Raised in rural North Carolina, 福利亚洲国产精品鈥檚 associate vice president for student life and dean of student health and well-being came from a family that valued education but had little firsthand experience with higher education.

Her parents, whose lives were shaped by the Great Depression and World War II, never attended college. The first person who helped Patterson imagine a different future was her first-grade teacher. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think anyone had ever told me I was smart,鈥� Patterson recalls.

Once she arrived at North Carolina State University, Patterson discovered how much she didn鈥檛 know. There was no roadmap for managing finances, selecting courses or understanding that struggling academically at times was normal, a lesson that has stayed with her.

Patterson has since worked to ensure Elon students receive the guidance and reassurance she often lacked. Yet grades and academics were only part of the story.

Patterson remembers a time when being a first-generation student felt like something to hide. Students rarely talked about parents who had not attended college, and many worried they would be judged for backgrounds that fell outside the perceived norm.

鈥淲hile my immediate family and teachers were proud of me, there were other members of my extended family who said they don鈥檛 see why I didn鈥檛 just go in the military,鈥� Patterson says. 鈥淥thers were like, 鈥榃hy don鈥檛 you just get married and settle down?鈥欌��

Today, she describes first-generation status not as a disadvantage but as an identity worthy of celebration. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just a status,鈥� she鈥檒l tell you. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an identity.鈥�

That commitment to inclusive excellence became a hallmark of her work. For Patterson, who retires in September following four decades of faithful service to 福利亚洲国产精品, supporting students has always been about more than helping them succeed in college. It has been about helping them believe they belong.

鈥淥ne of the things I am most proud of with my work is that we have moved how we think and talk about first-generation students,鈥� she said. 鈥淢aking connections with others that embrace both shared and differing identities provides so much joy and interest to your life.鈥�

Jana Lynn Patterson is part of Huemanity of People, a series by the Division of Inclusive Excellence highlighting the people, paradigms and praxis of inclusive excellence that shape 福利亚洲国产精品鈥檚 community. Learn more on the聽Inclusive Excellence website.

鈥淲e invite the Elon community to join us in celebrating and honoring Hispanic Heritage Month by immersing ourselves in the vibrant art, music, food, and traditions that unite and inspire the community,鈥� Amy Gutierrez-Luviano, assistant director of the CREDE, said. 鈥淏y doing so, we are creating supportive spaces focused on mental, physical and holistic health that uplift the community.

Observed annually from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, Hispanic Heritage Month recognizes and honors the histories, cultures and contributions of Hispanic and Latinx communities in the United States. Established by President Lyndon Johnson in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week, the celebration expanded to a month-long observance under President Ronald Reagan in 1988 and became law on Aug. 17 that year. The month highlights the lasting impact of Hispanic and Latinx individuals across various fields, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of their vital role in shaping American society.

The celebration begins with the independence anniversaries of several Latin American countries, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, with Mexico and Chile following shortly after on Sept. 16 and 18.

Hispanic Heritage Month programming at Elon will run from Sept. 10 to Oct. 30. Highlights of this year鈥檚 events include the annual Hispanic Heritage Month kickoff and 鈥淐rossing Borders: Images of Migration and Voices of Minorities,鈥� featuring film producer and poet Fran莽oise Nieto-Fong, sponsored by Latin American Studies, Peace and Conflict Studies, the Department of World Languages and Cultures, the Center for Advancement of Teaching nd Learning, and Belk Library.

Hispanic Heritage Month 2026 events at Elon

Hispanic Heritage Month Kickoff

Tuesday, Sept. 15

5:30 p.m. | Medallion Plaza

Crossing Borders: Images of Migration and Voices of Minorities

Wednesday, Sept. 16聽

2-3:40 p.m. | Turner Theatre

Campus Screening: Sunset over America and The Return-Family Separation

Sponsored by Latin American Studies; Peace and Conflict Studies; the Department of World Languages and Cultures; the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning; Belk Library.

Noche Latina

Tuesday, Sept. 29

7 p.m. | Rudd Field

Perspectivas

Wednesday, Sept. 30

5:30-7 p.m. | McKinnon Hall

Soccer Tournament

Friday, Oct. 2

4-8 p.m. | Intramural Fields

Perspectivas

Thursday, Oct. 8

5:30-7 p.m. | McKinnon Hall

Caf茅 con Leche Homecoming Edition

Friday, Oct. 9

3:30-5 p.m. | El Centro (Carlton 114)

Caf茅 con Leche w/ friends!

Monday, Oct. 19

5:30-7 p.m. | Iraz煤

Gala Latina

Friday, Oct. 30

5:30-8 p.m. | McKinnon Hall

Explore the detailed schedule of events for Hispanic Heritage Month on the CREDE website. For questions or more information, please contact Amy Gutierrez-Luviano at agutierrezluviano@elon.edu.

The HEED Award is a prestigious honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to academic excellence, belonging and community-building across all levels of campus life.

Elon will be featured, along with 60 other recipients, in the October 2026 issue of Insight Into Academia magazine. This latest honor recognizes the work Elon as an institution, and its students do to make a more inclusive community.

“What continues to distinguish Elon is that inclusive excellence is central to how we define educational excellence. We put people, relationships, and human differences at the heart of learning and at the foundation of a meaningful personal, professional, and civic life,” said Randy Williams, vice president for inclusive excellence. “Across the university, we share responsibility for creating an environment where people are seen, valued, and affirmed in their identities and can experience a genuine sense of belonging.”

The magazine uses a detailed scoring process, a holistic approach and a team of experienced higher education professionals to review each application.

“Our standards are high, and we look for institutions where academic excellence and belonging are woven into the work being done every day across their campus,鈥� said Lenore Pearlstein, co-publisher of Insight into Academia magazine.

Over the past several years, Elon has expanded its SMART mentor program (which connects first-year students with upperclass students) to support and mentor more students. The university has also expanded use of Living Learning Communities, including the new Mi Casa community. International student support efforts have also increased with the addition of a new staff member in that office to better support students with visas at Elon.

In the summer of 2026, Elon will also begin the Elon Launch program, a 6-credit, 3-week residential transition program to give incoming students an intentional start on college life. Elon Launch is intentionally designed to meet the needs of neurodiverse students, including those with ADHD, autism spectrum conditions, anxiety or executive functioning challenges.

The university’s fly-in program, ElonYOU, is specifically designed to open access for students who would otherwise not be able to visit campus. The program fully funds travel and an overnight stay at Elon. Additionally, the program offers up to $250 in travel support for parents/guardians/supporters.

Williams acknowledged the following 福利亚洲国产精品 faculty and staff who contributed information and suggestions for the award application:

• Naeemah Clark, Associate Provost for Academic Inclusive Excellence
• Mike Haskins, Vice President for Marketing and Communications
• Monica Isbell, Director of Academic Accommodations and Accessibility
• Kimberly Romero, Assistant Dean of Admissions for Inclusive Excellence
• Rob Springer, Senior Advisor for Institutional Effectiveness
• Paul Tongsri, Assistant Dean for Student Success and Retention

For more information about the 2026 HEED Award, visit .

福利亚洲国产精品 Insight Into Academia

Insight Into Academia magazine is the leader in advancing best practices in higher education excellence. Through thought-provoking print and online articles, we share expert advice, valuable resources, in-depth profiles of top programs at colleges and universities, headline news, and much more to help keep our readers informed and empower them to advance initiatives at their institutions. Current, archived, and digital issues of Insight Into Academia magazine are available online at insightintoacademia.com.

鈥淲e鈥檙e excited to launch Elon Collect because it gives us a shared digital home for the intellectual and cultural life of the university,鈥� states Dean & University Librarian of Carol Grotnes Belk Library Brian Mathews. 鈥淚t will preserve important pieces of Elon鈥檚 institutional history while also providing lasting access to faculty and student scholarship, creative work, research, reports, teaching materials and other significant contributions. In that sense, it is both an archive of where Elon has been and an infrastructure for where we are going.鈥�

What is Elon Collect?

Elon Collect is an institutional repository, which is a digital system that is used to disseminate scholarly works created at a single institution. However, Elon Collect鈥檚 scope expands more broadly, allowing data and archival materials to stand in conversation with scholarship.

Elon Collect is home to three distinct overarching collections: Elon Works, Elon Data, and University Archives & Special Collections.

• Elon Works is a centralized hub to showcase the research, scholarly, creative and teaching-focused work created across campus.
• Elon Data is home to data created and collected by students, faculty and staff.
• University Archives & Special Collections is the new location for curated images, documents, and ephemera from Elon, church, and local history from Belk Library’s .

Anyone currently associated with 福利亚洲国产精品 is eligible to deposit works into the Elon Works and Elon Data collections to enhance reach and visibility, both around campus and worldwide.

Elon Collect worked with three campus partners鈥搕he , the , and the Digital and Spatial Humanities Consortium鈥搕o showcase examples of faculty and staff work and ensure a smooth campus launch on Aug. 14. Additionally, posters from the have been included to provide examples of how student work can be shared.

What are the benefits & features of Elon Collect?

鈥淓lon Collect will empower faculty, staff, and students to better disseminate and promote their work, exercise their rights as authors, and contribute to conversations in research, creative practice, and teaching and learning,” said Coordinator of Research and Publishing and Associate Librarian Jesse Akman. “Moreover, Elon Collect will simplify grant compliance, improve discoverability for Elon journals and publications, and strengthen internal communications and institutional memory.鈥�

One of the core goals of Elon Collect is to provide wider access to works created on Elon鈥檚 campus. With Google Scholar indexing, any work deposited can be discovered by researchers worldwide. Through Creative Commons license options, Elon creators can more precisely describe how others may use their work. However, for those who may not want their work to be available worldwide, Elon Collect also provides other access options, including embargos to make public at a later date or internal access to only Elon users.

The system can also mint DOIs, or digital object identifiers, to provide a persistent identifier that acts as a stable, permanent link back to the work. DOIs help to standardize citations, especially for users outside of Elon.

Elon Collect also provides Author Profiles, a centralized portfolio for all works in the repository alongside research interests and external publications. The Author Profiles provide comparative statistics for every work connected to the profile owner, making it even easier to find and share the impact of your work.

鈥淎s we enter the final years of Boldly Elon and consider what it means to “Rise,” Elon Collect will help position the university for a future where our authors’ works are preserved and accessible, their rights are protected, and our campus is more enmeshed in scholarly communications than ever before,鈥� said Akman.

What can I submit to Elon Collect?

Elon Collect accepts a variety of deposits from current faculty, staff and students.

鈥淓lon Collect expands beyond the scope of a traditional institutional repository to capture the full breadth of work being created on campus today,鈥� said Emma Powell, archivist and assistant librarian and manager of Elon Collect. 鈥淗istorically, the 福利亚洲国产精品 Archives and Special Collections has only collected undergraduate honors theses. This is an exciting opportunity to diversify the works we share.鈥�

Works that can be deposited include, but are not limited to:

• Campus-based publications鈥攕erial outputs created and published by campus centers like journals or podcast series
• Conference-based works鈥攚orks like posters or presentations created for or presented at a disciplinary conference
• Creative works鈥攐utputs from those working/studying in creative fields like artwork, choreography, creative writing, filmmaking and original music compositions
• Data, software and code
• Grey literature鈥攄ocuments created to be shared but not be published through traditional means like reports and white papers
• Open publications鈥攚orks that have been formally published like book chapters and journal articles, and have Open Access (OA) or self-archiving (Green OA) options
• Student works鈥攚orks completed solely by students that have original writing or research and should be shared beyond the classroom like theses and capstones or SURF and SURE posters and presentations
• Teaching and learning materials鈥攚orks created for use in the classroom that may be reused and/or adapted by others, like assignments, lectures or other OERs

鈥淢any of our new areas of collecting reflect the university鈥檚 continued growth,鈥� Powell said. 鈥淲e collect teaching and learning materials to reflect the excellence in teaching from our faculty, and allow for a wide range of student work to showcase our expansive undergraduate research. Even our data and code collection connects to the continued work of Data Nexus.鈥�

Submitting your work to Elon Collect only takes three simple steps:

1. Find or create a work that you or the university hold copyrights to and wish to share further.
2. Go to and navigate to the 鈥淪ubmit鈥� header. Select a submission form and provide basic descriptions (also known as metadata) to make your work more discoverable.
3. Submit your form and wait for the repository team to review. Once the team has ensured the work fits into the system scope and has the necessary metadata, your work will be made available in the system.

Questions?

To learn more, join Belk Library on Monday, September 21 at 1 p.m.聽for the first workshop in our Scholars鈥� Toolkit series: Showcasing Your Scholarly and Professional Work in Elon Collect and ORCiD. .

For further information, visit or email elon-collect@elon.edu.

Below is a selection of events open to the entire Elon community; more can be found on the official Planning Week website below.

Monday, Aug. 17

Opening Day
Alumni Gym, Koury Athletic Center; Events start at 8:30 a.m.

Planning Week 2026 kicks off with Opening Day on Aug. 17, first with a community-wide reception in Alumni Gym followed by the presentation of Elon Medallions to Jim Donathan, Don Grady and Mary Thornton. Katy Rouse, professor of economics, will also be named the Trustee Chair for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. Following these recognitions, President Connie Ledoux Book will delivery her annual Opening Day address.

Since 2011, the Elon community has collected school supply items for the children in Alamance County. Donations can be made at the Opening Day breakfast or at campus drop-off locations through Thursday, Aug. 20. Details on donation sites and needed items will be emailed to faculty and staff. This initiative is co-sponsored by the Office of the Dean of Students, Staff Advisory Council, and Kernodle Center for Civic Life.

Breakout Sessions

Following the president鈥檚 address from 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. a variety of breakout sessions will be available for all members of the Elon community, including:

• Recommendations from the SOAR Strategic Planning Committee
• Building the Innovation Hub: Elon as a Regional Center for Creativity
• Preparing Together for Student Success
• Thriving Together: The Sport Collaborative and the Opportunity in Club Sports
• Summer at Elon
• Changing the Trajectory 鈥� Roberts Academy and the Roberts Center for Dyslexia and Engaged Learning
• HealthEU, the Slattery Center, and Our Research Coalitions
• Mentoring in Meaningful Relationships Implementation Gallary Walk and Next Steps
• Wise Moves During Higher Education Pressures
• School of Engineering and Computing

All members of the Elon community are then invited to a picnic on the Lakeside Patio at noon. Members of Elon鈥檚 schools and colleges will meet from 12:45 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 18

Student Employment Essentials
Moseley 215; 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

The goal of the workshop is to provide staff and faculty with an understanding of student employment policies and processes, to include recruiting, job posting, screening candidates, work agreements, payroll, orientation, onboarding, evaluations and termination. Please contact Kameryn Taylor at聽ktaylor54@elon.edu聽for any questions about this workshop.

Championing First-Generation Student Success
Koenigsberger Learning Center Room 127; 2 to 3 p.m.

This session will provide participants with an understanding of the first-generation community on campus and how Elon approached first-generation student success. Participants will identify ways they can incorporate ways to support first-generation college students in their classes and extracurricular opportunities.

Merger and Integration Q&A
LaRose Student Commons 200; 3:15 to 4:15 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 19

Merger and Integration Q&A
Turner Theatre 101; 10:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.

Embedding Inclusive Excellence in Our Work
Belk Pavilion 208; 10:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.

Inclusive excellence remains a strategy for creating an academic community reflective of well-being and a sense of belonging. In striving for greater levels of student success and employee vitality, initiatives across the university demonstrate partnerships and efforts to infuse inclusive excellence principles in daily work. This session is an opportunity to gain an update on what is happening to foster respect for human differences and to share ideas for ideas for how faculty and staff might make inclusive excellence embedded rather than additive in teaching, mentoring, and service.

Vivvi Childcare and Early Learning Information Session
Sankey Hall 206; 2 to 3 p.m.

Learn more about the Acorn Academy, Elon鈥檚 partnership with Vivvi to provide employer-sponsored child care on campus.

Elon Campus and Community Resource Fair
Sato Commons Great Hall in the Global Neighborhood,聽3 to 4:30 p.m.

Open to all faculty, staff, and student leaders who may already be back on campus, this event is meant to be an interactive tabling fair to highlight what everyone needs to know to provide resources to students. Explore more than 50 departments/tables – whether you have been here for more than a decade or are brand new to Elon, come learn about resources for students and faculty/staff, take a moment to reconnect with offices on campus, or learn about opportunities for collaboration and partnerships! Refreshments and Raffle.

Thursday, Aug. 20

Working with Accommodations & Accessibility: A Partnership for Access
Sankey 106; 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.

This session will highlight how the Office of Academic Accommodations & Accessibility, the Office of Compliance, the Disabilities Advisory Committee, and faculty partners collaborate to support access at 福利亚洲国产精品. Presenters will share updates from the past year, including themes from campus listening sessions, revised faculty/staff resources, accessibility and accommodations data, and practical guidance for supporting students and colleagues.

College Coffee 鈥� Employee Resources Groups
Phi Beta Kappa Commons (Rain Location: Koury Concourse); 10:15 to 10:45 a.m.

Elon鈥檚 weekly tradition of community gathering begins with this year鈥檚 first College Coffee. Come (re)learn about the ERGs on campus and pick up some Phoenix swag to show your school spirit! College Coffee continues throughout the year on Tuesday mornings from 9:40 a.m to 10:20 a.m.

• Advocates for Diversity and Accessibility
• Amazing Admins
• API (Asian and Pacific Islander)
• Black
• Carpool Connections
• Catholic
• Christian
• Elon Alumni
• Employees with Children
• Jewish
• Latinx/Hispanic
• LGBTQIA+
• Social Media
• Staff Advisory Council
• Supervisors of Student Employees
• Sustainability
• Veterans
• Women鈥檚 Forum
• Young Professionals

Friday, Aug. 21

Move-In Day

Students officially return to campus on Friday, Aug. 21. More information about Move-In Day and New Student Orientation can be found online.

Saturday, Aug. 23

New Student Convocation
Under the Oaks (Rain Location: Schar Center); 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

New Student Convocation marks the official opening of the academic year and welcomes the Class of 2029 and transfer students.

University Directory Photos

All Elon faculty and staff members are encouraged to have their photo included in the university鈥檚 online directory. Please make plans to have a new or updated photograph taken. If you are new to Elon, if your photo is missing from the campus directory, or if your photo is more than three years old, please have a new photo taken by the Office of University Communications. No appointment is necessary, simply just drop in during a session that suits you. The portraits are taken from chest up on a gray backdrop in a photo studio.

The photo studio is now located in the southwest corner of Alumni Gym, close to West Haggard Avenue. Please enter through the external doors in the southwest corner of Alumni Gym, noted by a red star on this map.

Tuesday, August 18: 2 to 4 p.m.

Thursday, August 20: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Related Articles

• The Month in Photos: May 2026
• The Month in Photos: April 2026
• The Month in Photos: March 2026

While campus is quieter during the summer months, June still brought plenty of activity to 福利亚洲国产精品. From the sounds of the annual community concert and picnic to the energy of summer camps and campus events, there was no shortage of memorable moments.

Take a look back at some of the month鈥檚 highlights through the eyes of the staff in University Communications.

Engineering success

A former president of the聽Milwaukee School of Engineering聽and聽longtime leader in engineering and technology education has been named the inaugural dean of 福利亚洲国产精品鈥檚聽new聽School of Engineering and Computing.

Dr.聽John聽Walz joins Elon after nearly a decade聽helming聽a private university recognized for its emphasis on experiential learning, strong industry partnerships and workforce preparation.

AI Play

福利亚洲国产精品 hosted its inaugural AI Play summer camp in June for rising middle school students with an interest in the world of artificial intelligence. Thirteen students participated, learning about artificial intelligence while improving their AI literacy.

Summer Concert & Picnic

Elon faculty, staff, students and friends came together at the Martin Alumni Center for the annual Summer Concert & Picnic on June 25.

Emancipation Celebration

This summer, Elon faculty and staff were invited to engage in meaningful dialogue, reflection and community-building through the Inclusive Excellence Summer Development Series 鈥淎merican Anniversaries: 250 Years, Over 160 Reasons to Heal.鈥�

The series connected two significant milestones in American history 鈥� the nation鈥檚 250th anniversary and the 161st anniversary of Juneteenth 鈥� through opportunities to explore the ongoing pursuit of freedom, equality and justice.

Together@Elon鈥檚 Emancipation Celebration invited community members to enjoy a Juneteenth exhibit, music, sweet treats and games while celebrating freedom, resilience and community.

Related Articles

• Recognizing Pride Month 2026 at 福利亚洲国产精品
• Pride Month: AK Krauss reflects on safety through building networks
• Pride Month: Archie Crowley is building community through language and mentorship
• Pride Month: Maria Lagunes Flores 鈥�29 reflects on a year of self-discovery and belonging

When Lane Merrill 鈥�27 was searching for colleges, academics mattered, but so did finding a place where they could belong.

鈥淎 big factor was the social scene and how accepting Elon was,鈥� said Merrill, a statistics and data analytics double major from Tampa. 鈥淓lon had the avenues for a big LGBT community if I wanted that in my college experience.鈥�

At Elon, Merrill has found that community and has become an important part of helping strengthen it for others.

Shortly after arriving, Merrill connected with the Gender & LGBTQIA Center through the Gender and Sexuality Living Learning Community. The experience provided more than a living situation.

鈥淚 appreciated that it was the start of discovering friends and people who had similar interests to me,鈥� Merrill said. 鈥淚 had a starting point just to talk to people.鈥�

They also remember early programming from the GLC that introduced new students to campus resources and opportunities, helping create a sense of connection from the beginning.

That sense of community eventually led Merrill to become involved with Spectrum, Elon鈥檚 LGBTQ+ student organization. As president for 2026-27, they have focused on helping rebuild and strengthen the organization鈥檚 foundation following challenges that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Merrill鈥檚 passion for LGBTQ+ advocacy began before college. They attended a private high school where establishing a Gender and Sexuality Alliance was a significant achievement.

鈥淢y junior year was the first year that we got some form of a GSA,鈥� Merrill said. 鈥淏eing a part of that formation and that leadership helped me see how important these kinds of organizations are to people who are just starting their journey and just figuring out what the LGBT community is and how they can be a part of it, even just in an ally aspect.鈥�

That experience shaped their commitment to creating welcoming spaces for others at Elon.

鈥淚鈥檓 hopeful that a lot of the work that I鈥檝e done this year sets a foundation for events going forward,鈥� they said. 鈥淚鈥檇 really like to see Spectrum host events and just create an enjoyable space for the LGBT community.鈥�

Along the way, several people have helped Merrill feel at home at Elon. They credit GLC Director Luis Garay and graduate apprentice Kate Campbell with providing guidance and support.

鈥淚 remember Luis at that GLC welcome event my freshman year,鈥� Merrill said. 鈥淭hey were very nice, very welcoming, and remembered my face afterwards. It was just nice to be like, 鈥業 have a friend. I kind of know somebody.鈥欌��

贰濒辞苍听holds a Spring Pride celebration in May, when students are on campus. However, the month is recognized globally during June to honor聽the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, a series of protests that followed a police raid on June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn in New York City. The bar remains a popular gathering place for members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Merrill, who identifies as gender fluid, said Elon has lived up to the welcoming environment they hoped to find when researching colleges.

During Pride Month, Merrill reflects on how their relationship with the celebration has evolved. Growing up in Florida, they often observed Pride events from a distance. At Elon, they have become more actively involved.

鈥淚 have definitely tapped more into what the celebrations are, what are the things going on around me, and what are the things that I can then put myself into and become a part of this experience more than just watch it,鈥� Merrill said.

Elon honors Pride Month stories

As part of LGBTQ+ Pride Month, 福利亚洲国产精品 is sharing stories through Today at Elon that highlight students, faculty and staff who contribute to a campus environment where cultural identities and experiences are celebrated year-round. Throughout the month and year, Elon also offers resources and events related to the LGBTQ+ community.

Related Articles

• Recognizing Pride Month 2026 at 福利亚洲国产精品
• Pride Month: Archie Crowley is building community through language and mentorship
• Pride Month: Maria Lagunes Flores 鈥�29 reflects on a year of self-discovery and belonging
• Pride Month: Lane Merrill 鈥�27 finds belonging and community across the 鈥楽pectrum鈥�

鈥淎n advocate is one who finds the things that need doing and gets them done,鈥� said AK Krauss, paraphrasing a local partner at Family Service of the Piedmont. 鈥淎dvocacy is so individual and specific to different folks.鈥�

Krauss serves as 福利亚洲国产精品鈥檚 assistant director of the Gender & LGBTQIA Center for Confidential Advocacy, a role that manages cases and supports the wellbeing of Elon community members who have experienced harms, including sexual assault, relationship abuse, stalking and sexual harassment.

As an advocate, Krauss provides emotional support, connects community members to resources, helps them navigate legal processes and collaborates on safety planning.

Jayla Martin 鈥�25, student manager for the GLC, described Krauss as the embodiment of an advocate and friend and someone who has a 鈥渟trong sense of justice and a depth of empathy and compassion that has made countless lives better.鈥�

鈥淲hen I was going through my silly, twenty-something problems as a student, AK was always ready to lend an ear and listen without judgment,鈥� Martin said. 鈥淎s a staff member now, they are always able to give me a balanced, realistic perspective on a problem, and still make me laugh afterwards.鈥�

The work, while rewarding, can be challenging and emotionally taxing. Krauss and other partners on campus offer awareness and preventative programs, trainings and events to stop sexual harm on campus. To destress away from work, Krauss takes boxing lessons, enjoys nature and enjoys connections with their chosen family.

鈥淚 bought a punching bag for my house for $40 from somebody who was moving,鈥� Krauss said. 鈥淚 thought, 鈥業 will absolutely invest in that!鈥欌�� A few trial classes at a gym turned into a beloved hobby.

鈥淏oxing helps me get out of my head,鈥� Krauss said. 鈥淚t helps me release the physical energy that comes with living in a high-stress world and working in a high-stress position.鈥�

Krauss also enjoys being in nature. They have a tattoo of a sleeping fox, as well as a cluster of fairy inkcap mushrooms.

鈥淭he mushroom tattoo reminds me of the bigger connections and pictures in life: connection to community, connection to chosen family and all the different ways to build networks with each other that are maybe seen or unseen, recognized or unrecognized,鈥� Krauss said.

Krauss said that advocacy work is innately diverse across multiple identities and experiences. Almost everyone who serves in the role of an advocate has experienced the challenge of navigating support systems after harmful experiences.

鈥淲e understand it personally,鈥� Krauss said. 鈥淲e bring that tenacity into the work and that’s the part of advocacy that I really love and vibe with and identify with.鈥�

At work, Krauss is grateful to work in a space that feels safe, where they can focus on the work at hand.

鈥淚 love and appreciate that we have queer folks in leadership on campus who are blazing the trail so that I can just be here and do the work that I鈥檓 here to do,鈥� they said. “I don鈥檛 need to worry about protecting myself or my identities 鈥揑 can focus on being here for the students. That鈥檚 really what I want to do.鈥�

Elon honors Pride Month stories

As part of LGBTQ+ Pride Month, 福利亚洲国产精品 is sharing stories through Today at Elon that highlight students, faculty and staff who contribute to a campus environment where cultural identities and experiences are celebrated year-round. Throughout the month and year, Elon also offers聽resources and events聽to support the LGBTQ+ community.

Carla Fullwood, director of inclusive excellence education and development, has been selected as one of the

The awards celebrate companies and individuals who have worked to establish and advance diversity and inclusion efforts in their workplaces and communities. The winners will be honored at an event on June 18 at N.C. A&T State University.

鈥淢y work is grounded in the belief that inclusive excellence is not just an ideal, but a practice. It requires ongoing learning, unlearning and accountability,鈥� Fullwood told the Triad Business Journal. 鈥淚鈥檓 inspired by possibility. The idea that unfair systems can evolve, that people can grow, and that we can create environments where more people feel a true sense of belonging. That is what keeps me committed to this work every day.鈥�

At Elon, Fullwood leads initiatives on inclusive excellence and is a certified coach. She is a contributor to the Carolinas chapter of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education. She was the closing speaker at NASPA Region III 2024 Summer Symposium, a featured guest on the web series 鈥淕ood Trouble: Inclusive Pedagogy鈥� and a guest on the podcast 鈥淟imed: Teaching with a Twist.鈥� She also co-authored the article 鈥淎mplifying Student Viewpoints on Inclusive Student Experiences for Inclusive Excellence in Kinesiology.鈥�

In her nomination, it was noted that Fullwood聽is consistently recognized by faculty and staff for her “highly effective and learning-centered approaches to expanding perspectives related to diversity and inclusion and developing skills for equitable practices.”

鈥淐arla demonstrates her commitment to building capacity for empathetic human connections,鈥� said Randy Williams, vice president for inclusive excellence. 鈥淪he deliberately creates learning conditions that help people see the world through others鈥� eyes and act thoughtfully with kindness, regardless of identities. The Triad Business Journal wisely recognized Carla for her leadership at Elon and in the region.鈥�

More information on the June 18 celebration is available .

Crowley’s research focuses on queer and trans communities, particularly in the U.S. South, and the ways language evolves. Over the past several years, trans people have gained greater public visibility, which, Crowley says, has sparked debates about language.

鈥淗ow do trans people want people to refer to us?鈥� Crowley asks. 鈥淲hat are the 鈥榗orrect鈥� ways to talk about transness?鈥�

While many people look to Crowley for answers to these questions, Crowley is not interested in coining new terms. Through interviews with members of queer and trans communities, Crowley has found that people navigate the ever-changing landscape of gender and language in different ways.

鈥淥ne interviewee said that if you’re about to say 鈥榯hank you, sir鈥� or 鈥榯hank you, ma鈥檃m鈥� to be polite, you could choose another phrase that conveys the same respect,鈥� Crowley said. 鈥淪omething like 鈥榯hank you so much.鈥欌��

At Elon, mentorship takes many forms. Before arriving at the university, Crowley found mentorship through Professor of Art History Kirstin Ringelberg.

During the interview process, Crowley was asked whether there was anyone on campus they would like to meet. They requested a conversation with a trans faculty member to gain insight into that experience at Elon.

Ringelberg, who has been a member of the Elon faculty for more than 20 years, became an important resource.

鈥淜nowing that they’ve been here so long and have so much institutional memory has been a great fountain of knowledge for me, especially navigating this campus as a trans person,鈥� Crowley said.

Next year, Crowley will serve as coordinator of the Women’s, Gender and Sexualities Studies program. As they prepare for that role, they have looked to colleagues such as Ringelberg for guidance on creating spaces where queer and trans students, faculty and staff can thrive.

鈥淗iring Archie has helped with mentorship across campus,鈥� said Ringelberg, 鈥淎rchie is an incredible mentor, to our students and the way that Archie models positive but critical transness to our students is transformative .”

Like many Elon faculty members, Crowley has also become a mentor to students.

During their first year of teaching at Elon, Crowley taught Azul Bellot ’26 in an introductory linguistics course. Bellot entered the class as a psychology major but became interested in linguistics through the course. With Crowley’s guidance, Bellot designed an independent major in sociolinguistics.

Then, for an independent research project, Bellot interviewed trans women and collected stories about their health care experiences. Bellot later presented the research at the Student Undergraduate Research Forum, the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience and the Women’s and Gender Studies South Conference.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really gratifying to be able to guide someone through that process and see them get excited,鈥� Crowley said.

For Crowley, Pride is more than a month-long celebration. Through their research, mentorship and work with the Women’s, Gender and Sexualities Studies program, they are helping build community where people feel seen, supported and heard.

Crowley keeps reminders of Pride’s history throughout their office, from a small brick they received at a Pride event in Alamance County to a poster commemorating the 1966 Compton’s Cafeteria Riot.

“The history of Pride is rooted in confrontation,鈥� Crowle said. 鈥淚t’s a celebration in the confrontation.”

Elon honors Pride Month stories

As part of LGBTQ+ Pride Month, 福利亚洲国产精品 is sharing stories through Today at Elon that highlight students, faculty and staff who contribute to a campus environment where cultural identities and experiences are celebrated year-round. Throughout the month and year, Elon also offers resources and events to support the LGBTQ+ community.