Hurricane Florence Coverage

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SPORTS 4/24/25 7:57pm

Elon University men’s basketball star transfers to Indiana University

By Miles Hayford

Elon men’s basketball’s star sophomore Nick Dorn is transferring to Indiana University, he announced on social media on April 24. Dorn was instrumental for the Phoenix these past two years as he made the CAA All-Rookie Team after a stellar freshman year that saw four CAA Rookie of the Week awards. This past season he was second on the team in points per game with an average of 15.2 and also had 3.8 rebounds per game. He was lights out from beyond the arc, leading the team in 3-pointers attempted and in 3-pointers made with 74. 

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LIFESTYLE 4/24/25 9:35am

Elon Community Church to host Denim Day fashion show fundraiser to support survivors of sexual violence

By Liya Rike

CrossRoads Sexual Assault Response and Resource Center is partnering with Elon Community Church to host the nonprofit’s first-ever Denim Day Dinner and Fashion Show — a new fundraising event that combines fashion, food and advocacy to raise awareness about sexual violence and victim blaming. Set to take place April 30 in the church’s Community Life Center, the event will honor Denim Day — a global observance rooted in protest against a 1998 Italian court ruling that overturned a rape conviction because the survivor had been wearing tight jeans.

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LIFESTYLE 4/23/25 11:14pm

Environmentalist, author urges climate action, encourages teamwork at Elon University

By Matthew Vaughn

The cost of solar and wind energy decreased by 90% over the last decade, so price is no longer a factor when it comes to renewable energy in today’s world, according to environmentalist Bill McKibben. McKibben, an author of 18 books on climate change, gave Elon University’s Earth Week keynote address April 23.  A couple hundred attendees filled Alumni Gym. McKibben said that since June 2023, every month has been the hottest of its kind. Last year, 14 months in a row saw record high temperatures according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.  

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LIFESTYLE 4/23/25 4:12pm

Truitt Center prepares to celebrate festival of color

By Megan Walsh

Preparations are well underway to celebrate Holi, the festival of color, for Elon’s Truitt Center — even though it’s almost a month past the actual Hindu holiday. The Truitt Center will host a Holi Celebration on April 25, after rescheduling from an original date of April 11, with color throwing, food, kite flying and a chance to learn something new about Hindu culture. Holi, pronounced ho-lee, is a Hindu celebration meant to mark the end of winter and arrival of spring with a festival full of color.

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NEWS 4/23/25 1:36pm

Hundreds of university leaders sign statement condemning Trump administration's 'overreach'; Elon University not included

By Avery Sloan

The American Association of Colleges and Universities released “A Call for Constructive Engagement” on April 22. This was released by university presidents across the U.S. in response to the “unprecedented government overreach and political interference now endangering American higher education.” The statement calls for “constructive engagement that improves our institutions and serves our republic.” As of noon April 23, 320 university and college presidents have signed on — Elon University has not. The AACU is continuing to accept signatures from current leaders of colleges, universities and scholarly societies.

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LIFESTYLE 4/23/25 1:14pm

Maker Hub prepares to take over Moseley Center with over 40 student projects

By Virginia Vance

The staff of Elon University’s Maker Hub are preparing to make creativity come to life at the upcoming Maker Takeover. Maker Takeover has occurred for the past six years and centers around displays of projects made at the Maker Hub throughout the year. The Maker Hub has tools such as 3D printers, sewing machines, laser engraving and tools for creating electronic projects; the Maker Takeover features projects in any of these categories. This year’s takeover takes place April 30 and advertises over 40 student projects, as well as an escape room, stations for crafts and a presentation about chainmail.

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NEWS 4/23/25 9:47am

Professors, students feel ramifications of federal grant terminations

By Avery Sloan

Many researchers, including Elon professor of art history Evan Gatti, had to find out through an email that their federal grant — which many were relying on to support their dreams — had been revoked. The NEH terminated over 1,000 grants and sent termination notices to 65% of its employees, both of which came about a month after President Donald Trump forced out the head of the NEH. The firings and cuts are in line with Trump’s executive order from Feb. 11, which directed the Department of Government Efficiency to eliminate “waste, bloat and insularity” in the federal government. 

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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.

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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.

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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. 

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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.”

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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. 

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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. 

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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. 

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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.

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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.

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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.

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