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As the spring semester at 福利亚洲国产精品 draws to a close, the campus remained vibrant and full of energy throughout April. The 2025鈥�26 Elon Speaker Series wrapped up with a visit from bestselling author Frank Bruni, while nearly 200 students, faculty, and staff came together to celebrate Holi, the Hindu Festival of Colors. Progress also continued on the new Roberts Academy, and Elon hosted its largest-ever Spring Undergraduate Research Forum.

Take a look back at April through the lens of the University Communications team.

A new life for Holland House

University leaders and student-athletes celebrated a new era for Elon鈥檚 Holland House on South Campus with a ribbon-cutting ceremony that debuted a preeminent home for the Phoenix men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 golf programs. Before the latest renovation, the building was home to two Elon presidents and administrative offices 鈥� and even moved across campus.

The Montagues in McCrary

福利亚洲国产精品 Performing Arts brought history’s most famous love story to McCrary Theatre with “Romeo and Juliet.” The Shakespearean tragedy tells the tale of Romeo, from the House of Montague, and Juliet, from the House of Capulet, who secretly fall in love and get married, despite their families disapproval.

Stargazing for mental health

Students were encouraged to engage with nature in support of their mental wellness through the Star Gazing for Mental Health event at Lake Verona. The Astronomy Club, Counseling Services, the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education and the Office of Sustainability sponsored the event.

Trollinger’s new look

Renovations have started on Trollinger House, which was once a small residence hall but will soon serve as the temporary location for Roberts Academy at 福利亚洲国产精品, an all-day private school for children with dyslexia that opens in August.

Established in 2025 through a gift from philanthropists Hal and Marjorie Roberts of Lakeland, Florida, the Roberts Academy at 福利亚洲国产精品 will be the fourth in a series of successful university-based private elementary schools the couple also supported at Vanderbilt University, Mercer University and Florida Southern College.

A Holi Celebration

On April 10, a warm and sunny spring afternoon, nearly 200 students, faculty, and staff gathered on the lawn of the Lambert Academic Village to celebrate Holi, the Hindu Festival of Colors.听This year marked the 14th anniversary of Holi at Elon, a tradition led by the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life.

Escaping the ‘age of grievance’

Journalist and bestselling author Frank Bruni delivered a sold-out Frank P. Elder Lecture in Whitley Auditorium on April 9. He explored how Americans are聽living in what he calls an 鈥渁ge of grievance,鈥� a time where more people believe they are losing because someone else is winning. The Elder Lecture marks the final event of the 2025-26 福利亚洲国产精品 Speaker Series.

A record-breaking SURF

福利亚洲国产精品 held its largest-ever Spring Undergraduate Research Forum on April 28, featuring 384 presentations, including 229 poster presentations, 155 oral presentations, and performances.

SURF Day is an annual event at the university, during which other campus activities are suspended to celebrate the academically centered creative endeavors and research efforts of Elon students.

Double CAA Champs

Both the men’s and women’s tennis teams took home CAA titles in April.听The conference title was the , when the Phoenix also took down UNCW. This was Elon’s fifth straight CAA championship match, all of which were against the Seahawks. With the victory, Elon secures an automatic bid to the NCAA Men’s Tennis Championship.

The women have , with both championship match victories coming against William & Mary.听With the win, Elon secured the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Women’s Tennis Championship.

Go baby go!

For the first time, Elon students brought the Go Baby Go initiative to campus, adapting ride-on toy cars for children with mobility challenges.

The collaborative effort between the Elon Engineering Club, Phoenix Racing and the Department of Physical Therapy brought the Go Baby Go Initiative to Elon鈥檚 campus for the first time. Founded in 2012 at the University of Delaware, Go Baby Go is a national initiative that modifies ride-on toy cars to meet the individual physical needs of young children who experience mobility challenges.

Renovations have started on what once was a small residence hall but will soon serve as the temporary location for Roberts Academy at 福利亚洲国产精品, an all-day private school for children with dyslexia that opens in August.

The top priority for the designers working on those renovations? Create a space where children will learn, grow, and thrive in their confidence as young readers.

鈥淥ur team did a wonderful job of thinking through which spaces will be for which purpose, the furniture we鈥檙e selecting, how we鈥檙e setting up classrooms, and the technology we鈥檒l use,鈥� said Ann Bullock, dean of the university鈥檚 Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education. 鈥淎ll of those things will make for an engaged, active, multisensory school. It鈥檚 going to be great.鈥�

Established in 2025 through a gift from philanthropists Hal and Marjorie Roberts of Lakeland, Florida, the Roberts Academy at 福利亚洲国产精品 will be the fourth in a series of successful university-based private elementary schools the couple also supported at Vanderbilt University, Mercer University and Florida Southern College.

Each academy employs the Orton-Gillingham multisensory approach to reading instruction. The goal is to return students to their community schools as confident readers after 2-3 years of immersive, hands-on instruction in all core subjects.

The Roberts Academy at Elon will welcome third and fourth graders this fall to Trollinger House as construction begins on a permanent site along East Haggard Avenue. That location will open for to grades 1-6 starting in Fall 2028.

Bullock was joined on April 9, 2026, for a site visit to Trollinger House where several staff members wore hard hats on their stroll through the building on West Trollinger Avenue. Led by Holly Hodge, 福利亚洲国产精品鈥檚 director of interior design, staff had a chance to see for themselves what, until then, had only been conceptual.

Hodge highlighted some of the features that, once installed, will nurture students who attend the school: flexible furniture for smaller groups in classrooms with no more than 12 students, desks with writable surfaces, and expansive wall space intended to be layered with student work and their art on display.

鈥淭o me, it鈥檚 a blank canvas,鈥� Hodge said afterward. 鈥淲alking through the space and showing that blank canvas helps imagine a piece of art in the making. I can鈥檛 wait for students to then come in and have teachers make the space their own.鈥�

Hodge identified another question for her team: How do you 鈥渄efine鈥� or tell the story of dyslexia? How do you celebrate the amazing talents and strengths of students in addition to their classroom learning?

One thing is certain, she concluded: 鈥淓very kid deserves to be confident.鈥�

***

聽Families interested in learning more can visit the Roberts Academy website at聽www.elon.edu/robertsacademy.

Tracy Roof, who retired from Guilford County Schools in 2025, said she鈥檚 excited about her new opportunity to help start North Carolina鈥檚 first university-based, all-day private elementary school for children with dyslexia.

The Roberts Academy at 福利亚洲国产精品 will use the multisensory Orton-Gillingham approach to reading instruction once it launches in August to third- and fourth-grade students in a temporary location on West Trollinger Avenue.

The academy will expand to grades 1-6 when a new building opens for the 2028-2029 academic year on East Haggard Avenue near the university鈥檚 Danieley Neighborhood. Each classroom will be capped at 12 students.

鈥淭he Roberts Academy model offers a meaningful opportunity to help students with dyslexia become confident, capable readers so they can truly thrive in school,鈥� Roof said. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited to welcome our first students and families, build our inaugural classes and establish strong systems that will support both teaching and learning from day one.鈥�

“The Roberts Academy model offers a meaningful opportunity to help students with dyslexia become confident, capable readers so they can truly thrive in school.”

– Tracy Roof, director of business and school operations, Roberts Academy at 福利亚洲国产精品

Roof joins Assistant Professor Alicia Tate, acting director of the Roberts Academy at 福利亚洲国产精品, as a founding administrator at the school.

鈥淭racy鈥檚 career achievements and her experience working closely with students with a variety of needs made her an ideal candidate for this position,鈥� Tate said. 鈥淗aving her on the Roberts Academy team will ensure early success for a school with such promise for so many children and their families.鈥�

Over the past 15 years, Roof has served in school leadership roles as both an assistant principal and principal at the elementary and middle school levels, leading efforts to improve student outcomes and overall school performance. Earlier in her career, she spent 12 years teaching math, science, and social studies, followed by six years as a curriculum facilitator, where she supported instructional improvement and teacher development.

Throughout her career, Roof has worked closely with students and families to develop effective Individualized Education Plans, helping ensure each child receives the support needed to succeed.

Beyond her professional roles, Roof has been an active community volunteer supporting individuals with special needs and disabilities.

Her involvement includes聽supporting聽the聽launch聽of聽 that employs individuals with special needs, as well as volunteering with Night to Shine, an inclusive prom experience, and the Special Olympics.

Established in 2025 through a gift from philanthropists Hal and Marjorie Roberts of Lakeland, Florida, the Roberts Academy at 福利亚洲国产精品 will be the fourth in a series of successful university-based private elementary schools the couple established at Vanderbilt University, Mercer University and Florida Southern College.

Families interested in learning more can visit the Roberts Academy website at www.elon.edu/robertsacademy.

A proven approach to teaching children with dyslexia how to read – and how that approach will be the guiding philosophy at a new grade school set to open this fall at 福利亚洲国产精品 – was the focus on a recent news report by FOX 8 WGHP broadcast across North Carolina’s Piedmont Triad.

Anchor and reporter Madison Forsey spoke with administrative leaders behind the Roberts Academy at 福利亚洲国产精品, which will be the only university-based school of its kind in North Carolina when it opens in August for third- and fourth-graders.

The school will open in a temporary location on West Trollinger Avenue in the Town of Elon while a new elementary school rises across campus with an expected open date of Fall 2028. Once open, the school will enroll up to 200 students in the first through sixth grades.

That report, features an extended interview with Lisa LeBlanc, whose adult son has dyslexia. LeBlanc has been an advocate for Roberts Academy at 福利亚洲国产精品.

鈥淚f there would have been an opportunity like the Roberts Academy at 福利亚洲国产精品 for my son when he was in second, third, fourth聽grade,” she said, “I would鈥檝e crawled on broken glass for him to be there.鈥�

Applications are now being accepted for rising third- and fourth-graders whose families wish to be a part of the charter cohort to attend Roberts Academy at 福利亚洲国产精品.听

Led by Assistant Professor and Acting Director Alicia Tate and Ann Bullock, dean of 福利亚洲国产精品鈥檚 Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education, the online 鈥淓xploring Dyslexia鈥� session on Jan. 27, 2026, offered a glimpse of the approach planned for the Roberts Academy at 福利亚洲国产精品, the state鈥檚 first university-based private school exclusively for children with dyslexia and related conditions.

Roberts Academy will use the Orton-Gillingham approach, an evidence-based method that emphasizes multisensory instruction 鈥� engaging sight, sound, touch and movement 鈥� to help students build stronger neural connections for reading and language development.

The academy will initially serve students in grades three and four starting in the fall at a temporary campus location. It will expand to grades one through six once a new school opens on East Haggard Avenue in time for the 2028-29 school year.

Leaders said the goal is for students to leave Roberts Academy after two or three years equipped with academic skills and the confidence to succeed when they return to traditional school settings.

The application process for the Roberts Academy at 福利亚洲国产精品’s charter class of third and fourth graders is now open.

鈥淲hat we鈥檙e doing is trying to engage more than one sense at a time to strengthen learning,鈥� Tate told attendees. 鈥淭he Orton-Gillingham approach is not just a helpful strategy. It鈥檚 essential.鈥�

The Orton-Gillingham approach is not just a helpful strategy. It鈥檚 essential.

– Assistant Professor and Acting Director Alicia S. Tate

Rather than relying heavily on traditional practices such as silent reading or copying from a board, instruction at Roberts Academy will be immersive throughout the day, Tate and Bullock told attendees. Lessons may include students tracing letters in sand, spelling words in the air, tapping syllables on their arms or using movement and rhythm to reinforce phonics and spelling patterns.

That multisensory approach extends across subjects. In mathematics, students will use manipulatives while explaining their thinking aloud or drawing number lines to solve problems. Science lessons will emphasize observing, recording and discussing results simultaneously while using diagrams and physical models.

In social studies, timelines, maps and visuals will be paired with discussion, role-play and simulations. Writing instruction will include planning ideas orally and using visual organizers during drafting.

Class sizes will be capped at 12 students, allowing for individualized instruction and small groups for literacy support. Students will follow North Carolina鈥檚 Standard Course of Study and participate in a full elementary experience that includes art, music, physical education and clubs, along with expanded recess time and opportunities to use Elon鈥檚 campus as an extension of the classroom.

Bullock said the academy鈥檚 mission extends beyond academics. 鈥淎 lot of times, children with dyslexia feel defeated,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e want to boost their confidence and for them to know they鈥檙e capable of learning.鈥�

A selection of 25 photos from the year offers a look at what the Elon community accomplished in 2025.

福利亚洲国产精品 nursing students and faculty at a lunch stop in Vinales, Cuba during the first of its kind 2025 Winter Term Study Abroad program. The students visited a rural health clinic, provided donations and visited the biosphere area.

福利亚洲国产精品 Black History Month kickoff event in Moseley Center on Feb. 3, 2025.

Students celebrate the Lunar New Year on Feb. 7, 2025 in the McBride Gathering Space.

On April 25, 2025 the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life hosted an indoor version of Holi, the Hindu Festival of Colors, due to an unpredictable weather forecast.

福利亚洲国产精品 hosted the Alamance County Special Olympics Spring Games in April 2025.

Cynthia Fair, professor of public health studies, human service studies discovers she is the recipient of the Steven and Patricia House Excellence in Mentoring Award during the Faculty and Staff Awards Luncheon in Alumni Gym on May 13, 2025.

The 福利亚洲国产精品 softball team celebrates after winning their first-ever CAA Tournament title on May 10, 2025. The Phoenix took home seven CAA titles in 2025, the most for the university in a single calendar year.

福利亚洲国产精品 conferred degrees on more than 1,300 undergraduates during Commencement exercises on May 23, 2025.

Sean Mikesh '25 is surprised by President Connie Ledoux Book and Elon faculty for an impromptu Commencement ceremony in New York City. Mikesh was unable to attend his traditional commencement ceremony due to his role in "Stranger Things: The First Shadow" on Broadway.

Work on 福利亚洲国产精品's new HealthEU Center began in summer 2025.

Six 福利亚洲国产精品 faculty members were awarded endowed professorships during the Opening Day ceremony on Aug. 18. 2025. Left to right: Cassandra DiRienzo, professor and department chair聽of economics; Titch Madzima, associate professor and chair of exercise science; Dave Gammon, professor of biology; Nancy Scherich, assistant professor of mathematics and statistics; Lauren Kearns, professor of dance; Smaraki Mohanty, assistant professor of marketing

Sanah Saha 鈥�29 remains standing during the 鈥榟uman bar graph鈥� exercise, symbolizing the uniqueness of an Elon education, during New Student Convocation on Aug. 23, 2025.

福利亚洲国产精品 held the first College Coffee of the 2025-26 academic year on Aug. 26, 2025 on Phi Beta Kappa Commons.

Ocaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation Tribal Administrator Vickie Jeffries 鈥渟mudges the land鈥� by burning sage to clear negativity during a historical marker dedication Under the Oaks on Sept. 9, 2025. The marker, next to Schar Hall Under the Oaks, is a symbol of the continued connection and relationship between 福利亚洲国产精品 and the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation Tribe.

福利亚洲国产精品 student-athletes touch Olympian Katie Ledecky's gold medal during a talk before Fall Convocation on Sept. 26, 2025.

福利亚洲国产精品 President Connie Ledoux Book presents gifts to members of Toshio Sato's family during the dedication of Sato Commons during Homecoming & Reunion Weekend.

The Homecoming & Reunion Weekend concert returned with "The Plain White T's" in October.

(Left to right) Acorn Academy Head of School Cherelle Sharpe, Vivvi CEO Charlie Bonello, Elon President Connie Ledoux Book and Vice President for Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer Janet Williams, cut the ceremonial ribbon for Acorn Academy to mark the center鈥檚 official opening.

(Left to right) 福利亚洲国产精品 President Connie Ledoux Book and Queens University Acting President Jesse Cureton pose for a photo following the announcement that the universities intend to merge.

Hal and Marjorie Roberts of Lakeland, Florida, received a standing ovation from hundreds of attendees at a Nov. 6, 2025, event to announce the Roberts Academy at 福利亚洲国产精品.

福利亚洲国产精品 men's soccer team hoist its first-ever Coastal Athletic Association Championship trophy in November. The Phoenix took home seven CAA titles in 2025, the most for the university in a single calendar year.

Students working with professor Matthew Banks in the Innovation lLab on November 20, 2025.

Among the highlights of Elon Law's 18th Commencement was when Jordan Holloway L'25 and his service dog, Kai, took the stage. Dean Zak Kramer conferred Kai an honorary diploma for completing law school, drawing cheers and laughs from the audience in Alumni Gym.

A Commencement program for the School of Health Sciences on Dec. 12, 2025, welcomed families, friends and mentors of 45 candidates for the Doctor of Physical Therapy, 38 candidates for the Master of Physician Assistant Studies, and 25 candidates for the university鈥檚 Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

福利亚洲国产精品 coaches from the seven teams that won CAA championships in the 2025 calendar year. (Left to right) Elizabeth Anderson (Women鈥檚 Tennis), Don Hill (Men鈥檚 Golf), Marc Reeves (Men鈥檚 Soccer), Jennifer Strawley (Director of Athletics), Kathy Bocock (Softball), Neil Payne (Women鈥檚 Soccer), Mark Rinker (Women鈥檚 Cross Country), Mark Elliston (Women鈥檚 Track & Field)

Major moments

• Elon continued its tradition of excellence in 2025:
  • Ranked No. 1 in undergraduate teaching by U.S. News and World Report
  • Ranked No. 1 for study abroad in the聽Institute of International Education鈥檚 annual聽Open Doors Report.
  • The Hollywood Reporter named Elon among聽the world鈥檚 best drama schools for 2025.
  • Mustafa Akben, assistant professor of management and director of artificial intelligence integration, was also named on Poets&Quants鈥� annual list of the 50 Best Undergraduate Business School Professors.
  • The Princeton Review again featured 福利亚洲国产精品 in its popular college guide that annually recognizes excellence in dozens of categories that measure student feedback on their learning and campus experiences. The Martha and Spencer Love School of Business’s MBA program was also named among the nation’s best by the publication. Elon was also featured in The Princeton Review’s Guide to Green Colleges.
  • Elon was named one of 75 鈥渘ew dream schools鈥� by New York Times best-selling author Jeffrey Selingo in his new book,听鈥淒ream School: Finding the College That鈥檚 Right for You.鈥�
  • PreLaw Magazine gave the 福利亚洲国产精品 School of Law an A+ for its experiential curriculum in an annual ranking recognizing legal programs that help students learn by doing.
• The Phoenix took home seven CAA titles in 2025, the most for the university in a single calendar year, including first CAA wins for聽softball,听men’s soccer,听women’s soccer听补苍诲听women’s tennis.听Elon is now only one of two CAA schools in the past 16 years to win both men and women’s soccer conference titles in the same season. Outdoor track & field, men’s golf 补苍诲听women’s cross country, also took home CAA titles. Women’s cross country won for the sixth time in seven years.
• Elon Athletics celebrated another record-breaking Night of the Phoenix, in support of Elon student-athletes 鈥� a 23% increase from 2024.
• Gerald O. Whittington, the senior vice president emeritus who played a pivotal role in the growth of Elon’s physical campus and national reputation over three decades of service, received the Elon medallion during an Elon Day celebration in March featuring the dedication of a residence hall in his honor. In August, Rebecca 鈥淏ecky鈥� Olive-Taylor and G. Smith Jackson were awarded the medallion for聽their contributions to the university and community over careers that impacted tens of thousands of students.
• 福利亚洲国产精品 and the聽American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) released the second publication in the Student Guide to Artificial Intelligence series. The new publication includes guidance for students using AI in their college studies and offers practical advice about preparing for careers that require AI knowledge and skills.
• Elon said goodbye to the Class of 2025 with a commencement send-off from聽alum聽Wes Durham 鈥�88, an award-winning play-by-play commentator for ESPN and ACC Network. In December,听Charity Johansson, a founding faculty member of 福利亚洲国产精品鈥檚 Doctor of Physical Therapy program, gave a farewell to School of Health Sciences graduates, while聽Hon. Phil Berger Jr., North Carolina Supreme Court Justice, offered words of advice to graduates in the School of Law.
• Elon leaders dedicated the Toshio Sato Commons (formerly Global Commons) as part of Homecoming & Reunion Weekend in a ceremony that recognized the university鈥檚 first international student and first four-year graduate from outside the United States.
• The university launched several new degree programs in fall 2025, including neuroscience and digital content management. Elon also announced plans for a graduate program in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at both the university’s main campus and Charlotte regional campus.
• In fall 2025, the university established Acorn Academy, an on-site child care and early learning facility with full enrollment of children from infancy to 2 years old whose parents are members of the Elon community. The facility plans to expand capacity and age groups in early 2026.
• Elon adopted the Okanagan Charter as a member of the U.S. Health Promoting Campuses Network (USHPCN), pledging to nurture a campus culture that prioritizes health, belonging and well-being for students, faculty and staff. The charter adoption was part of the university’s larger HealthEU intitiative, which includes the new HealthEU Center, expected to open in fall 2026.
• The 福利亚洲国产精品 Speaker Series brought multiple speakers to campus throughout the year, including author Jonathan Eig, 聽decorated Marine veteran Vernice 鈥淔lyGirl鈥� Armour,聽CEO of Phi Beta Kappa Frederick Lawrence, author and advocate Alejandra Campoverdi, Olympian Katie Ledecky and retired Lt. Gen. Robert P. Ashley, Jr.

Related Articles

• Visionary investment establishes Roberts Academy at 福利亚洲国产精品 for children with dyslexia
• Alicia S. Tate to serve as acting director of Roberts Academy at 福利亚洲国产精品
• Elon team visits with leaders of Roberts Academy at Mercer University

Interested parents, community members, and potential future faculty and staff of the Roberts Academy at 福利亚洲国产精品 came together for the first Discovering Dyslexia session, on Wednesday, Dec. 10 in Johnston Hall.

The sessions are an effort to inform the community about dyslexia and what the new Roberts Academy at 福利亚洲国产精品 will offer for students with dyslexia. The next “Discovering Dyslexia” session will be January 27, 2026 in Johnston Hall. Interested community members should RSVP through .

鈥淭his marks the first of many opportunities to learn, connect and share an understanding about dyslexia and the vision that guides the Roberts Academy at 福利亚洲国产精品,鈥� said Alicia Tate, acting director of the Roberts Academy and assistant professor in the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education, who opened the program. 鈥淭his series, Discovering Dyslexia, will become a regular touchpoint for our community as we move forward in our implementation plan. Each session will bring new updates, deeper insights and continued transparency about the work ahead.鈥�

, will be North Carolina鈥檚 only university-based private school for children with dyslexia. The school will initially welcome third and fourth grade students in a temporary location on West Trollinger Avenue in Elon, N.C., before expanding capacity to grades one through six in a state-of-the-art facility planned for East Haggard Avenue set to open in Fall 2028.

The Roberts Academy at 福利亚洲国产精品 will be a transitional school intended for two-to-three years of instruction before children return to their community schools equipped to succeed as future scholars, entrepreneurs and civic leaders. The new school is made possible through the generosity of Hal and Marjorie Roberts of Lakeland, Florida. The Roberts Academy at 福利亚洲国产精品 will be the fourth private school established by the couple to assist children with dyslexia.

At Wednesday鈥檚 session, Tate detailed updated information about the academy, including offering background on dyslexia, broadly defined as an unexpected difficulty in learning to read. It interferes with a child鈥檚 ability to read quickly and can take a toll on self-esteem when left untreated, something Lisa LeBlanc knows all too well as her son Andrew struggled with dyslexia.

鈥淚 was reading everything I could about dyslexia, and one of the things that I read a lot about, that concerned me tremendously (鈥�) was the correlation between dyslexia and low self-esteem. The correlation is very real,鈥� said LeBlanc, who spoke to the audience on Wednesday. 鈥淭hat became my goal: Andrew鈥檚 self esteem. Figure out how to teach him to read fluently, accurately, with expression, (and) without crushing his self-esteem.鈥�

LeBlanc detailed her journey, which she described as 鈥渋ntense鈥� at times, of helping Andrew, from having him privately tested for dyslexia, switching schools and eventually finding him a tutor trained in the Orton Gillingham method, the same learning technique that will be used at the Roberts Academy, considered one of the most effective approaches to helping students develop strategies for overcoming their reading difficulties.

Andrew graduated from Grimsley High School in Greensboro and went on to earn a welding diploma from Guilford Technical Community College. LeBlanc says his success is great talk to talk about, but the most important thing is that Andrew has 鈥渇igured out a secret to life,鈥� knowing that happiness comes from living to your full potential and being in service to others.

鈥淜ids that struggle and don鈥檛 come out on the other end like Andrew are at risk of being super bitter,鈥� LeBlanc said. 鈥淎nd after all of this, he鈥檚 not bitter, and nor am I. It鈥檚 important for children to learn to read and write on grade level, and it鈥檚 more important that learning to read and write on grade level doesn鈥檛 come at the expense of bulletproof confidence.鈥�

LeBlanc鈥檚 advice to parents in the audience: don鈥檛 squander the opportunity to help your child.

鈥淐onquer your fears and accept the responsibilities of parenting your exceptional, precious child, and you will never, ever regret your child knowing exactly how you feel about them,鈥� she said. 鈥淟et me encourage you to commit to every day, being another chance for you to live to your potential, to have faith in the scariest decisions, the ability to take the farthest steps, and the ease of making Herculean sacrifices. Because that’s what it seems to take, and you’re up for it. Because you were chosen.鈥�

Applications for enrollment will be accepted starting in early 2026.听More information, including an interest form for prospective families, can be found at.

It鈥檚 a complex effort to run any private school, let alone one exclusive for children with dyslexia, and a recent visit to by administrators planning the launch of a similar academy at 福利亚洲国产精品 was defined by a shared desire to help children discover their own 鈥渟uperpowers.鈥�

Led by Ann Bullock, dean of the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education at 福利亚洲国产精品, and Tait Arend, senior director of development at 福利亚洲国产精品, a dozen staff members toured the Mercer academy on Dec. 3, 2025, and conversed with their counterparts in Macon, Georgia, about lessons learned in establishing the program.

鈥淭he partnership we are building with Roberts Academy at Mercer University and the entire Mercer University community is invaluable,鈥� Bullock said. 鈥淭his type of partnership enables two private universities to create synergy around a common purpose and to educate children with dyslexia to an exceptional level, carrying on the Roberts鈥� legacy and impacting families for generations.鈥�

This type of partnership enables two private universities to create synergy around a common purpose and to educate children with dyslexia to an exceptional level, carrying on the Roberts鈥� legacy and impacting families for generations.

– Ann Bullock, dean of the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education at 福利亚洲国产精品

福利亚洲国产精品 announced in November the establishment of Roberts Academy at 福利亚洲国产精品. The school will initially welcome third and fourth grade students in a temporary space on West Trollinger Avenue in Elon, N.C., before expanding capacity to grades one through six in a facility planned for East Haggard Avenue set to open in Fall 2028.

Made possible by a transformational gift from Hal and Marjorie Roberts of Lakeland, Florida, the school expects between 150 and 200 students each year once fully enrolled with no more than a dozen children per classroom. Teachers will use the Orton-Gillingham method of instruction, considered one of the most effective approaches to helping students develop strategies for overcoming their reading difficulties.

鈥淭he sharing of ideas, learning from Mercer鈥檚 opening, and the continued open dialogue will allow the Roberts Academy at Elon to open successfully,鈥� Bullock said. 鈥淥ur future collaboration also will bring more recognition and awareness of dyslexia across the nation through future projects. Elon could not be more thankful for (Head of School) Joy Wood鈥檚 leadership and the generosity of her many colleagues at Mercer University as we prepare for our opening.鈥�

Elon鈥檚 academy will be the fourth and final established by the Roberts family, joining a network of private schools on the campuses of Mercer, Vanderbilt University, and Florida Southern College.

鈥淏eing at Mercer helped bring Hal and Marjorie鈥檚 vision to life for Elon鈥檚 community,鈥� Arend said. 鈥淵ou could feel hope in the hallways and see the confidence growing in children who finally feel understood. Our team left both moved and motivated, with a deeper sense of purpose and a clearer picture of what is possible for North Carolina families.

鈥淭his experience will shape how we prepare to open Elon鈥檚 school next summer and how we honor the trust the Roberts family has placed in us.鈥�

The Roberts Academy at 福利亚洲国产精品 will begin its recruitment of teaching staff and open up applications for admissions in early 2026. Visit www.elon.edu/robertsacademy to learn more.

The more than 20-minute interview began with discussions about the launch of the new Roberts Academy at 福利亚洲国产精品,听a transitional school serving students with dyslexia in grades 3-4 in a temporary location starting in Fall 2026 (and expanding to grades 1-6 with the opening of a state-of-the-art facility in Fall 2028).

“What’s amazing about this kind of transformative philanthropy is that the Roberts family, one academy at a time, is changing the life of thousands of students who suffer from dyslexia. So, we were really proud to be their fourth and final academy,” said Book.

Book also discussed Elon’s proposed merger with Queens University of Charlotte, which will expand the university’s graduate offerings in Charlotte, specifically in business, law and health programs.

“I will say that the 鈥榳hy鈥� behind Queens is really an extension of the Boldy Elon plan that moved us to Charlotte,” said Book. “The state of North Carolina is experiencing growth, and Charlotte is leading that growth with 150 people moving to the area every day, and it is an exciting young professionals area, so we could see that in our planning data before we opened the law program there and made the decision about the health care program. It’s underserved from a higher education perspective.”

With the current challenges in higher education, Book warned that “large tuition discounts” may lead to university closures in the future.

“What’s happened at smaller universities is that, to try to recruit classes, they keep discounting tuition. The average in the U.S. now is over 60%. So this is this phenomenon where you see a sticker price, and then you don’t see disclosed what people are actually paying,” said Book. “It’s that phenomenon when you’re on the airline and you’re in your seat and you’re not clear who paid what for their seat on the flight. So higher ed suffers from this. Elon has challenged that trend by keeping our sticker price lower. Now our scholarships are lower, but we think that’s a more truthful approach, and we have benefited from that over the years.”

Listen to the full interview and read a full transcript on the Triad Business Journal website.

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November is a time to remember the importance of gratitude, and that was evident at 福利亚洲国产精品 throughout, as students, faculty, and staff took advantage of the opportunities provided to them. The Elon community also expressed its thanks for a major gift that established the Roberts Academy at 福利亚洲国产精品.

View some of the most impactful moments of the past month through the eyes of staff in the Office of University Communications.

The Roberts Academy at Elon

Through a once-in-a-generation investment in North Carolina education by Marjorie and Hal Roberts, the new Roberts Academy at 福利亚洲国产精品 – set to open in Fall 2026 – will be the state’s only university-based private school for children with dyslexia. The announcement was made at an event in Sato Commons on Nov. 6, 2025.

Falling into dance

福利亚洲国产精品’s Department of Performing Arts presented its fall dance concert titled “Echoes and Currents” in November. A full look at the 2025-26 season is available .

Not like November

November brought some unseasonably warm weather to campus, a perfect opportunity for students to relax on Young Commons.

Honoring Veterans

福利亚洲国产精品 honored Veterans Day on Nov. 11 with the Carol Ann Walker International Lecture, delivered by聽Retired Lt. Gen. Robert P. Ashley, Jr.

Sounding off

Arts West provides Music Production & Recording Arts students with hands-on learning opportunities, like Studio D.

CAA champs

Both the Elon men’s and women’s soccer teams took home Coastal Athletic Association titles in November.听Elon is now only one of two CAA schools in the past 16 years to win both men’s and women’s soccer conference titles in the same season.

Eyes on engineering

Innovation Hall provides a variety of lab opportunities for students, including an engineering lab and an engineering prototype lab.