Letters to the Editor

SPORTS 1/23/26 12:05pm

Elon University men’s basketball loses back-and-forth match vs. Towson

By Sam Weiss

In a battle of power, all that matters is the end result. For Elon’s men’s basketball team, that result was a loss against the Towson Tigers. Elon fought until the very end, but came up short, losing a physical game 59-72 Jan. 22 at Schar Center. Elon started the game locked on defense, forcing a turnover on the first possession. They then scored the first bucket of the game on a layup by graduate student Chandler Cuthrell. This combination of defensive pressure into points on the board would continue for Elon, as they were able to open the game 13-9 in the first 10 minutes. After a quick exchange of points by both teams, Elon would see its 4-point lead evaporate as Towson scored 11 unanswered to take a 22-15 lead over the Phoenix.

NEWS 1/22/26 8:14pm

Elon University prepares for winter storm to bring snow, ice to North Carolina

By Mackenzie Cruz

Alamance County is under a winter storm watch from Jan. 24 to Jan. 26. The National Weather Service put the watch into effect on Jan. 21 for Alamance County along with many other counties in central North Carolina and Virginia. Mixed precipitation is expected; snow, sleet, and/or freezing rain are possible. On Jan. 21, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm. He suggested people stock up on supplies, stay off the roads if they can and be prepared for power outages. The North Carolina Department of Transportation has begun salting roads, overpasses and bridges.

LIFESTYLE 1/21/26 7:31pm

Upcoming Elon Performing Arts production tells story of life, love

By Karsyn Vann

Audiences will step into a bohemian lifestyle when the curtain rises in Elon University’s upcoming production of “Rent,” the winter musical of the 2025-26 season. “Rent” is a rock musical written by Jonathan Larson, chronicling the lives of struggling artists in New York City in the early ’90s during the height of the AIDS epidemic. The show will run in McCrary Theatre from Feb. 13 to Feb. 15.  

NEWS 1/21/26 11:46am

Elon University, AAC&U finds college faculty fear AI overreliance

By Miles Hayford

A new survey conducted by Elon University’s Imagining the Digital Future Center and the American Association of Colleges and Universities found that 95% of college faculty fear that generative artificial intelligence will increase student overreliance on AI. The study also discovered that large majorities of faculty believe that AI will diminish critical thinking while decreasing attention spans.

NEWS 1/20/26 9:16pm

Invictus Project educates Alamance County on child exploitation

By Anjolina Fantaroni

The ‘It’s Time to Talk’ event hosted by the Invictus Project, a nonprofit that fights child sexual exploitation, began with a prayer from Pastor Josh Gresham at Trailhead Church in Graham on Jan. 20. Ray Dawson, founder of the Invictus Project, addressed attendees and said the event would cover heavy topics. “You need to hear because this is the truth,” Dawson said to the crowd. “This is what our children are up against.”

LIFESTYLE 1/20/26 1:57pm

Hundreds gather in Burlington for annual MLK Day celebration

By Abigail Hines

Dancers, singers, and guest speakers took the stage at the City of Burlington’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration Jan. 19. The event took place in the Mayco Bigelow Community Center and welcomed around 450 people. Recreation Center Supervisor for the North Park, Zion Cash, helped coordinate the day’s program. He said the main message from the day was unity, keeping the hope alive and knowing the work’s not done. 

NEWS 1/19/26 9:32pm

Buddhist Monks walk for peace, compassion on 2,300-mile journey

By Abby Gravely

The monks began their walk for peace on Oct. 26 in Fort Worth, Texas, and reached the Piedmont Triad at 10:30 a.m. Jan. 19. The journey, which covers nine states and ends in Washington, D.C., is a demonstration to encourage peace, loving kindness and compassion. Each day of their walk, the monks stop to deliver peace talks to crowds that have grown from small gatherings to ones like High Point —a standing-room-only baseball stadium. Spiritual leader of the walk, Bhikkhu Pannakara, said he never expected crowds as big as the one that filled the stadium for their midday talks.

NEWS 1/17/26 5:57pm

Elon seeks ABA approval for new, full-time law program in Charlotte

By Sarah T. Moore and Anjolina Fantaroni

Elon University is seeking approval from the American Bar Association to establish a new full-time law program in Charlotte, according to Elon University President Connie Book’s email to students Jan. 13. According to Book, the university plans for the upcoming program to begin in fall 2027. According to a press release, Elon Law plans to operate both law programs from the Queens University of Charlotte campus.

LIFESTYLE 1/15/26 12:25pm

Elon Community Church pastor retires after nearly 15 years

By Anjolina Fantaroni

Former Elon Community Church pastor Randy Orwig said he once thought he would spend the rest of his pastoral career at a church in St. Louis. However, things did not go as expected. That experience led him to worship at Elon Community Church in 1992, the first United Church of Christ congregation he had ever attended. In 2011, he assumed the pastor role. He has served as pastor of Elon Community Church for nearly 15 years. At the start of 2026, his time as pastor officially came to an end, after he notified the United Church of Christ congregation by letter in July. 

LIFESTYLE 1/15/26 12:15am

Annual Elon Cares cabaret raises money for HIV/AIDS relief

By Evan Cooper

The Elon University performing arts students hosted their 19th annual benefit cabaret, Elon Cares, on Jan. 14 in Yeager Recital Hall. The cabaret was in support of the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS charity. The event organizers aimed to raise $2,000 for the charity, and reached their goal before the second show began. Sophomore Laird Stearns, who is on the Elon Cares artistic board of directors and a performer in the show, said that as of 10:30 p.m. they estimated the event had raised $2,300.

NEWS 1/13/26 10:32am

Elon University announces plans for full-time law program in Charlotte

By Sarah T. Moore and Anjolina Fantaroni

Elon University is seeking approval from the American Bar Association to establish a new full-time law program in Charlotte, according to Elon University President Connie Book’s email to students Jan. 13. According to Book, the university plans for the upcoming program to begin in fall 2027. According to a press release, Elon Law plans to operate both law programs from the Queens University of Charlotte campus.

SPORTS 1/12/26 8:56am

Elon University’s star quarterback transfers to Louisiana State University

By Kathan Gandhi

Elon’s starting quarterback Landen Clark is transferring to Louisiana State University, commonly known as LSU. Clark announced his decision on social media Jan. 11, ending a recruiting battle among multiple Power Four programs, commonly considered the toughest conferences in college football. Clark was named the Coastal Athletic Association Co-Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2025. In his first full season as a starter, he emerged as one of the conference’s premier dual-threat quarterbacks, passing for 2,231 yards and 18 touchdowns while rushing for 11 more. 

LIFESTYLE 1/11/26 5:55pm

Elon University winter play explores connections between ‘Love and Information’

By Megan Walsh

Featuring more than 50 short scenes, Elon University’s winter play explores the concepts of technology and how it impacts human relationships. The show, titled “Love and Information,” will have 10 performances in Roberts Studio Theatre in Scott Studios from Jan. 17 to Feb. 1. Director and professor of the performing arts Kirby Wahl said the show holds true to its name, focusing on the connections between love and information across different contexts. 

LIFESTYLE 1/11/26 1:01pm

Shuffle N Roll game nights welcome newcomers, regulars

By Cassie Weymouth

Shuffle N Roll, a tabletop game store in Mebane, hosts a game night every Thursday at 6 p.m. and every Saturday at 7 p.m. for all game players, but particularly for “Magic: The Gathering” lovers. “Magic: The Gathering” is a collectible trading card game where players “duel” using their customized card decks. The store, opened by owner Austin Smith, has been a longtime dream of his. This game night has filled a space in Mebane where people can gather and connect to those with shared interests. “I started Mebane game nights just for something to do in Mebane,” Smith said. “I didn't like having to drive 15 to 20 minutes out to go somewhere. And then, just because of how it grew, I figured I was able to do it with my personal timeline.” 

SPORTS 1/10/26 11:17pm

Elon University men’s basketball completes comeback in Saturday night thriller

By Miles Hayford

A euphoric cheer. Earbursting levels of crowd noise. A steady flow of “defense!” chants. Those were some of the scenes in Schar Center on Jan. 10 a minute before the ending of an absolute thriller for the Elon University men’s basketball team. In the team’s first home game since winter break, 1,743 fans were in attendance delivering a powerful home court advantage as Elon won 83-82. Head coach Billy Taylor said he was happy with the team’s resilience.

LIFESTYLE 1/9/26 8:12am

Buried in Elon: Story of early international student resurfaces

By Lilly Molina

Elon University recently renamed Global Commons to Sato Commons after Toshio Sato, the first international student to graduate from Elon in 1920. However, Sato wasn’t the only international student attending Elon at the time. There was also 35-year-old Modesto Lopez from Spain. “Mr. Lopez had not learned to speak English, so we could not know him well, but his ambition and efforts were worthy and commendable,” Elon Archivist and Assistant Librarian Randall Bowman read an excerpt from the Christian Sun, a newspaper of the church Elon had been affiliated with before the university became a multifaith campus.  

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NEWS 02/01/2026 3:01pm
Elon University to cancel Feb. 2 classes, close offices

In-person meetings for undergraduate and graduate classes on Feb. 2 are canceled, Vice President for Student Life Jon Dooley announced in an email Feb. 1. The cancellation comes after a winter storm on Jan. 31 that swept across the state. According to Dooley’s email to the campus community, the nearby area received anywhere from 7-12 inches of snow.

NEWS 02/01/2026 1:20pm
ABSS to have Remote Learning Day Feb. 2

The Alamance-Burlington School System announced Feb. 1 that all facilities and schools will be closed Feb. 2, and that students and staff will participate in a Remote Learning Day. The decision comes after a winter storm that swept across North Carolina on Jan. 31.

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