Trista Panagakos

Politics Editor

Trista Panagakos ’28 is studying journalism with a minor in political science. She serves as the politics editor for Elon News Network. Outside of Elon News Network, Panagakos is part of the production crew for the Elon Student Television show Jam Session and a member of ElonDocs. She is interested in political and investigative video journalism.

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Recent Articles

LIFESTYLE 4/20/26 8:37pm

Student research discovers suspected cause of plant disease

By Trista Panagakos

During his freshman year, now-senior Billy Impagliazzo took two classes taught by biology professor Antonio Izzo. When he got to Elon, Impagliazzo said he knew he wanted to take part in research projects. In his sophomore year, Impagliazzo went to Izzo to discuss research opportunities he had in his lab. Izzo said he believed Impagliazzo would conduct research for only a semester, but almost three years later, Impagliazzo has identified the main microbe infecting the blue curls plant and has presented his research on SURF Day. 

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NEWS 4/20/26 8:49am

NC state legislature yet to set state budget

By Trista Panagakos

North Carolina is still the only state without a budget. The current state funding is using budget numbers from 2023, the last time a budget was passed. The state passes a biennial budget which appropriates funds for two years.

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NEWS 4/14/26 8:58pm

Elon University’s SGA executive president details goals for upcoming term

By Trista Panagakos

When Elon junior Michael Swartz first ran for a position in the Student Government Association in the fall of his freshman year, he filmed a campaign video while walking around campus. During his campaign for executive president, Swartz filmed a similar video outlining three main goals he had if elected: awareness, connection and experience. 

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NEWS 4/14/26 9:36am

Elon University’s Student Government Association updates finance bylaws

By Trista Panagakos

Elon University’s Student Government Association’s finance board has updated the finance bylaws. Finance bylaws are updated every year. The finance board reviews notes made throughout the year on the current bylaws and reviews ideas the board has come up with which could be added to the bylaws. After reviewing, the vice president of finance, the finance board, the SGA senate and the rest of the executive council will have the opportunity to suggest changes. 

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NEWS 4/4/26 11:28am

Chemical spill at Koury Fieldhouse restricts area, delays lacrosse game

By Kathan Gandhi and Trista Panagakos

A chemical spill from containers used to clean athletic gear created carbon dioxide at the entrance to the Koury Fieldhouse on Saturday morning, according to Elon University spokesperson Eric Townsend.Townsend said remnants from the containers reacted with nearby pine straw and combined to create the gas. Townsend also said an odor was reported. At 9:11 a.m. on April 4, Elon Campus Security and Police told community members that there was an ongoing investigation at the Koury Fieldhouse, according to an E-Alert. An additional E-Alert, released at 10:56 a.m., explained emergency personnel were on-site assisting with clean-up efforts, and parts of Koury Fieldhouse will remain restricted. Normal activities on the athletic fields are safe to resume. 

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NEWS 3/19/26 3:13pm

Primary elections bring changes to NC statehouse

By Trista Panagakos

The North Carolina primary elections have altered what the statehouse may look like in November. North Carolina, Wilmington, Aaron King said incumbents usually have an advantage when running for office because of name recognition, a record of accomplishments and organization. King said challengers are able to campaign as an outsider against an incumbent and explain to voters how the incumbent is failing them. Eight incumbent state lawmakers lost their primaries March 3, three Democrats and five Republicans.

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NEWS 2/22/26 9:16pm

Community gathers at vigil commemorating lynching victim Wyatt Outlaw

By Trista Panagakos

Members of the community and Alamance County Remembrance Coalition gathered outside of the Alamance County Courthouse on Feb. 22 to hold a vigil honoring the life of Wyatt Outlaw. Outlaw was lynched by a mob of White Brotherhood members outside the courthouse on Feb. 26, 1870.

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NEWS 2/21/26 8:33pm

U.S. House passes SAVE America Act, Senate to consider it soon

By Trista Panagakos

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act was passed by the United States House of Representatives by a vote of 218-213 on Feb. 11, with one Democrat breaking party lines to vote to pass the bill. The bill will now be considered by the Senate, where it needs 60 votes to pass before going to President Donald Trump’s desk for his signature. 

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NEWS 2/20/26 7:30pm

New SNAP work requirements implemented in North Carolina

By Trista Panagakos

SNAP is a program that provides food assistance to lower-income individuals and families to help offset the cost of groceries. The program is funded by the federal government and state governments offset administrative costs. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, over one million North Carolinians receive SNAP benefits. 

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LIFESTYLE 2/16/26 5:54pm

Elon alum details the experiences of fatherhood in children's book ‘We Love you ForAva!’

By Trista Panagakos

For Jeffrey and Corddarryl Williamson-Rose, adoption was an option they were considering months before their wedding. They debated other ways to grow their family, but after getting married in September 2022, they began the adoption process. The Williamson-Roses’ adoption journey began with a home study, a procedure where a social worker ensures the parents hoping to adopt are fit to care for and provide for a child. 

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NEWS 1/28/26 2:22pm

Elon Town Council discusses possible acquisition of Labcorp property

By Trista Panagakos

The Elon Town Council discussed possible funding paths for a new municipal building and police station. The Town agreed to purchase a Labcorp property at 112 Orange Drive in the fall. The purchase has not gone through and members debated costs Jan. 27. There were no participants in the public comments portion of the meeting. 

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NEWS 1/5/26 9:34am

Elon University’s SGA to implement suggestion boxes on campus, look to make an impact in the spring

By Trista Panagakos

Elon University’s Student Government Association had an eventful fall semester following the implementation of a new funding model, freshman elections and an atypical town hall. “Change is change,” Vice President of Communications for SGA Kennedy Steiner said. “People don't always love change, but I think for the future, I think this could be really good, people asking, maybe why something didn't get funded, and just making sure everything was as equitable as possible for organizations.” 

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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. 

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NEWS 11/5/25 12:20am

Alamance County Democratic Party hosts watch party on Election Day

By Trista Panagakos

As polls closed at 7:30 p.m. on election day, candidates, supporters and family members gathered at the Alamance County Democratic Party watch party awaiting results of the 2025 municipal election. Supporters filled Alkimia Mexican Bar and Grill in downtown Burlington to wait for the results to come in. Burlington mayoral candidate Beth Kennett had supporters and family members join her with many wearing sweatshirts and t-shirts from her campaign. “We’ve done all the things, shown up at places in the community,” Kennett said. “If hard work wins an election, we got this, if money, the influence of money wins, we’ve done the work.”

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NEWS 10/29/25 9:39am

North Carolina Republicans approve new congressional map

By Trista Panagakos

The North Carolina state legislature approved a new congressional map. This change comes after the Trump administration has been pressuring Republican states to change their congressional maps to ensure Republicans continue to control Congress after the 2026 midterm elections. In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, North Carolina senate leader Phil Berger said, “The NCGA is ready to help Republicans secure Congress and move Donald Trump’s agenda forward.” The North Carolina House of Representatives voted 66-48 in favor of the new map on Oct. 22. This will affect voters in the 1st and 3rd congressional districts.

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NEWS 10/29/25 9:39am

Los republicanos de Carolina del Norte aprueban un nuevo mapa congresional

By Trista Panagakos

La legislatura del estado de Carolina del Norte aprobó un nuevo mapa congresional el 22 de octubre. Este cambio llega después de que la administración de Trump presionó a los estados republicanos para que modifiquen sus mapas congresionales y aseguren que los republicanos continúen controlando el Congreso después de las elecciones de medio mandato de 2026. La Cámara de Representantes de Carolina del Norte votó 65-48 a favor del nuevo mapa, que afectará a los votantes de los distritos congresionales 1 y 3. El representante Don Davis, demócrata, es el representante del distrito 1, que ganó en 2024 por solo dos puntos. El nuevo mapa aumentaría las posibilidades de que los republicanos obtengan un escaño en las elecciones de medio mandato del próximo año.

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NEWS 10/1/25 1:32pm

Gov. Stein signs executive order to implement AI in North Carolina government

By Trista Panagakos

As artificial intelligence becomes more prominent in the lives of students, workers and everyday citizens, the North Carolina state government is tapping into the transformative technology. Gov. Josh Stein signed an executive order Sept. 2 that focused on how artificial intelligence can enhance the state government and technology sector of North Carolina. The executive order established an AI leadership council, an AI accelerator, oversight teams for each state agency and training programs for AI literacy and fraud prevention.

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NEWS 9/21/25 4:57pm

Elon University student organizations react to new funding request model

By Trista Panagakos

As student organizations prepare to host events and welcome new members, many have already been affected by the new funding model the Student Government Association is utilizing for funding requests. SGA receives a portion of the student activity fees students are charged to distribute to organizations.  The funding request model was changed last spring to follow a quarterly system, where organizations will have to request money in advance for events and celebrations they wish to hold. The previous model allowed for organizations to request funds on a rolling basis. 

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NEWS 9/5/25 5:36pm

Elon University SGA announces priorities for the year in first meeting of semester

By Trista Panagakos

The Student Government Association held their first meeting of the semester, which brought the executive council, made up of Executive President Anya Bratić, Vice President Sammy Azúa, Vice President of Communications Kennedy Steiner, Vice President of Finance Ian Brecker and Speaker of the Senate Selma Maric in front of the senate to detail the five priorities they worked on over the summer. “In several years past with other execs, we’ve had really, really, wonderful priorities, but not one that necessarily been all cohesive and or surrounded around one another. That’s where we really succeeded. This year we decided that it was really important for us to all have a common goal.” 

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NEWS 8/26/25 6:11pm

Elon University student activity fees fund various organizations, campus events and traditions

By Trista Panagakos

As students prepare for the 2025-26 academic year, they might notice a $146 fee for student activities as part of their fall tuition bill. This fee is charged every semester to full time students, providing funding for different events, traditions and organizations on campus. Part time students are charged $73 each semester. The Student Government Association receives a large portion of the fee — $440,000 annually. They allocate this money to various organizations and activities through funding requests.

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