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• Elon holds largest-ever Spring Undergraduate Research Forum
• Personal experience inspires Elon student鈥檚 research to help children experiencing homelessness

Dozens of students showcased research projects inspired by personal experiences and academic interests, guided by faculty mentorship, during the 2026 Summer Undergraduate Research Experience presentations on July 23 in Schar Hall.

The most recent SURE symposium featured more than 50 students from both 福利亚洲国产精品 and Queens University of Charlotte, marking the latest example of collaboration between two institutions in the process of merging into a united community.

鈥淪URE continues to be one of the flagship events of Elon鈥檚 Undergraduate Research Program. This poster session is a celebration of their dedication and growth as budding young scholars,鈥� said Justin Clar, director of undergraduate research and associate professor of chemistry. 鈥淚 was especially pleased that we were joined by amazing students from Queens who shared their work with the Elon community.鈥�

At Elon, the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience has for years provided student researchers with a stipend to spend eight weeks working full-time on a project in collaboration with a faculty mentor with substantial and recognized expertise in the discipline.

The program concludes every July with a symposium that deepens students鈥� knowledge of the research experience while offering an opportunity to grow their public speaking and presentation skills.

“It was a great opportunity for the students to share their summer research in a low-stakes environment,” said Kira McEntire, director of undergraduate research and creative work; and associate professor of biology at Queens. “It was also fun to see the Elon students sharing their summer projects and to learn about some of the interests of Elon colleagues.”

At Queens, the university holds its annual in the spring, a campus-wide celebration of academic inquiry and community impact. The day starts with oral and poster presentations, followed by service activities in the afternoon.

Personal connections

For many students at SURE, like Elon student听Thomas Gress 鈥�27, projects carried a deeply personal connection. Gress designed a four-week study comparing exercise approaches for people with chronic fatigue syndrome, inspired in part by his brother鈥檚 experience with the condition.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the condition is a serious and often long-lasting illness that keeps people from doing their usual activities. It makes physical and mental exertion difficult, and symptoms include difficulty thinking, severe tiredness, and other issues.

鈥淏efore I started this project, (my brother had) been suffering for four years, and there seemed to be no end in sight. So, this was something small that I could do to be of use,鈥� said Gress, a biology major from Savannah, Georgia. 鈥淔or all of these patients, there鈥檚 no other option. There are no drugs available, only a few supplements with very little efficacy. So, it seems the best option is experimenting with lifestyle. And if not this, then there is nothing.鈥�

Queens student Isabella Sherman 鈥�27 has a love for nature that inspired her to explore plant communities at the Carolina Wildlands Foundation with mentor E. Davis Carter, assistant professor of biology at Queens.

鈥淚t was an excellent experience,鈥� said Sherman, a conservation biology major from Charlotte. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really close to what I want to do with my career. I love research, I love forestry, and every time I went out there, I was like, 鈥楾his is exactly what I want to do.鈥� This kind of information is what people take into consideration when they鈥檙e trying to develop land or provide an additional environment for fauna and flora.鈥�

Mentoring relationships

A common thread among many of the projects was the close relationship students developed with their faculty mentors.

Anna Grace Gilbert 鈥�27, an Elon psychology major from Knoxville, Tennessee, says Associate Professor of Psychology Sabrina Perkins 鈥渃ompletely changed鈥� her undergraduate experience through their work studying infant motor development.

鈥淚鈥檝e worked with (Professor Perkins) technically since the summer of my freshman year. I just reached out to her and was like, 鈥業 love babies. I鈥檇 love to work with you,鈥� Gilbert said. 鈥淚鈥檓 very grateful. We鈥檝e really bonded over these almost three years.鈥�

For Jack VanValkenburg 鈥�27, a Queens student majoring in data analytics, undergraduate research provided an opportunity to apply his technical skills. He worked with Queens Assistant Professor of Biology Denni Einersson to develop a computerized system for organizing trash collected during community cleanup events.

鈥淚t was a great opportunity to work with people who know more than me. The coding that I鈥檝e done in the past is more analytical and this was more developmental,鈥� said VanValkenburg, who is from Atlanta. 鈥�(Clean-up crews) would go out with field cards, like pencil and paper, and just mark things down, which was super timely and it鈥檚 very inconvenient, and then that just led to a lot of data that wasn鈥檛 being used.”

Pushing through the learning process

Elon business analytics major Chase Hannibal 鈥�28 examined the sense of belonging among Black business students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Predominantly White Institutions. It can sometimes feel isolating as a Black female business student, Hannibal said.

鈥淚 just wanted to see if other students felt that way, and if it was a pattern, what could be fixed,鈥� Hannibal said. 鈥�(I wanted to) let other students know that you鈥檙e not alone.鈥�

Hannibal says her mentor, Shanetta Pendleton, assistant professor of strategic communications, pushed her to be better, even when she was at her 鈥渟topping point.鈥�

鈥淓ven when I felt at the worst of the worst, she supported me throughout everything,鈥� Hannibal said. 鈥淪he was great, and I鈥檓 very excited to work with her in the future.鈥�

Amelia Weaver 鈥�28 also explored the experiences of college students, particularly women. Her Elon Honors Fellows research examines the motivations of college-aged women who participate in sports betting after she noticed women were less vocal about the topic in class discussions.

鈥淚t made me think about why the women in the class weren鈥檛 as talkative or excited about their own experiences with sports betting,鈥� said Weaver, a sport management and media analytics double major with a minor in . 鈥淚 wondered if this was because they didn鈥檛 participate, didn鈥檛 care, or they just didn鈥檛 want to say anything.鈥�

Weaver said her mentor, Alex Traugutt, an assistant professor of sport management, has helped guide her through the process.

鈥淗e immediately said, 鈥楾his is going to be a partnership. We鈥檙e going to take steps together. We鈥檙e going to figure this out together. I鈥檓 not just going to throw you into everything,鈥欌�� said Weaver. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 been really helpful in the learning process.鈥�

At the conference, faculty members Shirley Etienne, Jeanmarie Koonts and Lori Hubbard also highlighted unique features of the innovative Elon Nursing curriculum scaffolded to build equity competence through intentional community and global engagement. Nursing courses delivered across the sophomore, junior, and senior years focus on population health concepts, social and structural determinants of health, and patient advocacy.

Etienne, who recently championed an Advancing Equity Requirement (AER) designation for NRS 2000 Healthcare Relationships I, shared how students critically examine their own cultural identities, biases and values to understand how these factors influence practice. Experiential learning occurs through an Affinity Bias Analysis, cultural immersion activity, and Bridging Racial Health Disparities group project focused on advocacy and nursing interventions.

Hubbard expounded on students鈥� opportunities in NRS 4200 Population and Community Health to critically analyze community-level health disparities, identify barriers to equitable care, and develop and implement strategies to promote health during clinical rotations in the local community. Hubbard was also featured in a poster session with results from her study 鈥淐hildbirth Self-Efficacy and Factors Influencing Labor and Birth in the Dominican Republic.”

Koonts finished the presentation by describing how the preparatory seminar and both NRS 4300 (local) and NRS 4315 (global) Healthcare Relationships II foster intercultural awareness, ethical engagement, and global health literacy. Through the intentional design and sequence of these courses, Elon nursing students examine intersectionality and cultural influences on health outcomes. They develop responsibility as local and global citizens committed to reducing health disparities.

During the recent accreditation process, curriculum design to promote competence in health equity was highlighted as one of the most compelling features of the Elon Nursing program. Program outcomes demonstrate increased cultural humility, population health competency, and a deeper understanding of the structural determinants of health. This experiential, evidence-based model exemplifies how nursing programs can intentionally cultivate equity competence that bridges theory and practice to prepare nurses for inclusive, compassionate, and globally responsive and informed care.

The PA program in Charlotte will be the Queen City’s first, with the university expecting听its inaugural class in January 2027.

During the PA event, attendees will:

• Hear directly from the Charlotte PA faculty/staff about curriculum, clinical experiences, and program outcomes
• Connect with听faculty members and gain insight into the student experience
• Participate in small group tours of the Charlotte campus facilities
• Connect with Graduate Admissions staff to discuss the application process and next steps

Location:
福利亚洲国产精品 Charlotte
330 W Tremont Ave
Charlotte, NC 28203
United States

Complimentary parking is available in the surface lot adjacent to the campus, but please refrain from parking in spots labeled Ava Parking as these are designated for residents of the neighboring apartments. Overflow paid parking is available on Doggett Street and Tremont Avenue as well as at the Design Center Garage located at 269 Doggett Street.

The entrance to Elon Charlotte is located on the side of the building facing the apartments, towards the end of the walkway near the steps. Look for the Elon sign to indicate the correct entrance. Once inside, please proceed through the double glass doors and take a right into the social hub.

A previously scheduled Open House for the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program has been canceled.

The article, 鈥�,鈥� continues the Rivera-Serrano Lab鈥檚 work exploring the potential of reoviruses as cancer-targeting agents. The study examined a panel of genetically distinct reoviruses across three epithelial cancer cell models. The work found that different reovirus strains showed cell line-dependent patterns of infectivity and cancer cell killing, with some reassortant viruses showing enhanced activity compared with parental strains. The findings suggest that the effectiveness of reovirus-based cancer-targeting approaches may depend not only on viral genetics, but also on the specific cancer cell context.

Reoviruses are being studied as potential oncolytic agents, or viruses that preferentially infect and kill cancer cells. While much of the field has focused on one prototype strain, the Elon study highlights the importance of exploring broader reovirus genetic diversity. Because reoviruses contain segmented genomes, different strains can exchange genome segments through a process known as reassortment, generating viruses with new combinations of traits that may influence infection, replication and cytotoxicity.

The article reinforces the value of comparative screens in cancer virotherapy research. The study found that viral infectivity and cancer cell killing did not always fully overlap, suggesting that efficient infection alone does not necessarily predict how strongly a virus will reduce cancer cell viability. Instead, the findings point to a more complex relationship among viral entry, replication, antiviral responses and cell death pathways.

The project builds on ongoing research in Rivera-Serrano鈥檚 laboratory, where undergraduate students use cell biology, virology and immunology approaches to understand how viral genetics influence cancer cell susceptibility. Hutchinson, the article鈥檚 first author and Nursing major, contributed to experimental work and data analysis as part of his mentored research experience in the lab for three semesters and participation in Elon鈥檚 2025 Summer Undergraduate Research Experience.

Carter, who performed research as a visiting high school student in the summer of 2025, contributed to data analysis, highlighting the lab鈥檚 broader commitment to expanding access to biomedical research experiences beyond the undergraduate level. Dagli, who recently co-authored a related study in Virus Genes on reovirus reassortants with enhanced activity against fibrosarcoma cells, also contributed to the current work as part of the lab鈥檚 continuing effort to evaluate how viral genetic diversity shapes oncolytic potential.

In an inaugural collaboration, first-year Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students from 福利亚洲国产精品 recently joined with second-year Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) students from Rowan Cabarrus Community College (RCCC) for an intensive, hands-on learning activity.

The session was facilitated by Elon faculty members Melissa Scales and Megan Kim, alongside Program Director Anna Marie Prado and RCCC Director of Clinical Education Karey M. Martin.

A Peer-led approach

The session was uniquely structured to allow the second-year PTA students to take the lead, leveraging their clinical rotation experience to mentor the first-year DPT students. The activity focused on Range of Motion (ROM) goniometric measurements of three target areas: the knee, ankle, and shoulder.
The RCCC students initiated the learning by leading small-group discussions and providing handouts on foundational ROM concepts, normal ranges, and potential reasons why a patient may present with abnormal ROM. Following these presentations, the Elon DPT students acted as clinicians, using their goniometers to measure the ROM of the PTA students, who served as the “patients.”

Synthesizing theory and practice

This activity went beyond simple measurement. After recording their results, the groups compared data and discussed discrepancies, exploring alternative positioning and various goniometric techniques. The PTA students provided critical feedback on the DPT students’ hand placement and technique, fostering an environment of mutual respect.
A vital component of the day involved discussing intervention ideas to increase ROM. Students explored how a Physical Therapist鈥檚 Plan of Care听provides the framework for a PTA to use their clinical judgment to choose and progress interventions, as well as when a PTA should consult the supervising PT.

One DPT student reflected on the value of this exchange, stating: “I enjoyed the opportunity to collaborate intraprofessionally (sic) with other students and hear new perspectives about clinical scenarios.”

Building the future of the profession

The timing of this collaboration was particularly impactful. While the Elon DPT students are preparing for their first clinical rotations in January, the RCCC PTA students are set to graduate in Dec. 2026.

This means that when the DPT students head into the clinic early next year, they may find themselves working alongside and learning from these newly licensed PTAs.The engagement between the groups was high, highlighted by a serendipitous moment when a PTA student discovered he had just finished a rotation at the exact site where an Elon student is headed in January.

By learning with, from, and about each other, these future professionals are gaining a deeper understanding of their respective scopes of practice. This connection is essential for fulfilling accreditation standards for intraprofessional education and ensuring the highest quality of collaborative patient care.

To kick off听the summer,听Beyond听12 welcomed听50听rising sixth, seventh, and eighth-grade students to 福利亚洲国产精品 for a hands-on exploration of career听pathways and听interests.听Throughout two days, students traveled across听campus,听participated听in interactive learning experiences, and engaged with 福利亚洲国产精品 faculty, staff, and community听members听representing听a variety of professional fields.

Each session听offered听a unique听learning听experience for the students.听During an introduction to cinema and television arts led by Bryan Baker, director of technology, operations and multimedia projects in the School of Communications, students explored the university’s live television studio and听viewed听student made听productions. Participants also gained hands-on听experience听such as with Elon鈥檚 Interprofessional Simulation Center, where Nita Skillman, director of the ISC, and Bethany Fearnow, simulation coordinator, introduced students to听using听healthcare simulation technology.听In addition to exploring听careers, students were able to听observe听different facilities on听Elon鈥檚听campus. During a sports management session led by Jenn Strawley, director of athletics, participants stepped into the world of collegiate athletics with a visit to the Schar Center, where they听got a behind the scenes look at Elon Athletics.

“Spending time with the Beyond 12 program was such a rewarding experience. I appreciated听their curiosity and loved their questions,鈥� said听Strawley.听鈥淚 hope that hearing about my journey and learning about career pathways in college athletics opened their minds to new possibilities and inspired them to continue to dream.鈥�

Students also had the opportunity to engage in thoughtful conversations with presenters, asking questions, and gaining deeper insight into different fields.

鈥淚 spoke with the students about what finance, corporate finance, and investment really are, and I was genuinely surprised by how interested they were,鈥� said Feng Dong, director of the Reed Finance Center. 鈥淢any asked great questions, and even the teachers were engaged. Beyond 12 gives students an early, hands-on look at fields they may not have considered,听exactly the kind of exposure that can shape where they go next.鈥�

The program had an equally听meaningful impact on听the听presenters听involved. Dr. Janine A. Scott, founder of听TriUnity听Healthcare Inc., shared her story of overcoming adversity and creating positive change through her work in healthcare, and found herself thinking about the impact of programs such as Beyond 12.

鈥淚 really enjoyed myself during my interaction with both the students and staff,鈥� Scott said. 鈥淛ust hearing what they were doing prior to coming to our session made me wish I was a student again and able to participate.鈥�

Through experiences like these,听Beyond听12听is听helping听students recognize听a wide range of听opportunities听within their reach.

鈥淚 remarked to someone that I wish I had the opportunity to attend a program like this back in my day.听I听truly believe听that exposure and representation听matters, and that is exactly what these students gained from being part of the Beyond 12 program,鈥� said Scott.

Following the summer session,听participating听students from Turrentine Middle School and Broadview Middle School will听attend听monthly Beyond 12 sessions throughout the academic year, where they听will continue听to focus on career readiness and听developing essential life skills.听Beyond 12 programming is made possible through the generous support of NC Glaxo Smith Kline.

Alongside this infographic, these stories highlight some of the positive impact across campus through community partnerships during the past academic year:

• Elon receives Carnegie classification for community engagement
• Elon recognized for advancing nonpartisan student civic engagement
• Elon creates community through Special Olympics and Elon Athletics partnership
• Turning service into impact: How an Elon alumna is bringing Alamance County together
• Literary Journalism class engages Town of Elon mayor in civic dialogue
• Writing for Impact students secure funding for local nonprofit
• Showing up, growing together: Inside KING/PINK Academy鈥檚 power of mentorship
• Students reflect on service, community and connection during Fall Break
• New HealthEU course encourages students to go 鈥榖eyond the Elon bubble鈥�
• Elon empowers staff to make an impact in the community through paid volunteer leave

Second-year DPT student Catherine Sheehan received the ACSM Biomechanics Interest Group Student Research Award, recognizing the quality and impact of her group’s research contributions. The award highlighted Elon鈥檚 continued commitment to student-led scholarship and research excellence.

The annual ACSM conference, one of the world’s leading meetings for sports medicine and exercise science professionals, brought together researchers, clinicians, educators and students from across the globe. Elon DPT鈥檚 delegation included 11 second-year DPT students who presented findings from projects completed as part of a research course.

All six accepted abstracts featured DPT students as lead authors and presenters. Elon鈥檚 contributions included five poster presentations and one platform presentation.

The following abstracts were presented by Elon DPT students and faculty:

Relationship Between Tandem Gait Performance and Specific Physical Performance Measures Among Division I Athletes
Authors: Maci Yeager, Jennifer White, Kyra Batterham, Srikant Vallabhajosula and Jack Magill
Presenter: Maci Yeager

Cognitive Function in Athletes After Concussion and During Recovery
Authors: Carlos Guerra, Stephen P. Bailey, Rachel Rajczak, Emanuel Martinez, Caroline J. Ketcham and Eric Hall
Presenter: Carlos Guerra

Coefficient of Variance: An Alternative Criterion for Return-to-Sport After ACL Reconstruction Compared with Limb Symmetry
Authors: Graeme Pratt, Raajan Patel, Jaylen Dowell, Aidan Gallagher, Gary Johnson, MaryKay Hannah and Jack Magill
Presenters: Graeme Pratt, Raajan Patel and Jaylen Dowell

Performance Consistency, Quantified by the Coefficient of Variance, Demonstrates Strong Association with Hop Performance Compared with Limb Symmetry Index
Authors: Anna Longsdorf, Brittany Staves, Virginia Reep, Mary Kay Hannah, Aidan Gallagher, Gary Johnson and Jack Magill
Presenters: Anna Longsdorf, Brittany Staves and Virginia Reep

Changes in Cognitive Function Following Cardiac Rehabilitation
Authors: Stephen P. Bailey, Alex Boller, Katie Utley and James Godfrey
Presenter: James Godfrey

The Effect of Dual Tasking on Forward and Backward Gait in Older Adults
Authors: Catherine Sheehan, Karley O’Connell, Sandhra Shibu, Molly Boda, Bill Andrews and Srikant Vallabhajosula
Presenters: Catherine Sheehan, Karley O’Connell and Sandhra Shibu

The strong showing at ACSM 2026 reflects the Elon DPT program鈥檚 emphasis on integrating research into clinical education and providing students with opportunities to disseminate their work on a national stage. The presentations addressed topics including athletic performance, concussion recovery, return-to-sport assessment following ACL reconstruction, cardiac rehabilitation and mobility in older adults.

鈥淲hen you are someone who naturally wants to help others, like you do in the PA profession, you’re drawn to finding the need and fixing it. We’re trying to help in the best way we can,鈥� Lytton said. 鈥淵ou don’t take on a title to do this; it simply comes from the heart, and it comes from an intention to be good for others. It’s very rewarding to have the benefit of knowing that you made a difference in someone’s life.鈥�

The听AAPA is the national organization that advocates for all PAs and provides tools to improve PA practice and patient care. The Humanitarian Service听award听recognizes听a PA or group of PAs that听demonstrates听clear, lasting dedication to expanding access to care for vulnerable and underserved populations, and/or populations in crisis.听Lytton, who works in pain management in Alaska, is the president of the Alaska Academy of PAs and has made significant efforts to address the state鈥檚 opioid crisis.

鈥淚 see a lot of opioid addiction and chronic opioid dependency from high use opioid levels, but unfortunately, even in Alaska today, there are very high levels of opioid use disorder. It was very evident when I arrived in 2020, in the heart of the pandemic,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou see the escalating death rate nationally, and also here in Alaska, and that really prompted my heart to do something.鈥�

Lytton partnered with Project HOPE, a global health and humanitarian organization, leading a 12-member team to create 1,200 Narcan kits, helping to save over 300 lives. According to Lytton, two individuals specifically credited kits from their distribution site with saving a neighbor and a family member.

In addition to responding to the opioid crisis, Lytton has worked to improve access to healthcare services for Alaskans who face persistent barriers to care.听She is听a volunteer听with Remote Area Medical,听a nonprofit organization that provides mobile medical clinics delivering free dental, vision, and medical care to underserved and uninsured individuals听in Alaska. Lytton supported听screenings听for听more than 700 uninsured Alaskans.

As Chair of the Associate Board of Ambassadors for the American Cancer Society of Alaska,听Lytton has played a key role in advancing cancer awareness and support across Alaska.听Through coordinated events and sponsorship initiatives, she听has听helped raise听more听than听$100,000 for cancer patients. She听serves听on the Serve Alaska Board, supporting AmeriCorps programs in rural and urban communities, ensuring funding reaches vulnerable youth and families.

Her path to Elon started while she was working as a nurse assistant in North Carolina. When she expressed a desire to become a PA, a patient encouraged her to apply soon, and she took the advice. Lytton applied to eight schools, and Elon jumped at the opportunity to interview her for its inaugural Physician Assistant Studies cohort.

鈥淵ou just felt alive on campus, and I knew in my heart this is where I wanted to come,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he PA profession is the right balance for me because I ultimately wanted to have a family of my own, I wanted to provide care to patients, and I wanted to be able to change specialties and have that versatility.鈥�

Elon鈥檚 Physician Assistant Studies program continues to grow. The 2026 cohort was the largest in the program鈥檚 history. Elon doubled the size of its physician assistant class from 38 to 76 students, growing its capacity to prepare clinicians for communities across North Carolina and the Southeast. A PA program on the university鈥檚 Charlotte campus is expected to launch in January 2027.

鈥淚 am so grateful to Elon because they truly invested a lot in us. They gave us opportunities to not only do volunteer work in the community but also invest in the community,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y learning experience started like a seed, and it blossomed over the years.鈥�

The Health Professionals Scholarship Program also provided Lytton with a financial path to her goals. The HPSP award pays a participant鈥檚 school tuition and required fees as well as a monthly stipend to help with living expenses and an annual book stipend for instructional materials.

HPSP recipients incur an active-duty service obligation based on the number of years of scholarship support received. Following graduation and commissioning, recipients are assigned to a military installation where they serve as active-duty officers until their service commitment is fulfilled.

Lytton says her military service, along with her family, faith and Elon鈥檚 commitment to service learning, helped instill values that have guided her throughout her PA career.

鈥淟eadership begins with recognizing where help is needed and stepping forward to serve. I would advise anyone seeking to become a leader in their profession to look for unmet needs in their community and work to address them,鈥�听Lytton said. 鈥淓ven if the job seems somewhat small, the skills that you learn from community service and from community coming together and collaborating, they will foster in you this confidence that you take into your profession and become a natural part of who you are.鈥�

The competition gave students the chance to showcase their point-of-care ultrasound skills, compete with other students, and learn from ultrasound experts across a variety of medical specialties.

The team was comprised of students听Aria Keyser G鈥�27, Varenna Minshull G’26, Trevor Minshull G’26, Sukriti Rai G’26, James Whitham G鈥�26 and Chris Gentilella G’27.

Students听Varenna Minshull 鈥�26, Trina Phan 鈥�26 and Brooke Hall 鈥�27 also competed in a “Challenge Bowl” competition and entered the second round.