A night of ‘acanostalgia’
Maddie Phillips ’08 returned to Elon University last weekend not for an alumni event or a speaking engagement, but to celebrate 15 years of Elon’s first all-women a cappella group, Sweet Signatures.
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Maddie Phillips ’08 returned to Elon University last weekend not for an alumni event or a speaking engagement, but to celebrate 15 years of Elon’s first all-women a cappella group, Sweet Signatures.
A year and two months ago, Nasia Thomas ’15 sat in the audience, waiting for “Beautiful! The Carole King Musical” to start. She’d heard about the production from friends who had auditioned for it, though she knew little about the woman whose name was in the title. But when the curtains opened, Thomas was mesmerized.
On Thursday March 10, hundreds of Elon University students will print their resumes, iron their best business casual shirts and march confidently into Alumni Gym for the annual spring Job and Internship Expo hosted by the Student Professional Development Center (SPDC).
Senior Noah Sakin was a normal, highly involved Elon University student: He went about his day as a Leadership Fellow, Elon Volunteers! student leader and risk manager for his fraternity, Zeta Beta Tau.
While “undergraduate recruitment” is often associated with athletics or targeted scholarships, the Elon University Department of Music has created a different strategy for attracting potential students: Elon Music Ambassadors (EMA).
Some call them hoverboards, others call them mini-Segways, but the companies who sell them use “self-balancing scooters.” What started as a mildly popular accessory among celebrities like rapper Wiz Khalifa and actor Quincy Brown has trickled down from the masses to Elon University’s campus.
For some Elon University students, fall break is a time to go home, visit friends at other schools or stay on campus to catch up on sleep and binge watch a series on Netflix. But for others, break is an opportunity for an adventure through service learning and community engagement.
During the spring 2015 semester, Elon University’s Student Union Board (SUB) collaborated with Dining Services to launch a new event: Food Truck Frenzy. Five food trucks parked in the temporary parking lot behind Belk Library and served a variety of foods, from dumplings to ice cream to gourmet baked potatoes.
Before it was an Emmy-winning Netflix original series, “Orange is the New Black” (OITNB) was a memoir about author Piper Kerman’s yearlong prison sentence. Kerman’s book was adapted by “Weeds” creator Jenji Kohan in 2013 and has been a hit ever since.
As Elon University celebrates its annual Family Weekend, its musical theater department will put on a different time-honored event — one that, like the university, is an ever-changing standby the community has come to love.
Elon Community Church is known for its weekly farmer’s market and exam week study space, but in less than a week, it will hold a unique and beloved event for students — the Dog Day Mixer.
In his iconic “Letter from Birmingham Jail” on April 16, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote, “There comes a time when the cup of endurance runs over, and men are no longer willing to be plunged into the abyss of despair.” According to King, that cup ran over in 1963, and men and women nationwide emerged defiantly from the abyss of discrimination.
Soft, chewy and full of flavor, Acorn cookies — Elon University’s favorite guilty pleasure — tempt students from behind their glass display case while students wait to order a coffee or sandwich. The cookies beg to be bought. There’s a flavor for everyone: chocolate chip, peanut butter, peanut butter chocolate chip, pumpkin spice, oatmeal raisin walnut, double chocolate, coconut pecan and carnival. “I can’t resist,” said freshman Zach Monick. “It’s impossible to walk by the case and not get one. I tried to give them up so that I could save money, but that only lasted a week.” Unfortunately, this cookie cutter vision doesn’t add up. When students bite into the “fresh-baked goodness,” they assume the batter is whipped up in Acorn’s kitchen early in the morning and baked to golden-brown perfection before its doors open. Acorn’s famed cookies are baked in-house, but the batter comes premade in a box. “The cookies are from Otis Spunkmeyer and baked in house daily, with the exception of the oatmeal raisin cranberry which are made by David’s,” said Mike Bellefeuil, director of operations for Aramark at Elon. “They are baked in house, as well.” This cookie dough isn’t as fresh as it seems, either. Otis Spunkmeyer is known for its frozen, individually-wrapped “thaw and serve” Sweet Discovery cookies. Sweet Discovery claims to produce the top frozen cookie dough in the United States. It comes in 20 flavors — and a few of them are displayed at Acorn. Even though the sweet treats aren’t made in house, student opinion stands strong. “I love Acorn cookies,” said freshman Tommy Mackey. “I love Acorn in general. Cookies are definitely a big part of why I love it. It’s not gonna change my opinion. It doesn’t really bother me.” It even intrigues some of them. “Sometimes you can see them in the back squishing them together to make a bigger one,” said sophomore Ashley Hill. “I didn’t really care. I’ll still eat them.” Some are even shocked they are made in the cafe at all. “I did not even know that they were baked here,” said sophomore Sophie Natan. “I just assumed that they were shipped in, but they’re still super delicious so it does not change my opinion on them.” It may be a tough pill to swallow, but that’s how the cookie crumbles. Acorn’s famous cookies are baked with love, even if the dough travels to Elon in a cold box. Want an Elon myth debunked? Email us at pendulum@elon.edu.
Three words Michael Williams, director of campus center operations and conferences at Elon University, would use to describe Barry Bradberry are honesty, integrity and Elon. He has his reasons. As Williams was pumping gas into his car before heading to work one morning, he saw Bradberry, associate dean of admissions and financial planning, pass in his own car. Bradberry stopped his car in the middle of the street, hopped out, picked up a piece of trash, got back in the car and continued on his way. As Bradberry drove away, Williams thought to himself, “He’s true, he’s real, he’s all about making Elon look good.” That is not how Bradberry views his involvement on campus. He sees himself as the major beneficiary of a more than 40-year relationship with the Elon community. “The university’s been so good to me,” he said. “I’ve been able to avoid square pegs and round holes.” Bradberry has watched as Elon grew from a little-known college to an award-winning university. He grew alongside Elon, going from student to staff member to associate dean of admissions and financial planning. Bradberry graduated in 1975 and returned to Elon the following fall semester to work in admissions. He never left. A tap on the shoulder Williams first met Bradberry more than 16 years ago. “The first time I met him, he welcomed me to Elon in his own Barry, Elon way,” Williams said. “The same thing he’s said from then to now is, ‘Good to have you here.’ That’s the image he portrays and the way he communicates with people.” When Bradberry graduated from Kellam High School in Virginia Beach, Virginia, he had a close relationship with his school principal, Jefferson Davis, an Elon graduate. Davis made sure Bradberry had the opportunity to attend college — the first in his family to do so. After Bradberry spent two years at Chowan University, then a junior college in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Davis helped him transfer to Elon for his junior year. During Winter Term, Bradberry spent a month interning with the Virginia House of Delegates. “Elon had the 4-1-4 semester system, which enabled me to take the Winter Term off-campus and work as an administrative assistant to Del. Donald Rhodes from Virginia Beach,” he said. “It was a life changing experience for me.” When Bradberry returned to Elon, he got what he calls a “tap on the shoulder” from then-Dean of Admissions Mary Dell Bright. “She heard of my experience in Virginia and felt I had the skills that would help attract students to Elon,” Bradberry said. He was hired immediately after graduation under a 90-day contract that allowed him to return to the Virginia House of Delegates in January. He had planned to return since the end of his first internship, but he never got the chance to do so. “Elon decided to extend my contract, and the rest is history,” he said. But Bradberry did not remain stagnant at Elon. “After I completed my third year, our vice president, Dr. James Moncure, brought me into his office to explain the Elon vision and the future expectations for admissions,” Bradberry said. He didn’t think anyone was paying attention to the work he put in during those three years in admissions, but he found himself tapped on the shoulder once again. “[Moncure] explained to me the 5-5 rule,” Bradberry said. “If I did not have a master’s degree in five years, I would be gone in five minutes, which meant in simple English that the train was leaving the station, and if I wanted to move to a different position in higher education, especially at Elon, it had to happen. I never looked back.” Bradberry chose to attend graduate school to reaffirm his commitment to the university’s community and culture. He attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and returned to Elon — back to work. Watching progress unfold Bradberry has seen remarkable growth during his 40 years at Elon. The university has expanded its graduate programs, become one of the largest private schools in the state and, in 2001, changed its name from Elon College to Elon University. “He’s seen the transition of the university through a lot of years in the admissions process,” Williams said. “I think he’s a good conduit to be able to reach back and say, ‘This is what we used to do, this is where we come from,’ but in the same respect, knowing where we’re going.” Along with others in admissions, Bradberry takes part in important conversations about how the school recruits, where it recruits and what the university is looking for in potential students. “I’m at the point in my career where I hear from students I recruited to Elon well over 30 years ago who now have sons and daughters considering and enrolling at Elon,” Bradberry said. “I love my job, gosh I do.” But he views his job as much more than selling the school. “The ‘Elon way’ is not a catchy phrase or a cool, feel-good marketing slogan,” he said. “It is an attitude and a way of life. It is what has made Elon the place it is today.” Bradberry’s goal is to give every student who visits Elon the best chance at finding the right place for him or her, which involves working and meeting individually with families. He never misses a call from a potential student. “I pride myself on getting back to people,” Bradberry said. “When I get that call, that issue is probably the most important issue for that family. If I have to stay until 7 p.m. tonight, we’re gonna answer that question.” Giving back by paying it forward Bradberry’s dedication was inspired by his own family. Over the years, Bradberry maintained a close relationship with his mother and late father. He also says he and his wife have had a very full life, starting with their shared line of work. “The very best thing about my time at Elon is [that] I met my wife Martha while working in admissions,” he said. “I could not have a better life partner.” The two have never had children, but for Bradberry, the students he has seen through the admissions process are like their own. Bradberry knows many families visiting from out of state are doing a series of tours at various schools in the area. Rather than pointing out why he believes Elon is better, he presents the facts he feels are part of what makes the school special. Beyond those figures, he said, lies the true value of an Elon education, one that is impossible to convey in an hour-long presentation. “I truly believe in the liberal arts,” he said. “We have people that are English majors and go to law school. You can’t put a dollar value on that.” If students still don’t feel as though Elon is right for them, Bradberry will still make sure they understand what to look for when choosing a school. In his introductory presentation, he presents the best practices for developing an impressive profile, acquiring recommendations and submitting applications. His goal is to get students into colleges that will suit their needs. “We counsel a lot more than people realize,” he said. As one of the few initial university contacts for prospective families, Bradberry believes his experience has more than made up for the work he has put in. He said no day is the same, so staying stagnant in admissions has not been possible. He views the journey as one he would not change if given the chance. “They said, ‘You’re a glass half-full kind of guy.’ I said, ‘I can’t do it any other way,’” he said.
Grandmother Stokely taught Eric Lupton, the current owner of Stokely’s BBQ, everything he knows about food. He spent his childhood summers at his grandmother’s home in eastern North Carolina, and after years of baking cakes and smoking pigs, Lupton decided to go into the restaurant business.
Civil rights leader Bernard Lafayette spoke to a crowded room of Elon University students, faculty and staff Monday evening about his experiences coordinating nonviolent protests starting in 1960. He started by praising Elon faculty and staff for its commitment to global education. Then he challenged students to see difference without allowing it to create a divide. Mark Dalhouse, director of Elon’s Study USA program, introduced Lafayette by saying, “It’s because of men and women like Bernard Lafayette that we have the right to vote.” Dalhouse then announced that voter registration information would be available at the end of the event. Lafayette opened his speech by expressing his interest in Elon’s global approach to teaching and learning. “This is a model for modern education,” he said. “Elon is a place where I see there are special experiences that are created for you to prepare yourselves for a different kind of future than we had.” He also said that the increase in connectedness across the world has launched an era of accepting difference. He challenged students to use this heightened awareness of diversity to continue the legacy of change that began with the Civil Rights Movement. “Acknowledge the differences, but don’t make the differences make a difference –that’s our challenge,” he said. “What’s happening now is that it’s in your hands. You are going to determine what kind of world we are going to live in.” It was ownership of his legacy that saw Lafayette through the dozens of violent encounters he had throughout the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. “I had to work on trying to change the system,” he said, “so that my grandmother, in her allotted years, would be respected and would be treated as a human being.” Lafayette first became a civil rights activist in 1959 as a student at American Baptist College in Nashville, Tennessee. He attended non-violence classes at the nearby Highlander Folk School. After a year of classes, he worked with other young activists to participate in demonstrations aimed at integrating lunch counters, buses and movie theatres. Lafayette then traveled to the inaugural conference of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in 1960. This launched his involvement in demonstrations nationwide. He participated in the freedom rides in 1961, then helped coordinate the 1965 March on Washington. In less than a decade, Lafayette became a leader in the movement. He worked with Martin Luther King, Jr. as the national coordinator of the Poor People’s Campaign in 1968. Lafayette spoke with King on the morning of his assassination. Their final conversation shaped the rest of Lafayette’s career. “He wanted to internationalize and institutionalize nonviolence,” he said. “I decided that I would complete that assignment. That’s what I’ve been doing for the rest of my life.” Today, he is working with Emory University in Atlanta to set up a center for nonviolence, one of dozens across the nation and world. Elon is one of his stops on a tour across the country that includes both speaking engagements and non-violence training sessions. “The goal of nonviolence is to win people over,” he said. “The single most important advice that I could give to civil rights workers today is that it’s important to go through the training–leadership training and nonviolence training.” Dalhouse and the Global Education Center brought Lafayette to Elon to start a conversation about how the work done during civil rights movement is relevant today. “This is the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, and he was instrumental in that,” Dalhouse said. “I’m sending students all over the United States to learn. I feel like it’s our responsibility to bring some of that here and challenge students to think.” Lafayette also acknowledge the need for further conversation about racial discrimination and hatred in the United States. “When we talk about post-racial period, there’s nothing post about it,” he said in a smaller talk with students of color organized by the Center for Race, Ethnicity and Diversity Education. “When we look at where we are now compared to where we were in the 1960s, we begin to see the reflections clearly.” While Lafayette made clear his beliefs that work on U.S. civil rights is far from over, he expressed confidence in students at Elon. Senior Broadway Jackson pointed to apathy as a major problem with the millennial generation’s response to issues of discrimination and hatred. "Demographically, millennials tend to be politically disengaged and these sort of things that you're talking about, Ferguson for example, tend to be "too much" for a lot of people," Jackson said. "How do we as fellow millennials encourage people to participate and do things like get registered to vote and be politically active and aware? How do we avoid apathy?" Lafayette left the audience with advice for combating that issue: “Apathy is a form of violence, whether they’re disinterested or whether it’s fear that causes them not to take a stand,” he said. “About 25 percent of the people who are silent just don’t know how to get involved. You’ve got to look at ways that people can participate and support. You have to help them see how this is going to benefit those around them.”
“Commedia dell’arte”: a genre of theater marked by character masks, improvisation and — of course — humor. The tradition began in 16th century Italy, where actors used outdoor stages and basic props to tell stories. This weekend, the tradition will arrive at Elon University accompanied by intricate costumes and extensive scenery in the form of “Servant of Two Masters.” The play tells the tale of the servant Truffaldino. His master, Beatrice, disguises herself as her dead brother to seek out his killer, who is also her lover. While she works to avenge her brother, Truffaldino inadvertently becomes the servant of the killer — hence the play’s title — and races around the city attempting to please both masters. Unsurprisingly, hilarity ensues. Kevin Otos, associate professor of theater at Elon, is directing the commedia. He adapted the play by modifying the script to include common modern phrases, which follows the traditional goal of commedia. “Commedia has always been anachronistic,” he said. “It has always been a theater for right now.” In modernizing the play, Otos was challenged to live up to commedia’s traditionally multilingual standards. In the 16th century, when commedia troupes traveled to perform, plays were often performed in the language spoken by the majority of the audience. The actors who could speak the local language would perform the scenes most important to the plot, and the remaining actors used their native tongue and physical comedy in their roles. According to Otos, this tradition didn’t make the transition to the United States. “It hasn’t been part of our tradition here in the states as much as it has in Europe,” he said. Otos has taken these challenges on, and he believes the play has already been successful. In rehearsals, the actors have presented him with opportunities to add improvisations to the script. The use of masks is one of the most important aspects of commedia. Many actors in the play wear character masks that cover their faces above the mouth. They need a great deal of practice using the mask to convey emotions in different ways. “If the design is done well, the mask will be able to ‘play,’ which means that the expression of the mask is frozen, but based on what the actor’s doing with the body and the voice, the mask’s expression will appear to change,” Otos said. All the masks for “Servant of Two Masters” were made specifically for this performance. The mask maker used molds to sculpt the shape of the masks and then formed leather over the molds. Actors have been rehearsing with masks made of neoprene, a synthetic rubber material, while the masks for the show are being finished. Though they feel different from the leather masks, practicing with them allows actors to grow accustomed to performing with the full costumes. Junior Lauren Richards, who plays Beatrice, will be wearing heavy makeup instead of a mask. But Richards has observed the techniques her fellow cast members use to give life to the static masks. “Each mask represents a special type of character, and the minute you put it on, you want to become that character in every way you possibly can,” Richards said. “With the characters that have a physical mask on, their entire body tries to match the mask.” “Servant of Two Masters” is set in Venice during no specific time period, though modern adaptations often incorporate costumes from 1743, when the play was written. “One of my favorite things about the costumes is that our costume designer, Jack Smith, gave us all modern shoes,” Richards said. All of the actors wear high- or low-top converse, rather than pointy heels and dress shoes, with their Italian renaissance-era costumes. In addition to present-day dialogue and modern costume elements, Richards said audiences will see a lot of humor, emotion and talent when they see “Servant of Two Masters.” “You’ve got some romance, you’ve got some comical drama,” she said. “You also have lots of jokes. They can definitely expect a happy ending.” Most importantly, Otos said, audiences should not expect to see the average stage play, if there is such a thing. Commedia dell’arte offers a theater experience that is very different from any other genre. “The reason I think people like commedia is not because of the masks or the stylized movement or the physical comedy,” Otos said. “Commedia, at its best, is a celebration of life.” Performances of “Servant of Two Masters” will be in McCrary Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 16 through Saturday, April 18 and at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 19. Tickets are required for entrance.
“Purpose, not paycheck,” drove Paul Castro to leave his life as a screenwriter in California to teach in Elon University’s cinema program. It also inspires the associate professor of communications to take the time to walk around campus with each student enrolled in his courses every semester. Although they’re not a job requirement, Castro said these walks give students space to express their worries and fears, as well as their aspirations. Before he wrote acclaimed films such as “August Rush,” Castro volunteered part-time at a suicide prevention call center. This taught him the value to have someone to talk to in the midst of what he calls “the scar tissue of life.” For him, being a successful professor is understanding students outside the classroom. “The first job as an educator is protection,” he said. “Literally, because we have a dangerous world out there, but specifically with creativity. When you’re creative, you’re really vulnerable. It’s important to create a safe environment for them to think, ‘I can fail, I can be unimpressive and I don’t have to be brilliant the first time every time — or I can be. It doesn’t matter.’” Castro said students often reveal things about themselves on these walks that they would never have discussed otherwise. Students aren’t forced to go on these walks, but Castro expects to walk with 60 students from the three screenwriting classes he is teaching this semester. Junior cinema major Kayla Hammer appreciates Castro’s unusual practice. “When I first found out he did the walks, I was really grateful to have a professor that genuinely wanted to take the time out of his day to get to know his students better,” she said. Castro doesn’t only learn from his students — he learns just as much from his 5-year-old daughter. “My daughter is so fascinating,” Castro said. “I learn so much from her. It reminds me to continually be curious about things, because when she discovers things for the first time, it’s just awesome. She has a joy for life.” Castro attributes this joy to her youth and innocence and he says she learned it from him, as he approaches the toughest situations well. “In life, you have to be like water,” he said. “You have to be malleable — you have to be able to adjust to things, or else you’re not going to exist. You’re going to get all these things thrown at you with two reactions: ‘Oh, my god, this is horrible’ or ‘This is awesome.’ And when you start to look at everything as awesome, even these little owies, then they become awesome.” Castro explains this ideology to students on his walks. He believes cinema and screenwriting are about more than just being famous — they are about contributing to the world. “It’s a great gift and a great responsibility,” Castro said. “When you’re aligned with your spirit and you tell a story, then God’s working through you — whatever that means to you. And it’s out of your hands then. You give that gift to another person.” The powerful words Castro shares with students on their walks have lasting impacts that stay with them as they continue their journeys at Elon and beyond. During his stroll with Hammer earlier this semester, Castro offered advice that has stayed with her. “He said something I’ll never forget: ‘Kayla, you’ve got to start claiming your life,’” Hammer said. “That phrase has stuck with me since the walk, and it reminds me to do whatever’s best for me and my future and to stay grounded in my morals and who I truly am.”
Tucked along Burlington’s Huffman Mill Road between Krispy Kreme and Cook-Out is a white building with an orange roof. Inside, customers step into a dim dining room with green and red booths and drapery that runs through the center of the room. The sign outside says Sal’s Italian Restaurant. The menu premises quality on a budget. Sal’s opened in 1977. Today, Sal and Marco Mazzurco — sons of the Sicilian-born founder — manage the restaurant named after their grandfather, the oldest Sal in the family. The brothers have spent most of their lives in the area. Both graduated from Elon University, Sal in 2006 and Marco in 2012. Sal worked at his family’s restaurant during college and went on to open the Red Bull Tavern in Burlington in 2008. Marco also left Sal’s for his own restaurant endeavor, but both were drawn back to their family’s establishment. “Our parents wanted to retire, so we came back and took over the restaurant so they could,” Sal said. Sal’s has long had a good relationship with Elon students. It has donated to Elonthon for the last decade and has contributed to other student organizations as well. “We try to give back to the students,” Sal said. One of Sal’s future plans to offer more to students is the dorm feast. This to-go option includes a meal, salad and breadsticks for students interested in having home-cooked Italian in their college homes. Sal is hoping to roll out the new offer next fall. The restaurant offers an instantly comfortable and relaxed dining experience. So relaxed, in fact, that when a patron asks what the soup of the day is, the waitress answers with, “I don’t know, somethin’ weird,” and turns around to ask a coworker. In some establishments, this might be considered inappropriate or unprofessional. At Sal’s, the unapologetic honesty is just part of the overall charm. Beyond the charm is simple, good food that offers something for everyone. Italian classics such as lasagna and eggplant parmesan are complemented by an unexpected spread of deli sandwiches. “It’s as if you’re eating in the comfort of your own home,” said senior Bria Turner. The lasagna comes to the table piping hot and smelling like the perfect combination of beef, cheese, sauce and fresh pasta. There is an overabundance of olive oil, but the ricotta is more carefully added, and the combination results in a creamy, gooey three-cheese mixture. Another of Sal’s most popular dishes is the penne alla vodka. Though the pasta is a bit past al dente, the sauce is just right. The onion, garlic and tomato base is enhanced with vodka — which cooks off — mixed with a touch of heavy cream and left to simmer. Sal’s sauce has a hint of spice and a great deal of flavor, and it arrives at the table in a shallow white bowl, tossed thoroughly with the penne. Other dishes are popular among Elon students, as well. “The ziti is to die for,” Turner said. Dishes come with a side salad and a basket of breadsticks. Sliced cremini mushrooms add an unexpected twist to the Caesar salad, while the house salad keeps it simple with romaine lettuce, tomatoes and red onions. The breadsticks are straight to the point: no garlic, no cheesy center, no extras at all — just warm, toasty bread ready to be pulled apart and dipped in one of the three sauce options or leftover vodka cream sauce. Sal’s makes no attempt to be upscale and certainly avoids being overpriced. The food is the main event, and there is no garnish, unfamiliar wines or flourishes by the wait staff to distract from the dishes. In the land of butter, biscuits and gravy, this restaurant offers an entirely different flavor palette with a comfortingly home-cooked taste. When the biscuit makers go home for the day and a Styrofoam to-go box seems too casual, Sal’s is a low-cost alternative that yields yummy results.
When Geleana Drew Aston made plans for life after high school, she only had one goal: to move away from home.