Virginia Vance

Copy Chief

Virginia is a journalism major with a passion for coverage that connects events to broader issues. She comes from a previous position as the managing editor of Bellevue College's student newspaper, and brings a passion for communicating vital news to readers in the clearest way possible.

---

Recent Articles

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.

---

LIFESTYLE 10/29/25 10:36pm

Elon University celebrates Diwali with lights, trivia

By Virginia Vance

Flickering candles, a Bollywood dance performance and educational holiday trivia characterized Elon University’s celebration of Diwali, the Hindu festival of light, on Oct. 29 in McKinnon Hall. Multifaith programming and event director Hillary Zaken said she wanted Hindu students to feel the atmosphere of the celebration and non-Hindu students to learn something new. “Part of your college experience is learning about traditions you might not have heard about, you might have celebrated before and don’t know anything about,” Zaken said.

---

LIFESTYLE 10/12/25 2:45pm

Rock the Block brings Elon community together across generations

By Virginia Vance and JJ Duckworth

Across from a speaker-framed stage, a mix of families and students milled about Young Commons. People formed lines for food trucks and caricature portraits made by artists. Kids darted around the lawn or jumped on the bouncy house. George Martin Jr. ‘68 came from Jacksonville, Florida for Homecoming Weekend. “It’s wonderful, we really had nothing much like this,” Martin Jr. said. “If we had anything for Homecoming, we would have a dance in the gym after the football game, and that was about it.”

---

NEWS 9/29/25 11:43am

Elon University anatomy teaching assistants open lab to visitors for Family Weekend

By Virginia Vance

The Edler family came to Elon University’s open anatomy lab to see what their child, Julia, was learning in anatomy class. “I was impressed that my daughter actually knew the anatomy for the sections that she’s already learned,” Michelle Edler said. By contrast, Elon biology professor Matthew Clark was shocked that more people don’t know their own anatomy. “It’s amazing to me how so many people don’t really understand what’s inside the human body,” Clark said. “It’s almost like a mechanic who, when you go to take your car to the auto shop, you really don’t know what’s under the hood.”

---

NEWS 5/23/25 8:19am

Elon University updates payment system

By Virginia Vance

Elon University’s e-billing system was updated as the 2024-25 school year comes to a close.Bursar Alessandra Gabriel said the update is meant to provide a more modern, user-friendly experience. “Payment plans are on a different portal. Statements are not real time, they’re manually uploaded, so they could be not as up to date with someone’s account activity that may be happening in real time,” Gabriel said. “So we knew it was time to modernize some things and give people access to what they were needing and wanting.”

---

NEWS 4/30/25 3:58pm

Elon University research forum day shrinks slightly

By Virginia Vance

Elon University’s Student Undergraduate Research Forum is an annual tradition — however, this year’s SURF day was smaller than last year’s historic high. Featuring 268 presentations, SURF 2025 was closer in scale to SURF 2023’s 270 presentations than last year’s 321 presentations. Not all presentation types saw decreases. There were more presentations self-identified as “data intensive” in 2025 compared with 2024, but there were less sustainability and diversity, equity and inclusion presentations compared to last year. DEI presentations shrank the most, from 72 presentations in 2024 to 42 presentations in 2025.

---

LIFESTYLE 4/24/25 10:47pm

Earth Fest, Party for the Planet aim to blend education, entertainment

By Virginia Vance

At their peak, two adjacent Elon University sustainability events saw a line stretching from the edge of Medallion Plaza to the Center for the Arts parking lot. Earth Fest featured the addition of several temporary compost bins to the path from Medallion Plaza along Lake Mary Nell. This year’s Earth Fest once again featured cows from Ran-Lew Dairy Farm — a popular attraction in recent years. Last year’s Earth Fest drew concern from students because the cows were positioned across from a hamburger standm but no beef was served at this year's event.

---

LIFESTYLE 4/23/25 1:14pm

Maker Hub prepares to take over Moseley Center with over 40 student projects

By Virginia Vance

The staff of Elon University’s Maker Hub are preparing to make creativity come to life at the upcoming Maker Takeover. Maker Takeover has occurred for the past six years and centers around displays of projects made at the Maker Hub throughout the year. The Maker Hub has tools such as 3D printers, sewing machines, laser engraving and tools for creating electronic projects; the Maker Takeover features projects in any of these categories. This year’s takeover takes place April 30 and advertises over 40 student projects, as well as an escape room, stations for crafts and a presentation about chainmail.

---

LIFESTYLE 4/19/25 7:10pm

Elon student theater organization performs ‘The Drowsy Chaperone’

By Virginia Vance

A narrator boxed in by two fourth walls and his own struggles escapes to the nostalgia and indulgence of the 1920s in the student-run production of “The Drowsy Chaperone.” Drowsy, first produced in 1998, features a musical-loving narrator explaining his favorite 1920s record to the audience while it’s performed behind him by the rest of the cast. The narrator and main character, otherwise known as Man in the Chair, got particular attention from Renegade Productions, Elon University’s student-run theater group.

---

NEWS 4/9/25 9:59am

Elon Town Council debates proposed tax increases

By Virginia Vance and Megan Walsh

Elon Town Manager Rich Roedner recommended increases to property taxes, water and sewage fees, and trash bin fees at the April 8 Elon Town Council meeting. Roedner said his proposed budget has less buffer room if the town brings in less tax revenue than projected. Mayor Emily Sharpe said she would be more comfortable with a property-tax-based revenue budget in place of a sales-tax-based budget. “We need to eventually get to where those are flipped,” Sharpe said. “There's way too much variability in that sales tax number where there isn't that variability in a real estate tax number.”

---

LIFESTYLE 4/6/25 9:37am

Elon town farmers market brings community, university together

By Virginia Vance

An 18-year tradition returned to Elon on April 3: the Elon farmers market. Students, such as Elon senior Lauren Dathe, have been anticipating its return. “I’ve been counting down the days,” Dathe said. Elon senior Sam Hinton proudly displayed a sticker purchased at the market. “It’s great to see people from the community come out,” Hinton said, “especially because I think Elon can be so separate from the rest of Burlington and Alamance, so it’s really sweet to see more intermingling.”

---

LIFESTYLE 3/31/25 8:24pm

Elon University students differ on AI use in school

By Virginia Vance

According to a March 12 survey from Elon’s Imagining the Digital Future Center, 52% of U.S. adults now use AI large language models like ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini. The survey noted that twice as many respondents said they used AI mostly for personal learning or planning compared to those who mostly use AI for work. A common thread among Elon students was that AI should be used for the right reasons. But which reasons are the right ones is less consistent.

---

More Articles by Virginia Vance »

---

Recent Media

More Media by Virginia Vance »

---