Less than one week after Elon University’s 135th Undergraduate Commencement, recent graduate and former Odyssey Scholar Kai Whiteside ’25 said he felt like he was blindsided.
On May 29, Whiteside and other recently graduated and current members of the Odyssey Scholars program received an email from Marcus Elliott, the former director of the Odyssey Scholars program, stating that he was terminated effective immediately the day prior.
“It really started breaking me down,” Whiteside said. “Marcus Elliott was a person that kind of gave me an opportunity, and not just myself, hundreds and hundreds of kids he's brought into Elon to give them just degrees and opportunities and mentorship and all these wonderful things.”
Elliott was director of the Odyssey Scholars program for 12 years. According to Elon University, the Odyssey Scholars program, which is a program within the Center for Access and Success, is a merit and financial need based program that consists of talented individuals that are academically strong, civically engaged, action-oriented leaders in their communities who will benefit from an Elon education. The program currently consists of 162 scholars within the classes of 2026, 2027 and 2028. Within the class of 2025, there were 33 Odyssey scholars who graduated May 23.
Former Odyssey Scholar Jayla Martin-Beasley ’25 said that during her time at Elon she and other Odyssey Scholars could always rely on Elliott.
“All the Odysseys have been in Marcus' office talking, just chatting or crying over life stuff,” Martin-Beasley said. “I've been there, you know, I've been in his office before just in tears, and he's been there to help me.”
In the email Elliott sent to Odyssey Scholars, he wrote that Elon University has made the decision to restructure the Odyssey Scholars program to be led by a faculty director as opposed to a staff member. Elliott did not respond to Elon News Network’s request for comment.
In a statement to Elon News Network on behalf of Elon University, Eric Townsend, assistant vice president for strategic communications and media relations, stated that the staffing changes within the Odyssey Scholars program are meant to address the needs of students and deepen Elon University’s support.
“Staffing changes within the Odyssey program are part of a broad effort to address the evolving needs of students and deepen Elon University’s support for the students’ long term academic and professional goals,” Townsend wrote. “As the academic profile of the Odyssey Scholars becomes increasingly more impressive, reevaluating how the program best serves talented students is essential.”
According to the statement, associate director of the Odyssey Scholars program Martha Lopez Lavias will continue to serve in her role in the program and work with a faculty director.
Townsend also stated that any concerned students can reach out to associate provost of academic inclusive excellence Naeemah Clark.
Since Elliott’s termination, Whiteside and other graduated and current Odyssey Scholars are appealing to Elon for clarity. After learning of Elliott’s termination, Whiteside created an email template for alumni from the Odyssey Scholars program to fill out and send to the office of University president Connie Book and to the Board of Trustees.
“We're demanding accountability, answers, at the very least, if not a reconsideration,” Martin-Beasley said.
Former Odyssey Scholar Jordan Smith ’25 started a petition on change.org, a website platform where individuals and organizations can sign petitions and advocate for various causes. The petition was started shortly after Elliott announced to the Odyssey Scholars that he was being terminated from the position. As of 4:58 p.m. May 31 the petition, titled “Demand Transparency and Accountability in the Termination of Marcus Elliott,” has reached 551 signatures.
Smith said that their efforts regarding Elliott’s termination is a demonstration of how Elon students will support other members of the community.
“No matter what, Elon students are willing to stand behind Elon students,” Smith said. “Even if that means standing against the university itself.”
Smith also said the decision to terminate Elliott and the lack of transparency felt like a “slap in the face.”
“We work so hard and we do great things in Elon's name,” Smith said. “To not be appreciated enough to be able to receive a clear explanation as to why this is happening, what's going on, it just, yeah, it really hurts.”
Whiteside said he believes the university owes all Elon students and alumni transparency when it comes to decisions like this.
“At the end of the day, Elon University runs off of its students,” Whiteside said. “If we don't have these kind of same situations, or we don't have that kind of clarity, how do you keep an Elon community together like that”
Martin-Beasley said that the Odyssey Scholars’ unity and demand for answers regarding Elliott’s termination is not something that Elon can ignore.
“I have truly felt it with Odyssey that we are a family,” Martin-Beasley said. “That kind of passion, that kind of togetherness, is not something that I think Elon can or should ignore, especially when it comes to the values that Elon purports itself as having, of unity, of diversity, of this family environment. You can't have those values and then just turn your back on something like this.”