Over the course of the retreat, fellows practiced listening across difference, questioning their assumptions and engaging perspectives that challenged their own. The goal was not to make disagreement disappear. Students explored how curiosity can create space for people to stay engaged when they see an issue differently.

For Elon fellow Audrey Schultz, Elon’s Better Together Coordinator, that is one of the most important lessons she is bringing home.

鈥淥ne thing I plan to bring to Elon from the Viewpoints Fellowship Retreat is the promotion and facilitation of dialogue and curious disagreement in spaces that don’t typically focus on them,鈥� Schultz said. 鈥淟eaders, in any capacity, can learn these skills and should understand their significance.鈥�

Through structured exercises, case studies, and facilitated dialogue, fellows had opportunities to practice those skills in real time. They considered how assumptions shape conversations, how people respond when they feel challenged, and how curiosity can open the door to perspectives that might otherwise be dismissed.

Sanai Crosby of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority found the experience particularly useful for thinking about how to remain engaged across disagreement.

鈥淚 learned how to create curious and intentional dialogue, share my perspective, and respectfully disagree with others while still working toward understanding,鈥� Crosby said.

That learning extended beyond the retreat sessions themselves. Fellows met students from universities around the world and encountered experiences and perspectives different from their own.

For Crosby, the experience reinforced an important principle about dialogue: understanding can exist even when people disagree.

鈥淚t challenged me to learn from perspectives and experiences different from my own. 鈥淭he retreat reminded me that meaningful conversations do not require agreement,鈥� Crosby said. 鈥淏ut they require openness, curiosity and a willingness to understand.鈥�

For Hillary Zaken, director of multifaith engagement at Elon鈥檚 Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life, who serves as campus advisor to the cohort, that willingness to remain in conversation represents an important shift in campus culture.

鈥淲e want to help shape a campus culture where students feel empowered to come to the table, even when they know they may disagree,鈥� Zaken said. 鈥淐uriosity gives students a way to stay engaged with one another, ask questions, and consider perspectives they may not share using the techniques of active empathetic listening. That space is where meaningful learning and personal leadership development happens.鈥�

That approach to dialogue is central to the work of the Viewpoints Project, a nonprofit that empowers young people to approach disagreement with curiosity. Through the Viewpoints Fellowship, students develop practices for navigating difficult conversations and bring those practices back to the communities where they lead.

The partnership also reflects the Truitt Center鈥檚 commitment to helping Elon students engage meaningfully across difference. By connecting student leadership development with dialogue education, the program allows fellows to practice these skills within the organizations and communities they already serve.

Elon鈥檚 2026-27 Viewpoints Fellows are Brayden Morrison, Club Ultimate Frisbee; Audrey Schultz, Better Together; Emily Wright, Asian Pacific Student Association; Addison Anderson, Leaders in Interfaith team; Rachel Bermont, Hillel; Skylar Winter, Student Government Association; and Sanai Crosby, Alpha Kappa Alpha.

Sasha Stanley, a 2025-26 Fellow, has returned to the Viewpoints Fellowship as a Peer Mentor, helping fellows on campuses across the country engage in curious disagreement.

Their work at Elon will continue throughout the academic year as they bring ideas from Minneapolis into the clubs and organizations they lead. The fellowship culminates with a campus-wide capstone project in the spring.

For the Truitt Center, the retreat represents an ongoing investment in students as facilitators and leaders who can help create space for meaningful engagement across difference. The experience in Minneapolis gives these seven students a shared set of practices to draw on as they continue that work at Elon.

The first Phoenix Five of the year is here! Each Sunday afternoon, I’ll send you a quick email with five things you need to know for the week ahead. This could include important deadlines and campus events or helpful reminders and opportunities to get involved.聽 My goal is simple: keep you as informed as possible with one Sunday email you can use to plan your week ahead.

With classes beginning on Tuesday, here are five things to help you start the semester off right.

Get Connected on Social Media

Social media is one of the easiest ways to stay plugged in at Elon. If you want to know what鈥檚 happening on campus in real time, here are a few Instagram accounts I recommend:

• 福利亚洲国产精品 (main)
• Phoenix Athletics and Phoenix Phanatics
• Student Life
• Elon Dining
• Student Union Board
• Elon News Network
• HealthEU

Hypnotist

Monday, Aug. 24, 8:30-11 p.m., Alumni Gym

Join the Student Union Board (SUB) for the annual hypnotist show 鈥� a student favorite! Come ready to watch your friends (or maybe even yourself!) take the stage for an unforgettable, hilarious performance. .

Elon Campus Traditions 鈥� Starting this Week!

College Coffee

Tuesdays, 9:40-10:20 a.m., Alumni Gym

College Coffee is one of Elon鈥檚 most beloved traditions. Every Tuesday morning, the entire campus gathers for coffee, treats and conversation. It鈥檚 a chance to meet people, connect with faculty and staff, and hear about what鈥檚 happening around campus. If your student organization wants to host an information table at College Coffee, information on .

Numen Lumen: A Thursday Inspiration

Thursdays, 9:50-10:20 a.m., Numen Lumen Pavilion

On Thursday mornings, we pause for a moment of reflection and inspiration. You鈥檒l hear music from student, faculty, and staff performers and reflections from members of our community. This year鈥檚 theme is and the first Numen Lumen of the year will be held this Thursday.

Getting Started with Canvas

Beginning with the Fall 2026 semester, Elon is using Canvas instead of Moodle. You鈥檒l use it to access course materials, submit assignments, communicate with your instructors, and view your grades. Before classes begin:

• Log in to Canvas using your Elon account.
• After logging in for the first time, as part of setting up your Canvas account. Your account will not be fully functional until you do.
• Visit the for student guides, FAQs and support resources.
• Learn the basics by enrolling in the course.

When you log in, you may not see all of your Fall courses immediately. Your instructors will make courses available before or on the first day of class.

Cheer on Phoenix at First Home Football Game

Thursday, Aug. 27

Student Tailgate

2-7 p.m., Hunt B (back parking lot of the Schar Center)

Before football kickoff, get ready to ignite your game day with Phoenix spirit at the student tailgate. Parking passes are available in Student Involvement and are limited to one pass per student and three passes per student organization or group.

Elon v. Glenville State

7 p.m., Rhodes Stadium

Start off the fall semester by cheering on the Phoenix as Elon opens the football season against Glenville State. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. in Rhodes Stadium.

Welcome to Elon! Welcome first years, welcome back returning students, and welcome families. We are so very glad that you have chosen to be here with us.

This week鈥檚 Torah portion (parshah) is called . Ki Teitzei means 鈥渨hen you go out鈥�. In the parshah, this going out refers to war and is immediately followed by laws governing the taking of captives. The parshah then provides an extensive collection of commandments.

I鈥檓 going to go out on a limb and say that while I imagine that moving into Elon may have been a rough or challenging experience for many of you, it probably didn鈥檛 feel like going to war. At the very least, I hope it did not! However, I imagine that going out from the homes and families you have grown up in has also involved taking care of an extensive list of seemingly unconnected details, just like the parshah.

In looking over these detailed commandments, one struck me as essential to thriving here at Elon. says 鈥淚f you see your brother鈥檚 [or your fellow鈥檚] donkey or ox fallen on the road, do not ignore it; you must raise it together.鈥�
At first glance, this verse may not appear to be relevant to our lives. I am unaware of any donkeys or oxen present on Elon鈥檚 campus, although if senior administrators know differently, please let me know! [Correction: apparently have been an issue!] However, if you bear with me, I will show you why this verse still matters for us here today.

The Talmud () 鈥� an ancient collection of commentary on rabbinic law considered authoritative for traditional observance even today 鈥� connects this passage with a similar passage from : 鈥淲hen you see a donkey of your enemy lying under its burden and would refrain from raising it, you must nevertheless help raise it.鈥�

According to traditional rabbinic interpretation (), the verse from Exodus commands us to remove undue burdens from animals, even animals belonging to people who hate us. This command shows us that we should alleviate animal suffering whenever possible.

However, the verse from this week鈥檚 parsha in Deuteronomy is understood to command us to put a load back onto an animal if its load has fallen off. This verse teaches us that we should not just care for the animal, but also for the owner of the animal, honoring their intentions to build a secure life for themselves. The verse also clarifies that we are meant to put the load back onto the animal with the owner. We are meant to care for the economic success and flourishing of our fellows with our fellows.

So why does this matter? These laws in these verses matter in three ways.

First, many of us live our lives carrying heavy emotional burdens. We are not donkeys or oxen, but college life can sometimes be a lot to bear. If the Torah asks us to alleviate animal suffering, how much more so would it want us to assist each other in relieving our own suffering? We at Jewish Life (Betsy, Boaz, Jay, Sarah, Tal, and myself) want you to know that we are here for you and will be here for you whenever you need us.

Second, college is also a time of growth and opportunity. There are some burdens (such as the responsibilities and privileges of adulthood) you will want to take on! Classes, internships, study abroad, leadership experiences, Greek life, clubs 鈥� these are aspects of college life that I know many of you are already excited about! We are also here to help you grow in the ways you want to grow and support your flourishing!

Finally, you may have heard the phrase 鈥� all of the Jewish people are responsible for one another. I believe that forming relationships 鈥� with mentors and with each other 鈥� is the most important part of the college experience. I know that it can sometimes take time to make friends at college and to find your place. It is totally normal to feel anxious about making friends. If you do feel this way, know you鈥檙e not alone!

As you and your families adjust your being in college, I hope all of you gathered here today know that you will always have a home with Jewish Life at Elon. We鈥檙e here to help you let go of or manage the burdens you don鈥檛 want, take on the burdens you do want, and help you form the relationships with one another that will sustain you through college and beyond. We are so happy that you have chosen to make your home with us. Kol yisrael arevim zeh bazeh. Let us all take care of one another. Shabbat shalom.

At the encouragement of his Franciscan community, Associate Chaplain for Catholic Life Father Peter Tremblay began to consider pursuing an advanced degree.

鈥淭hey said I loved learning, reading, and constantly expanding my mind,鈥� Tremblay said.

His fellow friars recognized preaching as one of Tremblay鈥檚 gifts and talents, which led him to the Doctor of Ministry in Preaching (DMin) program at the Aquinas Institute of Theology located in Saint Louis, Missouri.聽 The program鈥檚 integrative principles would allow him to hone his skill in preaching to the students at 福利亚洲国产精品 as well as teaching homiletics to seminarians and other priests.

The process was not easy for Tremblay. In addition to still serving the students and university community at Elon full-time, he had to reframe his mindset to take on a full academic workload.

鈥淚 had planned to do three hours of reading, writing or studying each evening. I spent almost all of my free time working towards this degree,鈥� he said. On weekends or days off, he would spend even more time studying.

In addition to the normal academic semesters, he took two summers to research and prepare for his thesis.

When it became time to choose a topic for his thesis, Tremblay decided to research Catholic Social Teaching. Throughout his years at Elon, he has mentored many students through conversations about meaning, purpose and human dignity. This has affected his overall approach to ministry and leadership and led him to deepen his knowledge of Catholic Social Teaching.

His thesis project was the creation of a conversational podcast with Gen Z students. He asked current Elon students Amelia Totaro 鈥�27 and Nick Brillo 鈥�28 to participate as partners on the podcast, allowing them to share their own thoughts and opinions on a variety of topics, including a preferential option for the poor and care of creation. Titled Peace and Good, Tremblay鈥檚 hope for listeners of the podcast was to engage and be informed on how their personal decisions can affect the common good.

鈥淚’m most proud of the dozens of hours that my students volunteered in helping me create the podcast. They did a lot of work and that means so much. Even my thesis advisors were amazed to read about how many hours my students put in to help me accomplish the podcast,鈥� Tremblay shared.

After Tremblay鈥檚 successful defense of his thesis and graduation, he is more confident than ever in his preaching and ministerial abilities, whereas he felt previously that he relied just on experience and intuition. After overcoming all of his hurdles, Tremblay shared his best advice for anyone facing a new challenge: 鈥淭ake things one day at a time. Do at least something every day towards your goal. Great achievement is built on consistency and not talent. Be sure that you know why you are doing this, but be open to your reason changing.鈥�

The pilgrimage was organized by Elon鈥檚 Catholic Life in partnership with Vocatio Travel and was led by Father Peter Tremblay, associate chaplain for Catholic Life, and Kiara Cronin, student ministry coordinator for Catholic Life. The journey took the participants to and from Rome and then to Franciscan sites in the towns of La Verna, Assisi, Gubbio and Greccio.

The group first started in Rome, which included a visit to Vatican City. There, they received the opportunity to attend Pope Leo XIV鈥檚 papal audience, generally given on Wednesdays when the pope is in Rome. The audience included pilgrims and visitors from around the world.聽 Angela DeFlorio 鈥�28 shared her experience seeing Pope Leo,

鈥淚t was a once in a lifetime experience! I loved getting to watch him bless all the babies there, and the atmosphere was amazing. I found it really interesting that he did his best to address everyone in their native language, and it made his address feel very welcoming and personal,” said Angela DeFloria 鈥�28.

After the audience, the group also toured St. Peter鈥檚 Basilica, the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. The group then traveled north to visit the medieval city of Assisi, the birthplace of St. Francis. One of the most well-known and beloved Catholic figures, he is often referred to as the 鈥減oor little man鈥� and is the patron saint of animals, ecology and the environment. St. Francis died in 1226, making this jubilee year the 800th anniversary of his death.

Among the sites that the group visited were the Basilica of St. Francis, the Basilica of St. Clare, the nearby town of Gubbio where St. Francis tamed a wolf, and the nearby town of Greccio where St. Francis set up the very first nativity scene. In the crypt of the Basilica of St. Francis rests the saint鈥檚 tomb, and there the group attended a private Mass celebrated by Tremblay.

鈥淚 could feel the presence of God there as well as the spirit of St. Francis,” said Tremblay of visiting the tomb of St. Francis.

Many within the group appreciated the opportunity to learn about St. Francis more deeply.

鈥淏eing on the journey with Fr. Peter really added to this learning as he shared his knowledge of St. Francis’s life, order, and spirituality,” said Ben Carraher 鈥�28 “Hearing from friars and priests that dedicated their lives to God through the Franciscan way of life was the absolute best way to visit and learn about Francis and the Franciscan movement.鈥�

鈥淚 learned so much about St. Francis and feel a deeper connection with him, embracing lessons of simplicity and humility that I want to carry throughout my life,” said Anahy Felipe de Cruz 鈥�26

The pilgrimage brought the group back to Rome for their last few days. They visited the Catacombs of St. Callixtus, where Tremblay explained that there were 500,000 graves of the early Christians, and the many people buried here are considered martyrs by the Catholic church.

鈥淭hese people willingly died for their faith. The thought of all these graves opening and a huge crowd of people walking out of the catacombs, at the second coming of Christ, to greet Jesus was very emotional to me,鈥� Tremblay shared, referring to the Christian belief that Jesus will return physically to Earth at the end of time.聽 He celebrated another private Mass with the pilgrimage group inside the catacombs.

Beyond their experience meeting the pope, visiting St. Francis鈥檚 birthplace and tomb, and touring the catacombs, the group also spent their last day learning to make pasta.

鈥淚 really liked the pasta-making class, and I actually learned a few tips and tricks from Chef Alberto that I took home and used to make my own pasta! I, of course, really loved the gelato, and I had a ton of fun trying some new dishes I never would have gotten to try otherwise,鈥� DeFlorio said.

The group hopes to take their experience and knowledge back onto 福利亚洲国产精品鈥檚 campus and share with others.

Related Articles

• Strategic multifaith engagement shapes the Elon campus experience
• Elon students and faculty extend multifaith engagement to the community

One of the central goals of Elon鈥檚 Multifaith Strategic Plan is to 鈥渟upport opportunities for multifaith learning and engagement for all members of the Elon academic community,鈥� including through academic opportunities. While many students at Elon may take a single course during their time at Elon that focuses on the study of religion or spirituality, a select group of students specializes in academic multifaith learning: religious studies majors.

Last month, 11 students graduated from Elon with degrees in religious studies, the largest number of Religious Studies majors graduating in a single year since 2012.

鈥淭he number of majors in our department has grown substantially over the last several years,鈥� said Geoffrey Claussen, professor of religious studies and chair of the Department of Religious Studies. 鈥淪tudents seldom come to Elon planning to major in religious studies, but students often take courses during their first year that whet their appetite for further learning. They are able to recognize how the critical study of religion helps them to understand the world, and they appreciate the mentorship and community that our department offers.鈥�

Religion is anything

The course that hooked Tracey McCarty 鈥�26 on religious studies was 鈥淩eligion and American Popular Culture,鈥� taught by Andrew Monteith, and explores how religion can be found in many unexpected places in popular culture and imagined in radically different ways.

“I was taught a very specific concept: religion is anything,鈥� McCarty said. 鈥淭his was a game-changer for me. To understand religion not as a cohesive and strict definition, but as this conceptual ball that can be shaped in any way. Seeing religion as not an institution, but as a thing that a single person can define for themselves, was beautiful.鈥�

One of the goals of Elon鈥檚 Multifaith Strategic Plan is to develop courses that 鈥渟upport student learning about diverse religious, spiritual, and secular traditions and identities.鈥� In the Religious Studies department, these include 鈥渢raditions鈥� courses that explore how sets of traditions often viewed as static religions are characterized by significant diversity and can be depicted in very different ways.

Tess Trayner 鈥�26 explored the diversity of Buddhisms in 鈥淏uddhist Traditions,鈥� taught by Pamela Winfield.

鈥淲e traced Buddhism from its founding more than 2,000 years ago through its development across Asia and into the West, and Dr. Winfield refused to let us treat any of it as exotic or static,鈥� Trayner said. 鈥淭he unit on Orientalism and Buddhism in America helped me better understand the decontextualizing nature of mindfulness apps, yoga studios, and how to approach the version of Buddhism most familiar to American audiences. Learning to see Engaged Buddhism as both an authentic tradition and a phenomenon shaped by Western projection gave me tools I now reach for constantly 鈥� tools for noticing whose version of a tradition gets centered, and why.鈥�

Another Traditions course, 鈥淛ewish Traditions,鈥� taught by Claussen, featured opportunities to role-play debates about how Jewish tradition should be understood. In this class, Trayner had the opportunity to step into the shoes of thinkers with whom they sympathized and others whose views they found reprehensible.

鈥淚 discovered that wrestling with viewpoints I disagree with sharpens both my disagreement and my empathy,” Trayner said. “It is one thing to read a Jewish thinker. It is another to inhabit them long enough to understand how their historical moment shaped what they could imagine.鈥�

Multifaith at home and abroad

Elon鈥檚 Multifaith Strategic Plan also commits the university to developing 鈥減athways for experiential and engaged multifaith learning,鈥� including through study abroad courses that 鈥渟upport engagement with global religious communities.鈥�

Trayner had a significant learning experience taking 鈥淚ndia鈥檚 Identities,鈥� a course taught in South India by Amy Allocco and Brian Pennington. The course 鈥渄econstructed what I thought I knew about Hinduism, and rebuilt it with a critical emphasis on vernacular practice and the lived religion of regular, everyday people. As such, the class refused the traditional classroom format. Instead, Dr. Allocco’s deep roots of connection in Chennai meant we sat in living rooms with the most incredible people.鈥�

Students have also been equipped by their Religious Studies coursework to engage with communities closer to home. Alyssa Carney 鈥�26, for example, volunteered at the Burlington Masjid, teaching English to newcomers. Experiences of working with displaced people led her to propose a new unit for her 鈥淓ngaging Islam鈥� course, taught by Ariela Marcus-Sells.

What makes this course unique is its 鈥榖uild your own path鈥� structure, which allows students to shape the direction of their learning based on their interests and experiences, Carney said.

鈥淔or me, it created an opportunity to connect my volunteer work with my academic inquiry. As I was working closely with migrant communities, I became particularly interested in the topic of displacement within Islam. This led me to propose a unit based on a textbook chapter, 鈥楻efugee Horizons,鈥� which focuses on the experiences of Muslims in Myanmar, particularly the Rohingya,” Carney said “Through this unit, I explored how the Rohingya negotiate their Islamic identity in the face of systemic violence and ethnic cleansing, deepening both my academic understanding and my connection to the people I work with at the masjid.鈥�

Advancing Equity

The Multifaith Strategic Plan also directs Elon to 鈥渆xplore new modes for student learning about religion and race, especially in connection with the Advancing Equity requirement.鈥� The Religious Studies Department offers multiple courses each semester that meet that requirement.

This spring, Trayner took an Advancing Equity course titled 鈥淩eligion, Race and Resistance,鈥� taught by Sheila Otieno. Through courses such as this, Trayner said, 鈥渢he department has prepared me to take real questions into the world. Dr. Otieno’s course gave me a framework for connecting religious and racial construction to the systems that shape American life, and how I can become a more intentional and thoughtful participant in America鈥檚 futurity.鈥�

McCarty shares that their understanding of race and religion were shaped by studying Judith Weisenfeld鈥檚 “Black Religion in the Madhouse: Race and Psychiatry in Slavery’s Wake” in the religious studies senior聽seminar, taught by Marcus-Sells, exploring 鈥渉ow racism in America not only shaped psychiatry but also how Black religion is viewed. This perspective of religion as a political force in the world made me more knowledgeable about how the current society we鈥檙e in was created.鈥�

McCarty found that the department provided an inclusive space for exploring interesting and challenging questions.

鈥淭he department has always been welcoming to anyone who has joined,” McCarty said. “I鈥檝e been able to form great connections with those in the department, and they鈥檝e been incredibly open to accepting diverse worldviews.鈥�

Carney connected her experience as a religious studies major with the larger institutional objectives found in the Multifaith Strategic Plan.

鈥淭he Religious Studies Department at 福利亚洲国产精品 actively advances the goals of the multifaith strategic plan. It does so not through a single initiative, but through an ecosystem of mentorship, community engagement, creative coursework and genuine care,” said Carney.

Trayner emphasized the importance of Religious Studies in the current political climate.

鈥淭hanks to this department, I’ll leave Elon with a degree in religious studies and a much harder-won inheritance: the habit of holding complexity, the conviction that ordinary people are experts on their own lives, and the trust that careful, plural study of religion is exactly the kind of preparation this fractured moment is asking of us,” said Trayner.

This story is the fourth and final in a series of stories focusing on 福利亚洲国产精品鈥檚 Multifaith Strategic Plan.

Related Articles

• 福利亚洲国产精品 to host 136th Commencement Ceremonies Friday, May 22
• Light the Way celebration highlights community and growth
• Lavender Celebration honors LGBTQIA graduates in Class of 2026

鈥淵ou may be leaving Elon, but Elon will never leave you,” said Jana Lynn Patterson, as a reminder to the Class of 2026 and herself as they all prepare to close their chapters at 福利亚洲国产精品. Patterson, associate vice-president for student life, dean of student health & well-being, and assistant professor, is retiring this summer after 40 years with the university.

鈥淓lon is not just a place, it is a network of relationships that travels with you,鈥� said Patterson, as she addressed the soon-to-be graduates during Numen Lumen: Senior Baccalaureate Reflection on May 19, Under the Oaks.

Since 2022, Elon has hosted the Numen Lumen: Senior Baccalaureate Reflection during Commencement Week as a reimagining of the traditional baccalaureate ceremony. Patterson was introduced Tuesday night by Kendall Lytle 鈥�26, who was one of Patterson鈥檚 students in Elon 1010, the introductory course required for all first-year students. Lytle spoke of the impact Patterson had on her Elon career, calling her the one of the 鈥渕any superwomen鈥� of Elon.

鈥淢y heart hurts for a future Elon without her tireless leadership. But, I am beyond excited to see what life after Elon brings her, and I am especially honored that she gets to make her grand exit alongside the rest of us,鈥� Lytle said.

In her remarks, Patterson spoke of how she is having many of the same feelings as the outgoing class: nervousness, anticipation and even sadness. But that it鈥檚 also an 鈥渆xtraordinary privilege鈥� to be with one another, connect and be part of one another鈥檚 journeys. She reminded them that Elon has always been a community 鈥渄efined by care,鈥� where relationships are built in the small moments.

鈥淭hese moments do not come with applause. But they matter. They say to another person: You matter. You belong. You are seen,鈥� said Patterson. 鈥淐arry your moments with you. The big ones鈥攁nd the quiet ones. They will guide you. They will ground you.鈥�

Elon is not just a place, it is a network of relationships that travels with you.

Jana Lynn Patterson,聽associate vice-president for student life, dean of student health & well-being

Numen Lumen: Senior Baccalaureate Reflection is a celebration of community, light and achievement that provides an opportunity for reflection on the light students will take into the world. The ceremony鈥檚 name echoes Elon鈥檚 motto, 鈥渘umen lumen鈥� which means 鈥渟piritual light鈥� and 鈥渋ntellectual light.鈥�

At the beginning of their Elon career, during New Student Convocation, students receive an acorn, and at the end of Numen Lumen: Senior Baccalaureate Reflection, they each receive an oak sapling. This year, in addition to the sapling, students also received a copy of聽鈥淏reaking Glass: Tales from the Witch of Wall Street,” by Patricia Walsh Chadwick P’16, who will deliver the commencement address on Friday, May 22.

鈥淓lon is Hebrew for oak, and it鈥檚 because of that, on that first day, we get that acorn. And that acorn, as well as the sapling, are both a representation and a reflection of ourselves, and that journey over four years,鈥� said Nic Fillippa 鈥�26, senior class president, who welcomed the Class of 2026 to the event. 鈥淲e all started here as acorns, and this week, we will leave as young trees – ready to go and grow in the world.鈥�

Anne Ghosen 鈥�26, a cinema & television arts and communication design double major, described receiving her sapling as a satisfying experience.

“It’s very full circle. When we first did Convocation, I had no idea what to expect when we got that little acorn,” said Ghosen, who is from Allendale, New Jersey. “This was a time to reflect and look back at how much I’ve done and how much I’ve grown since that first Convocation. It’s also a really cool feeling to see a physical representation of our time at Elon.”

Following the 鈥淕reeting of the Drums,鈥� by Bashir Shakur, Forrest Matthews and Lamar Lewis and Fillipa鈥檚 welcome, Rev. Kirstin Boswell, university chaplain and dean of multifaith engagement, offered words of reflection to the class, reminding them of what they have conquered during their time at Elon.

鈥淵ou kept becoming. You studied. You engaged. You served. You created. You cared for one another, and you kept on showing up,鈥� Boswell said. 鈥淭hese were not easy years. But they shaped you into a generation that is not only informed, but is discerning. Not only challenged, but compassionate. Not only aware of suffering, but determined to make meaning within it.鈥�

Boswell also acknowledged Jason Titunik, a member of the Class of 2026, who died in July 2023.

鈥淓ven in celebration, we acknowledge sorrow,鈥� said Boswell. 鈥淚t is a sacred grief when one who began the journey with us is not here to share the milestone with us.鈥�

The ceremony included musical reflections from students and faculty. Malia Horst 鈥�26, Lucas Velasco-Shen 鈥�26 and University Accompanist Tyson Hankins performed a rendition of 鈥淭he Climb,鈥� made famous by singer Miley Cyrus. Andrea Baca 鈥�26 and Velasco-Shen 鈥�26 also performed a rendition of 鈥淢ilagro de Amor,鈥� by Athenas.

A tradition of the program, 鈥淭he Meaning We Make,”聽 allows students to give selected readings from religious texts, poetry, nonfiction and other writings and reflect on how those choices represent their time at Elon. Grace Frances Stetler 鈥�26 read Matthew 7:24-25, Simon Mendelsohn 鈥�26 read a quote from 鈥淧irkei Avot,鈥� Huria Tahiry read the poem 鈥淭he Guest House,鈥� by Mawalna Jaladin Muhammad Balkhi, Diana Jimenez-Carreno 鈥�26 read a quote from Javier Zamora鈥檚 memoir 鈥淪alito,鈥� Fatmata Binta Bah 鈥�26 read 鈥淎 Missive to Youth,鈥� by Amadou Hamp芒t茅 B芒, and Ahron Jay Frankel 鈥�26 read an excerpt from 鈥淩ahiya Tu Ruk Na” (Traveler, Do Not Stop) by Deepak Jatoi.

Rocco Albano 鈥�26 read an excerpt from a 1990 Kenyon College commencement address, delivered by Bill Waterson, the author of the Calvin and Hobbes comic strip. Waterson advised graduates to find their own life鈥檚 meaning and not be tied to the 鈥渋maginary ladder of success.鈥�

鈥淩eading those turgid philosophers here in these remote stone buildings may not get you a job, but if those books have forced you to ask yourself questions about what makes life truthful, purposeful, meaningful, and redeeming, you have the Swiss Army Knife of mental tools, and it’s going to come in handy all the time,鈥� read Albano from Waterson鈥檚 address.

鈥淢y time here at Elon has helped foster (my) interests and develop them in a myriad of ways, even outside of things typically considered essential for my major or potential career,鈥� said Albano. 鈥淚 hope that in your time here in these 鈥榬emote brick buildings鈥� that you too have had the chance to engage not only with course content and syllabi, but also with meaning, and that you carry those lessons with you into the rest of your life as well.鈥�

Fabin Covington 鈥�76 began the 鈥減assing of the light,鈥� as Covington and multiple other Elon alumni passed a candle flame from alumni to student, and student to student. As the candles were illuminated, Mindy Monroe 鈥�26, Velasco-Shen and Hankins performed 鈥淏ridge of Light鈥� by P!nk and Billy Mann.

Elon President Connie Ledoux Book offered her final words to the graduates before the Commencement ceremonies on May 22, reminding them of the symbolic nature of the sapling they are about to receive and the 鈥渓ife of love鈥� they formed at Elon.

鈥淩emember the roots that you formed at Elon. They include the hard days 鈥� and those days strengthened you. The experiences that made you more compassionate, more humble, more willing to give things a second, third, or even fourth try,鈥� Book said. 鈥淚n addition to a life of love, embrace a life of risk-taking. Try things more than once. Be dissatisfied. In my experience, that is the fullness of life 鈥� and often where hope for something better begins.鈥�

The 136th Commencement Ceremonies

Elon University will celebrate more than 1,500 graduates during two ceremonies on Friday, May 22, in Schar Center for the university鈥檚 136th Commencement Exercises.

The 9 a.m. ceremony will honor graduates from the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business and the School of Communications. The 2:30 p.m. ceremony will recognize graduates from Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences; the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education; and the School of Health Sciences.

More information on Elon鈥檚 136th Commencement is聽available online.

The event marked the culmination of a year-long fellowship focused on helping student leaders strengthen their skills in dialogue, curious disagreement and civic engagement. Through workshops, retreats, and sessions with peer mentors, Elon鈥檚 eight inaugural fellows explored how to engage difficult conversations with openness, then brought those practices back to the organizations and communities they lead.

Fellows practiced facilitation skills, reflected on their own perspectives and assumptions, and learned strategies for navigating disagreement in ways that foster connection rather than division. They also collaborated with students from other institutions, including Dartmouth, expanding conversations beyond Elon鈥檚 campus and exchanging ideas about how dialogue-based leadership can strengthen student organizations and campus culture.

For many fellows, the experience directly shaped the way they approached leadership and community engagement within their organizations.

鈥淚 learned a lot about leadership throughout the experience,鈥� said Omar Khamis of the Arabic Language Organization. 鈥淗aving the training during the fall retreat was a very special experience that allowed me to workshop ideas and practice the skills that I was learning, but the best part was applying those skills in my fall and spring events with my club, the Arabic Language Organization. I had so much fun meeting new people from the fellowship from Dartmouth, and from Elon鈥檚 campus as well. Exchanging ideas to help each other鈥檚 organizations was definitely a highlight.鈥�

During the May 6 capstone dinner, attended by dozens of participants, attendees rotated through a series of exercises and small group conversations facilitated by the fellows. Using role plays and case studies, students practiced navigating disagreement with curiosity rather than defensiveness. Conversations ranged from lighthearted topics, such as dairy milk versus plant-based milk and food traditions, to deeper discussions around climate change, AI, public prayer and racial identity.

The capstone event reflected many of the lessons fellows had been developing throughout the year: listening actively, asking better questions, and remaining engaged even when conversations become uncomfortable or complex.

鈥淚 believe that the event went very well,鈥� said fellow Nailah Ware. 鈥淓ven discussing with other students that came to our event, I think that they definitely understood what curious disagreement is and different tactics of what we can do in those instances where we have curious disagreement.鈥�

Hillary Zaken, director of multifaith programming and engagement at the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life, and the campus advisor for the program, said the fellowship encourages students to see curiosity as an essential skill for navigating the campus and the larger world.

鈥淐uriosity creates the possibility for connection, even in moments of disagreement,鈥� Zaken said. 鈥淎t Elon, students meet others with different identities, worldviews, and even opposing viewpoints, and leading with curiosity can break down barriers created by preconceived notions. Dialogue is not about changing someone鈥檚 mind in a single conversation. It is about building the skills and relationships that allow people to stay engaged with one another across difference.鈥�

At a time when many campuses and communities are grappling with polarization, the Viewpoints Fellowship offered Elon students practical tools for dialogue and relationship-building. Rather than avoiding disagreement, fellows spent the year learning how to approach it with curiosity, empathy, and accountability.

As the fellowship wraps up for the academic year, its influence continues through the student leaders who participated, the organizations they shape, and the conversations they helped foster across Elon鈥檚 campus.

福利亚洲国产精品 the Fellowship:聽

The Viewpoints Fellowship centers on three core questions: why it is difficult to approach disagreement with curiosity, why it remains essential and how students can build that approach within their communities. By combining leadership development with hands-on application, the fellowship prepares students to lead more effectively in an increasingly complex and divided world.

The 2025-26 Viewpoints Fellows were: Jacob Bradshaw of Milk Club, Madeline Mitchener of Students for Peace and Justice, Aiden Prucker of American Studies Club, Sasha Stanley of Divine Embers, Nailah Ware of Limitless, Omar Khamis of the Arabic Language Organization, Hannah Wagner of Sierra Student Coalition and Fatmata Bah of Elon Muslim Society.

Related Articles

• Strategic multifaith engagement shapes the Elon campus experience
• Across disciplines, Elon faculty integrate multifaith understanding into the classroom

Campus organizations and programs at 福利亚洲国产精品 extend multifaith engagement beyond the classroom and into the community, a primary goal of the university鈥檚 Multifaith Strategic Plan, which strives to 鈥渟upport opportunities for multifaith learning and engagement for all members of the academic community.鈥�

鈥淓lon has done incredible work in enfranchising multifaith as an academic as well as a student affairs initiative, aligning and even blending those areas in meaningful ways that enhance the student experience,鈥� said Amy Allocco, director of the Multifaith Scholars Program and a professor of religious studies.

The Multifaith Scholars Program, a two-year program founded in 2016, emphasizes interdisciplinary learning as student scholars undertake original research projects and study in global contexts connected with religious diversity and multireligious societies.

Learning by teaching

The scholars program also includes aspects of community engagement. For example, students help with youth nights, work in the community garden and teach English as a second language at the Burlington Masjid.

鈥淪tudents are learning how to ethically engage in communities across lines of religious, cultural, and linguistic differences and to engage with cultural humility, like going to a space where you need to learn the appropriate ways of dressing and behaving,鈥� said Sandy Marshall, associate professor of geography, who works with the scholars at the Masjid. 鈥淎ll those types of intercultural learning skills are invaluable for students.鈥�

The goal of the English language classes, the multifaith scholars say, is to get people from an elementary English level to a place where they can have conversations and take more advanced courses. They held their first graduation from the classes in 2025. Marshall says that over the last several years, the language classes have grown, particularly due to the initiative of scholars like Alyssa Carney 鈥�26, an international & global studies and religious studies double major from Allendale, New Jersey.

Marshall asked Carney to lead the class, which has now grown to 15-25 people per session.

Realizing the extent of the work, Carney leaned on her cohort in the Multifaith Scholars Program to help, noting that it turned into an experience she never expected.

鈥淚t’s a vulnerable part of somebody’s life, because I know that isn’t easy for them to come to a bunch of young college students, as older adults, and not know the language and ask for help,鈥� said Carney. 鈥淚 also love the exchange of all of it. They teach me probably way more than I teach them. I learn not only Arabic words, but also about their lives.鈥�

Owen Hayes 鈥�26, a history major from Holly Springs, North Carolina, minoring in and 聽is one of the Multifaith Scholars helping Carney at the Masjid.

鈥淭he most impactful part for me is seeing their improvement and them being happy with themselves, that they are achieving their goals, just being a small part of that,鈥� he said.

Community celebration

Elon鈥檚 connection to the Masjid also includes celebratory events like Eid al-Fitr, marking the conclusion of Ramadan, a month during which Muslims fast from dawn to dusk and gather for nightly meals known as iftars. It includes members of the Elon community and members of the Burlington Masjid and is part of the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life鈥檚 festival series, religious programs that create space not only to mark holidays, but to deepen understanding of culture, meaning, traditions and values.

Behind the festival series are multifaith interns, Elon students who work to create space, build and cultivate relationships, lead programs and facilitate learning opportunities about religious and spiritual identities and experiences on campus and beyond.

鈥淥ne of the learning outcomes of the internship is for students to learn to curate spaces for religious and spiritual celebrations that are authentic expressions of those traditions, as well as spaces for education and community building,鈥� said Hillary Zaken, director of multifaith programming and engagement.

Lizeth Torres-Tomas 鈥�27, a political science and sociology double major with minors in and Latin American studies, is one of the multifaith interns who says the program has helped her understand and nurture her own purpose.

鈥淩eligion is taboo for a lot of people,鈥� said Torres-Tomas, who is from Hendersonville, North Carolina. 鈥淏ut when we create spaces where people can talk about their faith or uncertainty, we鈥檙e contributing to their well-being.鈥�

In the clinic and kitchen

Multifaith community work extends across religions for Elon students. Students in Elon鈥檚 Department of Nursing can work clinical hours with a nurse in Cone Health鈥檚 , which supports people of all faiths and community organizations. Students have completed clinical hours with Freedom鈥檚 Hope, Salvation Army and SAFE 鈥� Southern Alamance Family Empowerment.

Campus Kitchen, a program through the Kernodle Center for Civic Life was founded in 2011 and focuses on providing meals to Allied Churches of Alamance County. Students work in three shifts: harvesting produce at Loy Farm, cooking the food at Lakeside Dining and then serving the meals at the church. The program provides about 100 meals per week.

Megan DeMarco 鈥�26, a human service studies major from Midland Park, New Jersey, is the director of Campus Kitchen and says the goal is to address food insecurity in areas around college campuses.

鈥淲hen I did my first Allied Churches shift, it was definitely more of an impact on me seeing the actual people and clientele that were helping,鈥� DeMarco said. 鈥淭hat’s why a big thing that we push is for our volunteers to go to all three shifts.鈥�

Brian Pennington, director of the Center for the Study of Religion, Culture and Society, says that Elon鈥檚 multifaith strategic planning and implementation process has achieved a level of integration that helps set a new national standard.

鈥淲hen an institution can engage students thoughtfully on questions of meaning, purpose, faith and doubt at the same time that it asks them to think critically about religion as a powerful force that impacts history, society, and politics, it is really doing the hard work of training leaders for a future that looks increasingly complex,鈥� Pennington said.

This story is the third in a series of stories focusing on 福利亚洲国产精品鈥檚 Multifaith Strategic Plan.聽

Related Articles

• The Month in Photos: January 2026
• The Months in Photos: February 2026
• The Month in Photos: March 2026

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.聽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.聽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.聽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.