News

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NEWS 12/9/25 2:10pm

Elon University establishes Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

By Miles Hayford

Elon University is launching a new Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program starting in the fall of 2026. Students will have the option to choose between taking the program either at Elon’s main campus or at the university’s Charlotte campus. The program will have a hybrid model where students complete their first year of coursework in person and then complete online coursework while they have in-person clinical placements in the second year. The second year will include a 600-hour internship requirement. It will be a 60-credit program.

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NEWS 12/3/25 10:52pm

Elon University fire alarm system running following fiber optic line cut

By Nia Bedard

Elon University’s fire alarm system is back to normal and will alert authorities if a fire alarm goes off following the cut of a fiber optic line in Greensboro, according to an E-alert sent around 10:22 p.m. Dec. 3. Elon Campus Safety and Police sent an E-alert in the morning on Dec. 3 after the fiber optic line was cut writing that the fire alarm systems may not alert authorities if they are activated. Elon University Chief of Campus Safety and Police Joe LeMire previously wrote in an email statement to Elon News Network on Dec. 3 that this cut was caused by construction in the area. 

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NEWS 12/3/25 1:31pm

Elon University fire alarm system may not alert authorities per E-alert

By Nia Bedard

Elon University fire alarm systems may not alert authorities if they are activated, according to an E-alert sent out around 1:00 p.m Dec. 3. The E-alert wrote that if a fire alarm goes off, evacuate the building and choose someone to call 911 once in a safe area. According to the E-alert, a fiber optic line was cut in Greensboro, which is the cause of issues with the alert system. A similar issue occurred on Nov. 18 when a fiber optic line in Greensboro was cut, causing issues with Elon University’s alarm system.

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NEWS 12/1/25 1:13pm

Elon’s Festival of Lights and Luminaries moved to Dec. 4

By Anjolina Fantaroni

Elon University’s annual Festival of Lights and Luminaries has been rescheduled for Thursday, Dec. 4, from 6:30 - 8 p.m. due to forecasted rain on Dec. 1 into the morning of Dec. 2. According to the National Weather Service, there is a 100% chance of precipitation in Alamance County on Dec. 2 with rain mainly before 11 a.m.Aside from the date change, all other aspects of the event will remain the same, according to an email from Vice President of Student Life Jon Dooley.

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NEWS 11/21/25 10:37am

Tiny home community for formerly incarcerated women breaks ground

By Fiona McAllister

Benevolence Farm in Graham will be the first tiny home community in North Carolina for formerly incarcerated women. These seven new tiny homes will house one person per unit. The Benevolence Farm goal is to cultivate leadership and promote sustainable livelihoods with individuals impacted by the criminal legal system in North Carolina, according to its website. “It is pretty surreal to see this tiny home groundbreaking ceremony happen today,” Executive Director of Benevolence Farm Kristen Powers said. “We just didn't know if this would even be possible.”

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NEWS 11/20/25 6:12pm

Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation hosts language revitalization conference, builds community

By Barbara Duran

Elon University’s department of Native American and Indigenous Studies held an Indigenous language revitalization conference in LaRose Commons on Nov. 20, filling the space with open discussion and community building. The conference was in partnership with the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation and led by assistant professor of Native American and Indigenous Studies and professor of the Yesa:sahį language revitalization course Corey Roberts. Chief of the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation Tony Hayes shared the significance language has for indigenous communities. “It identifies you as a person, it identifies your culture, it identifies traditions,” Hayes said. “And the language brings all of that together.”

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NEWS 11/20/25 8:07am

Elon officials warn students about ‘phishing’ cyber-scams

By Lily Mosbacher

A new survey from the Pew Research Center found that 73% of U.S. adults have experienced some kind of online scam or attack. On college campuses like Elon University, the threat of these scams, often called phishing, is increasingly prevalent, especially when it comes to targeting student emails. Gary Sheehan, director of Elon Information Security, said scammers have grown more convincing by using artificial intelligence to craft realistic-looking messages.  “Phishing scams are fake messages designed to trick you into giving away personal information, like your password, bank details, or student ID,” Sheehan wrote. “These attacks have become more common at Elon, and AI has made these attacks more dangerous.”

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NEWS 11/19/25 1:48pm

Alamance County Sheriff’s Office to stop housing ICE detainees amid new state law requirement

By Anjolina Fantaroni

The Alamance County Sheriff’s Office will stop housing those detained by  U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement effective Nov. 16, according Alamance County Sheriff Terry Johnson in a press release Nov. 19. According to the press release, Johnson sent a letter to ICE and said the decision comes from changes to state law taking effect Dec. 1. North Carolina House Bill 307, known as “Iryna’s Law,” tightens rules on pretrial release, electronic monitoring and detention of individuals charged with violent crimes. 

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NEWS 11/19/25 11:01am

Elon University fire alarm system repaired

By Nia Bedard

The fiber optic line that alerts the authorities if a fire alarm at Elon University goes off has been repaired, according to an E-alert sent out around 8:15 a.m. Nov. 19. According to Elon University Chief of Campus Safety Joe LeMire, the line had been cut in Greensboro on Nov. 18. According to an email statement from LeMire sent to Elon News Network the system is now up and running. Fiber lines can accidentally be cut for a few different reasons, LeMire said in a previous interview with Elon News Network, such as construction or severe weather.

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NEWS 11/19/25 9:08am

NC sheriffs must work more closely with ICE under new law

By Lilly Molina

House Bill 318 now requires North Carolina sheriffs to work more closely with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Originally vetoed by Gov. Josh Stein, the NC House of Representatives and Senate overrode the veto and the bill took into effect Oct. 1. The Criminal Illegal Alien Act requires sheriffs to contact ICE if a person without legal immigration status is to be charged with a felony, such as certain sexual offenses or DWI. It also requires local sheriffs to notify ICE two hours after the time they would normally be released. “It forces some sheriffs that didn’t want to work with ICE to have to work with ICE,” Alamance County Sheriff Terry Johnson said.

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NEWS 11/18/25 5:52pm

Elon University fire alarm system may not alert authorities per campus police

By Charlotte Pfabe

Elon University fire alarm systems may not alert authorities if they are activated, according to an E-alert sent out around 5:15 p.m Nov. 18. The E-alert wrote that if a fire alarm goes off, evacuate the building and choose someone to call 911 once in a safe area. According to the E-alert, a fiber optic line was cut in Greensboro, which may cause issues with the alert system. Elon Campus Safety and Police, who control E-alerts, wrote they will share an update once the issue is fixed. 

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NEWS 11/16/25 4:23pm

23 individuals arrested for crimes against children, including former Elon student

By Reagan Sizemore

The Alamance County Sheriff’s Office’s Invictus Task Force announced the arrest of 23 individuals after a two-week long operation they titled “Operation Ghost Wire.” The Invictus Task Force is a multi-agency task force that works to reduce internet crimes against children, sexual abuse, trafficking and the exploitation of children. The two-week operation combined cyber tip investigations and undercover chats, where officers posed as minors. Eighteen of the arrests were made in Alamance County. Fourteen of the 18 individuals arrested in Alamance County were residents of Alamance County.

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NEWS 11/14/25 2:39pm

Elon University anuncia la creación de una escuela privada para niños con dislexia

By Elon News Network

La presidenta de la Universidad de Elon, Connie Book, anunció que la Academia Roberts se incorporará al campus en otoño de 2026. La Academia Roberts será una escuela privada para niños con dislexia. Será la primera escuela privada en Carolina del Norte ubicada en un campus universitario y dedicada a atender a estudiantes con dislexia. La Academia Roberts abrirá sus puertas inicialmente en una sede provisional en West Trollinger Avenue, con admisión para niños de tercero y cuarto grado. Un nuevo edificio en East Haggard Avenue abrirá sus puertas en otoño de 2028, ampliando la matrícula para incluir a estudiantes de primero a sexto grado.

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NEWS 11/12/25 2:28pm

Future of athletics uncertain with Elon, Queens University merger

By Miles Hayford

Elon University’s planned merger with Queens University of Charlotte could have lasting impacts on the two schools’ Division I athletic programs. According to Travis Smith, a consultant for intercollegiate athletics at Higher Ed Consolidation Solutions, the NCAA will consider a number of factors. Smith said that the NCAA will look at whether the campuses have different registrar offices, financial aid offices and other distinguishing features beyond the distance between the two campuses. “There has to be a pretty blatant separation to justify having more than one athletic department,” Smith said.

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NEWS 11/11/25 9:08pm

Q&A: Retired Lieutenant General shares insights into the military world, his years of service

By Megan Walsh

As part of Veteran’s Day programming Nov. 11, Elon University hosted retired Lieutenant General Robert P. Ashley, Jr. for the second annual Carol Ann Walker International Lectureship as a part of this year’s speaker series. Ashley spent his career as an intelligence officer for the United States Army and served in the highest level of United States national security. His service includes tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Ashley’s final assignment was as director of the Defense Intelligence Agency where he directly reported to the secretary of defense and the under secretary of defense for intelligence and security. 

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NEWS 11/6/25 3:02pm

Elon University announces establishment of private school for children with dyslexia

By Charlotte Pfabe and Anjolina Fantaroni

Elon University President Connie Book announced that Elon will welcome the Roberts Academy at Elon University to campus in fall 2026. The Roberts Academy will be a private school for children with dyslexia. It will be the first private school in North Carolina located on a university campus and dedicated to serving students with dyslexia. The Roberts Academy will open in a temporary location on West Trollinger Avenue, enrolling children in third and fourth grades. A new facility on East Haggard Avenue is set to open in fall 2028, expanding enrollment to include students in first through sixth grades. 

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NEWS 11/6/25 2:17pm

Mental Health First Aid training aims to build compassion, awareness at Elon

By Lily Mosbacher

As new research from Boston University’s Healthy Minds Study shows signs of improvement in college student mental health, with rates of severe depression and suicidal ideation dropping in the past year, universities like Elon University are continuing to expand their efforts to promote student well-being. At Elon, students and staff can participate in Mental Health First Aid training, a program offered through the National Council on Mental Wellbeing. The course teaches participants how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among peers and colleagues.

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NEWS 11/6/25 9:45am

Q&A: SGA vice president of finance prepares for quarter 3 funding

By Fiona McAllister

As Elon’s Student Government Association’s quarter three funding requests are due 11:59 p.m. Nov. 7, SGA’s Vice President of Finance Ian Brecker said student organizations getting their budget requests in earlier will help both himself and SGA’s finance board when it comes to making decisions. "We try to say, get them in early, and I’ll be more than happy to review it. And you can even, I even offer this to everyone, any org., any exec. member, to come to our office hours, my office hours and I could walk through with you, 'Is this descriptive enough? Is this good enough?'” Brecker said.

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NEWS 11/1/25 1:28pm

City of Graham's Bill Cooke Park to expand nature trail

By Fiona McAllister

The City of Graham received a Parks and Recreation Trust Fund grant totaling $307,725 to support the expansion of Bill Cooke Park. North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein announced that more than $8.7 million in PARTF grants were awarded to 22 North Carolina parks and recreation projects. “We’ll take a larger look at what the property could hold, and again, a deeper look at what the community may want,” Recreation and Parks Director for the City of Graham Brian Faucette said.

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NEWS 10/30/25 8:48pm

Former US Secretary of the Interior shares wisdom, hope with Elon University students

By Virginia Vance

Sally Jewell, the 51st U.S. secretary of the interior, spoke to the Elon University community about her life experiences, ethical business practices and how she navigated opposing interests during her time in government. During her speech, Jewell mentioned that a recurring theme throughout her life was finding common ground. “Success looks like bringing people together around a table as human beings with very different interests and giving them an opportunity to get to know each other as human beings, because there is always common ground,” Jewell said.

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