Miles Hayford

News Editor

Miles Hayford '27 is a Communications Fellow studying journalism with a minor in sport management. Hayford currently serves as the news editor and previously served as the sports editor and politics editor. Hayford has an interest in all areas of journalism, but is especially passionate about sports journalism and political reporting. Find his best work on his portfolio.

Recent Articles

NEWS 4/24/26 3:25pm

Meet Elon University’s 2026 Lumen Prize winners

By Miles Hayford

Fifteen students have been selected to receive $20,000 to support their mentored research and projects for the next two years as a part of the Lumen Prize. The 2026 Lumen Scholar winners will work closely with their mentors on their projects during their junior and senior years.

NEWS 4/19/26 8:49pm

NC Republican senators contend for top job after senate leader’s primary loss

By Miles Hayford

With North Carolina Senate leader Phil Berger conceding his primary against Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page, the political structure of North Carolina has been flipped on its head and several Republican senators are putting their names up for consideration to be the next Senate leader. The Senate leader is often seen as the most powerful position in North Carolina state government and Berger has exerted great influence over his 26 years in the senate and his 15 years as the leader of the Republican senate caucus.

NEWS 4/19/26 3:44pm

Elon University announces 2026 Lumen Scholar winners

By Miles Hayford

Fifteen students have been granted $20,000 to support their mentored research and projects for the next two years after the Lumen Advisory Committee announced Elon University’s 2026 Lumen Scholar winners. Director of the Lumen Prize Michael Carignan said the committee had to make very difficult decisions because there were many strong proposals submitted this year.

NEWS 4/17/26 5:48pm

Elon University physics major explores connection between quantum, classical physics in SURF project

By Miles Hayford

Junior Muhammad Awal Tahiru’s project for this year’s Student Undergraduate Research Forum is focusing on how small-scale things move and how to bridge together quantum physics and classical physics. Classical physics deals with the predictable behavior of human-scale objects; whereas, quantum physics deals with probabilities of the smaller, atomic world of particles. These two types don’t always fit together, according to chair of the department of physics and astronomy Martin Kamela, who served as Tahiru’s research mentor.

NEWS 4/1/26 5:36pm

Elon Poll finds 35% of North Carolinians approve of President Trump, over 50% oppose Iran conflict

By Miles Hayford

An Elon University poll, published April 1, found that 35% of North Carolinians approve of President Donald Trump, while 51% oppose the current U.S. military involvement in Iran. Director of the Elon Poll Jason Husser said the poll focused on big picture questions related to approval rating of the Trump Administration, the economy and current events like the war in Iran and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Husser said that they did not find broad support for escalation of the conflict in Iran.

NEWS 3/10/26 4:41pm

Elon University receives ‘A’ in ADL report card for 3rd straight year

By Anjolina Fantaroni and Miles Hayford

The Anti-Defamation League released its third Campus Antisemitism Report Card, assessing 150 colleges across criteria concerning administrative policies, Jewish life on campus and campus conduct and climate concerns. Elon University received an “A” for the third straight year, joining 22 other schools nationwide that earned the top grade. Duke University, Wake Forest University, and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, all earned “B’s.” North Carolina State University received a “D”, one of eight across the nation to receive that grade.

LIFESTYLE 3/9/26 9:25am

Friends of the Alamance County Public Libraries host spring book sale

By Miles Hayford

Readers across Alamance County are filling up the basement of May Memorial Library in Burlington as the Friends of the Alamance County Public Libraries host their spring book sale. The sale began on March 6 and runs through March 15, selling books, DVDs, CDs and vinyl records. Volunteer Beth Cooley said the energy is different in the first few days of the sale. 

NEWS 3/4/26 3:56pm

Elon University chief of police set to retire in April

By Miles Hayford

After five years as Elon University’s Chief of Police, Joe LeMire will retire April 3, according to an email sent to faculty and staff by Vice President for Finance and Administration Janet Williams. In an interview with Elon News Network, LeMire said that after 33 years in law enforcement work spanning across three states, it was time to take a step back from that world. He said it was time to turn things over to others who are working their way up. He also said that after 30 years, always dealing with people at the worst moments in their lives can be difficult.

NEWS 3/4/26 12:11am

November elections loom as primary races end

By Miles Hayford

As the 2026 primary elections come to an end in North Carolina, eyes are turning towards November. But for many races, the primary elections are the determining factor in the race, according to Elon University political science professor Jason Husser.

NEWS 3/2/26 10:05pm

Candidates for dean of Student Health and Well-Being present in front of Elon community

By Miles Hayford

Candidates for the next dean of Student Health and Well-Being at Elon University presented in front of the Elon community in recent weeks as part of the selection process. The position is currently held by Jana Lynn Patterson, who is retiring in fall 2026 after 40 years at Elon University. The dean will lead the HealthEU Initiative and the Boldly Elon strategic plan, while supervising departments like Counseling Services and Student Health Services. They will also manage the new 135,000 square foot HealthEU building, set to open in fall 2026. 

NEWS 2/23/26 5:28pm

Elon University enrollment drops below 6,000 for first time since 2018

By Miles Hayford and Abby Gravely

Elon University’s undergraduate enrollment has dipped below 6,000 students for the first time since spring 2018, according to the Spring Registrar’s Report released Feb. 23. This decrease comes after an 11.6% drop in enrollment for the class of 2029. Part of this pattern can be attributed to the “demographic cliff,” the decreasing supply of college students from a falling national birth rate that began in 2007. The total undergraduate enrollment of 5,974 is a decrease from the 6,226 students the university reported in the spring of 2025. It’s also roughly 200 fewer students than the 6,191 reported in fall 2025. Though overall student numbers dropped, there was also an increase of 523 seniors, compared to the fall report.

NEWS 2/20/26 11:30am

State Senate primary threatens to topple North Carolina’s political hierarchy

By Miles Hayford

Over his 26 years in the North Carolina State Senate, Sen. Phil Berger has carved out significant influence, and since becoming the Senate leader in 2011, he has been one of the most powerful political players in the state. But Berger’s grip on the state’s Republican Party is now at risk of tumbling away due to a popular, cowboy hat-wearing sheriff from Rockingham County. Sam Page, who has been the sheriff of Rockingham County since 1998, is running against Berger for State Senate District 26, which includes Rockingham County and parts of Guilford County.

LIFESTYLE 2/13/26 10:17am

La memoria de las víctimas de linchamientos en el condado de Alamance permanece viva mientras una coalición educa a la comunidad

By Miles Hayford

La Alamance County Community Remembrance Coalition trabaja para educar a la comunidad local sobre las tres víctimas documentadas de linchamientos en el condado de Alamance: Wyatt Outlaw, William Puryear y John Jeffries. Loy Campbell, integrante de la coalición, dijo que entender cómo llegamos hasta aquí es esencial para encontrar una forma de vivir en una sociedad libre del terror racial.

More Articles by Miles Hayford »

Recent Media

Hayford_Soil.jpg
ElonFBDline.JPG
ElonFBRunout.JPG
ElonHuddle.JPG
Hayford_Thomas4.28.25.jpg
Hayford_Thomas3.28.25.jpg
Hayford_Thomas2.28.25.jpg
Hayford_Thomas_8.28.25.jpg
Hayford_DukeElonRunOut.28.25.jpg

More Media by Miles Hayford »

Latest

NEWS 04/29/2026 5:14pm
Fire code violations strain university, town relations

The town of Elon and Elon university are mending relationships and working on more effective communication following a dispute that prompted Elon University to halt all payments to the town. The rollout of a new fire inspection process revealed code violations, which the university had not addressed.

NEWS 04/29/2026 11:06am
Elon alums share first-hand reactions to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting

Investigators are still working to determine the motive behind the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday evening. There were over 2,000 people at the dinner, including Elon alums. Seated on the ground level, Annemarie Bonner ‘23 said she first wasn’t sure what she had heard, but when she realized it was gunshots, the night turned into her worst nightmare. 

Advertisement