Lifestyle

---

LIFESTYLE 1/28/26 9:43pm

Photo gallery: Elon University sorority bid day 2026

By Elon News Network

Loy Center was filled with enthusiasm as potential new sorority members "ran home" for bid day on Jan. 28. Bid day is the final day of Panhellenic recruitment, also known as rush, when potential new members, or PNMs, are formally invited to join a specific sorority chapter.

---

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.  

---

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. 

---

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.

---

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.” 

---

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.  

---

LIFESTYLE 12/20/25 12:27pm

Local healthcare clinic provides lifeline to uninsured Alamance County residents

By Miles Hayford

Alamance County resident Valerie Epperson said she doesn’t think she would be alive right now if it were not for the Open Door Clinic of Alamance County, a clinic that provides free healthcare to people who do not have insurance. “When I first started, my diabetes were out of control, and I was just eating anything I wanted. It’s like, I just didn’t care,” Epperson said. “When you have someone there to help you, it keeps your mind open all the time about, ‘Hey, you need to do this. You need to stop doing this.’”

---

LIFESTYLE 1/8/26 10:35pm

‘Dr. King was a flawed individual in some ways,’ Kwame Anthony Appiah shares civil rights wisdom

By Anjolina Fantaroni

Kwame Anthony Appiah, a philosopher and political ethicist, spoke to the Elon University community about civil rights, race and their connection to ethics and politics. “We have a history of imperfect equality for people, different income levels, different classes,” Appiah said in the interview. Appiah said people can be enormously and positively important for questions of political justice and still be flawed. “Dr. King was a flawed individual in some ways, as we all know, we're all flawed,” Appiah said. “Nobody's perfect, and I think it's good to be able to recognize and celebrate someone for the things that are great about them, while acknowledging things that are not so great.”

---

LIFESTYLE 1/8/26 8:03pm

Asheboro High School’s drone soccer team helps students build skills in leadership, engineering

By Alice Morrissey

Anthony Woodyard, chief information officer for Asheboro City Schools, was searching for a new program to bring to the high school — something hands-on, academic-driven and fun. While exploring potential options he heard about an organization that pushed him in an unexpected direction, introducing an entirely different opportunity — drone soccer. “It was just a passing comment, but I immediately keyed in on it and wrote it down,” Woodyard said. “I did a little research on U.S. Drone Soccer and knew it was something we had to bring to our city schools.” Asheboro often ranks high on national leaderboards and currently sits at No. 26  as of January 2026.

---

LIFESTYLE 1/9/26 8:11am

Enterrado en Elon: La historia de unos de los primeros estudiantes internacionales resurge

By Lilly Molina

La Universidad de Elon renombró recientemente el edificio Global Commons como Sato Commons en honor a Toshio Sato, el primer estudiante internacional en graduarse de Elon en 1920. Sin embargo, Sato no era el único estudiante internacional que asistía a Elon en ese entonces. También estaba Modesto López, de 35 años, originario de España. "El Sr. López no había aprendido a hablar inglés, por lo que no pudimos conocerlo bien, pero su ambición y esfuerzo fueron dignos de admiración", leyó Randall Bowman, archivista y bibliotecario auxiliar de Elon, un fragmento del Christian Sun, un periódico de la iglesia a la que Elon estaba afiliada antes de que la universidad se convirtiera en un campus multirreligioso.

---

LIFESTYLE 1/5/26 3:32pm

Fitting Futures: Sewing university, community engagement at Elon University

By Megan Walsh

From her first trip off campus with the Elon College Fellows Program, senior Brooke Gustafson, a theatrical design and technology, and arts administration double major knew she wanted to use her fellows research project to engage the university with the local community. “I realized then and there that there was a large bubble around Elon University that wasn't connecting with the community,” Gustafson said. That led Gustafson to create her research project, Fitting Futures, which aims to provide free clothing alterations to the local community and establish a model for other universities to replicate the program. 

---

LIFESTYLE 12/31/25 8:35am

The Blend Burlington celebra raíces hispanas y cultura

By Gaby Maldonado

Cuando Lucero Marti entró por primera vez a The Blend hace siete años, se enamoró al instante del lugar. "Le pedí a Dios: 'Me encantaría que este lugar fuera mío algún día'", contó Marti. Y gracias a su participación en el Club Rotario local, una organización humanitaria sin fines de lucro de alcance mundial, la conexión de Marti con The Blend se fortaleció. Los miembros del Club Rotario comenzaron a celebrar sus reuniones en la cafetería, lo que le dio la oportunidad de entablar una amistad con el antiguo dueño. Cuando este, tras casarse, se vio imposibilitado para seguir gestionando el negocio, le propuso a Marti que se hiciera cargo. Ese momento crucial marcó un nuevo comienzo, y ella se convirtió en la nueva propietaria el 2 de enero.

---

LIFESTYLE 12/31/25 8:34am

The Blend Burlington celebrates Hispanic roots, culture

By Gaby Maldonado

When Lucero Marti first walked into The Blend seven years ago, she quickly fell in love with the space. “I asked God, ‘I’d really love for this place to be mine one day,’” Marti said. And through her involvement with the local Rotary Club, a global nonprofit humanitarian organization, Marti’s connection to The Blend deepened. The Rotarians began holding their meetings at the shop, giving her the chance to build a friendship with the former owner. When the former owner found himself unable to continue running the business after getting married, he approached Marti about taking it over.

---

LIFESTYLE 12/27/25 9:06am

Not just a label: Elon University first-generation students get involved on campus

By Trista Panagakos

Elon senior Carlos Gomez Lopez was first introduced to Elon University in ninth grade, when his teachers encouraged him to apply for Elon Academy, a college access program offered to Alamance County high schoolers. Students stay on Elon’s campus for three weeks during the summer, living in residence halls, eating in dining halls and meeting members of Elon’s staff. Gomez Lopez said the program helped him become familiar with the school and was one of the reasons he chose to be a student at Elon. 

---

LIFESTYLE 12/22/25 2:52pm

United Way del Condado de Alamance brinda recursos para todas las comunidades

By Anjolina Fantaroni

Shereá Burnett lleva 10 años trabajando con United Way del condado de Alamance, redactando solicitudes de subvenciones y realizando trabajo voluntario. Desde hace poco más de un mes, ocupa el cargo de presidenta de la organización y ya tiene una visión de lo que depara el futuro. "Hemos tenido la oportunidad de colaborar de muchas maneras diferentes durante el último mes, y estamos planeando cosas maravillosas para 2026 que, creo, serán las primeras de su tipo en esta región", declaró Burnett.

---

LIFESTYLE 12/22/25 2:49pm

United Way of Alamance County provides resources for all communities

By Anjolina Fantaroni

Shereá Burnett has been working with United Way of Alamance County for 10 years, writing grant applications and volunteering. But for just over a month, she has served as the organization’s president and already has an idea of what the future holds. “We’ve had the opportunity to partner in a lot of different ways in the last month, and we’re planning some wonderful things for 2026 that I think will be the first time some of those things are done here,” Burnett said. 

---

LIFESTYLE 12/20/25 12:34pm

La clínica de atención médica local ofrece una ayuda vital a los residentes sin seguro del condado de Alamance

By Miles Hayford

Valerie Epperson, residente del condado de Alamance, afirmó que no cree que estaría viva si no fuera por la Clínica Open Door del condado de Alamance, una clínica que brinda atención médica gratuita a personas sin seguro médico. “Cuando empecé a ir a la clínica, mi diabetes estaba descontrolada y comía lo que quería. Simplemente no me importaba”, dijo Epperson. “Cuando tienes a alguien que te ayuda, te mantiene alerta y te recuerda constantemente: ‘Tienes que hacer esto. Tienes que dejar de hacer aquello’”.

---

LIFESTYLE 12/16/25 10:30am

Grief, loss support group provides comfort for Elon faculty, staff

By Kate Gray

Elon University associate chaplain Rev. Julie Tonnesen said loss and grief are universal emotions, but found that they can be difficult for faculty and staff to process while continuing their usual routines. “Even when we show up to work, that doesn’t mean that we get to put the rest of our lives on the back burner,” Tonnesen said. “Our grief comes with us. It’s not something we can just keep on a shelf at home.” In collaboration with Counseling Services, the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life, began offering a monthly group for faculty and staff to support those affected by loss. 

---