This summer, Professor of Political Science and Public Policy Safia Swimelar teaches New York City: Living in the Global Community using the city as a microcosm to help students understand the diversity and complexity of global humanity. The course explores the meaning of NYC as a global city and how cultural, political and economic aspects of globalization are reflected and visualized there.

鈥淓ven though I teach political science, we鈥檙e talking about the globalization of hip-hop, food, 9/11, identity and culture,鈥� Swimelar says. 鈥淭hey all fit the idea of New York as a global city.鈥�

Students spend Monday through Thursday interning in industries ranging from finance and marketing to communications and graphic design. On Fridays, everyone comes together for weekly seminars, encouraging students to connect their workplace experiences with broader discussions around globalization, identity and culture.

In true Elon fashion, learning extends beyond the classroom. 鈥淲e try to match the academic topic with some kind of hands-on experience, whether that鈥檚 a museum, a tour or meeting people in the community,鈥� Swimelar says. This summer鈥檚 experiential learning opportunities included a visit to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, a World Cup watch party, a Juneteenth celebration in Central Park, a performance of 鈥淩agtime鈥� on Broadway, the Pride Parade, a tour of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, an international food tour in Queens and a private tour of the New York Stock Exchange, to name a few.

At its core, the course is about helping students understand the world from a new perspective. 鈥淚 really want them to understand that the United States 鈥� and every city in it 鈥� is inherently connected to the rest of the world,鈥� Swimelar says. 鈥淭he global is everywhere.鈥�

By the end of the summer, students bring home much more than academic knowledge and internship experience. Living in Brooklyn, navigating the subway and working full-time internships provide a realistic glimpse into life in one of the world鈥檚 largest cities.

鈥淔or many of them, this is the first time they feel like they鈥檙e actually living here instead of just visiting,鈥� Swimelar says. 鈥淲hen I read their journals each week, many are saying, 鈥業 think I really do want to move to New York.鈥欌��

Whether students pursue careers in business, the arts, communications, finance or public policy, Swimelar hopes they leave New York with a deeper appreciation for the people, cultures and ideas that shape communities both locally and globally.

福利亚洲国产精品 the Professor

Professor Safia Swimelar has taught political science and policy studies at Elon since 2008. Her teaching and research focus on international relations, human rights, European politics, global studies and film and politics. As a former Fulbright Scholar, Swimelar draws on her international experience to help students better understand global politics and contemporary issues.

Recommended Materials

• 鈥淭he Colossus of New York,鈥� by Colson Whitehead
• 鈥淗ip hop鈥檚 Enduring Echo: From New York鈥檚 Streets to Global Beats,鈥� The Elephant, 2023
• 鈥淎merica After 9/11,鈥� PBS Frontline documentary

Executive Director of the Core Curriculum and Associate Professor of Music and Education Matt Buckmaster was invited to join a panel to share insights on general education assessment using the AAC&U VALUE rubrics.

Part of AAC&U’s VALUE Week webinar series, the panel was titled “Doing the Work: How Institutions Are Using VALUE Rubrics to Understand Student Learning.”聽 Buckmaster shared Elon’s process and design to student learning assessment in the Core Curriculum, including the successes and challenges encountered in the process.

Elon’s emphasis on engaged learning and student-centered curriculum led to very positive outcomes, and areas for continued improvement were able to be identified as well. The investment Elon has made in assessment in the Core Curriculum will inform faculty development opportunities, course and assignment design resources, and potentially future curriculum revisions.

福利亚洲国产精品 is a member of the .

At Elon, community-based learning is fundamentally an academic endeavor in which engagement in projects and activities takes place through reciprocal and mutually beneficial partnerships with the greater community designed to advance the public good. It is an experiential education approach that involves collaborative relationships, guided by the expertise of professors and community-based practitioners, to combine student learning with community needs as an integrated component of a course. The partnerships between Elon and communities engage students with entities such as nonprofit organizations, schools, government agencies, or locally owned businesses.

This year, 19 faculty members have been selected for four extended faculty development programs: Community-Based Learning Faculty Scholars, Community-Based Learning Research Scholars, Community-Based Learning Course Development Grants, and a First-Year Foundations Community Engaged Community of Practice.

Five Elon faculty members have been selected as Community-Based Learning Faculty Scholars for 2026-27. Over the course of this academic year, they will meet regularly to learn more about pedagogy and practices, devise ways to incorporate these practices into their teaching, and receive a stipend for their work.Frank Gentry, Assistant Teaching Professor of Management
Meleena Gil, Assistant Professor of English
Lauren Guilmette, Associate Professor of Philosophy
Nina Namaste, Professor of Spanish
Nikita Shepherd, Assistant Professor of History

Three Elon faculty members have been selected as Community-Based Learning Research Scholars for 2026-27. Each will work on an independent research project during the academic year and will receive a stipend for their efforts. They are:
Dillan Bono-Lunn, Assistant Professor of Political Science and Public Policy
Tony Reyes, Assistant Professor of Human Service Studies
Carol Smith, Professor of Wellness

Three faculty members have been awarded Community-Based Learning Course Development Grants for 2026-28. They will spend the next two years developing, teaching and assessing their community-based learning courses. Additionally, three faculty members were awarded these grants for 2025-27. They are now in the teaching and assessment phases of their grants. These grants are supported by the Kernodle Center for Civic Life and funded through a grant from the Frueauff Foundation.

2026-28 Community-Based Learning Course Development Grant recipients:
Donna Boyette, Assistant Professor of Accounting
Smaraki Mohanty, Assistant Professor of Marketing
Bethanny Sudibyo, Assistant Professor of Spanish

2025-27 Community-Based Learning Course Development Grant recipients:
Lisa Buchanan, Associate Professor of Education
Sandra Darfour-Oduro, Assistant Professor of Public Health Studies
Chris Nelson, Assistant Professor of Marketing

Five faculty are engaging in a pilot community of practice entitled 鈥淔irst-Year Foundations Community Engagement鈥� focused on broadening first-year student community-based learning opportunities. This community of practice is a partnership between the Kernodle Center and the Elon Core Curriculum with support from Nina Namaste, Assistant Director of First Year Seminars in the Elon Core Curriculum, Heather Lindeman, Coordinator of ENG 1100.
Rebecca Bagley, Assistant Professor of Communication Design
Catherine Bowlin, Assistant Teaching Professor of English
Archie Crowley, Assistant Professor of English
Brooks Depro, Associate Professor of Economics
Celia Hameury, Assistant Professor of Engineering

These faculty development programs are mentored by Elena Kennedy, Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship and Faculty Fellow for Community-Based Learning.鈥� Applications for the 2027-28 programs will be available next spring. In the meantime, there are two upcoming faculty development opportunities:

Essentials of Community-Based Learning Workshop for National Campuses鈥��
Wednesday, Sept. 16, 3:30 – 5 p.m., Virtual

This virtual workshop is for faculty and staff at Elon鈥檚 national campuses.
Are you interested in creating a more authentic learning experience in your course by engaging with community partners? Could the learning鈥痮bjectives鈥痜or your course be enhanced through community engagement?鈥疕ave you ever wondered how community-based learning works and why reflection is central to that pedagogy? This workshop is鈥痑ppropriate for鈥痜aculty members who are developing a community-based course,鈥痙esigning a project or assignment that involves community鈥痚ngagement, or鈥痑re curious about community-based learning pedagogies in general. The workshop will allow for interaction with experienced faculty, and staff members from the Kernodle Center for Civic Life and Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning.

Campus-Community鈥疦etworking Hour鈥�
Thursday, Oct. 22, 4:30-5:30 p.m.

You are invited to join the Kernodle Center for Civic Life for an afternoon of networking that will bring together Elon faculty, staff, and community partners to discuss opportunities for collaboration, including community-engaged courses.鈥疎njoy hors d鈥檕euvres and a chance to connect with many partner organizations and campus departments. You will leave with valuable connections for future partnerships.

The article, “,” was co-authored by Jennifer Stephens, director of Academic-Residential Partnerships and assistant professor of education; Jill McSweeney, assistant director of the Center for the Advancement of Teaching & Learning and assistant professor of wellness; Nina Namaste, professor of Spanish and assistant director of First-Year Seminars in the Elon Core Curriculum; and Brandy S. Propst, director of Elon 1010 and assistant director of Academic Advising.

The collaborative nature of this work is, in itself, a unique reflection of Elon’s approach to the first-year experience, as it brings together offices across academic affairs and student life to create a unified and campus-wide ethos to the first-year experience, which they argue is essential but often missing in institutional approaches to the first-year experience.

The piece explores how institutions should view the first-year experience as a culmination beyond first-year seminars, and that in doing so, it requires us to see this as a unique pedagogical context that differs from teaching students in their sophomore to senior years of college. The authors present a framework for faculty development in First-Year Pedagogies, incorporating CATL’s Teaching for Equity and Inclusion work, and faculty, staff, and student data at Elon. The framework asks educators to think intentionally about who they teach, what they teach, and how they teach, all within a commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusivity.

The article outlines how other institutions can put this framework into practice, by sharing how over the last two years, Elon has developed specific faculty development opportunities to bring together faculty and staff from across first-year experiences (e.g., residential learning communities, gateway major courses, advising seminars). The goal of this work has been to build shared values, language, and classroom strategies focused on preparing students to be engaged, autonomous, and self-directed learners during their college degree and supporting students through the numerous transitions they experience during their first-year at college.

This work reflects why Elon has earned national recognition for the first-year undergraduate experience and emphasizes the importance of uplifting and supporting staff and faculty in order to continue to best support our first-year students.

Catherine Bowlin, assistant teaching professor in English, presented 鈥淎 Liberating Way聽to聽Take a Course: Linguistically Just, Collaborative Feedback and Assessment in First-Year Writing,鈥澛燼 pedagogical intervention she began piloting in her Fall 2025 courses (ENG 1100 and COR 1100). This question-based feedback model requires students to聽submit聽specific questions about their drafts before receiving peer or instructor feedback.

This approach is part of Bowlin鈥檚 broader commitment to linguistically just assessment practices that center student agency and challenge traditional grading structures that often reinforce linguistic hierarchies. Bowlin shared preliminary findings from three courses and received valuable feedback from scholars in writing studies. Early data suggests that structuring feedback around student-generated questions can increase students鈥� confidence, sense of ownership over their writing, and engagement with the revision process.

Paula Patch, associate teaching professor in English and associate director of the Common Reading and First-Year Foundations in the Elon Core Curriculum,聽participated聽in a roundtable discussion on career options after a faculty member has served as a Writing Program Administrator. Titled “‘Learning on the Bones’: Life After Writing Program Administration,” the roundtable featured five mid- to late-career faculty who spoke about their experiences as administrators, what they decided to do next in their careers, and advice they have for others. Patch spoke about the unique opportunities聽and聽sense of belonging that program and campus leadership offers for non-tenure track faculty.鈥� The presenters also debuted a call for proposals for an edited collection on the same topic. Patch was the Coordinator of the College Writing Program at Elon from 2012 to 2019.

Associate Professors聽of English聽Heather Lindenman, first-year Writing coordinator, and聽Julia Bleakney, director of The Writing Center, and聽Associate Teaching Professor聽Greg Hlavaty presented the findings of a Spring 2025 study that piloted two versions of AI-integrated first-year writing courses (ENG 1100). This presentation, 鈥淣avigating Control and Trust: A Study of Two Pedagogical Approaches to Teaching First-Year Writing with Generative AI,鈥� detailed two pedagogical models for engaging AI in the FYW classroom; shared an overview of the study鈥檚 findings from both survey and focus group data; and discussed pedagogical and curricular interventions being currently piloted in Elon鈥檚 first-year writing courses as a result of this study鈥檚 findings and implications.

Elon and ENG1100 have been leaders in research surrounding聽generative AI and聽writing pedagogy. These presentations contributed to聽conversations聽among Writing Studies scholars聽regarding聽pedagogical adaptations to support student and faculty engagement.

The workshop, titled Launching and Sustaining a Common Reading Program that Works, was facilitated by members of the Penguin Random House Common Reads advisory board, all of whom lead Common Reading programs at colleges and universities across the United States.

Workshop topics included the evolving nature of Common Reading programs,聽 making a case for launching or sustaining a program,聽program models and logistics, title selection, program assessment, and time for feedback and mentoring of attendees.

Patch joined the Penguin Random House Common Reads Advisory Board in 2025. The board meets regularly to identify titles and topics for Common Reading programs that choose Penguin Random House titles.

The volume is a comprehensive introduction to the essential methods, concepts and practices of conducting ethnographic research in and about digital environments. Written by 60 global contributors across 12 chapters with accompanying case studies and concept explorations, it provides both theoretical foundations and practical guidance for digital ethnographic work. The book also examines ethical challenges specific to digital research environments while maintaining a commitment to reflexive, co-present research that acknowledges how our interactions with digital technologies transcend boundaries of citizenship, race, gender identity, age and ability.

Proctor began this project because he found selecting readings for his courses on internet culture difficult. The classes聽had constantly been torn between well-researched and theorized but dense and jargon-laden articles on one hand and readable popular “think pieces” without any basis in research or evidence on the other. This left a gap between the two. This book hopes to bridge that divide, seeking to be approachable and useful but also theoretically and methodologically rigorous. The objective is to provide practical advice on the methods, concepts, and themes of digital ethnography, so that students can effectively conduct their own studies, whether in or out of the classroom. To this end, it鈥檚 presented in an approachable style ideal for students and researchers in anthropology, media studies, science & technology studies, and communications who seek to understand contemporary hyper-mediated environments, as well as professionals outside academia who need practical, accessible guidance for conducting rigorous digital research.

The main chapters are a deep-dive into themes such as “virtual reality research” or “digital ethics.” These are paired with short “case studies” that feature different digital ethnographic studies being done currently, written by the researchers doing the work. These involve research on shamanic use of selfies in the Amazon, Iranian feminist social media collectives, GIS use in Cameroon and Polish dark net drug markets, along with many others.聽Each chapter also includes a “micro-chapter” about a central concept, e.g., “affordance,” “platform,” “meme,” and so on.

The Divided Lands course focuses on states in their post-conflict transitions; this winter term, the class is in the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. Political Science professors Baris Kesgin and Safia Swimelar co-lead the class for a third time.

Recently, the students, Kesgin, and Swimelar spent a full day with the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), met with the international organization鈥檚 representatives on the ground and visited various locations under the United Nations鈥� (UN) control. The group met with the UN Good Offices Mission leaders, UN Police officers, and then joined a walking tour of the old airport of the Cypriot capital (pictured) and of the buffer zone.聽 The decayed airport appears as it did when it was abandoned in 1974 during the military conflict.

鈥淭he UN briefing and tour of the abandoned Nicosia International Airport and buffer zone provided rare insight into peacekeeping in Cyprus and the costs of war,” said Hayes Johnson ’28. “The buffer zone was in a state of decay, used only for UN patrols and receiving minimal maintenance or reinforcement in the hope of an eventual reunification that never seems to come. This experience made clear that peace is something that must be actively defended through constant effort, not complacency.鈥�

鈥淭he airport still had boarding passes on the floor and colorful airline advertisements on the walls, and houses still had scarves hanging in the closets and half-used bars of soap in the kitchen,” said Kate Gray ’27. “It was moving to see all these personal items that had been ruined by time and the elements and will probably never be reunited with their owners. We were lucky to have really knowledgeable guides who explained significant areas and gave us time to explore the space and immerse ourselves.鈥�

Cyprus became an independent state in 1960, and shortly after, experienced violent clashes between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities on the island by late 1963. The UN forces arrived in 1964 and have remained on the island since then to prevent conflict escalation between the two communities. In 1974, the two sides were divided along a buffer zone managed by the United Nations.

For Claire Blatt 鈥�26, the visit with the UN 鈥渕ade the fragile nature of this “peace” painfully clear. The walk along the Green Line and through the abandoned airport felt surreal and heavy; there were tens of cars left untouched covered by decades of debris, homes reclaimed by nature, personal belongings scattered as if people meant to return. It was impossible not to think about the lives interrupted there, and to realize that what can seem distant or abstract to outsiders is a lived reality of loss, fear, and uncertainty for those who call Cyprus home.鈥�

This year, the class ran into the president of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides in the streets of Nicosia. The president spared some time to chat with the group before he greeted his official guest, the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. The president then introduced the group to von der Leyen. Both presidents expressed appreciation for American students鈥� interest in Cyprus, Europe, and cultural exchange. They also emphasized the importance of close relations between the United States and Europe.

Kesgin and Swimelar designed the course in 2019 and led its first cohort in 2022. One of the key motivations for the duo was to add 鈥渙ff the beaten path鈥� study abroad destinations. The destinations of the course, Cyprus and Bosnia & Herzegovina (the past two iterations), represent a major contribution to Elon鈥檚 faculty-led study abroad programs for its geographic locations. Furthermore, the course鈥檚 thematic emphases on post-conflict societies and navigating multiple ethnic and religious identities in transition, domestic and international peacebuilding efforts, and complicated intersections of memory, narrative, and truth-telling relate the course to students鈥� multiple academic interests.

While the students attain foundational knowledge about divided lands such as Cyprus in the pre-departure course, they meet with a diverse array of domestic and international actors during the travel class. These meetings include major non-governmental organizations (such as civil society members, journalists, academics), international actors (US Embassy, United Nations personnel, the European Union, among others), as well as their peers (such as university students).

Anastasia Feldman 鈥�28 said: 鈥淗ere in Cyprus, we鈥檝e been exposed to a lot of differing perspectives, activities, and cultural experiences that I鈥檓 grateful to see and do,” said Anastasia Feldman ’28. “This was an amazing opportunity to learn about how the United Nations keep the peace in a high tension environment. We were able to see locations that haven鈥檛 been touched since 1974 such as the old Nicosia airport, and walking the buffer zone between the North and South which was incredible from a historic perspective. Beyond the UN, having the opportunity to meet with the president of Cyprus as well as the president of the European Commission was an incredible experience that I鈥檓 sure I never would have had without this course.鈥�

On a mid-September afternoon in a first-floor classroom in Long Building, students huddled over tables to finish their drone builds, adjusting miniature motors, securing blades and testing their wiring. Occasionally, a tiny screw or component went missing, prompting a frantic search.

The assembly had begun a week earlier in The Maker Hub, but the assignment 鈥撀燼nd all its small pieces 鈥撀爌roved too much for a single class period.

Among the students was Ali Steele 鈥�27, a computer science major from rural Heathsville, Virginia, who 鈥� thanks to a high school drone program 鈥� already has her FAA Part 107 certification. She even spent part of her summer surveying farmland via drone. Most classmates, however, were far greener, with little to no drone experience but plenty of curiosity.

This range of expertise is exactly what Associate Teaching Professor of Communication Design Randy Piland envisioned when he created 鈥淒rones and Society: Balancing Innovation and Accountability,鈥� a new COR Capstone course offered for the first time this fall. The class explores the fast-growing world of unmanned aerial systems from multiple angles 鈥撀爃istory, technology, ethics, and hands-on flight.

鈥淭he need for this course comes from the way drones are now woven into nearly every part of life,鈥� Piland said. 鈥淭hey are delivering goods and medical supplies, aiding search and rescue, supporting first responders, mapping, and producing photography and videography for media, real estate, and advertising 鈥撀燼long with military applications. The growth has been staggering, and it鈥檚 clear that our students need to critically examine drones not just as technology, but as a force that shapes society.鈥�

For a closer look at the class, .

The class roster 鈥� all seniors 鈥撀爎eflects the wide reach of drone technology, with majors including strategic communications, business analytics, sport management, computer science, nursing, elementary education and others.

While Steele arrived with five years of drone experience, she saw Piland鈥檚 class as a way to expand her perspective. 鈥淚 knew this course would offer a viewpoint that I have not previously studied, which is the more social and economic impact,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 might know a bit about the physical structure of the drones, but not so much about the impact they’ve had on society.鈥�

Piland brings his own deep background. He earned his FAA Part 107 certification eight years ago and has kept up with the recurrent exams every two years since. He also completed the AUVSI Trusted Operator Program (TOP) Level One Certification two years ago and organizes Elon Drone Day, which attracts more than 200 drone enthusiasts and pilots to campus each fall.

In the first week, students completed the Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST) certification, which all recreational pilots are required to pass. Then the hands-on work began. Students built small drones from assembly kits 鈥� a task that challenged even those with prior experience.

Borland found the assembly demanding but rewarding. 鈥淚t was a little more difficult than I originally thought, but it was a great experience getting to figure it out and work with classmates,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he hardest part were the really tiny screws.鈥�

For Piland, the class exercise is essential. 鈥淏uilding a drone helps the students understand how drones fly and what makes them work,鈥� he said. 鈥淜nowing the parts and mechanics translates from small toy drones to commercial-grade systems. It鈥檚 hands-on learning that makes the theory click.鈥�

The opening weeks have already sparked new insights. Borland noted that most people typically don鈥檛 consider the numerous drone regulations and safety measures, but those rules are critical given the technology鈥檚 promise. He pointed to class discussions about medicine delivery as one example of drones鈥� potential community benefits.

The semester will bring additional opportunities. Piland has ordered flight simulators that will allow students to practice on their computers before piloting more advanced drones. Guest speakers 鈥� including pilots working in delivery, first response and other commercial applications 鈥撀燼re scheduled, and students can take part in Elon Drone Day.

Throughout the semester, practical skills are paired with critical discussions. Piland said he wants students to walk away with both a solid foundation and a critical lens.

鈥淔irst, the students will get comfortable with the rules of the road, or in this case, the rules of the air: FAA regulations, safety protocols, and why those matter if you want to fly responsibly,鈥� Piland said. 鈥淏eyond that, we鈥檒l dive into the tougher questions 鈥撀爈ike what happens when drones push up against issues of privacy, safety, or even warfare. I want them to be able to step back and say, 鈥楯ust because we can fly here, should we?鈥�

鈥淏y the time the students leave, they鈥檒l be able to do more than pilot a drone 鈥撀爐hey鈥檒l know how to connect that flight to bigger questions about society.鈥�

Oliver鈥檚 question, along with Nikki Erlick鈥檚 novel 鈥淭he Measure,鈥� inspired Lecturer in Sociology Karen Wirth鈥檚 capstone course, COR 3001: The Time of Your Life: Navigating Time, Purpose and a Life of Meaning.

[Students] need to start thinking about their life in a less pressured way. Not what do I have to achieve that鈥檚 other people鈥檚 measure of success, but what do I want to do with my life by my measure of success?

The class explores links between time, purpose and the pursuit of a meaningful life. Students gain leadership and research skills via dynamic discussions, reflective activities, collaborative projects and interdisciplinary research. The course kicks off with a question that forms the basis of Erlick鈥檚 novel: Would knowing when you鈥檙e going to die change the way you live, and why? By the course鈥檚 end, students produce a podcast published on Spotify for their capstone project.

Students are required to sign up for classes to lead via presentation, discussion, interactive exercise or meditative/reflective activity on a philosopher or thinker of their choice, ranging from Aristotle and Plato to bell hooks and Alain de Botton. 鈥淥ne of my students is going to teach a yoga class, and I love it when students are bringing their interest and passion into it,鈥� Wirth says.

She notes the importance of a course like this at such a pivotal time for many of her students who are about to graduate. In a time when students are pushed to 鈥渁chieve, achieve, achieve,鈥� this course provides the space and time not only to learn, but to reflect on some of the 鈥渨hy鈥� in life.

鈥淸Students] need to start thinking about their life in a less pressured way,鈥� Wirth says. 鈥淣ot what do I have to achieve that鈥檚 other people’s measure of success, but what do I want to do with my life by my measure of success?鈥�

Wirth is teaching the Core capstone course for the second time this spring semester, and it is open to Elon students of all majors.

福利亚洲国产精品 the Professor

Karen Wirth transitioned to academia after 25 years in the pharmaceutical industry, earning a Master of Science and a doctorate in sociology from North Carolina State University. Her doctoral research focused on the intersection of family life and career dynamics for professional women in male-dominated fields. She has been teaching sociology at Elon since 2020.

Recommended Materials

• 鈥淭he Measure鈥� by Nikki Erlick
• 鈥淭uesdays with Morrie鈥� by Mitch Albom