Despite the wet weather, families, friends, faculty and staff gathered to celebrate graduates who were encouraged not only to pursue success, but also to embrace failure as an essential part of growth.

Patricia Walsh Chadwick P鈥�16, an Elon trustee and accomplished Wall Street strategist, delivered the Commencement address, reminding graduates that quitting is the 鈥渙nly true definition of failure鈥� and urging them not to let fear guide their decisions.

鈥淧undits have a way of forecasting disaster every spring just as college graduates step into the world. My advice is simple: ignore them,鈥� she said. 鈥淭echnology will not be the ruin of us all; it opens far more doors than it closes. You are the future of the workforce, and that should excite you.鈥�

The paths to success

Chadwick reflected on her own unconventional path, emphasizing that there is no 鈥渕agic potion鈥� for success. She shared how she grew up in a religious sect, which she later described as a cult, and was forced out at 17 years old.

鈥淔earful of the world, and in my na茂vet茅, I turned to a single phrase for guidance: 鈥楩ailure is not an option,鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淲hat I hadn鈥檛 realized is that no one is immune from mistakes or failures. Those two words, dreaded by so many, are part of the learning process.鈥�

Technology will not be the ruin of us all; it opens far more doors than it closes. You are the future of the workforce, and that should excite you.

Patricia Walsh Chadwick P鈥�16

She also spoke about her son, Elon alumnus Jim Chadwick 鈥�16, who had planned to launch a gaming company after graduation. After spending a year pursuing that dream, he realized it was not the future he had envisioned and eventually transitioned into private finance.

鈥淩emember to take something of value from every employment experience before moving on to the next one,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 like to think of a career path as a circular stairway, where each success leads to a new challenge winding slowly upward toward your dreams.鈥�

Elon celebrated graduates in two ceremonies 鈥� the morning event for the School of Communications and the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business, and the afternoon event for Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences, the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education and the School of Health Sciences.

The Rev. Kirstin Boswell, 福利亚洲国产精品’s chaplain and dean of mulfifaith engagement, opened each ceremony with the invocation.

鈥淎s these graduates step into what comes next, grant them wisdom beyond knowledge, courage beyond fear and compassion deep enough to serve a world that is in need,鈥� Boswell said. 鈥淢ay they use their gifts not only for personal success, but for healing, for justice, for truth and for the flourishing of others.鈥�

Corinne Wilson 鈥�26 performed the Star-Spangled Banner, and led the singing of the alma mater, while Mindy Monroe 鈥�26 and Malia Horst 鈥�26 gave a special musical performance of 鈥淔or Good,鈥� from the musical 鈥淲icked.鈥�

The Elon magic

Graduates reflected on the experiences that shaped their time at Elon, including the university鈥檚 commitment to undergraduate teaching. In 2025, for the fifth year in a row, Elon topped a 鈥淏est Undergraduate Teaching鈥� list published by U.S. News & World Report.

“Professors can actually invest in you because of the class sizes being so small,” said Robbie Simpson 鈥�26, an Elon native who earned a degree in exercise science. “I really appreciate that because professors get to take their time to understand you, get to know you and invest because they have a personal connection to you, so it makes them it more valuable to them.”

The strong relationships with faculty were an important part of Honors Fellow Diego Hernandez’s 鈥�26 Elon experience.

“The time that the professors have taken out of their day and their lives to support us as students, that’s one of the best things I got from Elon,” said Hernandez, who earned a degree in engineering. “That’s something that I’m going to take with me.”

The myriad of involvement opportunities was also essential for graduates.

Autumn Goyette 鈥�26, who earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in聽accounting through the Love School of Business Accelerated 3+1 Dual Degree Program, says her time working for Residence Life and in the Love School of Business Dean鈥檚 Office has made an impact on her time at Elon. She will soon be moving to Virginia to work for Ernst & Young.

鈥淚’m just so grateful for everything that Elon gave me and brought to me,鈥� said Goyette, who is from Pittsburg, North Carolina. 鈥淭his place is my home and has been my home for four years.鈥�

Decked out in various graduation cords, Ella Allen 鈥�26, a Teaching Fellow who earned a mathematics degree with teacher licensure from Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences, was heavily involved on campus, including as an orientation leader and a member of Kappa Delta sorority. Next, Allen will be pursuing her Master’s of Higher Education at Elon. She noted that the people and support she received at Elon were invaluable.

Lilly Ikle 鈥�26 of Baltimore, Maryland, earned a聽cinema & television arts聽degree from the School of Communications. She says the time has flown by and she feels like she was 鈥渄ropped off yesterday.鈥� Ikle initially came to Elon for its nationally recognized musical theatre program and for Elon鈥檚 ability to work with students with learning disabilities.

鈥淢y major really helped me get that creative outlet that I wanted in musical theater, but it also gave me the practical side of work I wanted to do in the future,鈥� said Ikle, who plans to move to Nashville after graduation to pursue music. 鈥淢y major gave me a creative outlet, let me get kind of that artsy side out of me, but also taught me things that I can bring into the real world.鈥�

The Class of 2026 includes many stand-out stories:

• After a trip to Ecuador, Bernardo Vargas-Lopez 鈥�26, who earned a degree in聽sport management, and Juan Daniel Chiriboga 鈥�26, who earned a degree in聽entrepreneurship & innovation, built聽YAPA, a plant-based energy drink shaped by friendship, curiosity and mentorship.
• Kaitlyn Lewis 鈥�26, who earned a degree in聽elementary education, came to Elon through three of the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education鈥檚 primary scholarship programs: Alamance Scholars, NC Teaching Fellows and, post-graduation, Teach for Alamance.
• Jonathan Weaver 鈥�26 originally intended to go into finance, but through exploration and faculty mentorship, switched his major to biology, and is now going to dental school at The Ohio State University.
• Being waitlisted for one program allowed Allie Schult 鈥�26 to realize her true passion for nursing.聽She now has a post-graduate position at Children鈥檚 Healthcare of Atlanta.
• Rony Dahdal 鈥�26, a Goldwater Scholar and Lumen Scholar, earned a degree in聽computer science, mathematics and philosophy聽and did three different undergraduate research projects while at Elon. The first was helping to create a mathematical model of complex equations that predict how the human immune system responds to COVID-19; another was developing an autonomous robotic arm to monitor and tend to crops by training the 3D machine-learning model to understand plant anatomy, and a third was developing a method to gather medical vital signs.

All of these students were helped by what student commencement speaker Ruby Radis 鈥�26聽of Chicago called the 鈥淓lon magic.鈥� Radis, who earned a degree in聽human service studies,聽delivered the 鈥淢essage of Appreciation鈥� on Friday.

鈥淔rom the moment I stepped onto this beautiful brick-covered campus, one truth became clear: there is magic here,” Radis said. “That Elon magic builds a community where students know their neighbors, teachers and coworkers.聽Rather
than a quick hello, connections are founded on respect.”

Radis emphasized that Elon helped “emphasize the value of human difference,” and her fellow graduates should take that forward with them.

“Using those lessons, we can work together to uplift each other, amplify voices often left unheard and sprinkle a little of our very own Elon magic on everyone we meet,” Radis said.

That Elon magic builds a community where students know their neighbors, teachers and coworkers.聽Rather聽than a quick hello, connections are founded on respect.

Ruby Radis 鈥�26

Be possible-ists

In her charge to the graduates, Elon President Connie Ledoux Book asked the Class of 2026 to look back on their New Student Convocation in 2022,聽1,371 days prior.

“That morning, we placed an acorn in your hand, and I asked you to do something simple, and yet profound: To grow deep roots, and to reach high. Today, I look out at you, and I see what’s grown,” Book said.

During their first year, the Class of 2026 all read the Common Reading book聽鈥淔actfulness鈥� by Hans Rosling. In his book, Rosling described the word 鈥減ossible-ist:鈥� someone who looks honestly at the world鈥檚 problems and still believes, based on evidence, that things can get better, and that they are getting better.

鈥淐lass of 2026, through your Elon journey,聽you have grown into聽these聽possible-ists,鈥� she said.聽鈥淵ou have learned to hold complexity without losing hope, to see what’s broken without losing your willingness to build, to zoom out and recognize progress, and to keep moving forward.聽That is the Elon way, and the world needs聽more of聽it.鈥�

View the full undergraduate commencement program online.

福利亚洲国产精品 President Connie Ledoux Book offered her insight on the implications of artificial intelligence during an expert panel hosted by The Conference Board, a global, nonprofit think tank and business membership organization.

The virtual panel on May 21 featured Book; Anand Eswaran, chief executive officer of Veeam; and Joe Sutherland, director of the Center for AI Learning at Emory University, and it focused on five issues:

1. How leading companies are prioritizing AI use cases that deliver measurable ROI
2. How organizations are building AI governance – risk management, privacy, security and compliance – without slowing innovation
3. What “scaling AI” looks like in practice across key functions
4. How policy can support an AI innovation ecosystem while managing potential risks
5. How policymakers could help prepare employees to succeed in firms using AI

All of the panelists were asked about one development they think people underestimate about the way AI may reshape business, work or daily life. For Book, it’s the “deepening value of humanness.”

“Most people are asking this question … about which jobs AI will replace, but the bigger story is what human capabilities will become newly scarce and newly valuable,” she said. “I think of those as judgments, and the ability to build trust, mentor, and ask better questions are all human capabilities. The institutions and organizations that invest in that are going to be the leaders in five years.”

Book was asked about Elon’s research on AI in higher education, including聽a November 2025 survey of 1,057 faculty by the聽American Association of Colleges and Universities聽and聽Elon’s Imagining the Digital Future Center. The survey found widespread concern and skepticism about generative artificial intelligence affecting their teaching and student performance across academic disciplines.

“Faculty are not, by majority, anti-AI. They are deeply concerned that we get it right, that we get it right in our universe, and they’re looking for leadership on that,” Book said. “A majority of faculty already said they’re teaching AI literacy … They’re teaching things about bias, hallucinations, ethics and integrity. You see this unfold across universities.”

The survey also found concern over the over-reliance on AI by students. Book noted that it’s important to differentiate “over-reliance” from cheating.

“This is an over-reliance where they’re diminishing critical thinking,” she said. “They’re ‘AI dependent’ on what the answer is, rather than ‘human dominant,’ which is where we want them to take all of those liberal arts and learning skills, and really be human dominant through the technology.”

Eswaran said that adaptability to AI will be key for the workforce, and Book said that AI could even lead to more room for a liberal arts education and better workforce preparation for students.

“I think it creates even more demand for a liberal arts background,” she said. “We tend to think of ‘either or’ 鈥� either you’re a technical skills person, a STEM person, or a liberal arts person. I do think the ‘and’ is going to be even more critical in our understanding.”

“I always thought, ‘This is home,’ and right now I’m leaving, and think, ‘Am I leaving home?’ It’s the same feeling I had when I left home (Afghanistan) years ago,” said Tahiry, a computer science major and the first recipient of the Commitment to Democracy Scholarship, dedicated to refugee students.

Tahiry was one of about 20 graduating international students, along with their families, who planted their oak sapling in the international student tree grove on May 21, an Elon tradition now celebrating 10 years. When new students arrive at Elon, they receive an acorn and, when they leave, they are gifted a sapling at Senior Baccalaureate. Because international students usually cannot take the sapling home, they have planted their trees in a grove by the Harden Clubhouse.

Denise Teeters, director of international student services, welcomed the students and reminded them of the symbolic nature of the sapling, representing their growth from a first-year student to a graduate.

“Over the last several years, you have grown academically and personally. You learned how to navigate differences, how to build friendships across cultures and languages, and how to speak with courage. Some of you didn’t speak much when you got here, and then, all of a sudden, you grew, you built that courage to speak and also embraced the Elon community,” said Teeters. “Through all this, you’ve seen how growth takes time, just like saplings take time to grow.”

Before students planted their saplings, President Connie Ledoux Book also noted how, just like an oak tree, Elon is also built on connection.

“It’s the root systems that are so critical,” Book said. “You have to have a grove. You need other oak trees for an oak tree to prosper. And that is true about the Elon network.”

Kussman, who retired from Elon this year, asked the graduates whether they were ready to change the world, whether their families were ready for them to enter the nursing profession, whether the faculty were prepared to continue supporting and encouraging them, and whether the administration was ready to send them into the world. Each question was met with a resounding 鈥測es.鈥�

鈥淵our career can grow with you. Shift with you. Support you. Again and again,鈥� Kussman said. 鈥淎nd the answer is yes.鈥�

Thirty-eight Bachelor of Science in Nursing students were honored during a May 21 pinning ceremony in McCrary Theater attended by faculty, staff, family members and friends. The tradition of the nursing pin dates back to the Middle Ages. However, modern nursing symbolism is often associated with Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, whose nurses were identified by the Maltese cross displayed on their uniforms.

鈥淭he world you are graduating into is complicated. Healthcare is changing. Systems are stressed and overwhelmed. And real trust is rare,鈥� Kussman told graduates. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 why you matter so much. Because when a patient is scared, they don鈥檛 ask for a flow chart, they don鈥檛 ask for a piece of paper 鈥� they ask for a nurse.鈥�

In 2021, Elon launched both a traditional four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing program and a 16-month accelerated program for students who had already completed a bachelor鈥檚 degree. The Class of 2026 marks the second cohort to graduate from the university鈥檚 four-year BSN program.

Taylor Girard 鈥�26, who introduced Kussman during the ceremony, described her as a professor who 鈥渃reates a learning environment where students feel supported, challenged and genuinely seen.鈥� Kussman also reminded graduates of the 鈥渇our Cs of nursing鈥� emphasized throughout their time at Elon: competence, caring, communication and cultural awareness.

鈥淵our patients may not remember the medications, they may not remember the procedures, but they will remember that kindness,鈥� Kussman said. 鈥淎nd when they rang that bell, somebody showed up who knew what to do.鈥�

Student speaker Maiah Giampietro 鈥�26 reflected on the close bonds formed within the cohort and the importance of becoming 鈥渇lexible, creative people,鈥� a phrase students heard often throughout the program. That adaptability, she said, helped carry them through both the challenges and successes of nursing school.

鈥淣o shift goes exactly how you plan it. No patient is exactly like a textbook example. Rarely does anything work out exactly how you plan it,鈥� Giampietro said. 鈥淏ut we are now equipped with the skills, the knowledge and the confidence to put plan B into action 鈥� whatever that may look like. This is what makes us ready.鈥�

Following the presentation of pins, led by Kussman and Jeanmarie Koonts, assistant professor of nursing, graduates and registered nurses in attendance recited the Nursing Professional Oath, led by Elizabeth Tonaj 鈥�26. Giampietro reflected on the significance of the pledge in her remarks.

鈥淚t represents the kind of nurses we have spent the last four years learning about,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he nurses who advocate. The nurses who listen. And the nurses who care even on the hardest of days. We are those nurses.鈥�

As the ceremony concluded, Cathy Quay, chair of the Department of Nursing, reminded graduates of both the responsibility and impact of their profession.

鈥淥ur healthcare system needs you, our communities need you, our world needs you,鈥� Quay said. 鈥淏ecause nursing, perhaps more than any other profession, holds the power to change lives.鈥�

Department Awards

Academic Achievement Award: Allison Schult 鈥�26
This award is presented to the students with the highest overall GPA and has a commitment to academic excellence.

Trailblazer Award: Victoria Whetstone 鈥�26
This award is presented to a senior nursing student who exemplifies integrity, accuracy and innovative leadership. Nominated and voted on by students and faculty, the recipient shows outstanding leadership, listens and guides others, is dedicated to driving change, raising awareness of social justice issues, and fostering an equitable campus community.

Heart of the Cohort: Eamonn Gallagher 鈥�26
This award is presented to a senior nursing student who inspires their peers and demonstrates a commitment to encouraging and supporting fellow students. Nominated and voted on by students, the recipient is known for their positive attitude, ability to motivate others, and perseverance throughout the program.

Phoenix Award: Allison Schult 鈥�26
The Phoenix Award is given to a senior nursing student who excels in supporting peers and the Elon Department of Nursing throughout their program. Nominated and voted by students and faculty, the recipient demonstrates outstanding academic achievements, excellent character and interactions, active involvement in university organizations and significant community services, all while promoting the nursing profession and enhancing student life.

2026 Bachelor of Science in Nursing Graduates

Gia Agrawal
Gabrielle Carlson
Grace Dias
Leah Freeman
Jillian Freglette
Eamonn Gallagher
Maiah Giampietro
Taylor Girard
Skye Greene
Julianna Hood
Eva Korn
Meredith Korwan
Haley Kyle
Kalia Lilly
Amelia Loughlin
Kali Mahoney
Louisa Manthe
Jake Marion
Caroline McCormic
Emily McNamee
Olivia Minchello
Sara Morrison
Lauren Murray
Lauren Noble
Katherine O鈥橬eill
Jenna Petrarca
Eva Rashkovsky
Katherine Richer
Julia Ricker
Lathan Rubant
Emily Sabad
Allison Schult
Alexandra Simon
Elizabeth Tonaj
Paris Van Dyke
Victoria Whetstone
Dylin Wilson
Alaina Witter

Peter Felten, assistant provost for teaching and learning, and executive director of Elon’s Center for Engaged Learning, was quoted in a recent Chronicle of Higher Education feature examining the enduring value of discussion-based, text-centered learning.

The article, explores how the college鈥檚 Great Books curriculum emphasizes conversation, critical thinking and intellectual community in an era increasingly shaped by technology and artificial intelligence.

Felten emphasized that the most transferable aspect of St. John鈥檚 model is not necessarily its curriculum, but its underlying philosophy of education, specifically that learning can be difficult and is a communal act.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think we spend enough time talking with students about how what we鈥檙e doing is supposed to be challenging,鈥� says Felten. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e in a community where you see other people struggling with the same material, and you can talk with them and think with them and not feel like you鈥檙e weird because it鈥檚 hard, then I think it鈥檚 motivating, then it鈥檚 exciting.鈥�

福利亚洲国产精品 Assistant Professor of Sport Management Alex Traugutt was featured in a recent Spectrum News 1 story examining how visiting fans contribute to North Carolina鈥檚 sports economy during the Carolina Hurricanes鈥� playoff run. The article explored how travel tied to major sporting events generates spending that benefits hotels, restaurants and local businesses.

鈥淲e oftentimes have a misconception around the economic impact that a sporting event has,鈥� Traugutt said.聽鈥淲here we see the kind of economic drive is when we have outside fans from either outside the geographic area or traveling fans from away teams come into the host city and bring their money.”

Using the Hurricanes鈥� playoff series against the Montreal Canadiens as an example, Traugutt noted that traveling fans contribute new spending to the local economy through hotels, restaurants, transportation and entertainment. He emphasized that local fans shifting their entertainment spending within the same city typically do not create the same level of economic growth.

鈥淲e benefit from the Canadiens because they have a great fan base. So they will travel to see their fans play. There’s also a lot of Canadiens fans in the area, not maybe here, but that surround North Carolina,鈥� Traugutt said.

Read and watch the story on . Traugutt also spoke about the topic on the聽.

福利亚洲国产精品 Assistant Professor of Journalism Israel Balderas聽contributed insight to a recent Inside Higher Ed article examining how artificial intelligence is shaping the outlook of today鈥檚 college students and recent graduates. The story, explores growing concerns about how AI may affect careers, learning and the future of higher education.

叠补濒诲别谤补蝉,听whose work focuses on free speech,聽emphasized the importance of helping students understand AI as a tool that requires thoughtful and ethical use rather than fear or avoidance. He spoke to the negative reaction from graduates at several commencement ceremonies when the commencment speaker brought up the topic of AI or AI was used as part of the ceremony.

鈥淭hese reactions may seem emotional and disproportionate on the surface, but AI arrived at a moment when many of these young people were already questioning how technology has shaped their relationships, their attention spans, their mental health and even their sense of belonging,鈥� he told聽Inside Higher Ed. 鈥淎dd AI disruption to that, and there鈥檚 a growing sense among young people that they are inheriting systems that they didn鈥檛 design and they don鈥檛 fully control.鈥�

But Balderas says the reaction is more than just about job security.

鈥淲hen AI starts appearing in spaces that have traditionally carried emotional meaning鈥攍ike graduation ceremonies鈥攖he reaction is going to be bigger than the specific incident itself,鈥� Balderas said. 鈥淭his is tapping into a deeper fear that society is becoming very good at simulating human interaction while becoming worse at actually practicing it.鈥�

A history major with teacher licensure from Marietta, Georgia, Dierker鈥檚 research project, “Improving Youth Voter Turnout: The Role of Civic Education in Modern Political Socialization”, examines how schools can better and further prepare students for active citizenship. Dierker presented the project at the Spring Undergraduate Research Forum in April.

鈥淪tudents are more likely to participate in civic life when they feel empowered and connected to political systems,鈥� Dierker said. 鈥淪chools that encourage critical thinking, respectful discussion and participatory learning help prepare students to become engaged citizens.鈥�

While young voters have historically had lower turnout rates than older age groups, Dierker believes younger generations are engaging politically in new ways, particularly through social media and digital activism.

鈥淪ocial media allows Gen Z to interact with a wide range of political viewpoints and participate in conversations on a much larger scale,鈥� she told the Times-News. 鈥淎t the same time, it can intensify political polarization and shape how young people perceive society.鈥�

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鈥淵ou may be leaving Elon, but Elon will never leave you,” said Jana Lynn Patterson, as a reminder to the Class of 2026 and herself as they all prepare to close their chapters at 福利亚洲国产精品. Patterson, associate vice-president for student life, dean of student health & well-being, and assistant professor, is retiring this summer after 40 years with the university.

鈥淓lon is not just a place, it is a network of relationships that travels with you,鈥� said Patterson, as she addressed the soon-to-be graduates during Numen Lumen: Senior Baccalaureate Reflection on May 19, Under the Oaks.

Since 2022, Elon has hosted the Numen Lumen: Senior Baccalaureate Reflection during Commencement Week as a reimagining of the traditional baccalaureate ceremony. Patterson was introduced Tuesday night by Kendall Lytle 鈥�26, who was one of Patterson鈥檚 students in Elon 1010, the introductory course required for all first-year students. Lytle spoke of the impact Patterson had on her Elon career, calling her the one of the 鈥渕any superwomen鈥� of Elon.

鈥淢y heart hurts for a future Elon without her tireless leadership. But, I am beyond excited to see what life after Elon brings her, and I am especially honored that she gets to make her grand exit alongside the rest of us,鈥� Lytle said.

In her remarks, Patterson spoke of how she is having many of the same feelings as the outgoing class: nervousness, anticipation and even sadness. But that it鈥檚 also an 鈥渆xtraordinary privilege鈥� to be with one another, connect and be part of one another鈥檚 journeys. She reminded them that Elon has always been a community 鈥渄efined by care,鈥� where relationships are built in the small moments.

鈥淭hese moments do not come with applause. But they matter. They say to another person: You matter. You belong. You are seen,鈥� said Patterson. 鈥淐arry your moments with you. The big ones鈥攁nd the quiet ones. They will guide you. They will ground you.鈥�

Elon is not just a place, it is a network of relationships that travels with you.

Jana Lynn Patterson,聽associate vice-president for student life, dean of student health & well-being

Numen Lumen: Senior Baccalaureate Reflection is a celebration of community, light and achievement that provides an opportunity for reflection on the light students will take into the world. The ceremony鈥檚 name echoes Elon鈥檚 motto, 鈥渘umen lumen鈥� which means 鈥渟piritual light鈥� and 鈥渋ntellectual light.鈥�

At the beginning of their Elon career, during New Student Convocation, students receive an acorn, and at the end of Numen Lumen: Senior Baccalaureate Reflection, they each receive an oak sapling. This year, in addition to the sapling, students also received a copy of聽鈥淏reaking Glass: Tales from the Witch of Wall Street,” by Patricia Walsh Chadwick P’16, who will deliver the commencement address on Friday, May 22.

鈥淓lon is Hebrew for oak, and it鈥檚 because of that, on that first day, we get that acorn. And that acorn, as well as the sapling, are both a representation and a reflection of ourselves, and that journey over four years,鈥� said Nic Fillippa 鈥�26, senior class president, who welcomed the Class of 2026 to the event. 鈥淲e all started here as acorns, and this week, we will leave as young trees – ready to go and grow in the world.鈥�

Anne Ghosen 鈥�26, a cinema & television arts and communication design double major, described receiving her sapling as a satisfying experience.

“It’s very full circle. When we first did Convocation, I had no idea what to expect when we got that little acorn,” said Ghosen, who is from Allendale, New Jersey. “This was a time to reflect and look back at how much I’ve done and how much I’ve grown since that first Convocation. It’s also a really cool feeling to see a physical representation of our time at Elon.”

Following the 鈥淕reeting of the Drums,鈥� by Bashir Shakur, Forrest Matthews and Lamar Lewis and Fillipa鈥檚 welcome, Rev. Kirstin Boswell, university chaplain and dean of multifaith engagement, offered words of reflection to the class, reminding them of what they have conquered during their time at Elon.

鈥淵ou kept becoming. You studied. You engaged. You served. You created. You cared for one another, and you kept on showing up,鈥� Boswell said. 鈥淭hese were not easy years. But they shaped you into a generation that is not only informed, but is discerning. Not only challenged, but compassionate. Not only aware of suffering, but determined to make meaning within it.鈥�

Boswell also acknowledged Jason Titunik, a member of the Class of 2026, who died in July 2023.

鈥淓ven in celebration, we acknowledge sorrow,鈥� said Boswell. 鈥淚t is a sacred grief when one who began the journey with us is not here to share the milestone with us.鈥�

The ceremony included musical reflections from students and faculty. Malia Horst 鈥�26, Lucas Velasco-Shen 鈥�26 and University Accompanist Tyson Hankins performed a rendition of 鈥淭he Climb,鈥� made famous by singer Miley Cyrus. Andrea Baca 鈥�26 and Velasco-Shen 鈥�26 also performed a rendition of 鈥淢ilagro de Amor,鈥� by Athenas.

A tradition of the program, 鈥淭he Meaning We Make,”聽 allows students to give selected readings from religious texts, poetry, nonfiction and other writings and reflect on how those choices represent their time at Elon. Grace Frances Stetler 鈥�26 read Matthew 7:24-25, Simon Mendelsohn 鈥�26 read a quote from 鈥淧irkei Avot,鈥� Huria Tahiry read the poem 鈥淭he Guest House,鈥� by Mawalna Jaladin Muhammad Balkhi, Diana Jimenez-Carreno 鈥�26 read a quote from Javier Zamora鈥檚 memoir 鈥淪alito,鈥� Fatmata Binta Bah 鈥�26 read 鈥淎 Missive to Youth,鈥� by Amadou Hamp芒t茅 B芒, and Ahron Jay Frankel 鈥�26 read an excerpt from 鈥淩ahiya Tu Ruk Na” (Traveler, Do Not Stop) by Deepak Jatoi.

Rocco Albano 鈥�26 read an excerpt from a 1990 Kenyon College commencement address, delivered by Bill Waterson, the author of the Calvin and Hobbes comic strip. Waterson advised graduates to find their own life鈥檚 meaning and not be tied to the 鈥渋maginary ladder of success.鈥�

鈥淩eading those turgid philosophers here in these remote stone buildings may not get you a job, but if those books have forced you to ask yourself questions about what makes life truthful, purposeful, meaningful, and redeeming, you have the Swiss Army Knife of mental tools, and it’s going to come in handy all the time,鈥� read Albano from Waterson鈥檚 address.

鈥淢y time here at Elon has helped foster (my) interests and develop them in a myriad of ways, even outside of things typically considered essential for my major or potential career,鈥� said Albano. 鈥淚 hope that in your time here in these 鈥榬emote brick buildings鈥� that you too have had the chance to engage not only with course content and syllabi, but also with meaning, and that you carry those lessons with you into the rest of your life as well.鈥�

Fabin Covington 鈥�76 began the 鈥減assing of the light,鈥� as Covington and multiple other Elon alumni passed a candle flame from alumni to student, and student to student. As the candles were illuminated, Mindy Monroe 鈥�26, Velasco-Shen and Hankins performed 鈥淏ridge of Light鈥� by P!nk and Billy Mann.

Elon President Connie Ledoux Book offered her final words to the graduates before the Commencement ceremonies on May 22, reminding them of the symbolic nature of the sapling they are about to receive and the 鈥渓ife of love鈥� they formed at Elon.

鈥淩emember the roots that you formed at Elon. They include the hard days 鈥� and those days strengthened you. The experiences that made you more compassionate, more humble, more willing to give things a second, third, or even fourth try,鈥� Book said. 鈥淚n addition to a life of love, embrace a life of risk-taking. Try things more than once. Be dissatisfied. In my experience, that is the fullness of life 鈥� and often where hope for something better begins.鈥�

The 136th Commencement Ceremonies

Elon University will celebrate more than 1,500 graduates during two ceremonies on Friday, May 22, in Schar Center for the university鈥檚 136th Commencement Exercises.

The 9 a.m. ceremony will honor graduates from the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business and the School of Communications. The 2:30 p.m. ceremony will recognize graduates from Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences; the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education; and the School of Health Sciences.

More information on Elon鈥檚 136th Commencement is聽available online.

福利亚洲国产精品’s newly launched Master鈥檚 Program in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) has achieved Criteria C status through the North Carolina Addictions Specialist Professional Practice Board (NCASPPB), marking a significant milestone in the program鈥檚 continued development and commitment to workforce-responsive counselor education.

Criteria C approval confirms that the program鈥檚 curriculum includes the academic coursework and supervised clinical training necessary for graduates to pursue the educational requirements associated with the Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist (LCAS) pathway in North Carolina. This designation further enhances the program鈥檚 ability to prepare counselors to meet growing behavioral health and substance use treatment needs across the state.

Housed within Elon鈥檚 School of Health Sciences, the CMHC program was intentionally designed to address critical mental health workforce shortages through innovative and clinically rigorous counselor preparation. The 60-credit program combines strong foundational counseling training with integrated experiences in trauma-informed care, addictions counseling, wellness, and emerging mental health practices.

鈥淭his milestone reflects 福利亚洲国产精品鈥檚 commitment to preparing highly competent, ethical, and adaptable counselors equipped to serve individuals, families, and communities facing increasingly complex mental health and substance use challenges,鈥� said Associate Professor Raychelle Lohmann. 鈥淐riteria C status strengthens our students鈥� professional opportunities while helping expand access to qualified behavioral health providers throughout North Carolina.鈥�

鈥淥ur goal has always been to prepare counselors who can respond thoughtfully to the realities people are facing today,鈥� said Judy Folmar, chair and interim program director. 鈥淢ental health and substance use challenges are deeply interconnected, and our students will learn to approach care in integrated, ethical, and relationship-centered ways.鈥�

The CMHC program is currently preparing for its inaugural cohort and was developed in alignment with national best practices in counselor education. The program features a hybrid cohort model, close faculty mentorship, immersive clinical training experiences, and strong partnerships with community agencies and healthcare systems.

The Criteria C designation also reflects Elon鈥檚 broader mission to foster interdisciplinary collaboration, community engagement, and innovative approaches to addressing pressing health and wellness needs.

Applications for the Fall 2026 inaugural cohort are open until June 15, 2026.

For more information about 福利亚洲国产精品鈥檚 Master鈥檚 Program in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, visit: /u/academics/health-sciences/clinical-mental-health-counseling/