He started over.

Taylor was leading about 1,200 employees when he told company leaders he eventually wanted to run a business. Their response: He needed to learn how to build brands. So the engineer and plant manager moved into marketing, working alongside colleagues who were much earlier in their careers.

鈥淚t was a wonderful lesson in humility,鈥� Taylor said. 鈥淚t was a great chance to learn and to be in the learning mode, not the knowing mode.鈥�

That willingness to keep learning became a recurring theme on Sept. 10 in LaRose Digital Theatre at the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business.

The conversation was moderated by Jack Ryan P’17, founder and principal of Jack Ryan Advisory and chair of the Love School of Business Board of Advisors.

Taylor spent more than 40 years with P&G, with assignments across the United States, Asia and Europe before eventually becoming chairman, president and CEO. Today, he serves as senior operating adviser to Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, chairman of the supervisory board of Opella Healthcare Group and non-executive chair of Delta Air Lines鈥� board of directors.

When Ryan asked what advice he would give students preparing to enter the workforce, Taylor pushed back on the idea that there is one ideal first assignment.

鈥淢any people ask me, 鈥榃hat鈥檚 the right first assignment? Do I need to start in marketing or sales?鈥欌�� Taylor said. 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 matter. What matters is what you do with the first assignment. Do you come into whatever you鈥檙e asked to do and do it with excellence?鈥�

He said that strong work creates the credibility to take on larger challenges and eventually influence the organization itself.

鈥淚f you really want to change the system, be successful at wherever you are,鈥� Taylor said. 鈥淭hat gives you a platform to be able to change the system. You build credibility that you can accomplish outcomes, and once you do that, the willingness for others to listen to you grows.鈥�

Taylor said one of the strongest differentiators he has seen among successful leaders is their ability to bring out the best in the people around them.

鈥淭he greatest differentiator I鈥檝e seen in my time with P&G, my time at Delta and now working with a private equity company is often their ability to unleash those around them,鈥� Taylor said. 鈥淭hose that have relatively little ego, but a high level of achievement, a high level of personal accountability and a high level of empathy for others.鈥�

That combination, he said, creates something leaders cannot achieve on their own.

鈥淲hat happens is they generate followership,鈥� Taylor said. 鈥淭hat creates wonderful outcomes, especially when you get to mid- and higher levels, because the group amplifies the results.鈥�

Students later turned the conversation toward artificial intelligence, asking Taylor what skills they should focus on as AI changes marketing and business.

Taylor said AI is already helping companies create and analyze content more quickly, but technology does not replace the need to understand the people a business serves.

鈥淲hen we go to markets, the first meeting is in homes,鈥� Taylor said. 鈥淲e鈥檇 get to know the person. We鈥檇 learn about their life, their kids. 鈥楾ell us what you do each day.鈥欌��

He said those visits allowed teams to observe what consumers actually did, not just what they said they needed.

鈥淵ou find there鈥檚 a lot of compensating behaviors consumers have,鈥� Taylor said. 鈥淭hey鈥檒l say, 鈥楾his is not an issue,鈥� but you see they do an extra step because something doesn鈥檛 work the way they think it should.鈥�

Taylor shared examples from P&G鈥檚 work in markets around the world, including observing how consumers washed their hair in rural China and how a consumer in Japan used Febreze on furniture she wished she could wash.

鈥淵ou don鈥檛 see that looking at a sheet of paper,鈥� Taylor said.

For Taylor, AI can accelerate the work once a company understands the problem it is trying to solve.

鈥淎I will let you have faster, better answers once you know what to work on,鈥� Taylor said. 鈥淲hat mountain do you want to climb? And that often comes from a better consumer insight and empathy.鈥�

For the final student question, Taylor was asked whether there was one piece of advice he had used as a filter when making major decisions throughout his career.

His answer brought the conversation back to learning.

鈥淧robably the simplest one is: Can I make a difference, and can I learn?鈥� Taylor said.

He encouraged students to consider those questions as they evaluate their own opportunities, rather than getting caught up in salary, job titles or whether an assignment appears prestigious.

鈥淧ick a place that you鈥檙e happy to walk in the door every day, you can hold your head up, you can learn and you can make a difference,鈥� Taylor said. 鈥淵ou have talents and the ability to do a ton of things. You get to choose how you use those.鈥�

福利亚洲国产精品 Lessons from Leaders

Launched in 2017 by Dean Emeritus Raghu Tadepalli, Lessons from Leaders brings senior executives to campus for open talks, small group discussions and purposeful one-on-one networking that connects students with mentors. The program helps bridge classroom learning to real-world decision-making and strategy, and aims for every student to leave with a new contact and meaningful career insights.

A new chapter in 福利亚洲国产精品鈥檚 global sport education programming officially began Sept. 7 in Pistoia, Italy.

Five Elon students arrived in the Tuscan city as the inaugural cohort participating in the university鈥檚 partnership with Lumos Pistoia Basket 2000, a professional basketball organization, and the Accademia Europea di Firenze (AEF). Their arrival was marked by a from the club as the students prepare to begin a semester combining study abroad with hands-on experience in the professional sport industry.

As part of their initial visit, the students explored Pistoia鈥檚 historic center before making their way to LumoSquare, the 3,835-seat home of Pistoia Basket and a growing community hub. Accompanied by Professor Marco Bracci and Elisabetta Santanni, academic director of AEF/福利亚洲国产精品 in Florence, the group toured the facility, met members of the club staff, and received a personal welcome from Pistoia Basket President Joseph Mark David.

The visit offered the students their first look at the organization, where they will soon become part of the day-to-day operations. Beginning in mid-September, they will work alongside Pistoia Basket staff on projects involving sport management, marketing and social media.

鈥淭his experience is over a year in the making and couldn’t have come together without the amazing work of our partners at AEF, especially Elisabetta Santanni and Marco Bracci,鈥� said David Bockino, professor of sport management. 鈥淎s we launch the partnership this semester, we’re already discussing how to make it accessible to more students moving forward. The reception on campus has been great 鈥� we have students lining up to participate in the future.鈥�

A global professional experience

Announced last fall, Elon鈥檚 partnership with AEF and Pistoia Basket was developed in collaboration with the Department of Sport Management to expand experiential learning opportunities for students studying in Florence. It combines two hallmarks of an Elon education 鈥� global engagement and professional experience 鈥� placing students inside a European professional sport organization while they study abroad.

鈥淭his experience was the logical next step as Elon grows its sport-related experiences,鈥� Bockino said. 鈥淎s a university, we’re great at study abroad and at helping our students get internships. Why not put those two together? When these students eventually hit the job market, they’ll arrive with a true resume differentiator: an internship with a professional Italian basketball club that allows them to better understand sport from a global perspective.鈥�

As part of a mentored, two-credit internship with Pistoia Basket, students will spend approximately 10 hours each week gaining practical experience in event operations, fan engagement, marketing, communications and social media. Their responsibilities will be tailored to their academic backgrounds and professional interests.

For example, students interested in media analytics may evaluate the club鈥檚 social media performance, while students studying sport management or strategic communications will work to increase Pistoia Basket鈥檚 visibility among college students studying abroad in Florence. Participants will also meet regularly with accompanying professors and complete applied and reflection-based assignments.

The cohort will also contribute to a video storytelling project designed to introduce Pistoia Basket to new audiences in the United States. Funded by the Elon Innovation Council and coordinated through Elon鈥檚 Sports Media Lab and Elon Sports Vision, the project will use footage captured by the students to tell the story of Pistoia鈥檚 2026-27 season. According to Bockino, the resulting videos are expected to appear on Elon social media channels and during Elon Athletics broadcasts.

This fall鈥檚 inaugural cohort includes Robbie Pataky ’28, a strategic communications major; Amelia Weaver ’28, a sport management and media analytics double major; Riley Greenwald ’28, a sport management major; Olivia Tichnor ’28, a marketing major; and Max Edelstein ’28, a sport management major.

He quickly learned just how many steps that takes.

As a quality engineer co-op, Coughenour is supporting the launch of ALTA Rounds, a new plastic-free coffee pod. Working with the quality team, he has contributed to product trials, data analysis and quality checks on the manufacturing floor.

鈥淏eing in the plant has shown me that a product launch is not just one big step, but a lot of smaller steps that all must come together,鈥� Coughenour said.

He was drawn to the opportunity because it paired hands-on manufacturing experience with a product designed to reduce environmental impact.

鈥淣o week looked exactly the same as we prepared for the launch,鈥� Coughenour said. 鈥淚 collected samples and interpreted data during quality and R&D trials, led two associates at the end of the production line, and worked with outside companies to calibrate and test equipment.鈥�

The experience also changed how he thinks about quality in manufacturing.

鈥淨uality is not just about inspecting a final product,鈥� Coughenour said. 鈥淚t is about understanding the process, identifying opportunities for improvement and helping ensure consistency from start to finish.鈥�

One of his most meaningful responsibilities was helping coordinate, establish and lead end-of-line quality checks. The work gave him a direct role in determining whether the product consistently met quality standards.

鈥淚 was trusted with a responsibility that directly tied into the quality of the product,鈥� Coughenour said. 鈥淚t helped me see how my work fit into the bigger picture of the ALTA Rounds launch.鈥�

Coughenour also worked on improving the calibration process to make it more automated and efficient.

Together, those projects gave him hands-on experience in operations, problem-solving and production while showing him how much coordination goes into maintaining product quality.

The internship also helped clarify the kind of work he wants to pursue.

鈥淚 want to do work where I can see the impact of what I am doing,鈥� Coughenour said. 鈥淏eing at KDP has shown me that I enjoy the hands-on side of supply chain, especially when it involves operations, problem-solving and production.鈥�

He also wants that work to contribute to environmental sustainability. Supporting the development of a plastic-free coffee pod showed him how supply chain and manufacturing roles can connect day-to-day operations with a broader purpose.

鈥淜nowing that my work could contribute, even in a small way, to environmental sustainability gives me a greater sense of purpose and motivation,鈥� he said.

His advice to other students is to stay open to unfamiliar work and bring consistent effort to the experience.

鈥淏e open, persistent and dedicated,鈥� Coughenour said. 鈥淏e open to asking questions and taking on new challenges. What you put into this experience is ultimately what you will get out of it.鈥�

鈥淚 wanted something that would challenge me even more,鈥� Keicher said. 鈥淪omething without the training wheels.鈥�

His manager responded by turning over a raw-material sourcing project that had originally been part of his own workload. Keicher researched potential suppliers, analyzed sourcing options and developed a strategy that he later presented to senior leaders in supply chain management and engineering.

The project became one of the most meaningful parts of his internship.

鈥淚 asked for another project because I wanted to push myself,鈥� Keicher said. 鈥淏eing trusted with that level of responsibility gave me the chance to work through the strategy independently and present my recommendation to company leaders.鈥�

The opportunity also connected Keicher with an interest that began years earlier. He took flight lessons throughout high school, developing an early passion for aviation and firsthand familiarity with the industry.

He soon realized, however, that 鈥渘o one likes a creative pilot who wants to test the conventions of flight mid-air.鈥�

Instead, Keicher found a place for that curiosity in aviation manufacturing.

鈥淚 love the aviation industry,鈥� he said. 鈥淣othing is cooler than being able to say you help build jets for a living.鈥�

Keicher, a supply chain management and data analytics major from Sycamore, Ill., worked with Honda Aircraft鈥檚 procurement team at Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, N.C.

His internship included production meetings, supplier visits and regular walks through the manufacturing floor. He learned more about sourcing strategy, the purchase-order life cycle and the role procurement plays in keeping aircraft production moving.

One of his first visits to the production floor gave him a closer look at Honda鈥檚 鈥済o to the spot鈥� philosophy. When a part had a quality issue, Keicher went directly to where it was being used and spoke with the technician working with it.

鈥淚 was able to understand what was wrong, why it was wrong and what information the supplier needed to fix the issue,鈥� Keicher said.

The experience helped him see how procurement decisions connect to the work happening on the production floor and how communication among technicians, buyers and suppliers can help resolve problems.

Throughout the summer, Keicher contributed to projects involving sourcing, workload analysis, process improvement and employee training.

He helped develop a Power BI dashboard for the procurement team, created tools intended to streamline internal approval processes and documented procedures for onboarding new suppliers. He also led training sessions for incoming associates.

Keicher took the initiative to propose several updates to the company鈥檚 internship program. His recommendations included resources to help interns set goals with mentors, transfer knowledge to future interns and provide more useful feedback at the end of the experience.

The range of assignments allowed him to work across data analysis, supplier relationships and internal operations while seeing how each area supports a larger manufacturing process.

His coursework at the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business helped prepare him for projects that combined supply chain strategy with data analysis and communication.

In Introduction to Supply Chain Management with Coleman Rich, associate teaching professor of operations and supply chain management, Keicher learned tools including RACI matrices and critical path analysis. A course with Vinayaka Gude, assistant professor of business analytics, helped him strengthen his skills in data visualization, dashboard development and communicating findings clearly.

The internship confirmed Keicher鈥檚 interest in building a career in aerospace. It also reinforced the value of asking for the opportunities he wanted rather than waiting for them to appear.

鈥淵ou have to ask the question,鈥� Keicher said. 鈥淎sk for what you want the experience to be. That will define what you get to do.鈥�

The program paired undergraduate students with faculty members to support AI-related projects across the school. Student fellows helped develop and deliver workshops, interview faculty and build materials for future courses and boot camps.

Sakura Kawakami 鈥�26 worked with Scott Oakes, assistant teaching professor of management, and fellow students Julia Amodeo 鈥�26 and Katie Geraghty 鈥�26 on workshops for Gateway classes.

The team visited eight classes and reached approximately 240 students through 20-minute sessions with hands-on exercises. The workshops introduced students to Gemini Pro, available through Elon, and focused on practical skills such as improving prompts through iteration and added context.

鈥淭he primary goal was to establish a baseline of AI fluency among Gateway students, who are primarily first-year business students,鈥� Oakes said. 鈥淲e also wanted to test whether a short, bootcamp-style training session could effectively introduce students to practical AI skills within a classroom setting.鈥�

Faculty established the project鈥檚 overall objectives before the students joined. Kawakami, Amodeo and Geraghty then helped develop classroom activities, learning objectives, presentation materials, pre- and post-session surveys, and the rollout plan. The students also led the workshops and helped analyze the resulting data.

鈥淢y role as an AI Fellow was to act as a bridge between students and faculty, advising students on how to use AI to enhance their learning, not replace it,鈥� said Kawakami, a Business Analytics and Project Management major from Rotorua, New Zealand. 鈥淭he goal was to make sure students felt confident using these tools in ways that supported them.鈥�

One focus was helping students understand that effective use of AI often requires refining a prompt rather than accepting the first response.

鈥淥ne of our biggest teaching points was the importance of iteration when prompting AI,鈥� Kawakami said. 鈥淏y refining and tailoring your prompts to your own needs, you get far more accurate and useful responses.鈥�

Oakes said the student fellows strengthened the project by bringing their own experiences with AI into the classroom.

鈥淧eer-to-peer learning is incredibly powerful,鈥� he said. 鈥淔irst-year students often feel more comfortable asking questions and exploring new technologies when they see successful upper-level students demonstrating how they actually use those tools.鈥�

Another team worked with Kem Zhang, associate professor of business analytics, on projects designed to support more advanced AI use in business courses.

Thomas Case 鈥�26, a supply chain management and business analytics major from Atlanta, G.A. and Oliver Lorraine 鈥�27, a project management and business analytics major from Red Bank, N.J. gathered input from faculty and developed materials for future workshops. One project focused on Associate Professor David Jiang鈥檚, Bring the Venture to Life entrepreneurship course, where students develop and launch venture ideas.

Based on the needs identified for the course, the team created materials for an 鈥淎I-powered entrepreneurship鈥� workshop covering topics such as prompting for code, e-commerce, payment integration and deployment.

Case led the workshop design and drafted presentation materials. Lorraine documented the development process and built reusable coding templates for future workshops and boot camps.

鈥淭he transition from AI users to AI builders or AI architects is an important distinction because knowing how to use a tool generally is much different than knowing how to use a tool to innovate,鈥� said Case.

Lorraine also created Google Colab notebooks with coding templates for future use.

Zhang said the goal is to help students move beyond basic familiarity with AI tools.

鈥淔or business students, knowing how to use an AI tool is expected,鈥� Zhang said. 鈥淭he real advantage comes when they understand how these tools can be used in problem solving and to create concrete, AI-based solutions.鈥�

Several projects from the spring semester are expected to continue during the 2026-27 academic year, including the entrepreneurship workshop, an AI Boot Camp for incoming students and additional work on AI integration.

The spring 2026 AI Student Fellows were Brandon Boudreau 鈥�27, Thomas Case 鈥�26, Oliver Lorraine 鈥�27, Dylan Stone 鈥�28, Julia Amodeo 鈥�26, Sakura Kawakami 鈥�26, Lindsay Balick 鈥�27, Katie Geraghty 鈥�26, Katrina Papierman 鈥�26 and Tristan D鈥橝damo 鈥�28.

Sarah Bunnell, director of Elon’s Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning and associate professor of psychology, and George Talbert, assistant professor of marketing and sales, co-presented “The Power of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning for Individual and Institutional Transformation, in Business Schools and Beyond.” The online session marked the group’s second community event and drew educators from across Europe and beyond.

Bunnell opened by tracing SoTL’s roots to Ernest Boyer’s influential 1990 framework, which expanded the definition of scholarship to include systematic study of student learning. She then expanded on the field’s history to include later contributions from scholars like Elon鈥檚 Peter Felten, assistant provost for teaching and learning, executive director of the Center for Engaged Learning, and professor of history, whose work has helped establish public dissemination, peer review and collaboration as foundational principles of SoTL practice.

Talbert then offered a personal lens, reflecting on his own transition from a senior marketing and sales career into higher education and how engaging with SoTL has reshaped his approach to teaching and student learning. Rather than focusing solely on content delivery and student satisfaction, he described moving toward deeper questions about how students’ thinking develops and whether his teaching approaches achieve their intended learning outcomes. This personal insight was highlighted by event organizers as a 鈥溾��, and its accessibility to faculty across disciplines, not just educational researchers.

Bunnell and Talbert鈥檚 work is an example of meaningful collaboration between faculty across disciplines who center student learning, professional growth, and development of one鈥檚 teaching practice within their work. Their session is a meaningful contribution to the growing international dialogue about SoTL’s role in higher education, which Elon is increasingly recognized as leading. The invitation for the keynote reflects the continued recognition of Elon’s leadership in undergraduate teaching and educational development on the global stage. Following the session, Bunnell and Talbert were invited to remain engaged with the international SoTL community, with plans to continue building on the conversation in future collaborations.

Teza shares what she hopes to accomplish in her new role and how 福利亚洲国产精品 students can benefit.

How would you describe your career path?

My career path consists of a series of lateral and advancement roles that provided exposure to multiple facets of the apparel industry. These positions prepared me to lead several market-leading brands, develop strong teams and implement transformation across complex regional and global businesses.

What does serving as an Executive in Residence at the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business mean to you?

I am excited to mentor and guide the next generation of leaders. I look forward to translating classroom learning into real-world scenarios and creating professional pathways through networking, internship opportunities and exposure to different industries.

What kinds of conversations and experiences do you hope to create for Elon students during your time on campus?

I look forward to meaningful conversations regarding leadership, insights into managing domestic and global businesses and how students can create a pathway to finding a career in which they will thrive.

What perspectives from your work in global consumer brands are you most excited to share with Elon students?

Leading a winning global brand combines emotional brand equity, operational scale and local execution. Managing global teams is both challenging and rewarding; it is critical to be well-versed in regional cultures to maximize employee engagement, create consistency in brand positioning and delight consumers.

What advice would you offer students who are interested in leading teams or managing large, complex organizations?

Leading a large organization requires the alignment of people, capital and processes to deliver results at scale. Aligning on priorities, building strong teams, operational excellence, constant communication, establishing decision-making rights and protecting a culture are the foundational blocks for success.

Beyond your r茅sum茅, what should people know about you and what you enjoy outside of work?

My primary focus is my family and making the most out of every day. My husband and I travel extensively to explore off-the-beaten-path locations, and we have a passion for boating, pickleball and golf. We enjoy spending time with our three children as they navigate their own career and life journeys, and we continue to coach people and businesses to help them maximize their potential.

Hosted in partnership with William & Mary鈥檚 Raymond A. Mason School of Business, the summit invited participants to think not only about how AI is changing higher education, but also what should remain central to the student experience: judgment, curiosity, ethical decision-making, human connection and the ability to keep learning.

The summit opened Friday evening with a program that blended student innovation, music and conversation about AI鈥檚 role in business education. Haya Ajjan, dean of the Love School of Business, welcomed attendees before Margarita Kaprieylan, associate dean of the Love School of Business, guided the event as the program鈥檚 main host.

The evening featured student AI tool showcases, AI Fellows presentations, a performance by Vital Signs, Elon鈥檚 a cappella group, and a fireside chat with higher education leaders.

Student presentations highlighted a range of AI applications, from financial education and career preparation to human resources and access to technology. Projects included a gamified credit simulation that helps students practice financial decision-making and GRIFFIN, an AI-powered tool designed to support human resources classification and pay decisions.

The fireside chat was moderated by Casey Evans, associate dean for undergraduate programs and student services at American University, who also joined the discussion alongside Stephen Walls, assistant dean at the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin, and Hussein Issa, associate professor of accounting information systems at Rutgers Business School.

Saturday began with a keynote conversation between Anuj Mehrotra, dean of Georgia Tech鈥檚 Scheller College of Business, and Jeff Sanders 鈥�00, chief architect at Microsoft.

鈥淓ven a year ago, people were still doubting whether AI is here or not,鈥� Mehrotra said. 鈥淎t this point, AI is here.鈥�

For Mehrotra, the question is no longer whether students should use AI, but what business schools are preparing them to do in a world where AI can already summarize, create, analyze and simulate.

鈥淲hat has not changed is curiosity, the value of integrity, judgment and the importance of human relations,鈥� Mehrotra said.

He challenged business schools to think beyond content knowledge and focus on the value students bring when information is abundant.

鈥淲e have to figure out what that North Star is going to be,鈥� Mehrotra said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not going to be simply knowing something or being able to analyze something, because AI can do it for them.鈥�

That theme continued during the 鈥淲hat Industry Wants Now鈥� panel, which brought together leaders from Microsoft, Gartner, Bank of America and OpenAI.

鈥淯niversities now have the task not just to prepare students for a first job anymore,鈥� said Nicole Perrelle, head of AI executive advisory service at Gartner. 鈥淚t is to prepare them to have that life of continuous learning.鈥�

For panelists, that preparation includes more than technical fluency. It also requires judgment, communication and the ability to use AI responsibly in complex workplaces.

鈥淗ow do we accelerate the adoption of AI but do it in the right way?鈥� said Danielle Nashold 鈥�04, head of AI monitoring and controls strategy at Bank of America. In a highly regulated industry, Nashold discussed the importance of building governance, monitoring and control structures that allow organizations to use AI responsibly.

Amy Robbins 鈥�14, brand insights lead at OpenAI, said AI fluency was expected when she interviewed for her role, but the conversation focused more on the human skills she would bring to the work.

鈥淭hey were much more interested in how I think, how I approach complex problems, how I communicate,鈥� Robbins said.

For Robbins, that human perspective remains essential, even inside an AI company.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not layering AI into existing systems for us,鈥� Robbins said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 layering the human into the AI systems.鈥�

Jeff Sanders 鈥�00, chief architect at Microsoft, added that higher education and industry will need to learn together as AI continues to change careers and roles.

鈥淲e don鈥檛 have all the answers,鈥� Sanders said. 鈥淲e know that careers are going to change. We know jobs are going to change.鈥�

During the AI Fluency Mapping session, Tawnya Means, founding partner and principal of Inspire Higher Ed, helped prepare participants for the afternoon design sprint by walking them through ways to use AI with more purpose.

Casey Evans, associate dean for undergraduate programs and student services at American University鈥檚 Kogod School of Business, offered examples from Kogod鈥檚 redesigned curriculum, where students learn to evaluate AI critically and understand where their own judgment adds value.

鈥淪tudents really need to learn how they are adding value, not just cutting and pasting,鈥� Evans said.

Means then introduced tools participants could use in the design sprint, including the CRAFT framework, which helps users build stronger prompts by defining context, role, action, format and tone.

The summit also featured faculty pitches from 福利亚洲国产精品 and William & Mary, giving participants examples of how instructors are already experimenting with AI in their classrooms.

In the afternoon, participants applied ideas from the summit during the 鈥淗ack the Business Curriculum鈥� design sprint.

The design sprint concluded with three winning teams.

First place went to Calibra, a classroom tool designed to help faculty evaluate and strengthen assignments for AI resilience, critical thinking, curiosity, metacognition and career development.

Second place went to Essentials of Business Reimagined for AI, which proposed redesigning an introductory business course around a semester-long AI-powered simulation.

Third place went to Roast My LinkedIn, a career-readiness tool that uses humor to review LinkedIn profiles before offering practical feedback.

The summit concluded with remarks from Katherine Guthrie, associate dean at William & Mary鈥檚 Raymond A. Mason School of Business.

鈥淭his doesn鈥檛 end here,鈥� said Guthrie. 鈥淭his collaboration started after William & Mary hosted an AI summit last year, and it has grown into a shared effort to create space for educators, students and industry leaders to think more intentionally about AI in higher education. We鈥檙e looking to next year, where the summit will continue at William & Mary and build on what has been started here.鈥�

The summit was supported by sponsors including Quinncia and Global Academic Ventures. Quinncia provides career-readiness tools that support students in the job search process. Global Academic Ventures supports study abroad programming and international learning opportunities.

Additional sponsors included Breakout Learning, Interpretive Simulations, McGraw-Hill, QuantHub and GMAC.

Katherine Guthrie, associate dean at William & Mary with fellow colleagues

Casey Evans, associate dean for undergraduate programs and student services at American University, moderating the discussion alongside Stephen Walls, assistant dean at the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin, and Hussein Issa, associate professor of accounting information systems at Rutgers Business School

Margarita Kaprieylan, associate dean at the Love School of Business introducing the keynote

Tawnya Means, founding partner and principal of Inspire Higher Ed, and Casey Evans, associate dean for undergraduate programs and student services at American University鈥檚 Kogod School of Business, at the AI Fluency Mapping session

Quinncia presenting at the AI Summit

Global Academic Ventures presenting at the AI Summit

Margarita Kaprieylan, associate dean at the Love School of Business, and Katherine Guthrie, associate dean at William & Mary鈥檚 Raymond A. Mason School of Business

Vital Signs performing at the AI Summit

Casey Evans, associate dean for undergraduate programs and student services at American University, moderating the discussion alongside Stephen Walls, assistant dean at the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin, and Hussein Issa, associate professor of accounting information systems at Rutgers Business School

Anuj Mehrotra, dean of Georgia Tech鈥檚 Scheller College of Business, and Jeff Sanders 鈥�00, chief architect at Microsoft

Anuj Mehrotra, dean of Georgia Tech鈥檚 Scheller College of Business, and Jeff Sanders 鈥�00, chief architect at Microsoft

Anuj Mehrotra, dean of Georgia Tech鈥檚 Scheller College of Business, and Jeff Sanders 鈥�00, chief architect at Microsoft

A full list of award and scholarship recipients appears below.

Academic Achievement Award Recipients

Academic Excellence Award in Accounting
Kirsten Myburg
Allie Rosinger

This award is given to a senior Accounting major who has demonstrated superior academic achievement, provided significant contributions to the department, and possesses potential for intellectual growth.

Challenge and Expect Award in Accounting
Kate Rohan
Zachary Taylor

This award is presented to a senior Accounting major who has demonstrated excellent growth in academic achievement and in contributions to the department.

Earl D. Honeycutt, Jr. Sales Leadership Award
Alex Scheinler

This award recognizes a senior majoring in marketing or minoring in professional sales who has shown leadership in the sales program, has the potential to positively impact their future organization, and has demonstrated an overall positive attitude in supporting their fellow sales students.

Excellence in Financial Education Student Award
Justin Betts
Andrew Glas
Em Orendorff

This award is given to a senior finance major who has demonstrated excellent academic achievement and possesses potential for professional growth in financial services.

Goldstein Family Award
Maggie Blakeney

This award is for a graduating senior who, after transferring to Elon (and the LSB) earlier in their academic career, has established a record of sustained engagement and high academic success and who embodies the university鈥檚 engaged learning focus through participation in high-impact learning activities.

Walter Hattenbach Award
Kaila Burke

The senior marketing major with the highest GPA receives this award, which Dr. and Mrs. James W. Johnston established in honor of their friend, Walter Hattenbach.

John Kappas Economics Award
Quinn Faller

This award goes to the senior economics major who best demonstrates enthusiasm for economics, potential for leadership聽and classroom excellence. It is named in honor of the late John Kappas, a 1985 Elon graduate.

Love School of Business Academic Excellence Award
Greta Hessenthaler
Kirsten Myburg
Katrina Papierman
Anthony Vozella

This award is presented to the student with the highest GPA among those graduating with a major in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business.

Love School of Business Courageous Leadership Award
Noah Biggers

This award is given to a student who exemplifies courageous leadership within and outside of the Love School of Business.

Love School of Business Responsible Leadership Award
William Foster

This award is given to a student who exemplifies leadership, service and academic achievement within the Love School of Business.

Perseverance Award in Accounting
Ben Lyons

This award is presented to a graduating accounting senior whose resilience and commitment led to significant improvement while successfully navigating the rigors of the four-year curriculum.

Student Achievement in Business Analytics Award
Greta Hessenthaler

This award is given to a senior business analytics major who has shown enthusiasm and success in his or her courses as well as promise for future achievement.

Student Achievement in Economics Award
Jin Kobes
Daisy Martinez-Jimenez

This award is given to a senior economics major who has shown enthusiasm and success in his or her courses as well as promise for future achievement.

Student Achievement in Economic Consulting Award
Sivan Danziger

This award is given to a senior economic consulting major who has shown enthusiasm and success in his or her courses as well as promise for future achievement.

Student Achievement in Entrepreneurship & Innovation Award
Juan Daniel Chiriboga
Taylor Sluss

This award is given to a senior entrepreneurship & innovation major who has shown enthusiasm and success in his or her major as well as promise for future achievement.

Student Achievement in Finance Award
Liam Becker
Emily McAninch
Asa Traylor

This award is given to a senior finance major who has shown enthusiasm and success in his or her major as well as promise for future achievement.

Student Achievement in Human Resource Management Award
Maddy Shapiro

This award is given to a senior human resource management major who has shown enthusiasm and success in his or her courses as well as promise for future achievement.

Student Achievement in International Business Award
Melena Hasskerl-Friedrich

This award is given to a senior international business major who has shown enthusiasm and success in his or her major as well as promise for future achievement.

Student Achievement in Marketing Award
Rachel Buckle
Lauren Kulda

This award is given to a senior marketing major who has shown enthusiasm and success in his or her major as well as promise for future achievement.

Student Achievement in Project Management Award
Anna Johnson

This award is given to a senior project management major who has shown enthusiasm and success in his or her major as well as promise for future achievement.

Student Achievement in Supply Chain Management Award
Maylee Clerici

This award is given to a senior supply chain management major who has shown enthusiasm and success in his or her major as well as promise for future achievement.

Martha and Spencer Love School of Business Dean鈥檚 Awards for Faculty and Staff

Excellence in Teaching
Jose Cerecedo Lopez

The Martha and Spencer Love School of Business Dean鈥檚 Award for Excellence in Teaching recognizes a faculty member who exemplifies the 福利亚洲国产精品 teacher-scholar model. This person is outstanding in the classroom, engages students in the learning process, maintains academic rigor, and provides evidence of commitment to the intellectual development of students through mentoring and related activities.

Excellence in Scholarship
Feng Dong

The Martha and Spencer Love School of Business Dean鈥檚 Award for Excellence in Scholarship recognizes one or more faculty members each year whose scholarly work has a significant intellectual impact in keeping with the Elon scholar-mentor model. Selection factors for this award include publication or presentation of peer-reviewed research in quality outlets and evidence that the faculty member engages in scholarship-related activities. These activities might include supporting the scholarly endeavors of colleagues, advancing the school鈥檚 reputation, and mentoring students in undergraduate research.

Exemplary Service – Faculty
John Wimmer

The Martha and Spencer Love School of Business Dean鈥檚 Award for Exemplary Service-Faculty recognizes one or more faculty members each year who have contributed in meaningful ways to the ongoing welfare and betterment of the college, university and profession. This award follows from the Elon servant-leadership model. Selection is based on service in the preceding year, plus overall willingness to volunteer one鈥檚 time when needed and to carry new ideas to reality.

Exemplary Service – Staff
Sara DeVane

The Martha and Spencer Love School of Business Dean鈥檚 Award for Exemplary Service-Staff recognizes a staff member who has contributed in meaningful ways to the ongoing welfare and betterment of the LSB.聽 This contribution includes performing duties above and beyond the staff member鈥檚 regular functions to support and advance the LSB.

Exemplary Service – External
Rob Springer

The Martha and Spencer Love School of Business Dean鈥檚 Award for Exemplary Service-Staff recognizes a member of the larger 福利亚洲国产精品 community who has contributed in meaningful ways to the ongoing welfare and betterment of the LSB.聽 This contribution can take the form of assisting the LSB with a specific program or project or providing ongoing support for LSB activities.

LSB Sophomore Recognition

Benjamin Grover Johnston Award
Andrew Abraham
Logan Brzezanski
Lindsay Butkus
Izzy Butler
Gabrielle Evans
Addie Gilner
Henry Ginsburg
Dylan Golden
Isabella Johnson
Avery Launer
Jordyne Lewis
Ben Peake
Hope Rosen
Isaiah Scott
Greta Smith
Casey Steinert
Dani Stuart
Ben Waechter
Ellis Weber-Provost
Sophia Winston

This award honors the sophomore(s) with the highest GPA in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business. Dr. and Mrs. James W. Johnston established this award in memory of Dr. Johnston鈥檚 brother, Benjamin Grover Johnston.

2026-27 Endowed Scholarships and Awards

The Andras Family Award
Abigail Mulvaney

The A. Vance Beck, Sr. and Gwendolyn D. Beck Scholarship
Virginia Manning

The Calvert C. and Margaret H. McGregor Scholarship
Maximiliano Camacho Garcia

The Charles David Smith Endowed Scholarship
River Cranford

The David A. Stevens 鈥�81 Internship Scholarship
Chaise Hannibal
Winter Oaster

The David O. Bowden Economics Scholarship
Ellis Weber-Provost

The Department of Economics Endowed Scholarship
Sophia Winston

The Don S. and Margaret M. Holt Scholarship
Ashley Valency
Skylar Zimmerly

The Dudley Ray Watson Memorial Scholarship
Mackenzie Ross

The Frechette Family Foundation Fund for Global Engagement
Madisen Groff
Brennan Higgins

The Frederick K. Gilliam, Sr. Scholarship
Sophia Arminio
Lauren Beckman
Colleen Bolger
Elizabeth Moores
Anna Rubino
Jesse Sherrill

The Humphries Achievement Award
Loren Palma

The J. Harold Smith Scholarship
Jordyne Lewis

The James T. Toney Endowment Fund
Madeline Dolan

The Janie E. Council Scholarship
Patrick Drury

The John and Helene Sparks Scholarship for Business
Dulio Sorel di Donato

The John L. Sills, Jr. Scholarship
Benjamin Peake

The John R. Hill 鈥�76 and Lesley W. Hill Endowed Fund for Engaged Learning in Business
Marlie Barhorst

The Linda Thompson Weavil Endowed Scholarship
Kristen Covington
Jasmine Newkirk

The Mark A. Horsburgh Study Abroad Scholarship
Michael Dumiec
Peyton Jones

The Mary C. Bullock 鈥�47 and George P. Bullock 鈥�47 Business Scholarship
John Cirelli
Jane McNeil
Avery Wilson

The Mills Family Endowed Scholarship
Tristan D鈥橝damo
Sahrahie Enamorado

The Myers Family Endowed Scholarship in Business
Aidan Roche

The Park Business Scholarship
Alyssa Adams

The Peter L. Tourtellot Endowed Scholarship in Business
Emma Cincotta

The R. Alston Team III Endowed Scholarship in Business
Eli Karpas
Emma Meunier

The R. Cruse Lewis Master Pools Guild/Love School of Business Endowment Scholarship
Gabriela Maldonado Alvarez
Ashlyn Wenner

The Rehnert Family Business Internship Award
Rita Ho
Korey Philpot
Fanyu Sha
Abigail Wong

The Rose Family Endowed Fund for Engaged Learning in Business
Samuel Bernard

The Samuel L. Burke Endowed Scholarship
David Graves
Elizabeth Shum

The Sirabella Family Scholarship for Engaged Learning in Business
Alison Whipple

The Taylor S. Davis Scholarship for Engaged Learning in Business
Anna Maddox

The Troy Family Endowed Scholarship for International Study
Shannon Cross
Jack Miller

The Waesche Engaged Learning Scholarship
Luke Shatkin

The Wells Fargo Scholarship
Jackson Steiner

The William A. Klopman, Jr. Memorial Scholarship
Megan Abbot

The Yearwood Family Scholarship
Bong Realiza

An accomplished business leader whose career spans global technology, consumer brands and corporate turnarounds, Findley accepted the university鈥檚 top award for entrepreneurship on April 22 inside LaRose Digital Theatre.

Findley currently serves as president, CEO and director of Sleep Number and has held leadership roles at Alibaba, Etsy and Blue Apron.

福利亚洲国产精品 President Connie Ledoux Book presented the medal alongside Haya Ajjan, dean of the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business.

The ceremony opened with a video tribute featuring remarks from Book, Ajjan, Elizabeth Caran and Jeffrey Pugh, former Distinguished University Professor and Maude Sharpe Powell Professor of Religious Studies at Elon, both of whom were in attendance.

Caran, Findley鈥檚 sister, emphasized her sibling鈥檚 commitment to making people feel heard and included. Pugh described Findley as someone who 鈥渕akes everything better wherever she goes,鈥� guided by both intellect and a strong moral compass.

In her remarks, Findley reflected on what entrepreneurial leadership has come to mean in her own life and career.

鈥淲hen you told me I was receiving the medal for entrepreneurial leadership, I鈥檒l be honest, I had a moment of pause,鈥� said Findley. 鈥淏ecause when I think about entrepreneurs, I think about founders. People who start companies from scratch. And that鈥檚 not my path.鈥�

Instead, Findley said, her career has been defined by stepping into companies in moments of change and choosing to lead with ownership, resilience and a willingness to act before feeling fully ready.

鈥淓ntrepreneurial leadership isn鈥檛 really about whether you started something,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about how you show up, the risks you take, the responsibility you assume and how you bring people along with you.鈥�

Findley, who grew up in nearby Greensboro, told students that Elon played a transformative role in helping her see herself and her future differently. She described struggling academically and socially in high school before arriving at Elon, where she found an environment that encouraged exploration, curiosity and growth.

鈥淓lon didn鈥檛 just teach me what to learn,鈥� Findley said. 鈥淚t taught me how to think.鈥�

She credited the university鈥檚 interdisciplinary approach, study abroad opportunities and especially a set of religion courses with Pugh for reshaping her perspective.

鈥淭hose classes exposed me to such a broad world of ideas, perspectives, modern views on longstanding concepts,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat changed everything about how I thought of myself and what I could do in the world.鈥�

That openness to possibility would later shape major decisions in her career, including a move to Hong Kong without a job lined up after finding it difficult to break out of communications roles in the United States. The leap eventually led to a role at Alibaba and marked a major turning point in how she thought about risk.

鈥淵ou don鈥檛 wait until you鈥檙e ready,鈥� Findley said. 鈥淵ou go. You do. You open yourself up to learning. And that鈥檚 what makes you ready.鈥�

Throughout the evening, Findley returned to the idea that leadership is less about titles and more about how people are treated along the way. She said one of the reasons she wanted to become a CEO was her belief that companies can succeed without losing sight of the people who make that success possible.

鈥淐ustomers and teams matter most, and you could build a successful company while still treating people like humans,鈥� she said.

That people-first approach also shaped how she described her leadership style during a question-and-answer session with students. Rather than entering organizations assuming she has all the answers, Findley said she tries to create the conditions for others to do their best work.

鈥淢y assumption is that everyone else in the room knows more than I do,鈥� Findley said, 鈥渁nd my job is to get out of their way and get everything else out of the way so they can do it.鈥�

Students asked Findley about topics ranging from career pivots and leadership style to failure, resilience and decision-making. In response, she emphasized the importance of core values, communication and internal resilience, especially when navigating uncertainty.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e never going to please everyone,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e never going to make everyone happy, and you鈥檙e never going to have respect from everyone. But you will get respect for actually making a decision and making a change and taking action when people don鈥檛 like it.鈥�

She closed her remarks by offering students three challenges: take one real risk in the next 30 days, put yourself in rooms where you are not the most qualified person, and act like an owner before you ever receive the title.

鈥淓ntrepreneurial leadership isn鈥檛 about starting companies,鈥� Findley said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about taking responsibility for outcomes, for people and for your own path.鈥�

福利亚洲国产精品 the 福利亚洲国产精品 Medal for Entrepreneurial Leadership

The Elon Medal Award for Entrepreneurial Leadership is co-presented by the Love School of Business and the Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Since 2009, the award has been given to an entrepreneur who is a leader in industry and who exemplifies the values of 福利亚洲国产精品. These values include integrity, innovation and creativity, passion for lifelong learning, and a commitment to building a dynamic community.

福利亚洲国产精品 the Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship

The Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship was established by an endowment gift from Ed and Joan Doherty, entrepreneurs from Saddle River, N.J., and parents of Kerry Doherty Gatlin 鈥�07. The Dohertys have served on the university鈥檚 Parents Council, and Ed Doherty currently serves as an Elon Trustee. Their company, Doherty Enterprises, Inc., is one of the nation鈥檚 leading franchise operators of quality family restaurants, including Applebee鈥檚 Neighborhood Grill & Bar, Panera Bread and Chevy鈥檚 Fresh Mex.