Strategic Initiatives | Today at Elon | ��޹��Ʒ

Undergraduate research opens unexpected doors for Lucy McAfee ’26

Tommy Kopetskie — Fri, 15 May 2026 18:08:28 +0000

Lucy McAfee ’26 shared her research examining the NCAA transfer portal’s impact on high school football recruiting during ��޹��Ʒ’s Spring Undergraduate Research Forum in April. The exercise science and sport management double major presented her project during a poster session in Alumni Gym.

When arrived at ��޹��Ʒ as a first-year student, she envisioned a future in physical therapy.

Four years later, the graduating senior leaves Elon not only with two majors, but with published scholarship, national conference presentations, and a growing passion for research that ultimately reshaped her career ambitions.

McAfee gained hands-on experience with departmental operations, compliance and the NCAA transfer portal during a Winter Term executive internship with Elon Athletics.

This winter, the native of Walnut Creek, California, served as lead author on a research publication in the , collaborating with Elon faculty members Alex Traugutt, Caroline Ketcham and Eric Hall. The publication represents the latest milestone in a research journey that began during her sophomore year, when she approached Ketcham about becoming involved with Elon BrainCARE.

“At the time, I was an exercise science major planning to apply to physical therapy school, so while I was genuinely interested in concussions and brain health, I also saw research as a way to deepen my involvement at Elon and strengthen my future applications,” McAfee said.

As she became more involved with research, McAfee’s interests evolved beyond concussions and brain injuries. While reviewing existing scholarship, she became increasingly interested in the ways athletics influence student-athletes off the playing field.

“One article in particular sparked my curiosity about how sports shape athletes beyond their playing careers,” McAfee said. “This led me to explore whether competitive sports help develop career readiness and how athlete identity may influence academic performance.”

Those experiences ultimately inspired McAfee to add sport management as a second major, where she met Traugutt during her first course in the department.

During the Department of Sport Management’s senior celebration in May, McAfee collected both the department’s Achievement Award and the Excellence in Research and Scholarship Award. Also pictured is Alex Traugutt, assistant professor of sport management.

“Lucy is an intellectually driven student researcher who, over nearly three years of collaboration, led data collection, identified research topics and conducted analyses that resulted in two first-author peer-reviewed publications before completing her undergraduate degree,” said Traugutt, assistant professor of sport management.

Traugutt explained that McAfee distinguished herself through both her intellectual curiosity and her ability to connect research with practical application.

“What sets Lucy apart is her ability to bridge scholarship and practice,” Traugutt said, noting that she has presented research twice at the Applied Sport Management Conference and participated in multiple SURF and SURE programs.

McAfee said that working closely with Traugutt, Ketcham and Hall helped strengthen both her confidence and critical-thinking skills.

“When I first started doing research, I felt uncertain about my future and my own abilities,” McAfee said. “Dr. Alex Traugutt, Dr. Caroline Ketcham and Dr. Eric Hall each played a key role in guiding me, giving me direction, and helping me build confidence in my research skills.”

She especially valued the collaborative nature of the work.

“I particularly enjoyed our meetings – especially the ones at The Oak House – where we would dissect the data together,” McAfee said. “Consistently learning and discussing research with such knowledgeable professors pushed me to think more critically and challenged me to contribute insights of my own.”

McAfee’s recent publication is not expected to be her last contribution to the field. In addition to a forthcoming publication in Case Studies in Sport Management examining career readiness programming for student-athletes, she and Traugutt recently submitted a third research paper examining the NCAA transfer portal and high school recruiting opportunities in college football to the Journal of Applied Sport Management.

That research grew out of McAfee’s desire to better understand the rapidly changing dynamics of college athletics.

As part of her internship with the Atlantic Coast Conference, McAfee ’26 explored topical issues in college athletics, such as the House settlement and the SCORE Act, which sparked her interest in how legislation and policy impact college athletics.

“My interest in the transfer portal stemmed from conversations during my time at the ACC, where its impact on various stakeholders was frequently discussed,” said McAfee, who completed an internship with the Power 4 conference last summer. “However, I noticed there was limited research regarding its effects on high school athletes. I saw that as an opportunity to contribute meaningful new knowledge to the field of sport management.”

Traugutt said McAfee’s work stands out for both its academic rigor and its broader relevance within athletics and higher education.

“Her work examining athletic identity, career readiness and student-athlete development is not only carefully designed and executed, but deeply meaningful, directly addressing questions that matter to practitioners and institutions alike,” Traugutt said.

McAfee also served as an executive intern with Elon Athletics, an experience Traugutt said complemented the practical focus of her research.

After graduation, McAfee will pursue a master’s degree in higher education at Boston College, where she will hold two graduate assistantships – one as a student-athlete academic adviser within Boston College Athletics and another with Tufts Medical School’s graduate student services department.

Traugutt said those opportunities speak to both McAfee’s academic growth and the practical focus she brought to her research throughout her time at Elon.

“These achievements reflect a student who takes her work seriously and understands its real-world implications,” Traugutt said. “I have no doubt she will carry that same curiosity, independence and commitment into her graduate studies at Boston College and beyond.”

As Commencement approaches, McAfee said her undergraduate research experiences transformed her Elon journey in ways she never anticipated.

“When I received my acorn at convocation, I never imagined I would be doing research at this level,” McAfee said. “Now, as I prepare to receive my sapling at Baccalaureate, I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunities and support that made that possible.”

Commencement 2026: Abigail Selikoff ’26 turned game-day experiences into career preparation

Tommy Kopetskie — Mon, 11 May 2026 13:06:30 +0000

As part of her internship experience with NASCAR, Abby Selikoff ’26 attended a NASCAR Cup Series race in Martinsville, Virginia, in November 2024.

On Dec. 6, 2025, day started not in Elon, but Charlotte.

By 8 a.m., the Elon senior was already at the Spectrum Center, one of the Queen City’s marquee entertainment venues, helping with operations for a neutral-site college basketball matchup between Dayton and Virginia. Hours later, she was darting through the tunnels of Bank of America Stadium as part of the Atlantic Coast Conference Football Championship Game staff, helping coordinate pregame activities, managing an on-field photo experience for youth teams, and assisting with postgame celebrations after Duke’s dramatic victory over Virginia.

During her first campus visit, Selikoff knew Elon was the right fit.

In between, there were meetings, setup responsibilities, logistics and constant communication. The football championship game eventually stretched beyond regulation, adding even more chaos to an already packed day.

For Selikoff, though, the day never felt overwhelming.

“It doesn’t really feel like work because I love what I’m doing,” she said. “It’s rewarding because you ultimately get to see the experience that it brings at the end of the day.”

That whirlwind Saturday last fall captured much of Selikoff’s Elon experience – ambitious, hands-on and deeply connected to the sport industry she hopes to build a career in after graduation.

A double major in cinema and television arts and sport management, Selikoff arrived at Elon from northern New Jersey already knowing she wanted a university where relationships with professors and classmates grew naturally. After visiting campus during her senior year of high school, the decision came quickly.

“The second we drove through campus, I told my parents, ‘I’m done,’” she said. “I knew this was where I wanted to be.”

Once at Elon, she wasted little time getting involved.

Selikoff joined Elon Sports Vision during her first semester and directed her first broadcast before fall break. She also became involved with the Sport Management Society, an organization that shaped much of her college experience, and Women Influencers in Sports. After serving in various leadership roles, she now leads the society as president, helping connect students with industry professionals through networking events, facility tours and guest speakers.

“What stands out most about Abby is her ability to pair intellectual curiosity with real-world execution,” said Shaina Dabbs, associate professor and chair in the Department of Sport Management. “She is someone who doesn’t just show up, she fully invests in every opportunity in front of her. Simply put, she says ‘yes.’ Whether in the classroom, in research, or in the industry, Abby consistently demonstrates a strong work ethic, attention to detail, and a genuine desire to learn.”

Selikoff’s willingness to embrace opportunity eventually led her to participate in The Sport Experience in Charlotte during fall 2024, where she balanced 18 credit hours with internships at both NASCAR and the ACC.

At NASCAR, she worked with digital products, supporting the organization’s website, app, fantasy platform and fan rewards program. Simultaneously, she served as a Football Game Day Operations Center intern with the ACC, monitoring games and helping ensure smooth coordination between on-site officials and conference staff in Charlotte.

By the end of the semester, Selikoff had completed more than 500 internship hours.

The experience – and her work ethic – opened the door to additional opportunities with the ACC. Over the next two years, Selikoff worked more than 25 football games while also supporting conference championships and events in basketball, gymnastics, baseball and tennis.

One of her favorite experiences came when the ACC sent her on-site to shadow replay officials during football games at North Carolina and N.C. State, attending pre- and post-game meetings in the process.

Selikoff conducted extensive undergraduate research on sustainability marketing and consumer perceptions in professional sports.

“Being part of those big-game environments was incredible,” Selikoff said. “I got to see firsthand the communication between the game officials and Charlotte, and then bring what I learned back into the office.”

Dabbs said Selikoff fully embraced Elon’s experiential learning model.

“Abby is a great example of a student who maximized the Elon experience by intentionally connecting academics with industry opportunities,” Dabbs said. “What is particularly impressive is how she did not treat these as isolated experiences – she built a cohesive skillset across operations, media and fan engagement.”

Alongside her internships and leadership roles, Selikoff also immersed herself in undergraduate research under the mentorship of Young Do Kim, associate professor of sport management, and Tony Weaver, associate dean in the School of Communications.

Since fall 2023, she has investigated how professional sports organizations market sustainability initiatives and how those efforts shape consumer perceptions, gaining valuable insights into sustainability, marketing and environmental communications. The research led her to complete IRB approval and CITI certification, present at Elon’s Summer Undergraduate Research Experience and Spring Undergraduate Research Forum, and share her findings at the Sport Marketing Association Conference in Arizona. Additionally, she is currently working on a manuscript based on her results.

“I never thought I would be doing undergraduate research,” Selikoff admitted. “But I’ve loved it throughout the entire process.”

Abby Selikoff (right) and her younger sister, Emily ’28, have treasured the opportunity to experience Elon together – both on main campus and in Charlotte.

Beyond academics and internships, Selikoff credits Elon’s faculty mentors with helping her grow personally and professionally.

She points to Kim, Dabbs, Weaver and Staci Saltz, chair of the Department of Cinema and Television Arts, as key influences throughout her four years on campus.

“The Sport Management Department is incredibly close-knit,” Selikoff said. “It feels kind of like a family. I can go to professors for anything – whether it’s personal or academic – and they’ve all had a strong impact on me.”

Fittingly, Selikoff’s Elon experience actually became a family affair when her younger sister, Emily, enrolled at the university two years ago. The two regularly meet for meals, cross paths in the School of Communications, and share many of the same academic interests.

“It’s honestly been really great having her here,” Selikoff said. “It’s like having an extra piece of home.”

After graduation, Selikoff hopes to return to Charlotte and continue building a career in sports media, communications or event operations. Whatever path she ultimately takes, she leaves Elon with the kind of hands-on experience many young professionals spend years trying to find.

Grant recipients near completion of films in ��޹��Ʒ Los Angeles Short Film Grant Competition

Brad Lemack — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 13:01:12 +0000

Production is well underway and nearing completion by all three of the ��޹��Ʒ Los Angeles-area alumna who were recipients of the 2025-26 ��޹��Ʒ Los Angeles Alumni Short Film Grant Competition. Filmmakers Julia Boyd ‘15, Bex Evans ‘16 and Mirai ‘07 are all expected to wrap their productions by the end of the month.

For Mirai, her short film shoot was an opportunity to both produce her original script and bring together several Elon alumni for a Hollywood reunion. Serving in various production capacities on her “#StopAsianKate” were Lauren Gadd ’06, who worked camera, Katie Laurence ’24, who worked as assistant camera, Alicia Reynolds ’07, who acted in the film, Stevie Kloeber ’07, who traveled to Los Angeles from Minnesota to serve as script supervisor, and Dean Karasinski ’06, who worked in production design, art department, craft services and as producer.

All three short films, Boyd’s “The Life and Time of …,” Evans’s “Shadow Dusk” and Mirai’s “#StopAsianKate,” will have their world premieres at the first ��޹��Ʒ Los Angeles Alumni Short Film Festival, in late July.

��޹��Ʒ Los Angeles students spend an evening ‘Inside the Writer’s Room’

Brad Lemack — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 18:53:22 +0000

A group of ��޹��Ʒ Los Angeles spring students spent March 18 “Inside the Writer’s Room” in a unique, creative learning experience led by television and film writer Matthew Antonelli.

This new, customized workshop also presented an opportunity for Elon LA students to learn from and share the creative process with a group of students from other study-away LA colleges and universities, who, along with ��޹��Ʒ Los Angeles, are members of a coalition of nearly 20 schools that offer semester-in-LA programs. Each semester, Elon LA and these other schools share professional development opportunities for students, allowing them to mix, mingle, network and learn together.

Television and film writer Matthew Antonelli introduced ��޹��Ʒ Los Angeles students to the life of a working writer in a special professional development workshop opportunity.

Each semester, Elon students explore and discover Los Angeles and the diversity of professional career opportunities that await them through academic classes with professors who work in the industries that align with their courses, immersive, site-based experiential learning, alumni engagement and community service.

Applications for the Study USA Los Angeles spring 2027 Creative Industries & Community Experience open on April 1. Students can visit the to learn more and to begin the application process.

Elon Los Angeles students celebrate Elon Day in LA

Brad Lemack — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 18:16:53 +0000

��޹��Ʒ Los Angeles spring semester students had the opportunity to mix, mingle and connect with Elon Los Angeles-area alumni at the packed Elon Day LA event on March 5, hosted by LA alumni chapter Co-Presidents Cameron Jackson and Taylor Martin.

The gathering, held at The Belmont in West Hollywood, brought together an enthusiastic group of alumni, many of whom had participated in the Elon LA semester experience during their Elon academic journeys.

Current students shared internship and academic class experiences with their new Elon connections. Many took advantage of the opportunity to request meetings later this semester with individual alumni as a part of the Elon Los Angeles “Coffee with an Alumnus” program.

Elon LA spring semester students Kevin Reda and Jackson Bennett connected with Elon alumnus Jordan Roman ’15 (center) at the Elon Day event in Los Angeles.

The immersive Study USA Los Angeles semester and summer experiences offer students opportunities for alumni engagement, community service, unique academic classes with industry professionals, and site-based experiential learning. for Spring 2027 open April 1.

Elon Los Angeles film grant recipients meet with students to share project insights

Brad Lemack — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 14:25:39 +0000

The three Los Angeles area Elon alumna who are recent recipients of ��޹��Ʒ Los Angeles 2025-26 Alumni Short Film Grant Competition awards met with spring LA students last week to talk about their grant-funded short film projects.

In accordance with the terms of their grants, alumna Bex Evans ’16, Julie Boyd ’15 and Mirai ’07 have each created opportunities for spring students to participate in and/or observe both their pre-production process and on-set work.

Elon LA alumna short film grant recipients Bex Evans ’16, Julia Boyd ’15 and Mirai ’07 met with spring LA students to talk about opportunities to get involved with their productions this semester.

Pre-production of all three short films is slated to begin this week, with production to start shortly thereafter. Production of all three films will be completed by the end of the Los Angeles spring semester in April. The three short films will have their world premiere this July at the first ��޹��Ʒ Los Angeles Alumni Short Film Festival.

Through Study USA��Ի��National Campus Programs, ��޹��Ʒ Los Angeles offers an immersive spring and summer semester of academic classes, experiential learning, professional development and community service opportunities for students with a variety of majors. For information about the Los Angeles experience and 2027 opportunities, please visit the ��Ի��National Campus Programs��ɱ��ٱ��.

Julia Boyd ’15 talked with spring LA students about her short film project “The Life and Times of …”.

Spring 2026 kicks off in style at ��޹��Ʒ Los Angeles

Brad Lemack — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 15:42:05 +0000

The spring 2026 semester at ��޹��Ʒ Los Angeles kicked off in January bringing together an enthusiastic cohort of students and a dedicated industry-experienced faculty team that includes two new instructors.

Spring students discovered the world class Getty Center during the first LA excursion of the semester.

A Saturday morning orientation introduced students to the Elon Los Angeles home base at The Preserve, in Hollywood, and included presentations by all of this semester’s faculty about their courses and the content of their classes.

Returning instructors include director and long-time Elon LA professor Boris Schaarschmidt, who is once again teaching a directing masterclass. Entertainment attorney Daniel Spitz has returned to teach Media Law and Ethics, and writer and longtime Elon LA professor Matthew Antonelli has returned to teach a unique, one-evening master seminar in March, called Inside the Writer’s Room.

New to the Elon Los Angeles faculty team this semester are art historian and educator Charles Peterson, who is teaching a course in Los Angeles art and architecture history, and award-winning global strategist, thought leader and educator Brandon Shamim, who is teaching “Principles of Management,” with a Los Angeles focus.

The historic LA Farmer’s Market was a student favorite during their first LA discovery experience.

��޹��Ʒ Los Angeles director and long time industry professional Brad Lemack is once again teaching the experiential learning course this spring, which focuses student internship experiences on work culture, industry shifts and transitions, and professional development.

Elon Los Angeles program assistant and Elon alumna Macy Mills ‘23 led students on their first excursion this semester after orientation, with an immersive day of LA experiences at the world class Getty Center, followed by a visit to the historic Los Angeles Farmer’s Market and The Grove, at Third and Fairfax.

In addition to unique academic classes and internships, this spring semester experience for students will also include a day of community service at the Hollywood Food Coalition, alumni engagement gatherings and the opportunity to participate in and/or observe the production of the three short films being produced by the Elon LA-based alumni recipients of the 2025-26 ��޹��Ʒ Los Angeles Alumni Short Film Competition.

Through and National Campus Programs, ��޹��Ʒ Los Angeles offers immersive spring and summer semester programs for students with a variety of majors. For information about the Los Angeles experience and 2027 opportunities, please visit the and National Campus Programs websites.

Elon Los Angeles Program Assistant and Elon alumna Macy Mills ’23 talks with students about the semester ahead and navigating LA at Saturday’s orientation.

��޹��Ʒ Los Angeles announces the recipients of 2025-26 Los Angeles Alumni Short Film Grant competition funds

Brad Lemack — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 14:24:51 +0000

Three Los Angeles-area Elon alumni have been selected to receive a $3,000 grant each for the production of their original, unproduced short films.

Bex Evans ’16 is one of three Los Angeles-area alumni to be awarded a short film production grant from ��޹��Ʒ Los Angeles.

Mirai ’07 has been awarded a 2025/2026 grant for the production of her short film “#StopAsianKate,” one of three grants awarded to LA-area Elon alumni by ��޹��Ʒ Los Angeles.

The 2025-26 Los Angeles Alumni Short Film Grant competition was open to all Los Angeles-based Elon alumni to submit proposals this past fall for consideration for production funding. A selection committee comprised of both industry professionals and Elon alumni was assembled to read, review and rank all proposals received. From those rankings, the top three highest-ranked projects were selected to receive grants. Grant funding was made possible, in part, by the financial support from members of the Elon Los Angeles alumni community and others.

The three grant recipients are Julia Boyd ’15, for her short film “The Life and Times of …”, Mirai ’07, for her short film “#StopAsianKate” and Bex Evans ’16, for their short film “Shadow Dusk.”

Production of these funded projects will commence in early 2026. As a component of the grant requirements, filmmakers will make opportunities available to ��޹��Ʒ Los Angeles Spring 2026 students to participate in their projects through direct set experience and/or production observation. Elon Los Angeles program assistant and alumna Macy Mills ’23 and alumnus Jordan Roman ’15 were co-chairs of this year’s grant competition.

Elon alumna Julia Boyd ’15 has been awarded one of three 2025/2026 short film production grants to LA area alumni from ��޹��Ʒ Los Angeles.

The selection committee members included Emmy Award-winning writer, producer and showrunner (“Lost,” House,” “The Good Wife”) Elon parent Leonard Dick P’20 (father of Julie Dick ’20), Emmy Award-winning producer Marsha Posner Williams (“The Golden Girls”), actor Eric Rollins, and LA-based alumni Frankie Campisano ’16, Mia Ginae Watkins ’16, Lauren Duncan ’18 and Alyssa Needham ’19.

The three short films funded will have their world premieres at the first ��޹��Ʒ Los Angeles Alumni Short Film Festival in late July 2026.

Elon students support record-breaking Novant Health Charlotte Marathon

Tommy Kopetskie — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 18:40:47 +0000

Elon students at the finish line after contributing more than 140 hours of event-operations support during the 2025 Novant Health Charlotte Marathon on Nov. 15.

Sixteen students in The Sport Experience program in Charlotte supported the largest Novant Health Charlotte Marathon in the race’s 21-year history, contributing more than 140 hours of professional event-operations work during the annual event’s race weekend.

More than 11,000 runners participated across the marathon, half marathon and 5K — an all-time high — and Elon students were embedded in nearly every aspect of race execution. The day before the event, three students supported the marathon expo and assisted with pre-race setup. Then, beginning at 4 a.m. on race day, students helped with start- and finish-line logistics, runner information services, medical tent coordination and the distribution of thousands of branded beanies to participants.

In addition to interning with the Novant Health Charlotte Marathon, sport management major Ramy Ghandour ’26 has supported operations at several Atlantic Coast Conference Championship events.

Among those deeply involved in race operations was , a sport management major who is interning with the Charlotte Marathon under Executive Director Alaina Williams. According to Young Do Kim, associate professor of sport management, Williams helped create the internship specifically for Elon and also facilitated this year’s race-weekend placement for The Sport Experience cohort.

“Alaina has provided an incredible pathway for our students – both through this hands-on event operations opportunity and through Ramy’s internship,” Kim said. “It’s the type of industry partnership that elevates our program and prepares students for professional success.”

Now in its third year, The Sport Experience in Charlotte continues to expand Elon’s footprint in one of the nation’s fastest-growing sports hubs. While studying in Charlotte, Elon students have interned at several organizations, including Fox Sports and the Atlantic Coast Conference, conducted site visits to the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Team Penske, Bank of America Stadium, and the Spectrum Center, and attended sporting events to watch the Checkers, Knights, Panthers, Hornets, and Charlotte FC.

The marathon – which drew runners from all 50 states and 19 countries – saw Knoxville’s Carter Coughlin win the men’s division in 2:31:44 and Matthews native Jessica Sarnicola claim the women’s title in 3:01:48.

To learn more about The Sport Experience program and its opportunities to live, learn and intern in Charlotte, visit the program website.

Selection committee announced for the ��޹��Ʒ Los Angeles 2025-26 Alumni Short Film Grant Competition

Brad Lemack — Wed, 08 Oct 2025 13:10:47 +0000

A group of elite Hollywood industry insiders, two of them Emmy Award winners and four of them Elon alumni, have been chosen to serve as members of the selection committee for the 2025-26 ��޹��Ʒ Los Angeles Alumni Short Film Grant competition. Supported with contributions, in part, from the Elon Los Angeles alumni community, the project will award $3,000 to each of three Elon LA-area alumni for the production of their original, unproduced short films in the first half of 2026.

Emmy Award-winning writer, producer and showrunner (“Lost,” House,” “The Good Wife”) and Elon parent Leonard Dick P’20 (father of Julie Dick ’20), Emmy Award-winning producer Marsha Posner Williams (“The Golden Girls”) and actor Eric Rollins will join with Elon LA-based alumni filmmakers award- Frankie Campisano ’16, Mia Ginae Watkins ’16, Lauren Duncan ’18 and Alyssa Needham ’19 to read, rank and judge the 2025-26 competition submissions received. The submission window for project proposals closed on Oct. 1.

Award recipients will be announced in early December 2026. Funded projects will require the alumni filmmakers to include the participation of students from the ��޹��Ʒ Los Angeles spring 2026 semester experience in various production, performance and other capacities.

The three fund-supported films will have their premiere screenings in late July 2026 at the first ��޹��Ʒ Los Angeles Alumni Film Festival.

Elon alumni Jordan Roman ‘15 and Macy Mills ‘23 (Mills also serves as ��޹��Ʒ Los Angeles program assistant) are the short film grant project’s co-chairs.

Strategic Initiatives | Today at Elon | �������޹�����Ʒ

Undergraduate research opens unexpected doors for Lucy McAfee ’26

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