Elon University is a

private university Private universities and private colleges are institutions of higher education, not operated, owned, or institutionally funded by governments. They may (and often do) receive from governments tax breaks, public student loans, and grant (money ...

Elon, North Carolina Elon () is a town in Alamance County, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Burlington metropolitan statistical area. The population as of the 2020 census was 11,324. The town of Elon is home to Elon University. Elon began in 1881 as ...

. Founded in 1889 as Elon College, Elon is organized into six schools, most of which offer

bachelor's degrees A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ye ...

and several of which offer

master's degrees A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

professional doctorate A doctorate (from Latin ''docere'', "to teach"), doctor's degree (from Latin ''doctor'', "teacher"), or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism '' l ...

degrees. Located in North Carolina's Piedmont region, Elon is situated on a suburban campus between the cities of

Greensboro Greensboro (; formerly Greensborough) is a city in and the county seat of Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, third-most populous city in North Carolina after Charlotte, North Car ...

and

Raleigh Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southeas ...

. Less than twenty percent of Elon's undergraduates are native to the state of

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

. Elon's intercollegiate athletic teams compete in

NCAA Division I NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest level of College athletics, intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major ...

athletics as a member of the

Colonial Athletic Association The Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I whose full members are located in East Coast states from Massachusetts to South Carolina. Most of its members are public universi ...

History

Elon College was founded by the

Christian Connection The Christian Connection was a Christian movement in the United States of America that developed in several places during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, composed of members who withdrew from other Christian denominations. It was influe ...

, which later became a part of the

United Church of Christ The United Church of Christ (UCC) is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination based in the United States, with historical and confessional roots in the Congregational, Calvinist, Lutheran, and Anabaptist traditions, and with approximately 4 ...

. The charter for Elon College was issued by the

North Carolina legislature The North Carolina General Assembly is the bicameral legislature of the State government of North Carolina. The legislature consists of two chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives. The General Assembly meets in the North Carolina ...

in 1889. William S. Long was the first president, and the original student body consisted of 76 students. In 1923, a fire destroyed most of the campus, including school records, classrooms, the library, and the chapel. The Board of Trustees voted to rebuild immediately. Many of the buildings that were erected in the years following the fire still stand and make up the bedrock of Elon's campus. An institution that for many years enrolled mostly North Carolina residents, Elon began to enroll significant numbers of students from the mid-Atlantic states in the mid-1970s, and began to improve its academic standards for admission. By the start of the 21st century, about 68 percent of Elon's students came from out-of-state and were only accepted if they met high academic standards. Elon became known as a selective university and, by 2013, 82% of incoming students were from out of state. Elon's transformation was the subject of an academic study by George Keller of the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...

titled ''Transforming a College: The Story of a Little Known College's Strategic Climb to National Distinction''. The study, published by

Johns Hopkins University Press The Johns Hopkins University Press (also referred to as JHU Press or JHUP) is the publishing division of Johns Hopkins University. It was founded in 1878 and is the oldest continuously running university press in the United States. The press publi ...

, depicted how Elon transformed itself from a regional religious college to a selective, nationally recognized university. Elon is no longer affiliated with the United Church of Christ. Elon's mission statement states that the university "embraces its founders' vision of an academic community that transforms mind, body, and spirit and encourages freedom of thought and liberty of conscience," and emphasizes its commitment to "nurture a rich intellectual community characterized by student engagement with a faculty dedicated to excellent teaching and scholarly accomplishment." On October 9, 2017, the Elon Board of Trustees elected Dr. Constance "Connie" Ledoux Book as the ninth president of the university. Book became Elon's first female President on March 1, 2018.

Academics

The university includes Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences; the

Martha and Spencer Love School of Business The Martha and Spencer Love School of Business is part of Elon University in Elon, North Carolina. The undergraduate school offers degrees in Bachelor of Science in Accounting, the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, and the Bachelor o ...

; the School of Communications; the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education; the School of Law; and the School of Health Sciences. Master's programs are offered in business administration, business analytics, accounting, interactive media, education, physician assistant studies, and doctoral programs include physical therapy and law. Elon operates on a 4-1-4 academic calendar, including a four-week term in January known as Winter Term. In 2009, the

Phi Beta Kappa Society The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States, and the most prestigious, due in part to its long history and academic selectivity. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal ar ...

voted to establish a chapter at Elon. Elon is accredited by the

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is an educational accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. This agency accredits over 13,000 public and priv ...

Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences

Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences, offers 51 undergraduate majors within three divisions: the Arts and Humanities, the Social and Behavioral Sciences, and the Natural, Mathematical and Computational Sciences. Elon College is the largest of the university's colleges.

Martha and Spencer Love School of Business

The

offers undergraduate degrees in accounting, business administration, economics, entrepreneurship, finance, international business, management, and marketing.

School of Communications

The Elon School of Communications is one of 18 accredited communications programs for private universities in the US by the

Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication The Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) is a major international membership organization for academics in the field, offering regional and national conferences and refereed publications. It has numerous membershi ...

(AEJMC). The program encompasses 20% of students and is divided into six main concentrations: Journalism, Strategic Communications, Cinema & Television Arts, Communication Design, Media Analytics and Sport & Event Management.

School of Law

The Elon University School of Law opened on August 10, 2006. The School is located in downtown

Greensboro, North Carolina Greensboro (; formerly Greensborough) is a city in and the county seat of Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. It is the third-most populous city in North Carolina after Charlotte and Raleigh, the 69th-most populous city in the Un ...

in the former city library. Former

United States Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...

Associate Justice

Sandra Day O'Connor Sandra Day O'Connor (born March 26, 1930) is an American retired attorney and politician who served as the first female associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1981 to 2006. She was both the first woman nominated and th ...

delivered the Dedication Address on September 19, 2006. The School of Law houses a working court—the North Carolina Business Court.

School of Health Sciences

Established in April 2011, Elon's School of Health Sciences offers a doctor of physical therapy (DPT) program and a

physician assistant A physician assistant or physician associate (PA) is a type of Mid-level practitioner, mid-level health care provider. In North America PAs may diagnose illnesses, develop and manage treatment plans, prescribe medications, and may serve as a pri ...

(PA) studies master's program. The University also offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) for students. This program is offered both as a four-year BSN program for undergraduates and an accelerated BSN for those who have already earned a bachelor's degree in another field of study.

Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education

The Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education offers both licensure and non-licensure undergraduate majors, as well as

Master of Education The Master of Education (MEd or M.Ed. or Ed.M.; Latin ''Magister Educationis'' or ''Educationis Magister'') is a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. This degree in education often includes the following majors: curriculum a ...

(M.Ed.) and

Master of Arts in Higher Education A Master of Arts in Higher Education or MAHE degree is a master's degree that enables recipients to work in a variety of higher education-related fields, most notably student development. The degree, which often contains a blend of student developm ...

(MHE) degrees.

Admissions

For the class of 2024, the university received approximately 15,306 applications from

early decision Early decision (ED) or early acceptance is a type of early admission used in college admissions in the United States for admitting freshmen to undergraduate programs. It is used to indicate to the university or college that the candidate conside ...

early action Early action (EA) is a type of early admission process offered by some institutions for admission to colleges and universities in the United States. Unlike the regular admissions process, EA usually requires students to submit an application by ...

, regular decision, and transfer applicants. From the application pool, around 1,587 students enrolled with an acceptance rate of 71%. The average student coming to Elon in the class of 2024 had a grade point average of 4.04, an average

SAT The SAT ( ) is a standardized test widely used for college admissions in the United States. Since its debut in 1926, its name and scoring have changed several times; originally called the Scholastic Aptitude Test, it was later called the Schol ...

score of 1233, and an ACT average of 27.

Rankings and reputation

'' U.S. News & World Report'' ranks Elon tied for #83 overall among national universities and as #1 in the country for "Best Undergraduate Teaching." Elon is ranked as the #9 most innovative national university. In 2020 Elon was the only university with top-10 rankings in all of ''U.S. News''s "Academic Programs to Look For" categories.

Student body

Elon has a student body of 6,291 undergraduate students and 826 graduate students. Approximately 60% of students are female. Elon students come from 46 states and 49 countries; the leading suppliers of undergraduates are

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

, New York,

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

and

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

Athletics

Elon's 17 varsity sports teams, known as the Phoenix, joined the

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...

's Division I

on July 1, 2014, after a decade in the

Southern Conference The Southern Conference (SoCon) is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I. Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly ...

. Intercollegiate sports include baseball, basketball, cross-country,

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

, golf, soccer, and tennis for men, and basketball, cross-country, golf, indoor track, outdoor track, soccer, softball, tennis,

lacrosse Lacrosse is a team sport played with a lacrosse stick and a lacrosse ball. It is the oldest organized sport in North America, with its origins with the indigenous people of North America as early as the 12th century. The game was extensively ...

, and volleyball for women. The football team competes in the

Division I Football Championship Subdivision The NCAA Division I Football Championship is an annual post-season college football game, played since 2006, used to determine a national champion of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). From 1978 to 2005, the game was kn ...

(formerly I-AA). Campus Recreation offers intramural and club sports programs, such as baseball, cycling,

flag football Flag football is a variant of American football where, instead of tackling players to the ground, the defensive team must remove a flag or flag belt from the ball carrier ("deflagging") to end a Down (gridiron football), down. The sport has a ...

equestrian The word equestrian is a reference to equestrianism, or horseback riding, derived from Latin ' and ', "horse". Horseback riding (or Riding in British English) Examples of this are: * Equestrian sports *Equestrian order, one of the upper classes i ...

, swimming,

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...

triathlon A triathlon is an endurance multisport race consisting of Swimming (sport), swimming, Cycle sport, cycling, and running over various distances. Triathletes compete for fastest overall completion time, racing each segment sequentially with the t ...

water skiing Water skiing (also waterskiing or water-skiing) is a surface water sport in which an individual is pulled behind a boat or a cable ski installation over a body of water, skimming the surface on two skis or one ski. The sport requires suffic ...

, ice hockey and

Ultimate Frisbee Ultimate, originally known as ultimate Frisbee, is a non-contact team sport played with a frisbee flung by hand. Ultimate was developed in 1968 by AJ Gator in Maplewood, New Jersey. Although ultimate resembles many traditional sports in its ath ...

. During Winter Term the intramurals include bowling, arena football, dodgeball, ultimate frisbee, and a monster golf tournament. Up until 2000, the mascot of Elon was the Fighting Christian. Early Elon athletic teams were known as the "Christians" with the name "Fighting Christians" gaining popularity by 1923. The nickname was chosen due to Elon's proximity to the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, Guilford Quakers, and the

Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...

Blue Devils. As Elon committed itself to diversity, and the number of non-Christian students increased, the decision was made to change Elon's mascot. In 2000, a new mascot was adopted, the

Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...

. The choice came from the 1923 fire that destroyed almost the entire campus and the college's subsequent recovery.

Facilities

Elon's sports facilities include two gymnasiums, Schar Center, Walter C. Latham Baseball Park,

Rhodes Stadium Rhodes Stadium is an 11,250-seat multi-purpose stadium in Elon, North Carolina. Named for trustee Dusty Rhodes, his wife, Peggy, and their family, the stadium opened in 2001 and is home to the Elon University Phoenix football team. The stadium ...

, Rudd Field, Hunt Softball Park, Alumni Field House, Koury Field House, Jerry and Jeanne Robertson Track and Field Complex, six club athletic fields, Worseley Golf Center, and Koury Center, which features the 2,400 seat Alumni Gym, an aerobic fitness center, a weight room,

racquetball Racquetball is a racquet sport and a team sport played with a hollow rubber ball on an indoor or outdoor court. Joseph Sobek invented the modern sport of racquetball in 1950, adding a stringed racquet to paddleball in order to increase velo ...

courts, an indoor pool, and a dance studio. The Jimmy Powell Tennis Center, a twelve-court complex, won an "Outstanding Facility Award" from the

United States Tennis Association The United States Tennis Association (USTA) is the national governing body for tennis in the United States. A not-for-profit organization with more than 700,000 members, it invests 100% of its proceeds to promote and develop the growth of tennis, ...

. The facility at the north end of Rhodes Stadium in the North Athletics Complex is the new headquarters for Phoenix athletics. Construction was completed on the 5,100-seat Schar Center in 2018. The Schar Center is the home to Elon's basketball and volleyball programs, as well as a venue for other major Elon events, such as convocation.

Campus

Elon's historic campus is located in the

Piedmont it, Piemontese , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographics1_title2 ...

region of

, adjacent to

Burlington Burlington may refer to: Places Canada Geography * Burlington, Newfoundland and Labrador * Burlington, Nova Scotia * Burlington, Ontario, the most populous city with the name "Burlington" * Burlington, Prince Edward Island * Burlington Bay, no ...

, a city of 50,000. Elon is 20 minutes from

and within a one-hour drive of many other universities including

NC State North Carolina State University (NC State) is a public land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina. Founded in 1887 and part of the University of North Carolina system, it is the largest university in the Carolinas. The university ...

, UNC-Chapel Hill,

UNC-Greensboro The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG or UNC Greensboro) is a public research university in Greensboro, North Carolina. It is part of the University of North Carolina system. UNCG, like all members of the UNC system, is a stand-al ...

North Carolina A&T State University North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (also known as North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina A&T, N.C. A&T, or simply A&T) is a public, historically black land-grant research university in Greensboro, North Caro ...

Guilford College Guilford College is a private liberal arts college in Greensboro, North Carolina. Guilford has both traditional students and students who attend its Center for Continuing Education (CCE). Founded in 1837 by members of the Religious Society of ...

, and Wake Forest. Elon's campus is divided into seven major neighborhoods: Historic Campus, Central Campus, Global Neighborhood, The Oaks, The Station at Mill Point, Danieley Center, East Neighborhood, The Colonnades, and South Campus. There are 77 residence buildings on campus and 34 academic buildings. Elon also has numerous lakes and fountains throughout its campus. The Elon College Historic District and Johnston Hall are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

Spike Lee Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee (born March 20, 1957) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, has produced more than 35 films since 1983. He made his directorial debut ...

used Elon as one of the university locations for the movie ''

He Got Game ''He Got Game'' is a 1998 American sports drama film written, produced and directed by Spike Lee and starring Denzel Washington and Ray Allen. The film revolves around Jake Shuttlesworth ( Denzel Washington), father of the top-ranked basketball p ...

''. The Alamance Building, Fonville Fountain, and the Moseley Center's outside patio were the setting for the movie's "Tech University".

Campus life

The university has more than 250 campus organizations and programs, including 12 national

fraternities A fraternity (from Latin ''frater'': "brother"; whence, "brotherhood") or fraternal organization is an organization, society, club or fraternal order traditionally of men associated together for various religious or secular aims. Fraternity in ...

and 13 national

sororities Fraternities and sororities are Club (organization), social organizations at colleges and universities in North America. Generally, membership in a fraternity or sorority is obtained as an Undergraduate education, undergraduate student, but conti ...

Student media

The Pendulum ''The Pendulum'' is a 12-issue miniseries of comic books based upon the Dark Carnival universe, a mythology detailed in the music of the Insane Clown Posse. Distributed by Chaos! Comics, the series was published from January 2000 until Decem ...

'', Elon's undergraduate weekly newspaper is published every Wednesday. WSOE, the university's student-run

non-commercial A non-commercial (also spelled noncommercial) activity is an activity that does not, in some sense, involve commerce, at least relative to similar activities that do have a commercial objective or emphasis. For example, advertising-free community ...

campus radio station, has been airing since 1977. ESTV (Elon Student Television) is the Student television station featuring numerous student-created and -run programs. In 2016, with advice of their faculty advisers, the two largest student media organizations on campus; Elon Local News (ELN) and ''The Pendulum'' newspaper, merged to form the new Elon News Network (ENN). ENN now operates out of the newly constructed newsroom in the McEwen Building of the School of Communications. Following a 2016 expansion of facilities, The School of Communications consists of Iris Holt McEwen Hall, the Snow Family Grand Atrium, Turner Theatre, Dwight C. Schar Hall, Steers Pavilion, and Long Hall, which houses the MA in Interactive Media graduate program and the sport management major.

Extra-curricular organizations

Numerous student government, special interest, and

service organizations Service may refer to: Activities * Administrative service, a required part of the workload of university faculty * Civil service, the body of employees of a government * Community service, volunteer service for the benefit of a community or a pu ...

are represented on campus, including Elon Volunteers,

Habitat for Humanity Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI), generally referred to as Habitat for Humanity or Habitat, is a US non-governmental, and nonprofit organization which was founded in 1976 by couple Millard and Linda Fuller. Habitat for Humanity is a Ch ...

Model UN Model United Nations, also known as Model UN or MUN, is an educational simulation in which students can learn about diplomacy, international relations, and the United Nations. At a MUN conference, students work as the representative of a count ...

Epsilon Sigma Alpha Epsilon Sigma Alpha International () is a community and collegiate service organization for anyone ages 18 and older. The organization states that its purpose "is to inspire leadership and service by bringing good people together to pursue progr ...

, Omega Psi Phi, Alpha Phi Omega, the Inter-Residence Council, the Elon University Student Government Association, and the Student Union Board. Cultural groups on campus include the Asian-Pacific Islander Student Association, Black Student Union, the Caribbean Student Association, Hillel, Intercultural Club, and Spectrum (Gay-Straight Alliance). Elon is home to the Fire of the Carolinas Marching Band (FOTC), which delivers pre-game, halftime, and occasionally post-game performances at home

games. The band also includes

color guard (flag spinning) Color guards or flag corps are teams of performers who perform choreographed dances and routines with various equipment to enhance and interpret the music of a marching band or drum and bugle corps show. Color guard teams can be found in American ...

and dance auxiliary squads.

Religious life

Religious groups on campus include

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

Campus Ministry, Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life,

InterVarsity Christian Fellowship InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA is an inter-denominational, evangelical Christian campus ministry founded in 1941, working with students and faculty on U.S. college and university campuses. InterVarsity is a charter member of the Internat ...

, the Iron Tree Blooming Meditation Society, the Muslim Student Association,

Baptist Student Union The Baptist Collegiate Network (BCN) is a college-level organization that can be found on many college campuses in the United States and Canada. Organizations These ministries are groups of students, faculty members and staff who are seeking t ...

, and Campus Outreach. The

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

population at Elon has grown especially rapidly in recent years, with twelve percent of recent classes self-identifying as Jewish. Elon was profiled in ''

Reform Judaism Reform Judaism, also known as Liberal Judaism or Progressive Judaism, is a major Jewish denomination that emphasizes the evolving nature of Judaism, the superiority of its ethical aspects to its ceremonial ones, and belief in a continuous searc ...

'' magazine in 2011 as a school which has "gone the extra mile" to make itself more attractive to Jewish students, and since 2013 it has been listed as one of the "top schools Jews choose." The Muslim student population is small but has increased dramatically in size in recent years, and a

Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...

Student Association formed at Elon in 2011. The Hindu population has also increased in size, Hindu festivals have become an important part of the university calendar, and Hindu students report feeling accepted at Elon. Elon worked closely with the Interfaith Youth Core in developing religious diversity and interreligious dialogue. The Truitt Center for Spiritual and Religious Life, located within the Numen Lumen Pavilion of the Academic Village, serves a wide variety of purposes and all religious traditions.

Fraternity and sorority life

Elon University recognizes 27 social Greek organizations. Forty-four percent of undergraduate students belong to one of the following campus-chartered organizations.

Student traditions

At the start of each school year, Elon University holds a New Student Convocation ceremony for first year and transfer students. It is held "Under the Oaks" behind the West Dormitory. Each new student receives their own acorn at the close of the ceremony to symbolize their beginning at Elon. Upon graduation, each student receives an oak sapling, which is supposed to symbolize their growth at the university as well as the growth in their own lives. The use of the acorn and oak sapling is significant because Elon was named after the Hebrew word for "oak" because of the grove of oak trees it was founded on. The Oak Sapling tradition began in 1991, and the Acorn tradition began in 1999 after Leo Lambert became president of the university.

Notable faculty

Crista Arangala Crista Arangala (née Crista Lynn Coles) is an American mathematician and textbook author, specializing in numerical analysis. She is a professor of mathematics and chair of the department of mathematics and statistics at Elon University, and a Ful ...

- mathematician * Shane Atkinson – imam and chaplain *

Connie Ledoux Book Constance "Connie" Ledoux Book, Ph.D., is President of Elon University, a private university located in Elon, North Carolina. On October 9, 2017, the Elon Board of Trustees voted unanimously to elect Book as the ninth president of Elon. She beca ...

– ninth president of Elon *

Jan Boxill Jeanette Marie Boxill ( née Bozanic)http://philosophy.unc.edu/files/2013/10/curvitae-jan-boxill.pdf is an American academic who was Senior Lecturer in Philosophy (ethics) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She was also Chair ...

– ethicist *

Peter S. Brunstetter Peter Samuel Brunstetter (born February 28, 1956 in San Francisco, California) is a former Republican member of the North Carolina General Assembly who represented the state’s 31st Senate district, including constituents in Forsyth County and ...

– Professor of Law, and member of the North Carolina General Assembly *

Cardon V. Burnham Cardon Vern Burnham Jr. (25 February 1927 – 19 February 2005) was an American composer, arranger, conductor, and performer of musical genre. His work included classical, choral, jazz, orchestral, operatic, and chamber music, most notably the ...

– composer, arranger, conductor, and performer *

Ann J. Cahill Ann J. Cahill is an American philosopher and professor of philosophy at Elon University. Her research focuses on feminist philosophy, phenomenology Phenomenology may refer to: Art * Phenomenology (architecture), based on the experience of build ...

– feminist philosopher * Eileen Claussen – American climate and energy policy administrator, diplomat, and executive-in-residence at Elon *

Geoffrey Claussen Geoffrey Claussen is an American rabbi and scholar who serves as a professor of Religious Studies at Elon University. His scholarship focuses on Jewish ethics, theology, and the Musar movement. Education Claussen received his BA in Classical La ...

– rabbi, Jewish ethicist and theologian * David M. Crowe – historian *

James Danieley James Earl Danieley (July 28, 1924 – November 29, 2016) was the sixth president of Elon College (1957–1973), a private college in Elon, North Carolina and has contributed over 60 years of service to the school. Early life Danieley grew up in ...

– sixth president of Elon *

James G. Exum James Gooden Exum Jr. also known as Jim Exum (born September 14, 1935) is an American jurist who served on the North Carolina Supreme Court from 1975 to 1994, and as chief justice from 1986 to 1994. Under his leadership, the court "expanded civil ...

– Distinguished Professor of the Judicial Process at the Elon Law School *

David Gergen David Richmond Gergen (born May 9, 1942) is an American political commentator and former presidential adviser who served during the administrations of Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton. He is currently a senior political ...

– inaugural Isabella Cannon Distinguished Visiting Professor of Leadership at Elon * Thomas S. Henricks – professor of sociology * David C. Joyce – now president of

Brevard College Brevard College is a private college in Brevard, North Carolina. The college grants the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree. History Brevard College was named for Ephraim Brevard, a teacher and one of the local leaders that produc ...

Leo Lambert Leo Michael Lambert, Ph.D. (born June 30, 1955 in Schenectady, New York) is President Emeritus of Elon University, a private university located in Elon, North Carolina. Lambert served as Elon's eighth president from 1999 to 2018 and assumed the ti ...

– eighth president of Elon *

Sandra Lawson Sandra Lawson (born 1970) is a rabbi and the first Director of Racial Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Reconstructing Judaism. She previously served as Associate Chaplain for Jewish Life at Elon University. Lawson became the first openly gay, fema ...

– sociologist, rabbi and chaplain *

Elliot Mazer Elliot Mazer (September 5, 1941February 7, 2021) was an American audio engineer and record producer. He was best known for his work with Linda Ronstadt, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, The Band, and Janis Joplin. In addition, he worked on film and telev ...

– audio engineer and music professor *

Jon Metzger Jon Metzger (born July 30, 1959) is an American jazz vibraphonist, composer, author, and educator. Biography Metzger was raised in McLean, Virginia, and received early musical influence from his mother, Evelyn Metzger, who was a violinist and pi ...

– Professor of Music and artist-in-residence *

Paul Neebe Paul Neebe is an American Classical music, classical trumpeter who performs widely as a soloist, orchestral musician, and chamber player. He currently serves as principal trumpet of the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, Wintergreen Festival Orchestra, ...

– classical trumpeter and former professor of music at Elon * Guy Owen – novelist *

Brian K. Pennington Brian (sometimes spelled Bryan in English) is a male given name of Irish and Breton origin, as well as a surname of Occitan origin. It is common in the English-speaking world. It is possible that the name is derived from an Old Celtic word mea ...

- scholar of

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...

* Rebecca Todd Peters – feminist Christian ethicist *

Jeffrey Pugh Jeffrey C. Pugh was Distinguished University Professor and the Maude Sharpe Powell Professor of Religious Studies at Elon University. He earned his master of divinity degree from Wesley Theological Seminary and another master’s and doctorate fro ...

– theologian *

Michael Skube Michael Skube is a former journalist who is on the faculty of the Elon University School of Communications. Skube received a Bachelor of Arts from Louisiana State University. In 1975 he began working as a freelance journalist after having worked a ...

– journalist on the faculty of the Elon University School of Communications *

Megan Squire Megan Squire is a professor of computer science at Elon University. A researcher and Anti-Defamation League fellow with a focus on right-wing political extremism online, her work has been described as operating as an intermediary between non-prof ...

- computer scientist *

Justin Tornow Justin Tornow is an American dancer, choreographer, dance scholar, and dance teacher. She is the founder and artistic director of COMPANY, a co-founder and co-organizer of Durham Independent Dance Artists, former Board President of the North Caro ...

– dancer and choreographer *

A. R. Van Cleave Albert Ray Van Cleave (December 20, 1889 – September 24, 1987) was an American football coach, professor, and college administrator. He was the head football coach at Elon University in Elon, North Carolina for the 1926 season, compiling a recor ...

– professor of philosophy and football coach *

Anthony Weston Anthony Weston is an American writer, teacher, and philosopher. He is an author of widely used primers in critical thinking and ethical practice and of a variety of unconventional books and essays on philosophical topics. Life Weston was born i ...

– philosopher and environmental ethicist *

Tripp York ''Anesthesia: A Brief Reflection on Contemporary Aesthetics'' is a novella written by Mennonite theologian Tripp York. Anesthesia explores the interconnections of love, death and philosophy. The novella is heavily influenced by Greek philosophy, ...

– religious studies scholar *

James Fred Young James Fred Young, known as Fred Young, was the seventh president of Elon University, a private liberal arts university located in Elon, North Carolina. Young served as president of Elon from 1973 to 1998. He was succeeded by Leo Lambert. Young grew ...

– seventh president of Elon

Notable alumni

Academia

* John Decatur Messick – Former President of

East Carolina University East Carolina University (ECU) is a public university, public research university in Greenville, North Carolina. It is the fourth largest university in North Carolina. Founded on March 8, 1907, as a Normal school, teacher training school, East ...

(1947–1959) * H. Shelton Smith – scholar of religion at

Duke University Duke University is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day city of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco and electric power industrialist James ...

Arts, literature, and entertainment

Rich Blomquist Rich Blomquist (born July 27, 1977) is an American writer, producer and occasional actor. He was a former staff writer for ''The Daily Show''. The show won six Emmy awards during his employment; in 2003–2006, 2009 and 2011. Career He has also ...

–

Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

-winning writer on ''

The Daily Show ''The Daily Show'' is an American late-night talk and satirical news television program. It airs each Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central with release shortly after on Paramount+. ''The Daily Show'' draws its comedy and satire form from ...

'' * Reno Collier – standup comic, host of NBC's '' The Great American Road Trip'' * Mark St. Cyr – actor, plays Mr. Mazzara on the

Disney+ The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience or gives pleasure and deligh ...

series '' High School Musical: The Musical: The Series'' *

Lisa Goldstein Lisa Goldstein (born Elizabeth Joy Goldstein on November 21, 1953) is an American fantasy and science fiction writer whose work has been nominated for Nebula, Hugo, and World Fantasy Awards. Her 1982 novel '' The Red Magician'' won a Nation ...

– actress, plays

Millicent Huxtable ''One Tree Hill'' is an American television series created by Mark Schwahn for The WB in 2003. After its third season, The WB and UPN merged to form The CW, which then became the broadcaster for the show in the United States. Schwahn served a ...

on the CW series ''

One Tree Hill One Tree Hill may refer to: * "One Tree Hill" (song), a 1987 song by U2 referencing One Tree Hill, New Zealand volcanic peak * ''One Tree Hill'' (TV series), a 2003–2012 American drama series named for the U2 song ** ''One Tree Hill'' (soundtr ...

'' *

Grant Gustin Thomas Grant Gustin (born January 14, 1990) is an American actor and singer. He is best known for his roles as Barry Allen (Arrowverse), Barry Allen / The Flash on The CW series ''The Flash (2014 TV series), The Flash'' as part of the Arrowver ...

– actor ''Glee (TV series), Glee'', ''The Flash (2014 TV series), The Flash'' * Tal Henry – orchestra director * Maity Interiano – journalist and television producer * Christopher Knight (filmmaker), Christopher Knight – filmmaker, blogger, and Internet personality * Tyler Marenyi – American DJ and producer * H. Reid – American writer, photographer, and historian * Martin Ritt – director, actor, and playwright (''Hud (1963 film), Hud'', ''Norma Rae'', ''Stanley & Iris'') * Brent Sexton - actor (''Bosch (TV series), Bosch'', ''Deadwood (TV series), Deadwood'') * Mike Trainor – standup comic, panelist on TruTV's ''The Smoking Gun Presents: World's Dumbest...'' * Taylor Trensch – Broadway actor (''Dear Evan Hansen'', ''Hello Dolly'', ''Curious Incident of the Dog in Night-Time'') * Kenneth Utt – actor and producer (''The Silence of the Lambs (film), The Silence of the Lambs'', ''Midnight Cowboy'', ''Philadelphia (film), Philadelphia)'' * Barrett Wilbert Weed – Broadway actress (''Heathers: The Musical, Mean Girls (musical))'' * Chris Wood (actor), Chris Wood – actor (''The Vampire Diaries (TV series), The Vampire Diaries'', ''Containment (TV series), Containment'', ''Supergirl (TV series), Supergirl'')

Politics and military

* Cary D. Allred – North Carolina politician * Harris Blake –

politician * Cameron DeJong – New Hampshire politician * Anthony Foriest – North Carolina politician * Admiral William E. Gortney – Commander, NORAD and US Northern Command * Hugh Holliman – North Carolina House of Representatives Majority Leader * Phillip Kellam –

politician * Nat Robertson – Fayetteville, North Carolina mayor

Sports

* Tal Abernathy – Major League Baseball pitcher * Jesse Branson – National Basketball Association and American Basketball Association player * John Brebbia – Major League Baseball pitcher for the San Francisco Giants * Elijah Bryant (born 1995) - basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League * Ward Burton – NASCAR auto racer * Cap Clark – Major League Baseball catcher * Billy Devaney – general manager of the St. Louis Rams * Bill Dougherty – running back for the New Orleans Saints * Wes Durham – radio play-by-play announcer for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and the Atlanta Falcons * Joey Hackett – tight end for the Denver Broncos and Green Bay Packers * Frank Haith – head basketball coach at the University of Tulsa * Greg Harris (pitcher, born 1963), Greg W. Harris – Major League Baseball pitcher * Bunn Hearn – Major League Baseball pitcher * Clint Irwin – Colorado Rapids goalkeeper * Don Kernodle – professional wrestler * Steven Kinney – defender for the Chicago Fire SC, Chicago Fire * Daniel Lovitz – defender for the Nashville SC * Rich McGeorge – tight end for the Green Bay Packers * Jack McKeon – Major League Baseball Manager * Aaron Mellette – Baltimore Ravens wide receiver * Jim Morris – head baseball coach at the University of Miami * Chad Nkang – former linebacker for the Jacksonville Jaguars * Blake Russell – Olympic runner * Tony Settles – linebacker for the Washington Redskins * Ed Sauer – Major League Baseball outfielder * Jim Schlossnagle – head baseball coach at Texas Christian University * Jimmy Smith (running back) – former American football running back in the National Football League * Dick Such – Major League Baseball pitcher and coach * Oli Udoh - offensive lineman for the Minnesota Vikings * Joe West (umpire), Joe West – Major League Baseball baseball umpire, umpire * Joe Winkelsas – Major League Baseball pitcher * Deborah A. Yow – North Carolina State University Athletics Director, formerly University of Maryland's Director of Athletics

References

External links

*
Elon Athletics website
{{authority control Elon University, Educational institutions established in 1889 United Church of Christ in North Carolina Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Private universities and colleges in North Carolina Education in Alamance County, North Carolina Buildings and structures in Alamance County, North Carolina Tourist attractions in Alamance County, North Carolina 1889 establishments in North Carolina