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(04/29/15 10:03pm)
As students spend their school year doing work for classes, jobs and extracurriculars, some have a little more on their plate as they develop and conduct their own research in any given field.
The Student Undergraduate Research Forum — more commonly known as SURF Day — is an opportunity for students to present their original research in front of students, faculty and staff.
Introduced at Elon University in 1993, SURF has showcased undergraduate research for more than 20 years. It is one of the ways Elon provides opportunities for students to practice professionalism and apply it to a future career.
This year, there are a few changes in SURF. Now, there are student moderators during the sessions and symposia presentations — pieces spanning across three or more departments.
Meredith Allison, associate director of the Undergraduate Research Program, said SURF is an excellent way for students to study a single in-depth project for an entire year or longer.
“It is so different when you can study one thing for so long,” she said. “It improves writing, presentation and professional skills. All the research is not coming from one place all the time. We value cross-campus participation.”
At this year’s SURF, 203 students presented original research ranging from communications, science, religion, sociology and other fields.
Memory through music
For his undergraduate research, senior Elon College Fellow Jake Sokoloff intended to capture and connect generations through memories sparked by music in a project titled: “They Can’t Take That Away from Me: Stories from an Unforgettable Generation.”
To gather his information, Sokoloff visited the Village at Brookwood, a senior living retirement community in Burlington, and conducted in-depth interviews with individuals older than 75.
During the interviews, he played songs definitive of their generation, such as “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and “New York, New York,” to recall memories connected to these songs.
Sokoloff first developed the idea four years ago from his close relationship with his grandmother. Although the research relates to the events of her generation, Sokoloff said our generation could also relate to the common themes of childhood, love and work. His research looks at humanity, culture, music and the power of physical communications with others.
“So often we ignore the people who can’t keep up in the same way society expects us to,” Sokoloff said. “It’s amazing how much we can learn about ourselves and life if we take the time to slow down and listen.”
Sokoloff’s research culminated in two one-hour performances. Each performance entailed parts of the conversations the residents had with Sokoloff, performed by the residents and set to music. While some told other residents’ stories, others told their own stories in the performance.
“The residents telling their stories give voice to this often unheard generation,” Sokoloff said.
Sokoloff wants to use music to bridge generational gaps. His dream is to one day start a company that connects interviews and music to document the collective cultural history and experience of U.S. citizens across generations. This hypothetical company would combine the efforts of the project Story Core, which creates an oral history of the United States through conversations, and the nonprofit Music and Memory, which helps individuals with Alzheimer’s remember more through music.
“I want to use music, which is so visceral, to trigger these conversations and stories, and take it to be presented on a larger scale,” Sokoloff said.
Through his experiences with undergraduate research, Sokoloff became passionate with the idea of connecting people through common musical experiences. Sokoloff referred to his research as a playground for his education.
“I wouldn’t [otherwise] have fallen into this passion that may turn into a career for me,” he said. “It’s more fulfilling than simply fulfilling graduation requirements.”
Sokoloff’s mentor, professor of Performing Arts Jane Wellford, enjoyed working with him and seeing his enthusiasm for his research.
“Getting to know Jake through our Elon College Fellows research over his four years, I learned that he is not only a talented music theatre major but an individual who will do well in life,” Wellford said. “I love the fact that Jake dares to dream big and make things happen.”
Practicing the art of pop
Senior Honors Fellow Brooke Jenkins appreciates the straightforwardness of pop music.
“Simplicity in pop music is a beautiful thing,” she said. “It creates something people love. That’s definitely art.”
For her research, entitled “Songwriting and Arranging in Styles of Popular Music,” she studied specific albums from 10 different pop musicians — including Lana del Ray, Mika, Fall Out Boy and Taylor Swift, among others — and wrote original songs based on the styles of these musicians.
Jenkins said some artists were easier to emulate than others. Her favorite was the style of Mika, which pushed her to be more “poppy.” Writing in the style of Fall Out Boy was the most difficult for her because of the clever wordplay and lyrics they usually incorporate into each song.
Throughout the research process, the most difficult aspect was writing songs similar to artists without ripping them off. She said it was difficult to follow melodic patterns without copying, especially with Lana del Ray’s music.
As a music production major, Jenkins has always enjoyed listening to and writing music, but she learned to appreciate pop music more with her research.
“Lots of people look at pop in a very formulaic way,” she said.
Prior to her research, she wrote many original songs, most of them folk- and acoustic-based, once a week while at Elon. After exploring pop music, she is more confident in songwriting, which she hopes to make into a career.
“I don’t see songwriting as overwhelming anymore,” Jenkins said. “To do it professionally, you have to just keep writing.”
Jenkins believes her research is an important contribution to the field of music theory. She said there is no pre-defined way to study and analyze pop albums, and her research helps build some structure for the field.
Her mentor, Clay Stevenson, a lecturer in music, has seen Jenkins’ songwriting progress.
“At the beginning of the process, her music was fairly predictable in that she wrote in a specific style and maintained a certain sound,” he said. “As she studied artists and styles she adopted a number of interesting techniques, and her music became more varied and interesting.”
Jenkins said participating in undergraduate research has changed the way she looks at music.
“It has been a defining element of my undergraduate career,” she said. “It lets me focus on what I want to do going forward. It’s what you do beyond classes that allow you to create something really meaningful.”
Click for a first impression
Senior Elon College Fellow Sara Hess’ research investigates individuals’ first impressions through online contact and profiles such as Facebook. Her research is titled “The Exploration of the Pit Bull Stigma in an Online Environment: An Analysis of Impression Formation and Online Discussion Groups.”
Her work, classified under the new psychology field Human-Animal Interactions, focused on the negative perceptions of the pit bull dog breed, which is stereotyped as an aggressive and mean breed. This degrading impression extends to pit bull owners as well.
Hess said people’s views on the breed have changed since the Michael Vick dogfighting incidents of the 2000s, which showed pit bulls aggressively attacking each other.
“They were regarded with respect, but now a majority of people hate and fear them,” she said.
To study her claim, she set up two mock Facebook pages. One featured a profile picture of a girl with a pit bull, the other a profile picture of a girl with a labrador. She found that more people liked the Facebook page with the Labrador.
Hess connected her study to first impressions that people experience online and in person.
“The choice of a dog you choose to adopt or the choice of a phone you choose to buy can affect the way people see you,” she said.
Hess stressed that today, online first impressions are more important than ever.
Paul Fromson, professor of psychology, mentored Hess. He said her research was a unique addition to research done on first impressions. Fromson also said he learned about his own perceptions of the dog breed during research with Hess.
“I now know that pit bulls are not as inherently aggressive as they are often portrayed in the media,” he said. “But if I was walking down the street and saw one in a yard up ahead, I’d probably steer clear. I certainly wouldn’t approach it going, ‘Nice doggie, nice doggie.’”
Fromson said undergraduate research not only helps the individual but also the greater community of academics.
“The questions we investigate and the methods we use to pursue answers are embedded in our disciplinary communities,” he said. “Research doesn’t end until we have shared our work with members of those communities.”
Students worked on their research throughout the semester and shared it with their peers and faculty on Tuesday, April 28.
(04/27/15 4:36pm)
Each Monday, Wednesday and Friday, transfer sophomore Charles Perschau leaves home by 7:15 a.m.
While his classmates roll out of bed 15 minutes before class begins, he is pulling into Elon University and searching for a parking spot.
Perschau was born in Raleigh. He moved to New Jersey and later California, where he took classes at Cuesta College, a public community college.
Now, he lives in Hillsborough and commutes to Elon for class. And Perschau isn’t the only student to choose this kind of college experience — according to Scott Jean, chief of security for Campus Safety and Police, Elon has 176 registered commuter students this semester.
These students often face obstacles in becoming involved in on-campus activities, but many still feel like they’re part of the Elon community.
Balancing Elon and home
As both a transfer and a commuter, this semester has been a transition period for Perschau. But he still believes he is a part of the college experience.
“Socially, when you’re on campus, you run into more people — but regardless, [the college experience] is what you make of it,” he said. “It’s all about figuring out more about yourself, getting opportunities to meet others.”
As a commuter student, Perschau’s time for on-campus activities is limited, but he is a member of ETalk, Elon’s entertainment talk show.
With the little time he spends on campus, he has to manage his homework differently than many students. He rarely does school work at Elon, choosing instead to work at the Carrboro Coffee Company or at home.
Perschau met most of his Elon friends in classes, but he doesn’t have much time to hang out with them because he has to return home each day.
One of these friends is junior Patrick Achey, a commuter student from Greensboro.
“Unlike most students, we understand the process of going to school,” Achey said. “We’ve bonded over the fact that more effort is required to get to school and through the day.”
Achey transferred to Elon from the University of Mississippi last year. He decided to commute this year to pursue an opportunity in property investment, which is a family business.
“If I didn’t commute, I wouldn’t be able to effectively manage the property investment as I have,” he said.
Achey is a management major and president of the Transfer Student Organization. Like Perschau, he has an 8 a.m. class.
His commute is about 40 minutes, so this semester, he has to plan each day in advance. If he forgets something at home, he has to restructure the whole day to compensate.
Achey has committed to be an Orientation Leader and a tour guide next semester. Like Perschau, he wants to return to on-campus housing or housing closer to campus to be more involved next year.
Achey is glad to have met many people last year in his role as a RA in the Danieley apartments. Without that experience, he believes he wouldn’t have as many friends on campus.
“It was great getting acclimated with the campus last year, being a transfer student,” he said.
Deciding to commute
Unlike Perschau and Achey, other students live in Burlington but decide to live on campus, only minutes away from home.
Freshman Ashley Day’s house is only about 10 minutes away, but she currently lives in Colonnades.
According to Residence Life, she is one of 20 Burlington residents living on campus.
“Distance from home was indeed a factor that I did hesitate with at first,” she said. “However, family means so much to me, so having them close is nice. I knew whether I decided to go to Elon or not, I would live on campus without a doubt. It is just part of the college experience.”
Though she lives on campus, Day is unlike most students in that she still has the benefit of going home regularly for hot, homecooked meals.
“Personally, I think that living close to campus has impacted my college experience in a positive way,” Day said. “I honestly love being close to home and would not want to be at any other school.”
By living on campus, Day made friends and found roommates for next semester. She joined Alpha Omicron Pi, the Exercise Science Society, Young Life, Autism Speaks and College Republicans. She also has an on-campus job in the men’s basketball office.
“I don’t think there would be any advantages if I had commuted every day,” Day said. “Everything I need is already on campus.”
Sophomore Jacob Schmiederer and junior Steven Cobb made a different decision. They both live in Burlington and commute to campus each day.
Schmiederer said he decided to attend Elon for financial reasons, and one of his goals is to graduate debt-free. He is not very involved in organizations on campus, but works 15 hours a week at The Oak House.
Cobb decided to attend Elon for four more years of proximity to his family.
“Every Friday around 11 a.m., I have breakfast with my grandmother,” Cobb said.
He also said it’s not logical to pay $8,000 or more a year to live on campus when his home is so close.
Both Burlington commuters agree they miss out on many social opportunities on campus, but there are still benefits to commuting.
“There are definitely a lot of notifications inside dorms about campus events that I never see,” Schmiederer said. “I think you have to hunt for experiences a little more if you don’t live on campus, but living on campus is not necessary for the college experience.”
Similarly, Cobb also struggled to be involved, but eventually found a place where he belonged.
“It took me nearly all of freshman year to find the people I wanted to be with and the organizations I wanted to invest in,” he said. “I consider myself lucky, actually. I know [that] many students who commute to school don’t get involved at all.”
After discussing the college lifestyle with commuter and non-commuter Burlington residents, Perschau learned how to become involved when not living on campus.
Early on, it was simple for him to go to classes and return home without leaving his comfort zone. But he’s glad he didn’t stay that way.
“To all commuter students: be proactive about meeting people, instead of what I tried doing at first,” he said.
(04/20/15 6:07pm)
Elon University students trickled in from all corners of the campus clad in old white shirts and gathered in packs around a large blue tarp in Speaker’s Corner. At first, the differences were stark: friends with friends, sisters with sisters, brothers with brothers. But once they all counted down, yelled, “Holi!,” and threw cups of paint in the air, a cloud of color covered them and the divisions began to fade fast.
(04/09/15 6:29pm)
As class periods ended, students shuffled about campus and walked to their next class, but a few lagged behind. These students can be seen wearing braces or casts accompanied by a pair of crutches and have a few difficulties moving about. Varsity basketball player Nicole Razor is one of those students.
The junior point guard played 17 games as a freshman in 2012-2013, receiving the team’s Most Improved Player Award.
“I take pride when players are not able to score on me,” Razor said. “I like the challenge.”
Razor had her third hip surgery in August after experiencing a lingering pain during preseason. Because of it, she missed the entire season and is still working to overcome her injury. She has had two other surgeries, the first after the 2013 season and the second last June.
Watching from the sidelines has been challenging, but Razor still supports the team and attends all of their games, cheering them on from the sidelines.
“This has been my hardest year,” she said. “I think I’m still a great teammate, and, as much as I support them, I want to be out there playing and fighting with my team.”
While she supports the team from the bench, her teammates have supported her recovery. She received words of encouragement via text from some of them on the day of her most recent surgery.
“The hardest part is trying to stay positive, especially since I previously went through this injury. It was discouraging in the beginning,” Razor said. “But my teammates are always there for me, so they’ve made the process easier.”
This is Razor’s first serious injury and there is no diagnosis. All she knows is the pain came from her hip but is unsure of the cause. This uncertainty will make adjusting to the game a challenge when she returns, but she hopes to be ready for the 2015-2016 preseason.
“It’s difficult to pinpoint a certain muscle or part of the body,” Razor said. “You don’t know exactly what you did to get this way.”
Since her surgery, physical therapy has changed Razor’s schedule immensely. She meets with Laura Cobb, assistant athletic trainer, four to five times a week to help the recovery process.
Throughout rehabilitation, Cobb has noticed Razor’s positive attitude and her determination to return to the court.
“Nicole’s taught me a lot about the passion athletes have for sports and how much they [are willing] to go through to get back playing,” Cobb said.
Cobb said Razor’s case has been particularly demanding because it is long term and requires time to heal.
“I always tell the athletes recovering, ‘it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon,’” Cobb said. “It is going to take time and hard work, but it’s worth it, as opposed to getting frustrated about injuries.”
Razor said the recovery process has been 80 percent mental and 20 percent physical.
“No matter how much you prepare your body, it all goes out the door if you don’t have the confidence and begin thinking about what could happen,” she said.
Moving around campus has also been an adjustment because her hip brace and crutches make her normal walk through campus longer.
“It’s all a little time consuming,” Razor said. “But if you want to return to the court, this is something you have to do.”
(04/01/15 10:17pm)
After graduation, some students start their careers. Some take a year off to travel, and others move back home. But senior Emma Kwiatkowski isn’t doing any of these things. Instead, she is going to ride a bike.
(03/18/15 10:12pm)
Kyle Whitaker ’14 was in the zone. To perfect his arrangement of Sara Bareilles’ “I Choose You” for his a cappella group, Twisted Measure, he listened to the song for hours each day — while driving, while doing homework and while walking to and from classes.
His work paid off, and he was nominated for a Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award (CARA) for Best Mixed Collegiate Arrangement, which are the best arrangements by individual members for college level male/female a cappella groups.
The CARA winners will be announced April 11. He will be competing against University of Denver Colorado’s Edifice, University of Delaware’s Vocal Point, Pennsylvania State University’s The Pennharmonics, University of Saint Andrew’s The Alleycats and University of Rochester’s After Hours.
When Whitaker joined Twisted Measure his freshman year, he said he became a part of an “incredible family” that he is still in contact with.
Whitaker tried to keep his arrangement of “I Choose You” as close to Bareilles’ version as possible — a likely reason for the nomination.
“I think the instrumentation of the voice parts and the syllables we used really sound just like strings being plucked or background singers singing a call-and-response, just like the original,” he said.
Whitaker was after a sparse and simple feeling that would become a more emotional and complicated arrangement.
“As the song and the emotion behind it grow, I added more harmonies, more complex rhythms, and really just let the arrangement fall into place from there,” Whitaker said.
Whitaker arranged the song in fall 2013, but the group still performs it in his absence. Junior Tyler Meacham is the lead soloist for the arrangement — her first solo performance — with senior Stanley Dowell as a vocal percussionist and other members providing soprano, tenor and bass.
The difficulty of the song meant Meacham did a lot of practicing in order to hit the harder notes. To make the song her own, Meacham took a few aspects of Bareilles’ original and enhanced them.
“‘I Choose You’ is originally a lighter pop song, pretty easy listening, but to get that climax that a cappella demands, I decided to belt on it more than Sara did in the original,” Meacham said.
Dowell, president of Twisted Measure, said their recording of “I Choose You” has a live-sound — as opposed to a recorded — feel to it. The recording can be downloaded from iTunes.
Twisted Measure has been performing since 1999, but in the past two years they have had more exposure in the wider a cappella community. They were recently invited to sing at the Georgia Tech.
“We’ve begun to branch out,” Dowell said. “I’ve been able to watch it, and it’s pretty cool.”
Even if Whitaker doesn’t win the CARA, the nomination is an honor of its own and great for Twisted Measure’s exposure.
“Winning would be personally validating, but there’s no way it could ever compare to the intangible rewards that the group has given me over the years,” Whitaker said. “It’s always nice to feel loved and supported by the people around you, especially when so much of what you do is for your audience.”
Twisted Measure was previously nominated for a CARA in 2013 for alumna Emily Mooney’s ’12 performance of “What Turns You On.”
“That was the first time that I realized that the CARA board really does listen to the songs we submit,” Whitaker said. “It opened my eyes to the possibility of being recognized.”
This second nomination motivated Twisted Measure to produce their best work for their 15th anniversary album “XV,” because they knew judges would be listening to their submitted material.
Whitaker is teaching English to students in Malaysia on a Fulbright Grant until November. He has arranged two songs for Twisted Measure since graduating and will continue to do so over the next few years. But he is confident the group will continue to flourish without his help.
“It’s strange but really comforting to attend a concert as an alum and to realize that the group doesn’t really need you anymore,” Whitaker said. “It’s a testament to just how incredible Twisted Measure really is.”
(03/11/15 10:28pm)
Locked out of Danieley A on a cold September night, sophomore Ashlyn Vogelsang panicked. None of her roommates were home, and she desperately needed to get inside. Moments later, her savior appeared: sophomore Ben Kleiman. When Kleiman let her into the building, neither knew this chance encounter would lead to a business partnership.
Over time, the building-mates developed a friendship. The two, both entrepreneurs, often joked about starting a business together in their free time. One semester later, the first order of Pattani Clothing lounge pants shipped.
The idea of starting a pants company dawned on Kleiman while studying abroad in Thailand during Winter Term 2015. On his trip, he noticed both Thai men and women wore long, billowy palazzo-style pants adorned with exotic patterns.
Kleiman wondered if these pants would sell in the United States.
“I thought I could bring a style back,” he said.
An idea popped into his head: he would ship the pants from Thailand and sell them here. When he returned, he proposed the concept to Vogelsang, who saw potential in the idea and agreed to partner up. With $800 invested, they started Pattani Clothing.
Pattani Clothing isn’t Kleiman’s first foray into clothing entrepreneurship. Last year, as a freshman, he worked with two other freshmen to develop Coastal Prep Collection, a preppy clothing brand.
Kleiman handles the finances and maintains the website he built while Vogelsang handles the marketing and researches current fashion trends for future design ideas.
“I think we make a good team because both of us are always motivating each other to work on something, whether it is the website, advertising or doing competition research,” Kleiman said.
Pattani Clothing’s official website launched last week. It offers 15 pant styles, each made in Thailand. There have only been six orders so far, but popularity is expected to grow.
Pattani pants sell for only $15, while other brands of palazzo pants, such as New York and Company, sell for $30-$50. According to Vogelsang, this cheaper price does not affect the quality.
“We’re trying to appeal to people who don’t want to spend too much money on clothes but still want to look good,” Vogelsang said.
According to Vogelsang, Pattani pants’ seams stay intact and, most importantly, the lighter-colored pants are not transparent.
Pattani pants appeal to anyone who is not afraid to be adventurous in style but still wants to enjoy the comfort of pajamas.
“Pattani is all about providing the most comfortable lounge pants and expressing yourself anyway you want,” Vogelsang said.
Vogelsang has a few style suggestions. For girls, Pattanis go best with loose long sleeve shirts or crop tops, while guys can match their colorful pants with a loose t-shirt.
Although the brand’s focus on fashion may attract more women, the team is trying to appeal to men by marketing the pants as active wear. They plan to satisfy this demographic by making the pants more durable through double-stitches.
The brand just started selling, but it has a clean, professional look. Each pair will have hand-sewn tags and comes with washing directions and maintenance advice.
Vogelsang and Kleiman are using a combination of social media and grassroots methods to advertise Pattani
They admit improvements, such as updating the website and creating clever names for patterns, will be necessary to keep the brand alive. Vogelsang and Kleiman did not expect launching Pattani to require so much work, but they said the experience has definitely been worth the effort.
Palazzo pants are an emerging market in Thailand but haven’t funneled into mainstream culture in the United States. Vogelsang hopes Pattani’s unique design and comfortable feel will eventually be integrated into mainstream fashion.
“I feel confident and relaxed wearing Pattani pants,” she said. “Hopefully one day when I’m a lawyer, they can be considered professional wear.”
(03/05/15 1:07am)
As they walk into the space shared by Mel’s Good Times Cafe and The Wicked Mojo Bar & Grill, customers are transported to New Orleans.
Bright colors, the smell of Cajun food, a nine-foot projection screen playing live sports and a signed pair of Muhammad Ali’s boxing shorts give the space an aura of authenticity and uniqueness that sets it apart from the rest of Burlington’s restaurant scene.
The Wicked Mojo Bar & Grill, a sports bar with authentic sports memorabilia, occupies 8,000 square feet with Mel’s Good Times in the Holly Hills Mall in Burlington.
Hunt Ward, president of Wicked Mojo’s Entertainment Group, Inc. and cook, purchased the cafe Nov. 1 from the owners of the Good Times Cafe. Since then, Ward has been working to develop a restaurant for Elon University students that has a high-energy atmosphere and a satisfying menu.
Ward said Mel’s Good Times’ build-your-own burger menu features more than 400 personalizable combinations. Atypical topping choices include jambalaya, Louisiana crawfish, Black Forest Ham and shrimp. Customizable burgers are common in large cities such as New York City, but Mel’s Good Times is the only restaurant in Burlington to offer such a menu.
Ward spent a month perfecting the seafood burger, which is made of fresh ground catfish, scallops and shrimp. To keep the ingredients together, he cooks the patty on a 400-degree flattop grill. These handmade burgers include visible pieces of shrimp.
“I want you to know what you’re eating,” he said.
Ward’s goal is to make the appetizer menu just as diverse. He wants to go beyond the standard cheese fries, nachos and onion rings.
He recently began selling alligator bites, and they have sold out each night since. The success of this uncommon dish could lead to his adding alligator — and maybe even chicken — bites to the appetizer menu as regulars.
As a world traveler, Ward finds inspiration in the cuisines of the 32 countries he has visited. A visit to Australia inspired him to make the catfish and shrimp burger, and his other experiences abroad have prompted him to take a risk and introduce new flavors and styles to the Burlington culinary world.
“I try to create what doesn’t exist,” he said.
Live music also adds to the adventure. Three nights a week, musicians from the area perform anything from classic rock to acoustic and country. Customers can share their own vocal talents at karaoke each Friday night.
Students might be attracted to Mel’s Good Times for its menu selection and entertainment, but they’ll visit regularly for its prices. Most entrees cost less than $10.
Mel’s Good Times’ employees have noticed the restaurant’s uniqueness attracting success. Waitress Hollie Boggs said business and customer satisfaction have both increased since Ward took over.
“Our business has almost quadrupled,” Boggs said. “It’s more upbeat. We connect to every table we serve.”
Sophomore Haley Back has dined at Mel’s Good Times. She commended the service and food and said the revamped restaurant was much improved compared to the old Good Times restaurant.
“[Ward] was so friendly and came and talked to each table,” she said. “The food was super delicious. You could tell it was hand-prepared.”
The restaurant’s interior complements its upbeat atmosphere. Ward collects sports memorabilia as a hobby, and his personal collection adorns the walls of the Wicked Mojo Bar. This includes a pair of signed Muhammad Ali shorts, an original animation cell from the movie “Space Jam” and a signed LeBron James Cavaliers Rookie of the Year jersey.
Ward’s roots lie with Elon, and he hopes its students will help the business grow.
His father graduated from Elon in 1947 and served on the Board of Trustees from 1977-1993. Ward graduated in 1982 and has served on the Board of Visitors at Elon for 24 years, and his daughter graduated from Elon in 2011.
Ward is offering job positions to students and graduates. He also wants to eventually provide internship opportunities in sales, marketing and communications for Elon students.
“What’s a better group than energetic and innovative college students?” he asked.
To make the restaurant even more appealing to college students, Ward is planning to institute a designated driver policy. The policy would allow the designated driver in groups of five to get a free meal. He still needs to solve a few logistical problems, but he hopes the policy can help the restaurant stand apart.
In the past two weeks, he said Mel’s Good Times has turned over a new leaf in terms of image and popularity. He attributes this newfound success to Elon’s Live Oak Communications team, which has been working on the restaurant’s website and social media presence.
The restaurant is a new endeavor, but Ward believes the franchise might expand to regional locations and strip malls nationwide with the help of Elon students.
“We are now in virgin territory,” he said. “It’s up to us to decide our future from here.”
(02/25/15 11:13pm)
Life may be tough, but Powell Mansfield can still find the humor in it.
As a child, he performed dance shows for his friends and relatives. Now a senior, he opened for “Saturday Night Live’s” Nasim Pedrad. The comedy show was hosted by the Student Union Board (SUB) Feb. 18 in McCrary Theatre.
Mansfield showcases his original comedy on his YouTube channel, iHeartCharmed.
“Today, my biggest passion is to make people laugh,” Mansfield said. “I will always be, first and foremost, a fan of comedy.”
Sophomore Caroline Blanchard, SUB’s performance chair, said they started looking during winter break for potential comedians to perform at Elon with the help of Adam Bell, SUB adviser and assistant director of student activities.
Even though SUB was not specifically looking for an “SNL” performer, Pedrad fit well considering Elon’s past shows with “SNL” comedians, including Jay Pharoah and Kate McKinnon in 2014.
“It made sense to stick with tradition, and it totally paid off,” Blanchard said. “We had an incredibly successful event.”
Mansfield headlined a SUBLive event in August and told the board that he would be interested in performing again if he had the opportunity.
Looking back, Blanchard said Mansfield’s performance was an excellent addition to the event, considering the comedic reputation he has created for himself.
“Comedy is a form of art that isn’t appreciated as much as the others,” Blanchard said. “Powell is able to bring the arts to the Elon student body. He is able to do what he loves and make people happier at the same time, which I think is a pretty huge contribution.”
Mansfield said meeting Pedrad was both inspirational and informative. He said although their comedy styles vary, the two shared the common
bond of the craft: the ability to simply stand in front of an audience and be able to entertain it.
During his performance, Mansfield joked about what he called “Elon Things,” a compilation of all the quirky things that define Elon. Tony’s Pub-N-Subs, West End Terrace and being a senior were relatable topics he spoke about.
After Mansfield’s performance, Pedrad shared a few encouraging words with him.
“We talked about the journey to find your voice as a comic and how important it is to have a resonant and unique point of view when you do stand-up,” Mansfield said.
Pedrad did not specifically comment on any of his material, but she did say she heard the audience laughing and told Mansfield that he was “killing it.”
“That was super cool to hear from her,” Mansfield said.
Pedrad told him that comedy is an ongoing process no matter where comedians are in their careers.
“She’s obviously further along that journey than me, but it’s such an endless process,” Mansfield said. “It was cool to hear her speak with such candor about how she’s still tracking down the voice she speaks with on stage.”
The pair also discussed his future career. After Elon, Mansfield plans to move to Los Angeles and start classes at Upright Citizens Brigade, an acting and comedy institution where Pedrad trained as well. He plans on bettering his improvisational skills there.
“[Pedrad] was really encouraging and excited to hear I planned to pursue comedy along a similar path,” he said.
Although he does not regularly watch it, Mansfield recognizes “SNL’s” influence in the comedy world.
He is still a fan of many of the comedians who have appeared on the show, including Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon and Nasim Pedrad, calling them “comedic rock stars.”
For now, Mansfield is working on finishing his double major in Media Arts and Entertainment and French in addition to his other activities.
He is a member of Twisted Measure, a co-ed a cappella group, which enables him to sing and entertain. His love for interacting with students prompted him to become an orientation leader and a tour guide for student admissions.
“I’m kind of all over the place in terms of my involvement,” he said. “But that’s what keeps it exciting.”
(02/18/15 11:30pm)
A woman with gray hair and an unsteady gait clings to the railing as she made her way down her front steps. From the seats, the muumuu-clad abuela seems genuine, but junior Ciara’ Dixon’s passion shone through the makeup and hair coloring.
(02/11/15 11:30pm)
Correction: The original article stated that Delta Sigma Theta was founded at Harvard University. It was actually founded at Howard University.
When junior Morgan Fleming became a sister in Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. last April, she was overjoyed.
It was one of the greatest moments of her life. Her friends and mother came and, most of all, she was forever part of a new community. As her ambitions grew in her chapter, Omicron Iota, she realized work needed to be done.
Fleming, now the president of Delta Sigma Theta, wants to increase her sorority’s presence on campus. Even though they are active, Fleming understands that Delta Sigma Theta’s membership is low because of the small size of Elon’s black community.
National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) members make up 2 percent of Elon’s Greek Life. There are currently 44 students involved in Elon’s NPHC, which oversees historically black Greek Life organizations, or 8.65 percent of all 384 Elon students who identify as black/African American. But this does not lessen their community impact or philanthropy work.
“I think that, as a smaller part of Greek Life, NPHC has to work a lot harder to be visible,” Fleming said. “We have to make sure that we use our resources wisely in order to capitalize on the promotion of our events so that we can increase the audience.”
According to Nikia Jefferson, assistant director of Greek Life and NPHC adviser, expanding the NPHC organizations’ on-campus presence is an ongoing process that requires further advertising efforts.
In the past year alone, two new NPHC positions were created at Elon: director of public relations and director of special events. Along with being her sorority’s president, Fleming is also the NPHC’s director of special events.
“[The number of black Elon students] alone plays into the size of our organizations,” Jefferson said. “And obviously not everyone wants to be Greek.”
There are six NPHC Greek Life chapters at Elon: Alpha Phi Alpha, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Delta Sigma Theta, Phi Beta Sigma and Zeta Phi Beta.
Although they are independent organizations with varying goals and philanthropies, they come together throughout the year. For example, they participate in an annual Homecoming Step Show, among other events.
Jefferson helps keep all the NPHC organizations connected and is often in conversation with each NPHC chapter president about organizational expansion.
Other than their sizes when compared to other Elon Greek Life groups, NPHC organizations, specifically Delta Sigma Theta, have a different recruitment process.
Both Interfraternity Council (IFC) and Panhellenic Council (PHC) organizations have a set recruitment time during the year. PHC’s Bid Day was Feb. 1, when nine of Elon’s sororities welcomed a total of 505 new members. IFC formal spring recruitment ended with Bid Day Feb. 6.
Delta Sigma Theta and other NPHC organizations do not have a predetermined recruitment schedule. Instead, members post flyers around campus and on social media, and those interested attend meetings.
The recruitment process begins when each chapter is ready and the national organization and Elon’s Greek Life office allows it. The last time Delta Sigma Theta welcomed new members was Spring 2014.
There is now no word when recruitment will resume.
Fleming said being in a small organization is difficult but also an excellent bonding experience.
“There isn’t room for someone who can’t pull their own weight,” Fleming said. “But we regularly see each other at least four times a week, so this closeness greatly increases our sisterhood.”
Jefferson admires the tight-knit, committed members of NPHC organizations.
“Because they are smaller organizations, each member has to step up,” Jefferson said. “All of them undergo personal and leadership development that will help them after their time at Elon.”
Before becoming a member of Delta Sigma Theta, Fleming said she wasn’t certain about joining a Greek organization at Elon.
This changed when she began to assess her values, which included compassion and honesty. She admires and was influenced by her mother, also a Delta Sigma Theta member, along with other members of the organization.
“I discovered that people I looked up to were women with great values,” Fleming said. “It so happened that all of them were members of Delta Sigma Theta.”
Established at Elon in 1981, Delta Sigma Theta became the first historically black sorority on campus. Now, the chapter currently has eight members, with two studying abroad for the semester.
Fleming was elected president last May after expressing her dreams of expanding her organization’s reach on campus. To do this, she is in the process of holding events that are relevant to more Elon students. These events might include collaboration with other Greek Life organizations, the Elon African Society and Elon’s Latin American Student Organization.
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. was originally founded in 1913 at Howard University. The organization has received several awards at Elon, including Sorority of the Year in 1992, Chapter of Excellence in 1996 and Outstanding Campus Involvement and Leadership in 2003.
The organization’s philanthropy addresses issues in economic development, educational development, international awareness and involvement, physical and mental health and political awareness and involvement.
Their major service project, which is related to educational development and is a partnership with the Burlington Housing Authority, is a program designed to help middle school and early high school students excel in class and prepare them for their futures. The sorority sisters help the students with homework after school, assist them with the college application process and teach step dance workshops.
Besides her leadership roles in her sorority and in the NPHC, Fleming is a Teacher’s Assistant for Organic Chemistry, an Honors Fellow and a member of Phi Lambda Epsilon, the Chemistry national honor society.
She admits her sorority is not the largest organization on campus, but she said they are still active and making a difference.
“Look closely for our presence, we are here,” she said. “You just have to look harder for us.”
(11/20/14 7:15pm)
Sitting in the hospital bed with no fear or worry, Nathan Copeland was about to donate his kidney to his best friend’s brother. He did this out of service to his Kappa Sigma brother.
Last year, the Elon University alumnus (’07) and Kappa Sigma member saved the life of Coleman Team, the brother of Copeland’s best friend and Kappa Sigma brother Alston Team.
For the donation, Copeland was named the recipient of the 2014 Lambda-Lambda Alumni Association Alumnus of the Year Award. This award is presented each year to Kappa Sigma alumnus who has best advanced the interests of the Association and the Lambda-Lambda chapter.
After receiving his Bachelor’s degree in business administration at Elon, Copeland went on to become the vice president of sales for Hickey Chair and Pearson Furniture, both high-end domestic furniture manufacturers, in Charlotte, where he lives. He has remained heavily involved with Kappa Sigma and Elon as a whole.
Copeland has been close friends with Team and his brother, Alston, for the past 10 years. Team, who attended Wake Forest University and currently lives in Winston-Salem, struggled with Alport’s Syndrome, a rare kidney disease, for 15 years. He began to experience dire medical problems in March of 2013, and he and his family began to search for a compatible donor.
“There’s nothing more difficult than asking someone for an organ,” Team said.
When Copeland heard his friend’s brother needed a kidney transplant, he was eager to be tested. The doctor told him there was only a five percent chance Team would find a compatible donor. When the results came in, Copeland found that four of his six antigens matched up perfectly with Team, and the other two antigens were compatible.
An antigen is a toxin or other foreign substance that induces an immune response in the body, which is vital for organ transplants to be successful.
The UC Davis Health Center Website put the probability of finding an antigen match between donor and patient in perspective: “Except in cases of identical twins and some siblings, it is rare to get a six-antigen match between two people, especially if they are unrelated. The chance of a perfect or six-antigen match between two unrelated people is about one in 100,000.”
Copeland said the match did not happen by chance.
“I felt blessed in this situation,” he said. “The entire event felt orchestrated. I knew I was in the right place, and I knew it was the right thing to do.”
Two weeks later, Copeland successfully donated his kidney to Team. Copeland said he felt humbled and honored to have had the opportunity to save one of his best friend’s life.
He also said he felt lucky to have Copeland’s willingness going into the transplant.
Team said their friendship has become inseparable since the transplant, and he considers Copeland family now.
“You don’t look at someone the same after something like this happens. Your bond changes forever,” he said. “Having that relationship going ahead in life is pretty special.”
Copeland said he is proud to receive the Lambda-Lambda Alumni Association Alumnus of the Year Award, but he insisted that his actions were not out of the ordinary.
“I am not a hero having done this. It’s what you do to help others,” he said. “There are people who donate organs every day.”
He said he knew he would donate to Team the moment the doctors told Copeland it was a possibility.
“[Team] is someone I care about and know so closely, so there were no questions asked whether I would donate or not,” Copeland said.
Team said he feels much better about his health and his life since the operation.
“Before, I could barely go to work. When it was really bad, I had to go on dialysis eight to nine hours a day, six to seven days a week,” he said. “Now I feel better than ever. I can exercise when I want to and basically do anything.”
Giving back to cancer research
Earlier this year, Team and his family set up a program that raises awareness, educates and funds research for living organ donations. The program is called the Nathan Copeland Fund for Live Donor Kidney Transplants, Research and Education. Although the fund currently functions at the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, he said he hopes it can expand in the future.
Current Elon undergraduate Kappa Sigma members’ reactions have been overwhelmingly positive to Copeland’s award and actions. Elon Kappa Sigma President Yale Hoffberg said he is proud that a member made such a significant life decision to save a brother’s biological brother.
“[Nathan’s action] puts into perspective as to why we’re a fraternity. It’s eye-opening,” he said. “It influences how we carry our pride on and off campus and how we support each other.”
Recognition for donation
The Alumni Association gave Copeland the alumni award during homecoming of this year. A large majority of undergraduate Kappa Sigma members attended his ceremony.
Kappa Sigma’s philanthropy chair, junior Spencer Taylor, said Copeland is an excellent role model for the fraternity. Kappa Sigma focuses on men’s health awareness, and Taylor acknowledged that Copeland donating a kidney is an exemplary selfless act that speaks to their goals.
Taylor said they reinforce Kappa Sigma’s close-knit group goals.
“It’s not a, ‘Congratulations!’ and you’re done with it once you graduate. [The fraternity bond] is still very much alive afterwards,” Taylor said. “Copeland’s actions have made more people aware of the bond we have and its significance. It gives a perspective on what we really have and how special it is.”
Both Taylor and Hoffberg said Kappa Sigma brothers, both undergraduate and alumni, have a close bond. Taylor said that Greek life stories like Copeland’s should be more widespread and well-known. “It’s an excellent example of what fraternities can accomplish,” Taylor said.
(11/12/14 7:56pm)
Boom-pat, boom-pat!
(11/06/14 8:37pm)
An Elon University student ambles through campus on a sunny afternoon. She is many years older than most of her classmates. Students in the class may wonder if the person sitting beside them is their classmate’s mother, but she is in fact their classmate. Not only that, but she is an Elon professor’s wife.
(10/29/14 5:10pm)
Here’s a hard job: make decisions that impact each community member, and try to assess the best possible choices for the entire community. Burlington City Council members are tasked with just that every day and work to make their decisions beneficial.
(10/15/14 4:23am)
Elon University’s campus was different during Fall Break.
(10/08/14 11:26pm)
Jim Roberts walked into a small record store in Clinton, North Carolina in 1973 looking for music to buy. Then, teenager, now Elon University adjunct instructor in music, saw Pink Flyod’s new release, “Dark Side of the Moon”. Roberts purchased the album blindly and listened to it. Soon, he had listened to the album at least ten times, completely engrossed in it. “Dark Side of the Moon” is now considered one of the most influential rock albums of all time.
Roberts said he was unaware of most new releases during his adolescence. Today’s generation follows a similar trend of not being aware of upcoming music releases, despite there being more research tools available than in the past.
According to an article on Billboard Biz, Billboard magazine’s online news site, digital music and album download sales have decreased. In 2013, digital song downloads fell 5.7 percent from 1.34 billion units to 1.26 billion units. This can partially be attributed to ad-supported and paid subscription music services, such as Pandora and Spotify. The article also said physical CD sales dropped 14.5 percent to 165.4 million units, down from 193.4 million in 2012.
Roberts said he follows new releases by artists he has listened to since his youth. For example, he recently purchased Led Zepplin vocalist Robert Plant’s new solo album, and he is anticipating Pink Flyod’s first album in 20 years, The Endless River, set to be released Nov. 10.
Even with today’s resources, Roberts said it is difficult to monitor and care about new releases because there are so many bands.
“Honestly, I don’t get enough exposure and don’t have the time to do research,” he said.
Music through social media
This month, two multi-million dollar selling artists, Lil Wayne and Taylor Swift, are releasing new albums. Many Elon students said they were not aware of these or other new releases, though.
There are many students, though, who don’t follow upcoming album releases but instead pick up new music when they hear it on the radio.
“I don’t follow releases,” said junior Samuel Ackerman. “I just get excited when I hear them for the first time.”
Ackerman said he learns about new releases from friends, Facebook and Pandora.
“Sometimes a new song pops up on Pandora,” he said. “I ask myself, ‘Wait a minute, what is this?’”
Ackerman does not define new music as material newly released, but as something he personally had not heard before.
“It could have been out for a while, but it’s new to me,” he said.
Digital platforms such as iHeart Radio, Pandora and Spotify help students find new music as well.
Junior Derek Vogt said he does not look for new releases because he uses digital platforms. “Now that I use Spotify, I don’t see many advertisements for new music,” he said. “I followed that more when I used iTunes.”
There are some students, though, who continue to follow favorite bands’ upcoming albums.
Elon sophomore Emma Bonniche uses Pandora to find new music. Before services like Pandora, Boniche listened to the radio. Looking back, she said the radio does not suit her current tastes. “Today, there are more options to find music that you like,” she said.
Boniche is excited for the Foo Fighters’ album, “Sonic Highways,” set to release on Nov. 10. She follows the band on Facebook, where The Foo Fighters announced the album on their page long before its release.
Word of mouth
Friends and family provide plenty of musical influence as well.
“I listened to what my older siblings did growing up,” said first-year Aaron Bennett.
Boniche said of her friends, “They have similar tastes. They know I don’t like genres like alternative folk, so they won’t suggest that.”
Sophomore Amanda Echavarri is excited about Taylor Swift’s new album, “1989,” due to be released on Oct. 27.
Echavarri said some people are more proactive about discovering new album releases than others. But overall, she said, those people are not the majority.
“For everyday people, the album isn’t that relevant,” she said. “I only anticipate a few artists’ new albums.”
In one of Robert’s Elon courses, Beyond the Beatles, students study artists such as The Rolling Stones, The Who and others. He hopes students can experience music they might not have heard before.
“I want my students to introduce this music to their future children,” he said.
(10/01/14 6:32pm)
Takasuke Tsuji arrived at the Raleigh-Durham International Airport Aug. 19. He had been on an airplane for nearly 24 hours, but he was almost at his destination: Elon University. He knew he was in the United States the moment he saw cars driving on the right side of the road. In his home country, Japan, drivers drive on the left.
Elon’s global exchange program introduces international students to the culture and academics of Elon. Having spent his first two years of college at Kansai Gaidai University in Osaka, Japan, Tsuji, a Kyoto native, eagerly arrived this semester, passionate about strategic communications and ready to immerse himself in the English language.
Since he arrived last month, Tsuji has noted many cultural differences.
“When someone sneezes, you say, ‘Bless you,’” Tsuji said. “When people sneeze more than once, you say, ‘Bless you, bless you, bless you.’ In my country, no one says anything.”
Tsuji chose Elon because it offered both a marketing major and a communications major.
Coming from such a different culture, Tsuji has experienced many difficulties adjusting to Elon’s way of life. For example, he said he must be more assertive in classes to earn participation points. “Students hardly talk during lectures at Japanese universities. It’s seen as embarrassing,” he said. “Here, students talk very much.”
Tsuji’s professors have worked with him in his transition to Elon.
“While I am sure he has some adjusting to do, I am going to guess he is in no way intimidated by his current surroundings,” said Daniel Haygood, Tsuji’s Communications in the Global Age professor. “I do not sense any real hesitation at all in his willingness to speak or contribute.”
The United States appealed to Tsuji because the English language fascinated him. He said he realized his passion for English after participating in a semester-long homestay study period in Malaysia during high school. He wants to speak English to sound like Hollywood action movie stars, whom he has always admired.
“Hollywood actors are cool,” he said. “It’s kind of neat if you can speak their language.”
Tsuji added he still struggles to understand some parts of the language, especially in detailed discussions and during fast-paced conversations.
Though he is always trying to practice English, he said he speaks his native Japanese with older Japanese students on campus, especially senior Atsushi Hiyakawa. He does this as a sign of respect. Unlike American culture, respect for one’s elders in Japanese culture includes all people, even people only a year older.
“I have to be polite to Atsushi,” Tsuji said. “In English, we are both equals, so that makes things awkward.”
Hiyakawa was in the same exact position as Tsuji last year. He was a junior who had just arrived at Elon from Kansai Gaidai. He did not have many friends, felt left out in classes and conversations and struggled to adapt to a culture so unlike his own. Hiyakawa said he feels more confident and comfortable a year later.
“I know how life here works now. For example, I learned how the BioBus works and how to print at the library,” Hiyakawa said.
“I’m not confused anymore.”
Hiyakawa said he has acted as a mentor to the new Japanese transfer students. He plays ping pong with them on the weekends, introduces them to his American friends and teaches them about other campus resources.
Hiyakawa said he hopes Tsuji and the other exchange students can become as comfortable as he has become.
“I’ve become more expressive and talkative,” Hiyakawa said.
Hiyakawa also noted that making friends early was the most important thing for him to do last year. He hopes Tsuji can do the same.
Junior Tony Weaver, one of Tsuji’s friends at Elon, is confident Tsuji will fit in well on campus.
“I think that Takasuke is adjusting well to Elon,” he said. “He is a nice person and is making a lot of friends.”
Tsuji knows there are difficulties he has to face both culturally and linguistically, but he is satisfied with his decision to study at Elon.
“I’m just happy being in an environment where I can actively learn English,” he said.
A year removed from Kansai Gaidai, Hiyakawa knows coming to Elon was one of the best choices he has made and has learned to see things from many new perspectives.
One of these new perspectives relates to peoples’ work habits.
“When people work in Japan, they look tired,” Hiyakawa said. “American people are more relaxed. Everyone here works, but they look happy.”
Overall, Hiyakawa said he feels more globally aware. “This experience at Elon is very beneficial for my life,” he said.
Hiyakawa said Tsuji will become more comfortable on campus as the semester continues. He offered some of advice to Tsuji, “Elon is not as easy as college life at Kansai Gaidai, but it’s advantageous for your life.”
(01/10/13 8:45pm)
A few days ago, I saw a film that completely mesmerized me. The amount of cinematic style, finesse and overall enjoyment I experienced while viewing it helped me come to the conclusion that it was one of my new favorite movies. The film I saw is probably not very popular, since it is not an action flick or historical drama released in American cinemas this year. In fact, it was released 17 years ago. The film is a Hong Kong movie made in 1994 called “Chungking Express.”
(10/27/12 4:55pm)
The title of the movie really says it all: There’s paranormal activity taking place and it’s on the big screen for the fourth time. If you plan on being on the edge of your seat for the entire movie or experiencing mostly cheap scares, that’s what you will find. Have a fun time, embrace the Halloween season and go see the movie with some friends. If you want to go see a good horror movie that leaves you guessing, chances are you will not find anything special or groundbreaking here.