scholarship, which will assist computing science majors participating in the Elon Experiences, including study abroad, internships, research, service or leadership opportunities. Preference will be given to students with financial need.

Ford, of Greensboro, N.C., was chief information officer at Southland. He worked closely with Andrew Hollins, who remembers his friend as someone who “worked and played hard.”

“He was adamant about academics, and he used to lecture me about going to class,” recalls Andrew, who left Southland to pursue financial investing. “He’d figured out how much my parents were paying for each of my classes and told me I needed to go.”

When he wasn’t cheering on the Panthers, Ford liked to watch NASCAR, work on computers and organize group outings with friends. At Elon, he worked for The Pendulum student newspaper and was a member of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity.

Alumni have created a memorial page on Facebook honoring Ford, and his family has started a blog at mattfordmemorial.blogspot.com. Alumni and friends may contribute to the scholarship online at www.elon.edu/makeagift or write a check payable to Elon University and mail it to 2600 Campus Box, Elon, NC 27244. Please write the Matthew John Ford Memorial Scholarship on the memo line.

Matthew John Ford ’04

CLASS Notes

38 MAGAZINE OF ELON

Spring 2009

Mabel Tennala Abner Gross ’42, Burlington, N.C. 2/18/09.

Alice Mangum Hornaday ’42, Snow Camp, N.C. 12/21/08.

Winifred Ellington Brande ’44, Reidsville, N.C. 1/28/09.

Carl Ray Neal Sr. ’46, Concord, N.C. 2/5/09.

’50sWinfred “Wink” H. Ward ’50, Graham, N.C. 3/23/09.

John Grayson Hager ’51, Fieldale, Va. 8/25/08.

James Clyde Brady ’52, Burlington, N.C. 2/23/09.

’60sSilas “Mack” McCullock ’60, Orlando, Fla. 1/7/09.

Boyd Lee Black ’62, Graham, N.C. 3/4/09.

Mary Neil Lindley Murchison ’67, Siler City, N.C. 2/12/09.

’70sJoseph Faulk ’74, Pleasure Island, N.C. 1/19/07.

Steven Spain ’74, Durham, N.C. 1/5/09.

Kenneth E. Hicks Jr. ’79, Staunton, Va. 12/31/08.

’80sMilnor Price Jones Jr. ’82, Greensboro, N.C. 3/9/09.

Laura Taylor Reidy ’82, Richmond, Va. 1/21/09.

’90sMichael William Smith ’91, Camden, S.C. 12/28/08.

’00sMichael Patrick Gallagher Jr. ’00, Mt. Pleasant, S.C. 2/15/09.

’10sMilena Alvarez ’12, Winston-Salem, N.C. 4/1/09.

FriendsDewey M. Stowers Jr., Tampa, Fla. 5/6/07. Stowers taught geography at Elon from 1955 to 1961. A former member of the U.S. Army band, he also led Elon’s band program from 1955 to 1959.

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CLASS Notes

MAGAZINE OF ELON 39

40 MAGAZINE OF ELON

Bowie and Adele Gray

Making a diffErEnCETo learn more about how you can support the

Ever Elon Campaign and make a difference at Elon with a charitable trust or other planned gift, contact:

Jamie Killorin CPA/PFS, CFP® Director of Gift Planning

Toll free 877.784.3566jkillorin2@elon.edu

www.elon.edu/giftplanning

Bowie and Adele Gray

WHEN IT COMES TO GIVING, Elon parents Bowie and

Adele Gray like to spread their generosity around.

That’s why the Wilson, N.C., couple chose to fund a

charitable remainder trust, which gives them the

flexibility they need to meet their philanthropic and

estate planning goals.

“It was a way that we could honor giving to more

than one of our favorite charities,” Bowie says. “Of

course, Elon is number one on our list!”

In the future, proceeds from the trust will

establish scholarships to assist students in Elon’s

Martha and Spencer Love School of Business and the

School of Communications. The scholarships are

named in honor of the couple’s children, Alison Gray

Wille ’05, an accounting major, and J. Bowie Gray VI ’00,

a communications graduate.

The Grays can continue to add assets to the trust

and receive lifetime income as well as tax benefits.

They look forward to growing the trust, which is

managed by their financial adviser.

“From the first day we set foot on campus, Elon

has been special to us,” Adele says. “It was a smaller

school and a nurturing place, and it was beautiful. Elon

has done so well with both our children that we think

it’s a wonderful place for everyone to go.”

The Grays have generously supported Elon

through the years, making gifts to Rhodes Stadium

and the Ernest A. Koury, Sr. Business Center, and are

members of the Order of the Oak, the university’s

planned giving recognition society. Bowie Gray V is

owner and president of Wilson Hardware Co., while

Adele has volunteered for 40 years with the American

Heart Association.

“We realize that not every family is as lucky as we

are,” says Adele, who credits scholarships with helping

her earn a college degree. “Those of us who are able

need to dig into our hearts and help those students

get on with their education.”

The Grays know their support of Elon students is

more important than ever before.

“We hope that the scholarships will make it a little

easier on students so they can concentrate on their

studies,” Bowie says. “Every little bit helps.”

‘Every little bit helps’

300 ways to say ‘welcome’

Students in the Winter Term course Story Magic: When Words Ignite Images created five quilted banners to hang in the library of the Newcomers School in Greensboro, N.C., which serves children new to the United States and with lim-ited English skills. Students cut and dyed textiles and fabrics to make the banners, which include the word “welcome” translated into languages from around the world.

Nonprofit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDRaleigh, NC

Permit # 686

PHOTOS COURTESY J McMERTY

For the fifth consecutive year, Elon students and staff spent spring break building a home in the Dominican Republic. Elon’s Kernodle Center for Service Learning sponsored the trip.

ELON UNIVERSITYOffice of Alumni Relations2600 Campus BoxElon, NC 27244-2010

Toll Free: 877-784-3566www.elon.edu/alumni

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