Hurricane Florence Coverage

---

NEWS 4/22/25 11:14pm

Elon University’s Sustainability Master Plan 2025 addresses several areas of campus life, procedures

By Kate Gray

Elon unveiled its new sustainability master plan on April 22. The plan calls for more sustainable practices on campus in academics, dining, engagement, facilities, purchasing, technology, transportation and waste. The new sustainability master plan also reiterates Elon’s goal to become carbon neutral by 2037, a target established by the first campus sustainability plan in 2007. The Office of Sustainability developed the plan over 18 months with participation from over 300 Elon students, faculty and staff through listening sessions, working groups and feedback.

---

LIFESTYLE 4/22/25 8:50pm

Elon community gathers to grieve the death of Pope Francis

By Fiona McAllister

Silence held a loud volume in the Numen Lumen Sacred Space as Elon community members gathered to honor Pope Francis’ life through a memorial mass. After Francis died on Monday April 21, Vice President for Student Life Jon Dooley sent out a message alerting students and faculty about a memorial mass being offered by the Catholic Life team. Father Peter Tremblay led this mass and highlighted Francis’ life and achievements. During his time as the pope, Francis focused on topics like immigration and internally wanted to promote women within the Catholic Church.

---

NEWS 4/22/25 2:30pm

Memorial mass to be held for Pope Francis at Elon University

By Fiona McAllister

Early Monday April 21, the head of the Catholic Church Pope Francis died from a stroke. Franics was 88 years old. He died near Saint Peter’s Basilica, where he has resided since his election in 2013. At 5 p.m. Monday evening, the bells at Elon University’s Rhodes Stadium rung 88 times, once for each year of his life. On Tuesday, April 22, Elon University’s Numen Lumen Sacred Space will hold a memorial mass for Francis at 4:30 p.m. After this mass, the space will be open for people to share words about Francis and the legacy he left behind. 

---

LIFESTYLE 4/20/25 7:18pm

Elon University students create ‘brain rot’ social media account, ‘Reel Talk’

By Anjolina Fantaroni

It all started at Elon club volleyball, where Elon seniors Christian Van Voorhees and Mason Kaiser and Elon junior Carter Puckett first met.  Now, the trio of Elon students are behind “Reel Talk,” a fast-growing social media account where “brain rot” culture meets commentary. Brain rot is commonly known as the consumption of meaningless, mind-numbing and low-quality online content. Beginning on March 7 and releasing their first reel on March 10, “Reel Talk’s” Instagram following has grown to over 14,700 followers, or what they like to call “reel ones.”

---

LIFESTYLE 4/20/25 4:27pm

Elon University set to celebrate Earth Week

By Erin Martin

Elon University is gearing up for a full slate of sustainability-focused programming, including bird walks, pop-up thrift shops and the debut of Elon’s 2025 Sustainability Master Plan. The weeklong celebration, beginning Monday, aims to highlight both the challenges and possibilities of sustainability, while giving students, faculty and staff new ways to engage with the environment and each other. One of the week’s biggest milestones is the release of Elon’s 2025 Sustainability Master Plan. Unveiled on Earth Day — Tuesday, April 22 — the plan is the product of a two-year process involving input from more than 300 people on campus.

---

LIFESTYLE 4/19/25 7:10pm

Elon student theater organization performs ‘The Drowsy Chaperone’

By Virginia Vance

A narrator boxed in by two fourth walls and his own struggles escapes to the nostalgia and indulgence of the 1920s in the student-run production of “The Drowsy Chaperone.” Drowsy, first produced in 1998, features a musical-loving narrator explaining his favorite 1920s record to the audience while it’s performed behind him by the rest of the cast. The narrator and main character, otherwise known as Man in the Chair, got particular attention from Renegade Productions, Elon University’s student-run theater group.

---

SPORTS 4/19/25 4:15pm

Elon women’s tennis beats William & Mary 4-2 in final regular season match

By Kathan Gandhi

Elon women’s tennis topped the College of William & Mary in its final match of the regular season. The day started with an impressive doubles win from sophomores Simone Bergeron and Mariana Reding. On top of impressive volleys and consistent rallies, Bergeron’s energy, which is often shown with triumphant screams, is a key factor in their success. The pair won 6-4, improving their doubles record to 16-3. Elon now turns its attention to the CAA Tournament, which will be hosted at Elon. The tournament begins on April 25 at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center.

---

SPORTS 4/19/25 4:09pm

Elon University women’s lacrosse clinches playoff berth behind dominant second half

By Benjamin Berfield

Elon University women’s lacrosse won its penultimate home game in style, clinching a playoff spot against Towson University with a 16-8 victory on April 19. Elon endured a back-and-forth first half before outscoring Towson 10-6 in the second half. It is the team’s fifth win in the last seven games. Elon achieved this feat thanks to redshirt sophomore Ana Lee Vandiver and senior Sammy Fisher, who combined for nine goals, scoring five and four, respectively. Vandiver tied her season high goals with the performance. 

---

NEWS 4/19/25 9:12am

Elon University School of Communications to launch new major in fall 2025

By Nia Bedard

Elon University School of Communications has announced the addition of a new major to its curriculum — digital content management. The last time the School of Communications introduced any new majors was in 2015 with the establishment of cinema and television arts, communication design and media analytics. The announcement of the new digital content management major comes after a 17% decline in enrollment at the School of Communications since 2021. Dean of the School of Communications Kenn Gaither said adding this major will hopefully increase the total enrollment of the school. 

---

NEWS 4/18/25 10:33pm

Elon University's American Association of University Professors hosts Day of Action

By Charlotte Pfabe

For nearly eight hours, Elon University professors across disciplines presented teach-in sessions at Belk Outdoor Theater on April 17 as a part of a nationwide Day of Action, organized by the American Association of University Professors. A national AAUP event, the Day of Action aimed to bring attention to recent executive orders and actions targeting higher education. Professors taught lessons every 30 minutes. With 14 sessions total, the sessions focused on topics such as immigration rights, Project 2025, campus activism and more, but all returned to the same overarching theme of the impact of recent executive orders on higher education. 

---

NEWS 4/18/25 2:41pm

Behavioral Center to open inpatient wing departments for security

By Avery Sloan

Despite Alamance County’s Behavioral Health Center opening its doors June 19, it is still waiting on a license from the federal government to open its 24/7 inpatient care wing, according to Donald Reuss, vice president of behavioral health and intellectual/developmental disability network operations at Vaya Health. The behavioral health center was created in partnership with Vaya Health, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and RHA Health Services. The goal of this center is to provide people with mental health and substance abuse issues a place they can seek treatment.

---

SPORTS 4/18/25 10:13am

$6.6 billion bet in first year of legalized sports betting in North Carolina

By Miles Hayford

It’s been 13 months since sports betting was legalized in North Carolina, and the inaugural year was a success for the state and betting operators but led to an increase in gambling addiction. A total of $6.6 billion in bets were placed in the first year, with players winning more than $5.85 billion. The eight authorized sports betting operators — Underdog Sports Wagering, BETMGM, ESPN Bet, Draft Kings, bet365, Fanatics Sportsbook, FanDuel Sportsbook and Tribal Casino Gaming Enterprise — made more than $713 million in the first year and the state received $128 million in tax revenue.

---

LIFESTYLE 4/17/25 1:41pm

Elon University’s lack of religious exemption for Easter Monday sparks concern among students

By Rachel Holley

Some students expressed disappointment that Easter Monday is not a religiously exempt holiday. Last year, the last day of Spring Break was on Easter, but for at least the past five years before that, Elon University had Easter Monday off. Easter Sunday, also known as resurrection Sunday, is a Christian Holiday that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. More than 40% of students at Elon identify with Christian denominations that celebrate Easter, according to Elon’s spring 2025 Registrar’s Report. Because Elon University is holding classes on Easter Monday, some students said they can't spend the holiday with her families.

---

NEWS 4/17/25 11:18am

Elon launches neuroscience major for fall 2025

By Anjolina Fantaroni

Elon University will launch new Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degree programs in neuroscience beginning in fall 2025, in line with the university’s commitment to science, technology, education and mathematics education in its Boldly Elon strategic plan. The new major — housed in Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences — will build on the success of Elon’s existing neuroscience minor. Roughly 180 students are working toward completing the neuroscience minor, which started in 2009, according to coordinator of the neuroscience minor and professor of exercise science, Matt Wittstein. 

---

NEWS 4/17/25 10:26am

Internal candidate selected as next dean of students at Elon University after confidential search

By Avery Sloan

Whitney Gregory will serve as Elon’s next dean of students following a confidential candidate search. This was announced to faculty and staff in an email from Jon Dooley, vice president of student life, on April 17. Gregory, the current assistant dean of students, will step into her new role this summer, after current dean of students, Jana Lynn Patterson, begins her new role as the associate vice president and dean of student health and well-being. Patterson has worked at Elon for 39 years and will retire in 2026, after serving in a new capacity. 

---

NEWS 4/17/25 9:39am

Elon Law graduate appointed as district court judge

By Kate Gray

Last fall, Judge William Solomon of the North Carolina 8th District Court retired, leaving a vacancy in the position to complete his term through 2026. On March 31, Stein announced Elon Law alumnus Tia Hudgins Taylor’s appointment to the position, describing her as an “exceptional” and “dedicated” attorney. Taylor worked as an assistant attorney in criminal law for the North Carolina 8th District Court, which includes Edgecombe, Nash and Wilson counties. She also spent time in private practice covering real estate, estate planning, civil matters, family law and juvenile law. 

---

NEWS 4/16/25 7:54pm

American Association of University Professors to hold Day of Action at Elon University

By Charlotte Pfabe

Elon University’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors plans to hold a Day of Action at the Belk Outdoor Theater on Thursday, April 17 to bring attention to recent executive orders targeting higher education. From 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Elon’s AAUP will present “teach-in” sessions every 30 minutes, taught by professors from various departments, including art history, philosophy, peace and conflict studies, and more. The Day of Action is a national AAUP event with universities across the U.S. participating. In North Carolina, there are five universities hosting events related to the Day of Action.

---

NEWS 4/16/25 9:09am

Contested ballots threaten to overturn North Carolina Supreme Court election

By Miles Hayford

North Carolinians are still talking about who might win in the race for the highest state court. North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Allison Riggs, a Democrat, was elected in November 2024, but her seat is still being contested by her opponent in the 2024 election, Republican Jefferson Griffin, after Riggs won by 734 votes after two recounts. Griffin challenged the ballots in November and claimed that 65,782 ballots should not be included in the election results because they failed to follow state law. This is the only statewide race from the November 2024 election that remains uncertified.

---

SPORTS 4/15/25 7:41pm

Elon University men’s basketball lands two transfer guards

By Miles Hayford

After losing two of its best offensive players in TK and TJ Simpkins to the transfer portal, Elon University men’s basketball has finally made its first move in the portal. Bryson Cokley, a transfer from George Mason University and Randall Petus II, who played at Northern Kentucky University last year. Acquiring guard play was a crucial need for the Phoenix as it lost two of their best guards in the Simpkins brothers and potentially losing sophomore Nick Dorn who has also recently entered the transfer portal. 

---

NEWS 4/15/25 6:08pm

Elon University organization holds peaceful walk around campus

By Trista Panagakos

The Students for Peace and Justice organization held a peaceful protest walk outside Moseley Student Center on Young Commons on the morning of April 15. According to event attendees, Together We Walk for Peace and Justice was an event held for students to join in the fight against oppression around the world. Many of the attendees came to the event with their own signs about a number of issues including transgender rights, Palestinian freedom and free speech. There was no chanting during the walk, but members spoke among themselves about the signs they were holding and why they were walking.

---