Use the fields below to perform an advanced search of ' archives. This will return articles, images, and multimedia relevant to your query.
696 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
Football and tailgating weren't the only seasonal favorites welcomed at Elon this Saturday; so was Apples and Airplanes, a Raleigh-based multi-instrumental alternative modern rock band.
Canadian Geese have been populating Lake Verona; if left alone, they could eat enough grass to destroy the grounds. To solve the problem, Elon has brought in a special team of dogs.
Dining options are changing across many Elon dining halls and local restaurants.
Almost anywhere you go on campus, you see Campus Police or Campus Security cars. At times, it can be intimidating to have a police presence in residential areas but this year, Elon Campus Police wants to change their relationship with students.
Elon students, town residents and community members gathered on Sunday, Sept. 7 for the second annual Dog Day Mixer, an event with food, fun and furry friends. The university relations committee of Elon Community Church organized and hosted the event.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvkChJYkSsE&feature=youtu.be
The latest step of the Town of Elon and Elon University’s ambitious joint makeover fell into place Tuesday, as the Board of Aldermen’s zoning committee found in favor of four rezoning requests to permit taller, mixed-used buildings downtown and in the surrounding area.
The Oak House, a bar, lounge and community gathering space imagined and co-owned by Phil Smith, is expected to open this week after being delayed two weeks because of pending health inspections and the approval of temporary liquor licenses to serve beer and wine. Despite the delays, Smith is unfazed. “I would have preferred to open when I thought I was going to open,” he said. “But if it’s only two weeks, we’re not going to call that a loss.” Others see the delayed opening as an opportunity. “It builds some excitement,” said Alex Ward, an Elon University graduate who now works as assistant manager for The Oak House. “It builds some hype for it [with] the delay.” According to Smith and Ward, students are intrigued by the idea of the lounge. They said students walk by and press their faces to the glass, hoping to catch a glimpse of what’s inside. Plenty have tried to open the door. Junior Bobby King is one of the many students who have passed by the new building and with the renovations, he said, “it’s like night and day.” The Oak House will be the fourth business to occupy the space next to Acorn Coffee Shop in eight years. At least half of the student body remembers Town Table, which was owned and operated by an Elon alum and restaurateur, which closed allegedly because of financial issues. The two eateries before that were operated by Aramark. “I don’t know how it’s going to run,” King said. “But I’ve seen good places shut down because of bad running.” Some students are less optimistic. “Bars have been going in and out of business here,” said junior Connor Cummings. “I like the idea, but I don’t think it’ll work on a college campus.” But Smith and his team have been working hard to get Elon and the community involved in the making of The Oak House. First, Smith pitchedhis idea to alum Ryan Vet, who came on board as a co-owner. Vet graduated from Elon with a host of business experiences. During his time at Elon, he also started uCondition, a software company. Vet and Smith launched a two-week Kickstarter campaign from July 23 to Aug. 14 to raise the last 10 percent of the funds needed to open The Oak House. In that two-week period, The Oak House raised 14 percent more than they wanted, all thanks to Elon faculty, students, staff, alumni, parents, friends and community members. “We needed the money, but it was also a really good marketing tool,” Smith said. “And it helped people get behind it and be a part of it.” Smith even used the delay to his advantage during move-in weekend. “Since we weren’t open for Move-In Friday, we sat out front and gave out free bottles of water,” he said. It gave him a chance to explain what The Oak House would be to new Elon parents and invite them to come in during Family Weekend. In addition to these innovative marketing ideas, Smith has also taken the traditional approach. During move-in, he placed coupons for a free coffee in new students’ orientation packets. He also placed coupons in race packets at a 5K for Habitat for Humanity. The Oak House will market itself with print, web and broadcast advertisements with IMG, a college sports marketing firm, and Phoenix Athletics. “Our main goal is to attract the whole Elon community,” Vet said. The Oak House offers something for everyone in the community, from the community. Those of legal drinking age can enjoy one of nine craft beers on tap from North Carolina. They can select from an “extensive bottled wine” list at varying prices. Or, they can pair a glass of wine starting at $6 with cheeses from the town of Elon. Those not old enough to enjoy a beer or a glass of wine can order Cheerwine or a Boylan soft drink on tap. They can walk down the coffee line, where the Town Table kitchen was, to sip on a drip coffee locally roasted by the same company used by Irazu, a mocha or hot tea. They can nibble on baked goods from Tasty Bakery in Graham or chocolate from Hillsborough. Even the old dining area is full of tables and chairs made from reused and repurposed wood from North Carolina. “It allows for a balance,” Ward said. “You can’t just see it as a bar, and you can’t just see it as a coffee lounge. It’s a unique spot that can’t be categorized.” Smith hopes that people are not just coming for the drinks or the food, but for the space itself. To do that, though, people need to get in the door. And while there are some students who wonder if such a space can exist at Elon, or if The Oak House can outlive the three other restaurants that have been housed in the same space, others are intrigued. “I really like the fact that they’re trying to combine academics with social life,” said senior Ana Preciado. “I think it’s going to be very interesting.”
At every graduation President Lambert shares an old Elon adage with hundreds of seniors ready to embark on a new chapter of their lives: "You may leave Elon, but Elon will never leave you". While the phrase may ring true for many graduates, some chose to begin a new chapter on familiar ground.
While thousands of Elon students associate the end of summer with the return to school, many local residents enjoyed the inevitable last few days at the final Alive After Five concert series performance on August 28.
Students parking near campus this year will face a heftier fine for violations and, in some areas, shorter parking times.
"It just feels as if it's a bad dream for everyone."
A car, keys to the car and iPad were stolen from a student's off-campus Sheridan Place apartment some time between 10:30 p.m. and 2 a.m Tuesday, according to an email from Smith Jackson, Dean of Students.
For the international students who come to study at Elon University, one thing is clear: Establishing yourself in a new environment so many miles away from home is challenging. Many international students experience anxiety after temporarily leaving behind languages, cultures and families that shape their identities. Becoming familiar with the multifaceted aspects of college life can be a lot to juggle. For more than a decade, the Elon Local Friends Program has been helping to lessen the distance from home for many of these students. Elon Local Friends is a group of Burlington and Elon residents who are united under the banner of making Elon’s international students feel at home. From organizing gatherings, sending Valentine’s Day goodie bags, cooking authentic Thanksgiving meals and hosting apple-bobbing contests, the group has planned a variety of activities for international students to attend for the past twelve years. Marj Bennett and Anne Smith, two Elon residents, pioneered the initiative and formed the group in the fall of 2003. “The first thing we had to do was make it clear to Elon what our purpose and intention was,” Bennett said. “We were not there to spread any religion. We were there because we wanted to meet international students and create a community for them outside Elon University. Once we established that trust, the program really took off.” Bennett, who has spent the majority of her life in various countries around the world, said she and Smith understand the challenges that come with sending your child thousands of miles away. “[My children] were definitely nervous about coming back to study in the United States, especially because they had been abroad for so long, Bennett said. “But people opened their homes to them and helped them adjust once they got there, and that really made a difference.” Margaret Gurd, who began volunteering with the program from its early stages, says she had no trouble jumping on board. “My mother would contact the dean in our local college for the names of students [who could not] visit their families during Thanksgiving,” Gurd said. “When I heard that Marj was going to be doing this, I knew I wanted to join.” Through acts like these, her family became especially close with a student who stayed at their home from Thailand. Gurd recalled dropping the young woman off at the airport and bidding her goodbye as one of her own. With approximately 50 volunteers and more than 60 regularly attending international students, the group has been rapidly expanding since its inception. And the group’s growth has helped foster bonds in the international community in addition to Elon’s local community. Donna Harwood, the current leader of the program, is looking forward to welcoming the new international students and has already set dates for six activities. To mix things up, the group started this year with a new initiative: welcoming the parents of incoming international students when they arrive at Elon. “We truly enjoy spending time with the students and learning about their different experiences,” Donna’s husband Ralph Harwood said. “We’re definitely thinking about expanding on our events. There are a lot of things that happen throughout the year like the Carousel Festival in October, all kinds of art and food exhibits, and it would be great to explore them with the international students,” he said. Junior Ameya Benegal from Singapore said he always enjoys attending activities initiated by the group not only because it strengthens the international student community but also the amount of care and interest that is put in by every member. “One of the things I love about the Local Friends is that they sincerely want to know who you are, where you’re from and what your culture is,” Benegal said. “They’re not just asking questions. They’re genuinely interested.” Benegal added the bonds he has formed have allowed him to form a deeper understanding of holidays celebrated in the United States. “When the campus completely emptied for last Thanksgiving, I was fortunate enough to be invited to the home of [one of the families I met through the program]. We get a lot of these holidays off, but many of them, like Thanksgiving, are uniquely American holidays. So it really meant a lot to get the chance to actually experience one the way the holiday is experienced [here] and share it with other people,” he said. Senior Le To, from Vietnam, who has established connections with Local Friends from her first year, said these bonds have transformed holidays and events that, for many international students, only meant feeling homesick. “I truly feel like the Local Friends are my family in the United States. Thanks to them, I feel more at home, especially during special occasions when most families are together like move-in day, parents weekend and Thanksgiving,” To said. “Elon international students and the Elon community in general are so lucky to have the group, and we can never be thankful enough.” Bennett encourages international students to continue forming connections with Local Friends and to welcome the new and returning students to attend the various activities planned. “The relationships we create are beneficial in the ways we learn about different cultures, and at the same time, international students are shown that there is more than one kind of American,” Bennett said.
Elon University students reported a break-in at the Sheraton Place apartment, an off-campus housing location located near Danieley Center, last night to the Town of Elon Police. The break-in occurred sometime between 10:30 p.m. and 2:00 a.m.
A memorial was held today at 4 p.m. in the Oak Grove Lounge of Belk Library in honor of the building's namesake, Carol Grotnes Belk, who passed away Monday, August 25th, just days before her 87th birthday.
Sexual assault is an issue on the minds of students and faculty on college campuses across the country. President Leo Lambert addressed the issue at New Student Convocation.
As summer comes to a close, one of the biggest trends of the season, the "Ice Bucket Challenge," continues to go viral across social media outlets.
The never-ending line of students waiting to get keys to their homes for the next 10 months reminds everyone on Elon University’s campus that move-in day for the 2014-2015 school year has arrived. While some upperclassmen try to avoid the swarm of freshmen, others revel in the spirit of move-in day. “I love move-in day. It’s like a holiday for me,” said Brogan Boles, senior and Head Team captain for New Student Orientation. Elon’s orientation, made up of more than 100 people ranging from Orientation Leaders to Head Staff members, works all year to make the orientation experience at Elon unique and welcoming to all new students on campus. “I think what’s so amazing about the orientation program is that Elon automatically makes you feel like part of the community and Elon family from the first moment on campus,” said junior Katie Dalton and two-time OL. Orientation is a weekend event that packs an abundance of information about Elon and opportunities on campus into sessions for groups of less than 25 students led by OLs. “As a freshman, I felt that there were so many orientation events that we had to go to,” said sophomore and OL Danielle Fowler. “In retrospect, this was the best thing for me.” All the events and information sessions planned by NSO are meant to immerse students into what their life at Elon could be like. But that doesn’t mean the program is without faults. One aspect that could be improved, said Boles, is the amount of downtime that OLs and new students have to interact outside of scheduled sessions. She thinks more free time would be a great way for new students to meet upperclassmen. “We are constantly improving our program in order to stay engaged with the ever-changing Elon landscape,” said Evan Skloot, junior and member of orientation’s Head Team. “In the spirit of staying aligned with campus-wide initiatives, there have been several changes to orientation.” Freshmen students’ first night at Elon, previously known as Catch the Fire, has been adapted to foster relationships within residential communities and has been renamed First Night Elon. Despite the hours of time they commit in the weeks before and of move-in weekend, OLs find rewards in the experience. “The most rewarding thing about being an OL is knowing that you have an impact on the new students’ first impression on the next chapter of their life,” said sophomore OL Alexa Simmons. It can also influence the way students look at their time at Elon. “I believe that we can fundamentally alter a new student’s entire college experience simply by being as welcoming as possible and creating a foundation for him or her becoming part of the Elon community,” said Skloot. No matter what their orientation experience, new students can get some peace of mind from Bole’s parting words. “I would remind them that they’re not the only ones feeling overwhelmed or anxious about everything,” she said. “Everyone is feeling the same way you are. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone.”
A movement to advance the intellectual climate is reflected in Elon University’s latest construction projects. The Global Village was born out of the Residential Campus Initiative, a plan to integrate the academic and residential experience at Elon, and is ready to house students and faculty. In Fall 2013, two of the residence halls in The Global Village were complete. This year, all three are ready to go. The completed area can house up to 595 people and is prepared to take on several live-in faculty members. Within the Global Village, all students will have access to the Great Hall, a communal space equipped with meeting rooms and study areas, as well as a dining facility called Argo Tea. “We created student hang-out space for collaborations so students can run into each other and can continue conversations they started in the classroom,” said Brad Moore, university architect and director of planning, design and construction management. Changes made to Belk Library create a more welcoming, group work-friendly area, Moore said. “The library, we’re just trying to open that space up to encourage people to use it whether it’s individually or in a group,” Moore said. By moving the information desk away from the center of the first floor, students will be invited to move farther inside the library, he said. He also noted that the computers are clustered together in pods to facilitate collaboration and discussion. Elsewhere on campus, Moseley’s second floor was reformatted to reflect a more inclusive campus with a brand-new Multicultural Center. In addition to the communal space, the floor now also houses Asian, African-American and Hispanic and Latino resource rooms, along with a Gender and LGBTQIA Center. The second-floor Student Government Association received a reboot as well. “We want this to be a welcoming space,” said Randy Williams, special assistant to president and dean of multicultural affairs. Williams said he plans to reach out to other organizations on campus and invite them to hold events in the Multicultural Center. The resource rooms present an opportunity for people of different ethnicities and backgrounds to come together and learn about other identities, he said. “When I look now and see the changes that have occurred, I think it will facilitate a setting that allows for great programs,” Williams said. “I’d love to see us have the spaces and programs and personnel where students can flourish. This space will facilitate that.” Also new to Elon is Scott Studio, a performing arts facility on West Haggard Avenue, next to Arts West. The white stucco building contains a black box theater and six performance practice rooms. The studio also has a rehearsal space designed to match the dimensions of McCrary Theatre, where performances are generally held at Elon. Fred Rubeck, the performing arts department chair, said the additional space is much needed. “It will help us more accurately prepare all of the productions that move into McCrary for performance,” Rubeck said. “This new building will really be a game-changer for us.”