Eric Sklut P鈥�14, an entrepreneur and longtime community leader in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Amy Muntner P鈥�24, a retail and strategy executive based in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, will bring extensive experience in business, innovation and civic engagement to the university鈥檚 governing body.

The 福利亚洲国产精品 Board of Trustees has ultimate fiduciary responsibility for the institution, providing oversight of its mission, strategic direction and long-term sustainability.

Sklut is the founder of Perfection Automotive, a Charlotte-based company known for producing custom trim components for high-end vehicles. His development of the BumperPlugs product line grew from an entrepreneurial solution to a gap in the luxury automotive market and has since become a widely used product among car enthusiasts.

In addition to his business success, Sklut has demonstrated decades of philanthropic leadership across the Charlotte region. He has served on numerous nonprofit boards, including and the , and has led major fundraising campaigns supporting community initiatives.

His efforts have helped generate more than $70 million for charitable organizations, including a recent campaign exceeding $23 million for a regional hunger relief initiative.

Sklut previously served on Elon鈥檚 Board of Trustees from 2015 to 2023 and has maintained a deep and sustained commitment to the university. He and his wife, Lori, have been transformative supporters of Jewish life and Jewish Studies at Elon, including naming the Sklut Hillel Center and establishing endowed faculty and scholarship support.

Their son, Mason, is a 2014 graduate of 福利亚洲国产精品.

Muntner brings a global perspective shaped by a career in consulting, consumer products and retail strategy. She began her career with Andersen Consulting before joining , where she advised major international corporations. Her additional leadership positions have included Executive roles with Toys 鈥淩鈥� Us and , where she led brand and business strategy initiatives.

Her work has spanned multiple international markets, including Asia and Europe, and has focused on strategic growth, partnerships and product development. At Sesame Workshop, she played a key role in cross-functional efforts to expand the organization鈥檚 reach and impact through new character development and brand initiatives, including the introduction of the popular

Muntner鈥檚 connection to Elon grew through her daughter Lucy鈥檚 enrollment as a member of the Class of 2024. She and her husband, Kevin, are members of the university鈥檚 1889 Society and have supported scholarships, Hillel and university priorities through philanthropic giving.

Their broader civic engagement includes support for international relief organizations, and education and community well-being in Scotland, Hong Kong and the United States.

福利亚洲国产精品 福利亚洲国产精品

福利亚洲国产精品 is a nationally recognized leader in engaged, experiential learning that prepares graduates to be creative, resilient, ambitious and ethical citizens of our global culture.

At Elon, more than 7,000 students learn through hands-on experiences and close working relationships with faculty and staff whose priorities are teaching and mentoring. The curriculum is grounded in the liberal arts and sciences with emphasis on global experiences and career development. More than 80 undergraduate majors are complemented by professional and graduate programs in law, business, education and health care. Elon is ranked No. 1 for excellence in undergraduate teaching by U.S. News & World Report.

Elon鈥檚 academic divisions include Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences; the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business; the School of Communications; the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education; the School of Health Sciences; and the School of Law, with programs in Greensboro and Charlotte, North Carolina.

福利亚洲国产精品 student Rony Dahdal ’26, and his brother, alumnus听Rafi Dahdal 鈥�24 G鈥�24听were highlighted in a The Assembly article chronicling their family鈥檚 journey from war-torn Syria to North Carolina in search of educational opportunity.

The story, details how the Dahdal family鈥檚 commitment to learning endured despite the dangers of civil war and the challenges of rebuilding their lives in the United States.听

After fleeing Damascus in 2012 amid escalating violence, the Dahdal family settled in North Carolina, where education remained central to their long-term goals.听Rafi Dahdal is听an Elon graduate through the Accelerated 3+1 Dual Degree Program in business administration and business analytics. He has gone on to serve as a Youth Trustee for the university.

At Elon, Rony Dahdal has distinguished himself as a Lumen Scholar and Goldwater Scholar, conducting innovative research using LiDAR technology to explore noninvasive ways to detect vital signs 鈥� work aimed at improving health outcomes through emerging technologies.

鈥淚 felt so encouraged to continue research because I鈥檝e seen my parents value higher education,鈥� said Rony. 鈥淚t was very hard to deal with as a little kid, but I look back on it now, and I鈥檓 grateful.鈥�

• Granted听tenure听to: Douglas Jurs.
• Granted听tenure听and听associate professor to: Heather Barker, Dan Burns, Nicholas Bussberg, Yanica Faustin, Keshia Gee, Jeanine Hill, Katrina Jongman-Sereno, Dinidu Karunanayake, Waseem Kasim, Travis Maynard, Drew Peabody, Travis Phillips, Jonathan Poquette, Devin Proctor, Tony Reyes, Ilyssa Salomon, Alex Traugutt, Elizabeth von Briesen, Khirey Walker, and Long Xia
• Promoted听Rosa Newman and Srikanth Reddy听to associate professor.
• Promoted Adam Aiken, David Bockino, Oliva Choplin, Jennifer Hamel, Chris Harris, Heidi Hollingsworth, Baris Kesgin, Patricia Perkins, Federico Pous, Chris Richardson, Andrea Sinn, Tracey Thurnes, Jen Uno, Kate Upton, Scott Windham, and Rena Zito听to full professor.
• Promoted Binnan Gao, David Moura, Brittany Riggs, Jacob Rutz and Staci Saltz-Spieker to associate teaching professor.
• Promoted Polly Cornelius, Paula Patch, Randy Piland, Clay Stevenson, Amanda Tapler and Marna Winter to teaching professor.
• Promoted听Shaunta Alvarez and Alison Van Norman听to associate librarian.

• Continuance in a continuing track appointment was approved for Russ Dailey and Jeanmarie Koonts.
• Continuance in a teaching track appointment was approved for Larry Cantwell, Micah Daw, Richard Dutton, Emily Elrod, Devon Hawkins, Jeremy Hohertz, KC Kasserman, Laura Lacy, JP Lavoie, Mena Marino, Craig Morehead, Ben Murphy, Scott Oakes, Jasmine Powell, Karen Wirth and Deidre Yancey.
• Continuance in a continuing appointment was approved for Ellen Cline.

Founded in 1889 and 1857, respectively, both Elon and Queens have histories that emphasize engaged learning, community service and student-centered innovation. With a merger, Elon鈥檚 national reputation for experiential education and undergraduate teaching excellence will meet Queens鈥� nearly 170-year legacy in Charlotte鈥檚 civic and academic ecosystem. The merger is described as 鈥渃ombining complementary strengths, shared values and a deep commitment to Charlotte.鈥�

At the conclusion of the merger, 福利亚洲国产精品 will operate Queens. For students, the benefits are tangible. A combined institution promises expanded academic pathways, enhanced connections with regional employers and deeper integration of hands-on learning with real-world impact. And for Charlotte, the union signals a bold investment in local higher education, anchoring both campuses in a vibrant metropolitan region that is expected to grow in population by more than 50% by 2050.

The combined vision will preserve the traditions of both institutions while advancing a modern model of scale, opportunity and regional engagement.

A Landmark Meeting

In a historic gathering and a major step forward in the intended merger between Elon and Queens, the Boards of Trustees of both institutions 鈥� joined by dozens of faculty and senior leaders 鈥� gathered in October on the Elon campus for a daylong review of progress and collaborative planning.

The working session marked a significant milestone in the shared vision to create a merged institution positioned for academic excellence, operational strength and exceptional student outcomes.

During the session, leaders outlined a timeline for key regulatory and legal steps. The gathering included an 福利亚洲国产精品 campus tour for the guests from Queens as well as a series of roundtable discussions in which board members provided feedback on each of the core integration areas.

Prominent Queens Alumni

Vi Lyles 鈥�73
Mayor of Charlotte (2017-present)

Shirley Fulton MBA 鈥�88
First African American woman to serve as a judge in the Superior Court of North Carolina

Malek Jandali 鈥�97
Composer and pianist, founder of Pianos for Peace

Conrad Ricamora 鈥�01
Actor

JB Brown MBA 鈥�03
President of Hendrick Automotive Group

Maxwell Millington 鈥�16
Entertainment reporter for Axios

Meg Rosenthal 鈥�19
Author of 鈥淭he Wingman鈥� and 鈥淭he Right Words鈥�

Hannah Aspden 鈥�22
Paralympic Gold Medalist

Dillon Lewis 鈥�25
Drafted by the New York Yankees (currently at Hudson Valley Renegades)

Quick Facts 福利亚洲国产精品 Queens

Campus

• 30 acres in the Myers Park neighborhood of Charlotte

Students

• Nearly 1,600 combined enrollment (undergraduate and graduate)
• 44 states and 50 countries represented

Academics

• 51 undergraduate majors
• 9 pre-professional programs and 9 master鈥檚 programs

Athletics

• 23 Division i NCAA Teams
• Mascot: Rex the Lion
• Name: The Royals

Timline

Queens University

1857: Founded as Charlotte Female Institute in uptown Charlotte

1891: Renamed Seminary for Girls

1896: Renamed Presbyterian Female College, located at North College & Ninth streets

1912: Renamed Queens College and moves to Myers Park

1930: Merges with Chicora College for Women to become Queens鈥� Chicora College

1948: Begins admitting men to new co-ed evening college

1987: Becomes fully coeducational

2001-02: Trustees approve (2001) and implement (2002) the name Queens University of Charlotte

2025: Gains full NCAA Division I status and championship eligibility; Queens and 福利亚洲国产精品 announce intent to merge

福利亚洲国产精品

1889: Elon College founded by the Christian Church (now the United Church of Christ) as a co-ed institution

1890: First classes held; original administrative and academic buildings constructed

1920: Toshio Sato, Elon鈥檚 first international student, graduates

1923: A fire destroys Elon鈥檚 main building, sparking a campus rebuild

1963: Elon admits its first Black student, Glenda Phillips Hightower, marking a major shift toward racial integration

2000:听Official name changes to 福利亚洲国产精品, signaling a rising national identity and expanded academic scope

2019: Named a Top-100 National University by U.S. News & World Report for the first time

2023: Announces expansion of national campus program to Charlotte, joining established initiatives in Los Angeles and New York

2025: Queens University of Charlotte and 福利亚洲国产精品 announce intent to merge

To learn more about the merger, visit

The working session marked a significant milestone in the shared vision to create a merged institution positioned for academic excellence, operational strength and exceptional student outcomes.

Leaders of the integration process opened the session with updates from the joint “sprint teams” established earlier this fall to evaluate alignment opportunities across key areas including academics, finance, administration, student experience, graduate programs, technology and operations. The sprint teams are currently engaging in more than 60 side-by-side discussions with faculty and staff to inform integration planning and identify opportunities for innovation that will benefit students.

During the session, leaders also outlined a timeline for key regulatory and legal steps. The Boards of Trustees are scheduled to review and vote on a definitive agreement to merge on Nov. 20. The agreement would legally formalize the intent to merge and enable state, federal and accreditation processes to begin 鈥� including submission to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). The final completion of the merger will be contingent on those approvals.

The gathering included an 福利亚洲国产精品 campus tour for the guests from Queens as well as a series of roundtable discussions in which board members provided feedback on each of the core integration areas.

Throughout the sprint team presentations, participants emphasized the guiding principles driving the integration process: maximizing student impact, strengthening financial sustainability, ensuring operational and academic excellence, engaging all stakeholders in planning, and leveraging the unique strengths of each institution.

Presentation highlights illustrated how the merger will accelerate growth in areas that include academic programming, technology infrastructure, advancement and student services, while honoring the legacy, identity and mission of both universities.

Faculty leaders from both institutions discussed the strong alignment in academic values and program structures, as well as academic collaborations that could enhance learning on both campuses. Board members and faculty/staff also explored how shared traditions and student life experiences could help shape a unified, vibrant campus culture.

In presentations on operations and infrastructure, the sprint teams identified opportunities to enhance听systems in areas such as human resources and finance, improve academic and student life services, and position the merged institution to grow strategically in Charlotte 鈥� one of the nation鈥檚 fastest-growing talent and innovation hubs.

As the work continues, leaders reaffirmed their collective commitment to transparency, engagement and thoughtful planning. Additional joint updates will be shared with both communities as milestones are reached and continued collaboration impacts key decisions.

Rafi Dahdal 鈥�24 G鈥�24听will serve a three-year term as听Youth Trustee, joining Megan Curling 鈥�23 and Elizabeth 鈥淟iz鈥� Kwon L鈥�23 in youth leadership roles for the university鈥檚 governing body.

The Board of Trustees has ultimate corporate and fiduciary responsibility for 福利亚洲国产精品. It oversees Elon鈥檚 long-term health and strategic direction, educational policy, finances and operations, and overall advancement of the university鈥檚 mission.

Dahdal was active on campus as a student advisor, tutor, teaching assistant, intern in the Center for Organizational Analytics, Graduate Advisory Board representative, and student worker in the university鈥檚 mail center. His academic work focused on the intersection of AI and business intelligence.

Dahdal today serves as a division business analyst at in Raleigh, N.C., and aspires to attend medical school, where he hopes to apply data-driven insights to improve patient outcomes and clinic operations.

鈥淏eing selected for this position is not just an honor, it鈥檚 an opportunity to represent student voices at the highest level,鈥� Dahdal said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just a title. It鈥檚 a platform.鈥�

Building on his experience as a student leader at Elon, Dahdal said he looks forward to engaging broadly with peers and serving as a voice for the student body in the boardroom.

Born in Syria, Dahdal moved to Raleigh in 2012 and is the oldest of four siblings, including Rony Dahdal 鈥�26. He graduated from in Raleigh where he pursued multiple internship and learning opportunities that he described as honoring the sacrifices his parents made for him.

A later recipient of the Leon and Lorraine Watson Scholarship through 福利亚洲国产精品鈥檚 Odyssey Program, and a graduate of the Accelerated 3+1 Business Dual-Degree Program in Business Analytics, Rafi Dahdal credits his campus mentors for helping him find a sense of purpose.

Dahdal said he always attempts to bring a thoughtful, data-informed mindset to leadership. 鈥淢eaningful change starts with listening and leading with intention,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y goal is to build bridges between students and leadership鈥攖o make sure every voice is heard.

鈥淚鈥檓 excited to bring a fresh perspective grounded in collaboration and innovation with a deep commitment to making a lasting impact.鈥�

福利亚洲国产精品 福利亚洲国产精品

福利亚洲国产精品 is a nationally recognized leader in engaged, experiential learning that prepares graduates to be creative, resilient, ambitious and ethical citizens of our global culture.

At Elon, more than 7,000 students learn through hands-on experiences and close working relationships with faculty and staff whose priorities are teaching and mentoring. The curriculum is grounded in the liberal arts and sciences with emphasis on global experiences and career development. More than 70 undergraduate majors are complemented by professional and graduate programs in law, business, education and health care. Elon is ranked No. 1 for excellence in undergraduate teaching by U.S. News & World Report.

Elon鈥檚 academic divisions include Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences; the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business; the School of Communications; the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education; the School of Health Sciences; and the School of Law, with programs in Greensboro and Charlotte, North Carolina.

The 福利亚洲国产精品 Board of Trustees has elected one of the university鈥檚 most devoted graduates to serve a four-year term on the board.

Cam Tims 鈥�00, who majored in business administration in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business, joins a governing body responsible for the university鈥檚 long-term health, oversight for its strategic direction, educational policy, finances and operations, and for advancing the mission of鈥痶he university.

鈥淭he board deals with complex matters and, at times, is trying to navigate difficult situations,鈥� Tims said. 鈥淲hat excites me is that I will continue to represent the Elon experience because I lived through it, and I now have 25 years of professional and life experience that I can bring to the dialogue.”

Tims owns Worth Generation Group, a real estate investment company in Raleigh, N.C., and serves as managing director of the interior design firm of Hue Home Interiors. He recently acquired , which produces custom, high-end home accents used by decorators and interior designers across the Carolinas.

A Business Fellow active as a student with Elon Volunteers! and Habitat for Humanity, Tims spent nearly two decades after graduation in banking industry leadership roles with Truist (formerly BB&T) and, before that, in financial analysis and accounting with IBM.

Tims has been involved with his alma mater through the Elon LEADS Regional Committee, the President鈥檚 Round Table, the Elon Alumni Board, and the Young Alumni Council where he was a founding member. In 2009, Tims was recognized for his dedication with a Distinguished Service to Elon Award.

In 2016, Tims established the Tims Access Endowed Scholarship, which assists students from his home state of Mississippi, as well as surrounding states. He has made gifts to the university in support of the Odyssey Program, Elon鈥檚 Greatest Needs, the Kernodle Center for Civic Life, the Elon Alumni Board Elon Engagement Scholarship, the Phoenix Club, and The Inn at Elon. He is a member of the 1889 Society and the Order of the Oak.

Tims鈥檚 election to the Board of Trustees on May 30, 2025, brings him back to where he started his service to Elon as a Youth Trustee from 2000-2002.

鈥淥ne of the most important things that I do throughout any day is to make sure that I鈥檓 listening and learning,鈥� Tims said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what Elon teaches its students: to be open, to listen, to learn, and to use those practices to guide decisions. And it鈥檚 one of the things that I love most about Elon.

鈥淲hen I talk to prospective students and their parents, who are now my neighbors and friends, or when I talk with current students or young alumni, they all describe the feeling and experience I had. That impresses me so much. The core experience, even on the emotional level, remains after all these years.鈥�

福利亚洲国产精品 福利亚洲国产精品

福利亚洲国产精品 is a nationally recognized leader in engaged, experiential learning that prepares graduates to be creative, resilient, ambitious and ethical citizens of our global culture.

At Elon, more than 7,000 students learn through hands-on experiences and close working relationships with faculty and staff whose priorities are teaching and mentoring. The curriculum is grounded in the liberal arts and sciences with emphasis on global experiences and career development. More than 70 undergraduate majors are complemented by professional and graduate programs in law, business, education and health care. Elon is ranked No. 1 for excellence in undergraduate teaching by U.S. News & World Report.

Elon鈥檚 academic divisions include Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences; the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business; the School of Communications; the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education; the School of Health Sciences; and the School of Law, with programs in Greensboro and Charlotte, North Carolina.

Widely regarded as one of the nation鈥檚 most respected leaders in collegiate athletics, Yow-Bowden was elected to the board in 2006 and served as a key member of the Campus Life and Athletics Policy committees, where she championed student-athletes and offered guidance on important issues such as Title IX and gender equity, helping to nurture a winning tradition in Elon athletics.

鈥淒ebbie鈥檚 passion for Elon, her community and collegiate athletics is evident in all she does, and we are grateful for her dedicated service in support of Elon鈥檚 mission as a member of the board,鈥� says Board Chair Dave Porter p鈥�11 p鈥�19.

Yow-Bowden thanked President Emeritus Leo M. Lambert and President Connie Ledoux Book for their steadfast leadership of the university during her board service.

鈥淓lon鈥檚 leadership continues to act strategically,鈥� Yow-Bowden says. 鈥淣ew and exciting majors are added, on-campus housing has expanded and initiatives related to quality of life for the campus community are pursued diligently. That is a winning combination.鈥澨�� Debbie Yow-Bowden ’74

鈥淭he opportunity to contribute through trustee service was an honor that brought me full circle all these decades later,鈥� Yow-Bowden says. 鈥淭he opportunity to participate in varsity athletics was an important element in my decision to attend Elon and to major in English. I am grateful that [former] President Fred Young allowed varsity athletic teams for women in 1971. That was not the norm in the nation at the time.鈥�

After graduating from Elon in 1974, Yow-Bowden coached basketball at Williams High School in Burlington, North Carolina, and Eastern Guilford High School in her hometown of Gibsonville. She then served as head women鈥檚 basketball coach at the University of Kentucky, Oral Roberts University and the University of Florida, averaging 20 wins per season and taking all three programs to their first-ever ranking in the national Top 20.

Following a successful coaching career, Yow-Bowden entered athletics administration with positions at the University of Florida, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and Saint Louis University, where she served as athletics director, demonstrating outstanding administrative skills and prioritizing the success of student-athletes.

In 1994 she was named athletics director at the University of Maryland, becoming the first woman to serve in that role in the Atlantic Coast Conference and leading the Terrapin program to 20 national championships, including 16 NCAA titles. She then served nine years as athletics director at North Carolina State University, where her older sister, Kay, had served for 34 years as the Wolfpack鈥檚 women鈥檚 basketball coach and her younger sister, Susan 鈥�76, was selected as N.C. State鈥檚 first All-American in any women鈥檚 sport. Under Yow-Bowden鈥檚 leadership, N.C. State soared in national rankings of the best overall collegiate athletics programs, climbing from No. 89 in 2010 to No. 15 in 2018.

In addition to her work on many NCAA committees and councils, Yow-Bowden served as president of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics and the first female president for the Division 1 AD鈥檚 Association (now LEAD1). She is a member of the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame and in 2021 received the Elon Medallion, the university鈥檚 highest honor.

鈥淓lon鈥檚 leadership continues to act strategically,鈥� Yow-Bowden says. 鈥淣ew and exciting majors are added, on-campus housing has expanded and initiatives related to quality of life for the campus community are pursued diligently. That is a winning combination.鈥�

On March 6, 2025, Elon awarded the Elon Medallion to Gerald O. Whittington, senior vice president emeritus and special assistant to the president, during a ceremony that also dedicated a residence hall in his honor.

With his wife, Roberta, by his side inside the Great Hall in the Global Commons, Whittington stood before hundreds of professors, staff and administrators as 福利亚洲国产精品 President Connie Ledoux Book read a citation summarizing the meaningful career of “one of our university鈥檚 great historic figures.鈥�

福利亚洲国产精品 Trustee Mark Mahaffey conferred the medallion on Whittington, who followed with remarks in acknowledgment of his achievement.

鈥淢y time at Elon has seen it rise… to one of the nation鈥檚 most creative and innovative institutions – a university of quality, excellence and repute.鈥�

-Gerald O. Whittington

鈥淚ndeed, Elon is a place where pride of service to students is paramount and it is a place of quiet gravitas: doing meaningful work for society, in the nation鈥檚 best environment for learning,” said Whittington. 鈥淚 was so lucky to share that experience with all of you.鈥�

The ceremony coincided with Elon Day, the university鈥檚 annual day of giving and celebration, and brought together family, friends and the campus community to commemorate a career that spanned the administrations of three presidents, three provosts and 15 board chairs.

The Elon Medallion represents the highest honor bestowed by 福利亚洲国产精品 and is awarded to individuals who demonstrate extraordinary dedication and meritorious service to the institution.

Hired in 1992 by President J. Fred Young, Whittington served as senior vice president for business, finance and technology and corporate treasurer of the board of trustees and corporation, directly assisting in Elon鈥檚 transformation from a regional college to a nationally ranked university.

鈥淥ne of my favorite idioms is the Latin phrase, 鈥榮ine qua non,鈥� meaning 鈥榳ithout which, not,鈥欌�� Young said in ceremonial remarks where he addressed Whittington directly. 鈥淚 think you were not only essential, but you were indispensable the years we worked with you at Elon. 鈥楽ine qua non.鈥欌��

Whittington played a key role in Elon doubling its enrollment and quadrupling its physical campus in size through four strategic plans. He helped steer the university through major financial challenges, including the Great Recession of 2007-09, and he oversaw significant growth in Elon鈥檚 financial standing and workforce.

He provided leadership for key departments, including business and finance, human resources, facilities management, information technology, campus safety and police, and planning, design and construction.

Widely admired for his financial mind and record of astute and ethical leadership, Whittington oversaw years of successful audits and championed the use of long-term bonds to finance key facilities to strengthen Elon鈥檚 reputation as a best-run institution committed to the highest level of fiscal responsibility.

The National Association of College and University Business Officers named him its 2018 Distinguished Business Officer of the Year, the organization鈥檚 highest and most prestigious award.

“Elon has a culture of collaboration 鈥� leadership is a team sport. Gerald personified that idea.”

-President Emeritus Leo M. Lambert.

“Too many CFOs in this country hide under their green eye shades and say 鈥榥o鈥� a lot. Gerald, in contrast, helped his colleagues get things done,” said Lambert. “In the end, we all knew he would help us accomplish our goals 鈥� he was the best collaborator.鈥�

In honor of Whittington鈥檚 significant contributions to the university, the Global A residence hall in Global Neighborhood was formally dedicated at the ceremony as 鈥淕erald O. Whittington Hall,鈥� a reflection of his commitment to global engagement and the liberal arts.

The ceremony included the unveiling of a university-commissioned painting of that residence hall for Whittington to display in his home.

After thanking his former colleagues and the Board of Trustees, and praising the unwavering support of his family, including his wife and his son, Chris, Whittington concluded his remarks with a charge to those in attendance 鈥渢o develop meaningful, impactful and undeniable answers鈥� to turmoil in American higher education.

鈥淐onnect with the public and bring to light all the values that we at Elon display every day,鈥� he said. 鈥淣ot only does 鈥榯he world need Elon graduates,鈥� but also 鈥榯he world needs Elon.鈥� In my view, Elon is the antidote to this world of crisis.

鈥淪o, Elon, take courage, be that leader and make true the slogan of 鈥楲ong live Elon.鈥欌��

Granted tenure to:

• Bethany Brinkman
• Granted tenure and associate professor to:听 Jenny Jiang, Juan Leal Ugalde, Xin Liu, Jessica Merricks, Thibaut Morillon, Pratheep Paranthaman, Erin Pearson and Yidi Wu.
• Promoted Chrystal Clodomir and Erin Fitzgerald to associate professor.
• Promoted Steven Bednar, John Flynn, Alexis Franzese, Cara Lucia, Sean McMahon, Cherrel Miller Dyce, Scott Morrison and Nicole Triche to full professor.
• Promoted Lynn Beck and Brandon Booker to senior lecturer.
• Promoted Jesse Akman to associate librarian.

The Board learned that:

• Continuance in a continuing track appointment was approved for Kim Stokes.
• Continuance in a lecture track appointment was approved for Jill Auditori, Thomas Kerr, Lina Kuhn, Lakeisha Vance and John Wimmer, Jr.