Nia Bedard

Managing Editor of ElonNewsNetwork.com

Nia Bedard '26 is pursuing a degree in journalism and a minor in psychology. Bedard currently serves as Managing Editor of ElonNewsNetwork.com. She has previously served as News Editor and Assistant Managing Editor of ElonNewsNetwork.com. She has a love for investigative long form reporting, data reporting and multimedia journalism. Find her best work on her portfolio.

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Recent Articles

NEWS 1/7/26 7:05pm

Mooney Building to close for rest of academic year due to renovations

By Nia Bedard

As Elon University begins Winter Term, students will see a change in the Historic Neighborhood. Mooney Building will be closing its doors starting Jan. 8 and will remain closed for the rest of the academic year and into the summer. The renovations, which will start on Jan. 14, will include replacing windows on the first and second floors, replacing the HVAC system and ductwork. Kohn also wrote that part of the renovations process will include consulting with an external professional engineer about gutters, building drainage and water intrusion.

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NEWS 1/6/26 3:01pm

ABSS announces district rezoning

By Nia Bedard

As students across the Alamance-Burlington School System head back to school after their Winter Break ended on Jan. 5, ABSS announced they would begin the rezoning process for the district on Jan. 6. “We are committed to handling this process with care and transparency,” Superintendent Aaron Fleming said in a statement from ABSS. “We are gathering community input before any zone options are even created because your voice matters in guiding these future decisions.” ABSS is currently conducting a survey, will hold listening sessions and is expected to complete the final rezoning plan is expected to be completed this spring.

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NEWS 1/2/26 5:49pm

New parking lot for freshmen students opens following delays

By Nia Bedard

As Winter Term approaches on Jan. 5, the new Gateway parking lot located at the Francis Center will be open for freshmen students starting Jan. 3. The project was originally announced in November 2023 and was supposed to open in fall 2024. The new parking lot’s opening was continuously delayed with the most recent announcement of a delay occurring in August 2025. According to an email sent from Chief of Elon Campus Safety and Police Joe LeMire to undergradua students on Jan. 2, students with a parking permit marked “FY” will be parking in Gateway and the eastern lot of the Danieley parking lot.

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NEWS 12/17/25 3:18pm

North Carolinians rate public schools poorly in new Elon Poll

By Nia Bedard

As K-12 students across North Carolina prepare for their winter break, the Elon University Poll released poll data on Dec. 17 finding that most North Carolinians gave mediocre or poor grades to public schools across the state. “The states have always had deep authority on education, but there has been more federal involvement in various years,” Director of the Elon University Poll Jason Husser said. “So we thought, well, this is the time for us to really look in depth about what do people think about North Carolina schools.”

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LIFESTYLE 12/14/25 11:03am

‘Hemos olvidado la conversación’: el VIH/SIDA todavía afecta al Sur a medida que disminuye la conciencia

By Nia Bedard

45 años después de los primeros casos de VIH/SIDA reportados en Estados Unidos, la lucha contra esta enfermedad está lejos de terminar, especialmente en el sur del país. Según los datos más recientes de los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades, el sur representó el 52% de todos los diagnósticos de VIH en Estados Unidos en 2023. "Sabemos que el VIH/SIDA ha afectado de manera desproporcionada a las personas de color y a las personas LGBTQ+ de color en este país", afirmó Jeff Bennett, profesor de estudios de comunicación en la Universidad de Vanderbilt. "Hay muchas personas que viven en zonas rurales, existe desconfianza hacia los profesionales de la salud y persiste el estigma social".

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LIFESTYLE 12/14/25 11:03am

‘We've forgotten about the conversation’: HIV/AIDS still hits the South as awareness fades

By Nia Bedard

45 years after the first reported cases of HIV/AIDS in the U.S., the fight against this disease is far from over, especially in the South. According to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the South accounted for 52% of all HIV diagnoses in the U.S. in 2023. "We know that HIV/AIDS has had a disproportionate effect on people of color or queer people of color in this country," Professor of communication studies at Vanderbilt University Jeff Bennett said. "You have many people living in rural areas. You might have distrust of medical providers, you have the social stigma.”

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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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SPORTS 12/3/25 12:27pm

Elon University quarterback plans to enter transfer portal

By Nia Bedard

After winning Co-Offensive Rookie of the Year for the Coastal Athletic Association, Elon University quarterback Landen Clark plans to enter the transfer portal, according to a statement made by his agent. This past season Clark, a redshirt freshman, threw for 2,321 yards and rushed for 614 yards. Clark scored 29 total touchdowns during the 2025 season. The transfer portal for college football opens on Jan. 2, 2026 and closes Jan. 16, 2026.

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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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LIFESTYLE 11/17/25 11:33pm

Vietnamese-American writer breaks down poetry’s role in society

By Nia Bedard

For poet, essayist and novelist Ocean Vuong, there is no right or wrong answer about what you should take away from his work. “The beauty of writing is that everything is open to interpretation, and I'm never an author who can sit here and says to a reader, ‘you got it wrong,’” Vuong said. Former member of the Liberal Arts Forum, Emerson Garon, pitched for Vuong to come to Elon after being a long-time fan of his work and wanting to share his work. “His work needs to be shared, he is just so inspirational,” Garon said.

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NEWS 11/4/25 10:55pm

Ossipee Town Council incumbents reelected

By Nia Bedard and Miles Hayford

Incumbents Jim McAdams and Richard Overman were reelected to Ossipee Town Council on Nov. 4. Overman received 14 votes and McAdams won 16 votes. Overman did not respond to Elon News Network’s request for comment. McAdams declined Elon News Network’s request for comment. 

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NEWS 11/4/25 10:08pm

Newcomer candidate secures most votes in Swepsonville Town Council election

By Nia Bedard

Following the Nov. 4 municipal elections, Lee Walls, John Andrews and Henry Carrouth will fill the open seats on the Swepsonville Town Council. First-time candidate Lee Walls secured 27.47% of the vote, the most out of any candidate for the Swepsonville race. Incumbent John Andrews followed close behind with 26.74% of the vote and former mayor Henry Carrouth received 25.64%. “There were some things that we had started on the council and that I really wanted to have an opportunity to be a part of finishing up,” Carrouth said.

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NEWS 10/16/25 4:36pm

Elon University Poll finds 39% of North Carolinians approve of President Donald Trump

By Nia Bedard

The Elon University Poll published its third report this month showcasing a steady decrease in Trump’s approval rating in North Carolina over time. This most recent poll found that 39% of North Carolinian adults surveyed currently approve of the job President Donald Trump has done so far. “When he has the level of control of Congress that he has right now, it makes it a little bit harder for him to effectively frame himself as the person fighting the system,” Director of the Elon Poll Jason Husser said.

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NEWS 10/15/25 12:46pm

Elon University AAUP issues statement asking for transparency on Elon, Queens merger

By Nia Bedard

Elon University’s chapter of the American Association for University Professors issued a statement Oct. 15 asking both Elon and Queens University of Charlotte to include faculty from both institutions in the planning and decision making process of the proposed merger. According to the statement from Elon’s AAUP chapter, questions about how faculty will be involved in the merger have not been answered. “Faculty have been invited to submit questions at town halls, but direct questions about how faculty will be integrated into the decision-making prior to the approval of the merger remain unanswered in these forums,” the statement said. 

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NEWS 10/14/25 9:51pm

Elon Poll finds North Carolinians concerned about public safety following recent incidents

By Nia Bedard

A recent Elon Poll, published on Oct. 14, found that North Carolinians are concerned with public safety following the fatal stabbing of Iryna Zarutska on Aug. 22 in Charlotte, N.C. and a mass shooting on Sept. 27 in Southport, N.C. With a sample of 800 North Carolina adults, the Elon Poll found that 61% of respondents were very or someone concerned about their own safety from crime in outdoor areas with large crowds. 59% of respondents were very or somewhat concerned about their safety while on public transportation. 

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NEWS 10/10/25 7:28pm

Elon University dedicates building to first international graduate

By Nia Bedard

Elon University administration, students and community members came together Oct. 10 to celebrate the university’s first international graduate, Toshio Sato, who graduated in 1920. The university also renamed the Global Commons in her honor. Kelly Policelli, coordinator of university archives and special collections, described Sato as highly involved during her time at Elon. “There was an announcement the week that she got here about her arrival, then literally a week later, she is singing at a mission group event. So she was, from the very beginning, super involved. She seemed very happy to be here.”

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NEWS 10/2/25 9:53am

North Carolina expands anti-hazing law; Students, faculty and staff involved with hazing will receive more severe penalties

By Nia Bedard

Everything changed for Lianne Kowiak when her son Harrison died in a hazing incident. Now “Harrison’s Law” will go into effect in North Carolina on Dec. 1 and includes major changes to anti-hazing law in the state. North Carolina now defines hazing as any serious physical or psychological damage as part of initiation for or as a prerequisite to join any organized school group. Now any students who are found guilty of hazing can receive a Class A1 misdemeanor, which has a maximum punishment of 150 days in jail and is the most serious misdemeanor offense a person can receive.

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NEWS 9/27/25 2:37pm

Cars crashed at North Williamson Avenue entrance to Elon University

By Nia Bedard

Multiple vehicles collided at the intersection of North Williamson Avenue and University Drive around 2 p.m. on Sept. 27. Town of Elon Fire Department, Town of Elon Police, Gibsonville Police, and Elon Campus Safety and Police are currently on the scene directing traffic. An e alert that was released at 2:09 p.m. informing students of the accident. As of 2:37 p.m. the site of the crash is cleared.

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NEWS 9/27/25 12:11pm

Elon University president informs parents about Queens merger, new school of engineering, computing

By Nia Bedard

An entirely new school, an enrollment cliff and a merger. These were just some of the topics Elon University president Connie Book focused on during the University Update Sept. 27 in Alumni Gym. Taking place over Elon’s Family Weekend, Book updated visiting parents on new steps the university will be taking and new projects that are currently underway. These new developments include the intended merger between Elon and Queens University of Charlotte. Family weekend events will continue throughout Sept. 27 and 28. 

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