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• New beginnings, familiar reminders mark Class of 2030’s arrival at ������Ƶ
• Class of 2030 reminded of the ‘enormous opportunity’ of an ������Ƶ education at New Student Convocation

������Ƶ’s Class of 2030 committed to uphold the university’s core values of honesty, integrity, responsibility and respect during the annual Call to Honor ceremony Monday, Aug. 24, in Alumni Gym.

Student Government Association President Michael Swartz ’27 opened the ceremony by reminding students that the Honor Code extends to all aspects of life at ������Ƶ.

“These are more than just four words; they are a guiding star for every decision we make throughout life,” Swartz said.

As part of the ceremony, student leaders representing each class signed the Honor Code book, symbolizing their commitment to the four values.

Swartz encouraged students to view honesty as more than avoiding academic misconduct, noting that the relationships students build with peers, faculty and staff depend on fulfilling commitments and remaining true to their word.

‘Honor matters’

Emily Elrod, assistant teaching professor of mathematics and statistics, reflected on how honor has shaped her 20-year career in education, from public K-12 schools and community colleges to public and private universities.

“Honor matters,” Elrod told students. “To me, honor is reflected through honesty, integrity, responsibility, and respect. It matters in the classroom, in our professional relationships, and in the trust that others place in us as individuals and leaders.”

Elrod, who is beginning her fifth year at ������Ƶ, said the opportunities she has received throughout her career have been rooted in relationships built on trust. She encouraged students to think about academic honor not simply as a set of rules designed to prevent misconduct, but as an important part of the learning process and developing character.

Elrod said students can sometimes feel pressure to immediately have the correct answer or succeed from the beginning. Instead, she encouraged them to embrace mistakes, reflection and improvement as essential parts of learning.

“My hope is that students leave the classroom not only with stronger content knowledge, but also with a deeper understanding that honor is not simply about following rules, it is about becoming the kind of person others can trust, respect, and rely on throughout a lifetime,” Elrod said.

Building a strong foundation

Kenzi Maness ’27, a history and political science double major and president of ������Ƶ’s First Generation Society and Phi Alpha Delta, spoke directly to the Class of 2030 about respect, the Honor Code value their class will represent throughout their time at ������Ƶ.

Maness shared how the four values have shaped her own ������Ƶ experience as she prepares to graduate a year earlier than originally expected. Doing so, she said, required honest conversations with professors, organization, self-reflection and an understanding of how much she could reasonably take on.

“If you are not honest with yourself, then you cannot be honest with others,” Maness said.

She compared the four Honor Code values to blocks forming a tower: Removing one can weaken the others and eventually destabilize the entire structure.

“This is a new chapter so build your tower strong and lean on the amazing resources ������Ƶ has to offer when you need to,” Maness said. “The Honor Code sets a standard we are all expected to meet, a standard that strives to make us all better citizens, students, family members, and friends.”

Joining generations of ������Ƶ students

President Connie Ledoux Book then led students in reciting the Call to Honor.

Today we are entrusted with the honorable legacy of ������Ƶ, dedicated to the intellectual, personal and spiritual growth of all its members, to the advancement of knowledge for the good of all, and to the service of local, national and global communities. To that end, we affirm our commitment to the core values of our university:

• We commit ourselves to honesty, being truthful in our academic work and in our relationships with others.
• We commit ourselves to show integrity, being trustworthy, fair and ethical.
• We commit ourselves to responsibility, being accountable for our action and for our learning.
• We commit ourselves to respect, being civil, valuing the dignity of each person, and respecting the physical and intellectual property of others.

With these commitments, we join generations of ������Ƶ students as bearers of its honor.

Book signed the Honor Code book and offered the university’s commitment in return.

“We have pledged our commitment to live these ������Ƶ values,” Book said. “On behalf of the university, I pledge to you that ������Ƶ will do its part to challenge you to grow intellectually, socially and spiritually.”

The ceremony concluded with the singing of ������Ƶ’s alma mater and a final charge from Swartz to remain committed to honesty, integrity, responsibility and respect throughout their years at ������Ƶ.

As they departed Alumni Gym, students received commemorative coins inscribed with the word “Honor” and were invited to sign boards displaying the Honor Pledge on Young Commons, making a public commitment to the values they had pledged to uphold.

“We hope that this coin will help you recall this Honor Code ceremony and your commitment,” Swartz said. “It is what makes a community out of individuals and binds us together as ������Ƶ.”

Welcome to ������Ƶ! 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’s Torah portion (parshah) is called . Ki Teitzei means “when you go out”. 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’m going to go out on a limb and say that while I imagine that moving into ������Ƶ may have been a rough or challenging experience for many of you, it probably didn’t 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 ������Ƶ. says “If you see your brother’s [or your fellow’s] donkey or ox fallen on the road, do not ignore it; you must raise it together.”
At first glance, this verse may not appear to be relevant to our lives. I am unaware of any donkeys or oxen present on ������Ƶ’s 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 () – an ancient collection of commentary on rabbinic law considered authoritative for traditional observance even today – connects this passage with a similar passage from : “When you see a donkey of your enemy lying under its burden and would refrain from raising it, you must nevertheless help raise it.”

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’s 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 – 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 – all of the Jewish people are responsible for one another. I believe that forming relationships – with mentors and with each other – 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’re 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 ������Ƶ. We’re here to help you let go of or manage the burdens you don’t 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.

Nearly 1,600 new ������Ƶ students gathered Under the Oaks for New Student Convocation on Saturday, Aug. 22, marking the formal beginning of their academic journey and receiving a challenge to embrace the “enormous opportunity of an ������Ƶ education.”

“We are intentionally seated here, under this beautiful canopy of century-old oak trees,” said Book. “These oak trees have weathered challenges and withstood change. They are symbolic of a strength that will unfold in each of you in the years ahead.”

A celebration of who you are

Rev. Kirstin Boswell, university chaplain and dean of multifaith engagement, opened the annual ceremony with the invocation, reminding students of this special moment in their life and college experience.

“It is a celebration of who you are—and who you are becoming,” said Boswell. “You have arrived at this place, at this crossroads, from which you will embark upon a journey that will increasingly become your own. So, begin from a place of confident centeredness.”

On their way to the ceremony from Alumni Gym, students walked through Alamance Building and passed the bell that once hung in Old Main before the building was destroyed by fire in 1923.

Vice President for Student Life Jon Dooley used the history of the bell to remind students that ������Ƶ’s recovery from that devastating fire was possible because members of the community came together. Classes resumed within a day, and Commencement was held Under the Oaks that spring.

“That’s what that bell actually stands for,” Dooley said. “Not that hard things happen, you already know that. It’s that ������Ƶ has never rebuilt alone, and neither will you.”

Dooley encouraged students to build relationships with classmates, including those whose backgrounds and perspectives may differ from their own.

“The cure for loneliness, the real key to building community, isn’t finding people who agree with you; it’s finding people who take the time to actually get to know you, including the ones who don’t see it your way,” Dooley said. “Spend your time focused on the person you’re with, instead of the phone you’re carrying.”

Meet the Class of 2030

The nearly 1,600 new undergraduates at Convocation include members of the Class of 2030 and 80 students transferring to ������Ƶ from other institutions. The new students represent 40 states and 19 countries, including Spain, Singapore, Norway, Serbia, South Korea, China and New Zealand. Among them are 203 first-generation college students.

Vice President for Inclusive Excellence Randy Williams spoke of the “breadth and depth of the experience of our new students,” highlighting four students who represent the “well-rounded, talented, and compassionate” Class of 2030

• Josh Cox ’30 from Wilmington, Delaware plans to study engineering, and was a decorated high school athlete in football and track at Archmere Academy, where he was also recognized for his academic accomplishments with an AP Scholar Award. Cox has completed annual athletic training internships with the NFL Los Angeles Rams every year since 2018. He was also selected to participate iExplorers Post 9-week course on government-grade aircraft manufacturing.
• Laura Kate Galbreath ’30 is a high-level cyclist from Greenville, South Carolina who plans to study business analytics & AI. In 2023 she competed in the USA Cycling Amateur and Junior Road National Championships, demonstrating her well-rounded skills by finishing 3rd in the road race, 4th in the time trial, and 5th in the criterium. She’s also a cellist with her school’s chamber orchestra and taught leadership through mountain biking to younger girls in her hometown through the GRIT program.
• Anna Gratz ’30 from Sugar Land, Texas plans to major in public health studies and is this year’s recipient of the William R. Kenan Honors Scholarship, ������Ƶ’s highest academic award.  She earned the Girl Scouts Gold Award and developed a toolkit to help children with disabilities to explain their disabilities to classmates, along with a website that she shared with Texas Children’s Hospital, school counselors nationwide and disability advocates.
• Binita Shaw ’30 from Udhailiyah, Saudi Arabia plans to major in biology and graduated from Western Reserve Academy high school in Hudson, Ohio. Binita has been involved in immunology research on neuroblastoma, including studying the CRISPR knockout effects of a Glioblastoma gene through Cleveland Clinic, presenting the results at a national scientific conference, and publishing the study in the Journal of Immunology. She was also recognized for her efforts to secure a grant to support Read Nepal, an organization for which she served as a science and math tutor.

Students were also introduced to the faculty members who will help guide their academic experiences. Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Rebecca Kohn and Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs Deandra Little highlighted ������Ƶ’s teacher-scholar-mentor model and recognized four 2026 faculty award recipients: Scott Proudfit, associate professor and chair of English; Sandy Marshall, associate professor of geography; Ryan Johnson, associate professor and chair of philosophy; and Sandra Reid, associate teaching professor of human service studies.

Kohn encouraged students to get to know their professors, seek assistance when they need it and fully engage with their courses.

“������Ƶ has never rebuilt alone, and neither will you.”

Jon Dooley, vice president for student life

Keep moving

That message of relying on others was also at the center of remarks from Student Government Association President Michael Swartz ’27. He recalled struggling in a course during his first semester and wondering whether he belonged at ������Ƶ.

Rather than dropping the course, Swartz followed his parents’ advice to stay, seek assistance and give the class his best effort.

“I learned that asking for help is not proof that you are unprepared,” Swartz said. “But often, it is the first sign that you are ready to grow.”

Three years later, Swartz told the new students that the experience taught him a lesson extending far beyond the grade he eventually earned: don’t let challenges get you down.

“Remember that the goal is never to walk perfectly,” Swartz said. “It is to get back up, laugh when you can, accept the hand beside you, and keep moving.”

In her address, President Book emphasized that while students will learn about new technologies and the latest discoveries in their fields, an ������Ƶ education remains centered on human values and relationships, and a “very real sense of your own power, your own human intelligence to shape the future.”

“At the core of ������Ƶ are the fundamental values of honesty, integrity, responsibility and respect. Values embraced in our honor code. Human values that are impossible to capture via artificial intelligence,” said Book.

A symbol of hope

Book also led students through a “human bar graph,” an exercise illustrating the opportunity represented by attending a private, residential university and the network of faculty and staff prepared to support them. As she instructed groups of students to stand as representatives of different groups such as those who attend community college, four-year public schools, private universities, etc., one student, Ava Hunter ’30, was left standing representing “private, residential colleges and universities like ������Ƶ.”

“Ava, you symbolize the hope expressed in the model we have designed and deliver here at ������Ƶ,” Book said.

At the conclusion of Convocation, students received an acorn, an ������Ƶ tradition symbolizing the beginning of their growth at the university. In four years, the Class of 2030 will be Under the Oaks again for Senior Baccalaureate, where they will receive an oak sapling.

The ceremony concluded with a musical performance by Jocelyn Bogart, Maya Spencer and Keller Knight and the singing of ������Ƶ’s alma mater before students recessed through a line of faculty members.

Book left the Class of 2030 with a challenge to take ownership of their journey.

“This enormous opportunity of an ������Ƶ education requires action on your part, a commitment to taking full advantage of all we have here,” Book said. “We invite you to a powerful journey of questions and curiosity that will shine new light and new understanding.”

Nearly 1,600 new students arrived at ������Ƶ on Friday, Aug. 21, as the university welcomed the Class of 2030.

Despite a mix of rain and sunshine, staff members in Student Life and Residence Life worked to make the Move-In Day process as seamless as possible for students and their families. Student organizations and ������Ƶ Athletics teams also lent a hand, helping unload vehicles and carry students’ belongings into their new homes.

Familiar items in a new home

For many members of the Class of 2030, those belongings include more than the essentials for college life. As they begin a new chapter at ������Ƶ, students brought photographs, books, keepsakes and other reminders of the people and places they call home.

Ale Furano ’30 arrived at ������Ƶ from Greenwich, Connecticut, with three Polaroid photos of his family and friends. A Communications Fellow who plans to study sport management, Furano said he is looking forward to the opportunities ahead.

“I’m excited to meet new people and have a great opportunity and a new way of life,” Furano said. “I think the opportunities at ������Ƶ are really great, especially in the sport management field.”

Avery McTigue ’30, who plans to study nursing, is looking forward to joining clubs and organizations and exploring study abroad opportunities. Among the items making her new room feel more like home is an ������Ƶ-themed Jellycat plush toy with a special connection to her friends.

“The special item I brought from home is my ������Ƶ ‘Jellycat,’” said McTigue, who is from Bergen County, New Jersey. “My friends threw a ‘bed party’ for me, and it reminds me of them. Basically, they decorate your whole room, and it’s all ������Ƶ stuff.”

For George Schneider ’30, from Seattle, Washington, the move to ������Ƶ meant finding room for his vinyl collection. Schneider chose ������Ƶ because of its acting program. The Princeton Review recently ranked ������Ƶ No. 1 for Best College Theater, while The Hollywood Reporter included ������Ƶ on its list of the “25 Best Drama Schools in the World.”

“I’m very excited to be independent and expand on my training,” Schneider said. “I brought my record player and about 20 of my records. I knew I wasn’t going to bring a lot for my room, but I wanted to bring something to remember home by.”

An avid reader, Ryan Parker ’30, who plans to study journalism, made sure one of her books made the trip from Dallas, Texas. For Parker, attending ������Ƶ also means experiencing a new part of the country.

“I chose ������Ƶ because I felt it was the best for me, and I felt it would be a good transition as well,” Parker said. “I’m most excited to meet new people, especially being from Texas and being in a different part of the country.”

A class from around the world

The students arriving on campus bring a wide range of backgrounds, experiences and academic interests. Members of the incoming class come from 40 states and Washington, D.C., as well as 19 countries, including Singapore, Spain, Norway, Canada, Serbia, South Korea, China and New Zealand.

The most represented states are North Carolina, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Maryland, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Georgia and Illinois.

Fourteen percent of incoming students are the first in their families to attend college. The class also enters ������Ƶ with a strong academic record, with an average high school GPA of 4.09.

Students are bringing a broad range of academic interests to campus. The 10 most popular intended majors among incoming students are psychology, finance, biology, business analytics & AI, marketing, nursing, exercise science, elementary education, sport management and political science.

Several programs are seeing notable increases in interest compared with last year’s incoming class. The number of new students intending to major in elementary education increased 41%, while finance increased 39% and biology increased 16%.

The community classroom experience

Those statistics are reflected in the individual journeys bringing students to ������Ƶ.

Alexis Jacobs ’30 of Westport, Connecticut, was drawn to the university because of its size and sense of community. To personalize her new space, Jacobs brought handmade frames filled with reminders of the people, places and experiences important to her.

“I made these frames with different prints, photos, places I’ve been and family members,” Jacobs said.

Peter Matijevic ’30, who plans to study business analytics and applied mathematics, brought a reminder of his Massachusetts roots: a Drake Maye NFL jersey.

“It reminds me of Massachusetts and my favorite NFL player,” Matijevic said. “I chose ������Ƶ because it’s a beautiful campus and has small classes, so I could get to know my teachers.”

������Ƶ’s teacher-scholar-mentor model among its faculty is a touchstone of the university’s academic experience. For five years in a row, ������Ƶ has been ranked best in the nation for undergraduate teaching, and The Princeton Review recently ranked the university as No. 4 Best Classroom Experience.

Following Move-In Day, students attend New Student Orientation, including New Student Convocation on Saturday, Aug. 22.

Related Articles

• Visionary investment establishes Roberts Academy at ������Ƶ for children with dyslexia
• First home for Roberts Academy now ‘art in the making’
• Roberts Academy selects inaugural teaching faculty

The Roberts Academy at ������Ƶ, North Carolina’s first and only university-based private school for children with dyslexia, opened its doors to its inaugural class on Tuesday, Aug. 18, marking a milestone in ������Ƶ’s efforts to transform literacy education.

The school, established through the philanthropic vision of Marjorie and Hal Roberts, will serve as a statewide and national model for structured literacy education. The Robertses have witnessed firsthand the transformative power a multisensory approach to reading education can have for children with dyslexia.

“Opening Roberts Academy is more than the start of a new school year — it is the realization of a vision rooted in possibility,” said Alicia Tate, acting director of Roberts Academy at ������Ƶ. “We are honored to welcome our inaugural class and are excited to build a community where every student is known, challenged, encouraged and given the opportunity to thrive. This is only the beginning, and we cannot wait to see where this journey leads our students and their families.”

Students arriving Tuesday were greeted by faculty from the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education, ������Ƶ staff members and members of the university’s dance and cheer teams, creating a celebratory welcome for the academy’s first students.

“I’m most excited to know about my school and the chance to have a brand-new start,” one Roberts Academy student said.

Discover a love of learning

Roberts Academy is initially welcoming students in third and fourth grades at its temporary home on West Trollinger Avenue in ������Ƶ. The academy will eventually expand to serve students in grades one through six in a state-of-the-art facility planned for East Haggard Avenue, scheduled to open in fall 2028.

Designed as a transitional school, Roberts Academy will typically serve students for one to three years before they return to their community schools with the skills and confidence to succeed as scholars, entrepreneurs and civic leaders.

Teachers will use the Orton-Gillingham approach, a structured, multisensory method of literacy instruction designed to help students with dyslexia develop stronger reading and language skills.

For Bella Martino ’26, a Roberts Academy teacher who graduated from ������Ƶ with dual licensure in K-6 general education and special education, the school offers an opportunity to help students develop not only their reading skills but also their enthusiasm for learning.

“I really want to see them enjoy school. I want them to enjoy this as a place. I want them to like learning,” Martino said. “I’m just really looking forward to seeing them grow as learners, especially provided that all of our students are going to have some level of learning difficulties as it relates to reading. I’m really looking forward to helping them rediscover a love of reading.”

That hope is shared by the parents who brought their children to Roberts Academy for the first day.

“The most exciting thing about it is for my son to be excited about school, about learning, about feeling confident, about realizing that it’s OK the way his brain is wired and he’s going to learn how that works, and then he’s going to be able to soar,” one parent said.

Investing in a child’s future

For Donnielle Rome-Martin, finding Roberts Academy followed a long search for the right educational environment for her daughter, whose goal is to become a “bookworm.”

Rome-Martin said she struggled to find the support her daughter needed, with other programs focused on accommodating her dyslexia rather than helping her develop the skills to overcome the challenges she was experiencing.

“My heart breaks when she tells me she’s stupid. She’s not stupid,” Rome-Martin said. “The idea that a young little girl at this small age could think that she’s stupid made me so scared for what the future is going to look like. This cannot happen.”

When Rome-Martin toured Roberts Academy, she said she immediately noticed a different approach, one focused on her daughter’s potential rather than her limitations.

“What I fell in love with was the way the staff spoke about dyslexia and the way they spoke about her future,” Rome-Martin said. “This was a passion, and they were invested in this from day one. That’s all I ever wanted, was someone to invest in my daughter like I do.”

That commitment led Rome-Martin to make a significant commitment of her own. She will travel nearly two hours each way to bring her daughter to Roberts Academy each day, a decision she said was affirmed when she watched her daughter walk into school on the first morning.

“What amazed me is we were walking into the parking lot, and we walked up, and she didn’t look back,” Rome-Martin said. “That made me feel really good that she didn’t look back as she walked off because I think she knows that she is going to be OK.”

Alumni, parents and friends of ������Ƶ are invited to come together for an Evening for ������Ƶ in Chicago. Connect with fellow members of the ������Ƶ community and hear a few highlights from campus.

The event will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 6, at the Chicago Cultural Center. Join us at 6:30 p.m. for a reception featuring a hosted bar and hors d’oeuvres before gathering for a special program at 7:30 p.m. with remarks from President Connie Ledoux Book.

Evening for ������Ƶ in Chicago with President Connie L. Book 
Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026
6:30 p.m. Hosted reception with hors d’oeuvres
7:30 p.m. Program with remarks by President Book

Chicago Cultural Center
77 East Randolph Street
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Business attire
Cocktail reception with hors d’oeuvres

Register at  or contact advancement@elon.edu.

The incoming class represents a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, with students coming to ������Ƶ from 40 states and Washington, D.C., as well as 19 countries. Among the countries represented are Singapore, Spain, Norway, Canada, Serbia, South Korea, China and New Zealand.

Fourteen percent of incoming students are the first in their families to attend college. The class also enters ������Ƶ with a strong academic record, with an average high school GPA of 4.09.

The most represented states include North Carolina, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Maryland, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Georgia and Illinois.

Students are bringing a broad range of academic interests to campus. The 10 most popular intended majors among incoming students are psychology, finance, biology, business analytics, marketing, nursing, exercise science, elementary education, sport management and political science.

Several programs are seeing notable increases in interest compared with last year’s incoming class. The number of new students intending to major in elementary education increased 41%, while finance increased 39% and biology increased 16%.

The Class of 2030 will arrive on campus Friday, Aug. 21 for Move-In Day, kicking off New Student Orientation and the start of their ������Ƶ journey.

Friday, Aug. 21
Move-In Day

All students will be assigned a specific move-in time, which can be found on their Acorn Account. Upon arriving to campus, students and families must report to central check-in at Schar Center. Students will then receive orientation materials and directions to their move-in location. Each neighborhood has specific driving directions, which can be viewed on the map below.

New Student Orientation

All new students are required to attend new student orientation, which starts on the afternoon of Friday, Aug. 21, and goes through Monday, Aug. 24. On Friday, students will meet their orientation leader for the first time and, throughout orientation, they will have multiple opportunities to interact with their orientation leaders. More activities on Friday include students learning about their residential neighborhood or campus community (for off-campus students) and having fun at Late Night ������Ƶ.

Saturday, Aug. 22
New Student Convocation

The Class of 2030 will be welcomed to the university Under the Oaks by President Connie Ledoux Book during New Student Convocation on Saturday, Aug. 22. Students will first meet in Alumni Gym at 8 a.m. and hear from Jon Dooley, vice president of student life, before walking through Alamance Building and gathering with friends and families Under the Oaks. During the procession, students will pass the bell that hung in “Old Main” before the building was destroyed in the fire of 1923.

If family members want a bite to eat before New Student Convocation, they can stop by the special Parent and Family College Coffee in Citrone Plaza. College Coffee brings together students, faculty and staff each week for food and fellowship.

During convocation, students will receive their acorns, an ������Ƶ tradition since 1999, which symbolizes the beginning of their ������Ƶ journey. As they prepare to graduate in spring 2030, students will receive an oak sapling at the Numen Lumen: Senior Baccalaureate, a symbol of their transformation during their time at the university.

Later in the day, students can meet with their academic advisors and ������Ƶ 1010 Peer Educators and then say goodbye during the Family Send-Off Picnic at several locations: West Koury Lawn, West Moseley Lawn and Martin Alumni Center Wristbands are required and can be purchased at the Orientation Headquarters in the Moseley Student Center. Students eat for free with a meal plan.

Events are planned for families throughout New Student Orientation. However, if families cannot attend, they can always reach out to the Office of Parent Engagement with questions or concerns. Students have additional programming that afternoon and into the evening starting at 4:00 p.m. Orientation events are mandatory for all new students.

Monday, Aug. 24
Call to Honor

On Monday, all new students will commit to the university’s Honor Code with the Call to Honor at 9:30 a.m. in Alumni Gym. Each incoming class represents one of the four pillars of the ������Ƶ Honor Code: honesty, integrity, responsibility and respect. Students sign their name on a poster with the ������Ƶ Honor Code and receive a coin with the word “honor” engraved on it. Several other sessions are planned throughout the day, ending with a mesmerizing hypnotist show in Alumni Gym.

Classes begin on Tuesday, Aug. 25.

University Chaplain and Dean of Multifaith Engagement Rev. Kirstin Boswell opened the event with the invocation, followed by the tradition of the bell ringing by Student Government Association President Michael Swartz ’27. The bell arrived in North Carolina in 1854 on one of the first North Carolina railroad trains. It was later used at Graham College, a predecessor institution to ������Ƶ College.

During the event, three individuals with strong ties to the university were awarded the ������Ƶ Medallion, the university’s most prestigious service honor: Jim Donathan, longtime associate director of academic advising and academic support; Mary Thornton, founder and president of Harvest Table Culinary Group; and Don Grady, associate professor emeritus of cinema and television arts.

Katy Rouse, professor of economics in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business, was named the Trustee Chair for Excellence. For seventeen years, Rouse has taught ������Ƶ’s Principles of Economics and Intermediate Microeconomics courses, along with a capstone she built herself on educational disparities in the United States, earning student evaluations among the highest in her department for more than a decade.

She has personally mentored more than 30 senior and honors theses, co-authored research with undergraduates, chaired the Love School’s curriculum committee and published her teaching scholarship in the Journal of Economic Education.

“I truly believe that being a teacher scholar mentor at ������Ƶ is one of the best careers I’m going to have,” Rouse said. “Every day we come to work, we have the opportunity to make a lasting impact on students during one of the most pivotal points in their lives.”

Mapping the course

During her annual Opening Day address, Book reflected on ������Ƶ’s progress while looking toward a year that will include the launch of new academic initiatives, continued work surrounding artificial intelligence, the opening of the Roberts Academy and the planned merger with Queens University of Charlotte.

Book centered her remarks around the idea of a map — the markers that show where ������Ƶ has been and the guideposts that will help the university navigate what comes next. The theme was inspired by a visit this summer to ������Ƶ students participating in the Summer Opera Workshop at the Accademia Europea di Firenze. The students came together for a historic production of “The Light in the Piazza” in Florence, Italy, where the musical is set.

As part of their work, students were also tasked with creating a map of the city, something that inspired Book.

“There is something powerful in this mapmaking assignment, and it left me wondering about our collective ������Ƶ map,” Book said. “How would we each draw it?”

At the center of that map, Book said, is ������Ƶ’s mission. She highlighted several markers of progress during the past year, including the Odyssey Program surpassing 300 scholarships, record participation in undergraduate research, strong Fulbright success and new academic programs, including cybersecurity, Clinical Mental Health Counseling and the Charlotte PA program. She also celebrated the upcoming launch of the School of Engineering and Computing under inaugural Dean John Walz and the growth of the university’s nursing program.

Mapping new territory (together)

On Tuesday, Aug. 18, the first students of the Roberts Academy at ������Ƶ will arrive at the school’s temporary home in Trollinger House. The school will be the state’s only university-based private school for children with dyslexia. Book described the academy and the Center for Dyslexia and Engaged Learning as an opportunity that “will change lives from day one.”

Among the most significant new territory is ������Ƶ’s planned merger with Queens University of Charlotte. Book noted that the institutions received accreditation approval this summer to proceed with their merger, with a single Board of Trustees now overseeing both universities. Sixteen administrative units are also becoming shared teams supporting the two campuses, while a federal review of the merger is expected to take 18 to 24 months.

Megan Isaac, professor of English, and Senior Vice President for Advancement and External Affairs Jim Piatt gave brief updates on the merger as part of the SOAR Strategic Planning Committee.

“Our two institutions will be stronger together, will better serve students together, and will have a brighter future together,” Book said. “And now, we are working to build that vision together, to grow opportunity to advance learning — together.”

Mapping a new look

Athletics Director Jennifer Strawley was also invited to the stage to announce a for the university’s athletics program, which had what Book called a “formidable year,” with seven ������Ƶ teams, the most in the university’s history, winning conference titles. A new physical mascot will be unveiled at the first College Coffee of the academic year on Aug. 25.

“The new Phoenix wears a gold sweater with a monogram ‘E,’ paying tribute to our first mascot, the Fighting Christian,” Strawley said. “The focused expression conveys the determination, confidence and purpose that defines our university community. The Phoenix continues to be fueled by the flames, symbolizing our rebuild from the ashes, and capturing the spirit and resilience of the ������Ƶ community.”

Book acknowledged that the changing higher education landscape brings challenges, from enrollment pressures and federal regulations to declining public confidence. But she reminded faculty and staff that adapting to change has long been part of ������Ƶ’s history.

“I understand change can be daunting. Shifting national headwinds are challenging higher education,” Book said. “Fortunately for us, ������Ƶ has never succeeded by standing still. We’ve joined together, developed new strategies and guided by our mission — built the number one institution for engaged learning and student success.”

She closed by returning to the journey ahead, and the role faculty and staff play in shaping the lives of ������Ƶ students.

“It is not simply education; it is a journey of human transformation,” Book said. “Thank you for the everyday commitment, kindness and integrity that are our enduring guideposts.”

Jim Donathan, longtime associate director of academic advising and academic support; Mary Thornton, founder and president of Harvest Table Culinary Group; and Don Grady, associate professor emeritus of cinema and television arts, heard from former mentors, friends and colleagues before being bestowed the honor by ������Ƶ President Connie Ledoux Book.

Jim Donathan

Jim Donathan arrived to ������Ƶ in 1994 as associate director of academic advising and director of academic support, drawn specifically to work with mentor Lela Faye Rich. He carried the largest advising load in his department, taught ������Ƶ 101 (now ������Ƶ 1010), and was known for his sustained support of students on academic probation and for mentoring students well beyond the classroom.

Rich, who served ������Ƶ for 29 years and received the ������Ƶ Medallion in 2008, read Donathan’s citation for the award.

“Jim Donathan is the only one on this stage that has two medallions. I just happen to be wearing one of them,” Rich said. “In the advising center, I was the loudmouth. I was a loud-mouthed advocate for students. Jim was the listener. The heart, the soul of academic advising. Without his total commitment to students’ success, to our academic advising staff, to mastering all those intricacies of creating an online degree audit. I would never have received this medallion.”

Donathan advised ������Ƶ’s chapter of Kappa Alpha Order for 25 years and received the university’s Ward Family Excellence in Mentoring Award in 2012. His mentorship of one ������Ƶ family led to the establishment of the Donathan-McAllister Endowed Scholarship in his honor. He retired in 2020, having shaped the academic support and mentoring experience for generations of ������Ƶ students.

“I recently came across this quote from one of my favorite novelists, Pat Conroy: ‘I had read like a man on fire my whole life, because the genius of English teachers touched me with the dazzling beauty of language,’” said Donathan when accepting the honor. “������Ƶ does that for students. It touches them with the dazzling beauty of language. That might be the language of literature or biology, or political science, or art history, or so many other disciplines. Students can carry that language into their lives and into their future.”

Mary Thornton

Mary Thornton is the founder and president of Harvest Table Culinary Group, the dining partner that has served ������Ƶ since the company’s founding. She spent years in leadership roles at Aramark, including vice president of compliance beginning in 2007, before proposing in 2016 the creation of a culinary group built around healthy, sustainable food and transparency about where food comes from.

Harvest Table launched in 2018 as an independent division of Aramark, with ������Ƶ among its earliest partner institutions alongside Wake Forest and the University of Rochester. Under her leadership, Harvest Table has emphasized locally sourced ingredients, chef-driven menus tailored to each campus, and deeper engagement with student communities.

“Highly respected for her work ethic, expertise, relentless commitment to excellence, Mary has demonstrated a deep understanding of ������Ƶ’s mission and the critical role dining plays in building community and contributing to a welcoming campus environment,” said Janet Williams, vice president for finance and administration and chief financial officer.

Most recently, Harvest Table Culinary Group made a gift supporting ������Ƶ’s Slattery Center, reflecting the company’s ongoing commitment to student health and wellness. Her partnership has helped shape the dining experience for generations of ������Ƶ students.

“I accept this medallion with humility and deep appreciation and as a reminder to continue serving others, leading with purpose and striving to make a positive difference,” said Thornton, upon accepting the award. “Thank you very much for this incredible honor. It means more to me than words can express.”

Don Grady

Don Grady served ������Ƶ for 35 years. He arrived in 1985, before ������Ƶ had a formal communications department, and taught broadcast courses and senior capstone classes throughout his career. He chaired the communications department from 1987–1993 and again from 2004–2009, became associate dean in 2010, and helped guide creation of the nation’s first undergraduate major in media analytics. He was twice elected to the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications and received the Broadcast Education Association’s Distinguished Education Service Award in 2022.

Gerald Gibson, the university’s first full-time communications professor and Grady’s undergraduate roommate at NC State University, read Grady’s citation.

“Dr. Grady distinguished himself as an outstanding teacher, mentor, and advisor, by teaching broadcasting, senior research capstone, … and study abroad courses, supervising as many as 50 internships a year,” said Gibson. “Mentoring students through research, internships, and professional employment, leading study abroad programs in Great Britain and Europe, and becoming much loved by students who sought him out for guidance, encouragement, and wise counsel, even long after graduation.”

Grady’s administrative leadership and personal investment in students and faculty helped build ������Ƶ’s School of Communications into a nationally recognized program. He retired in 2020, leaving a legacy colleagues describe as foundational to the school’s success.

“So many of our graduates (are) doing great work in media markets all over the country. 
They’re the reason we do this work,” Grady said. “Toward the end of my time, it was my privilege to regularly teach the senior theory and research capstone course that gave students the opportunity to dig into why communication professionals do what they do, and how what they do ripples through the lives of individuals and society.”

They were selected from a record pool of more than 230 applicants to the part-time, evening, in-person program hosted at ������Ƶ’s Charlotte Center.

Nearly 120 students are enrolled in the program as it enters its third year. Designed for place-bound students balancing law school with jobs and other commitments, the Flex Program offers a path to a law degree that can be completed in about three years and eight months — meaning this year’s new students could graduate as soon as March 2030 — with the flexibility to adjust their pace and extend studies if needed.

Vice Dean and Professor of Law Alan Woodlief welcomed the class during Convocation ceremonies on Aug. 10 highlighting the academic achievement and professional experience its members bring to ������Ƶ Law.

“You were selected based on your many prior achievements, your demonstrated passion for studying law, and your immense potential for success in law school and in serving others through the legal profession,” Woodlief said. “You should be proud of your admission to the Flex Program and motivated to live up to the high expectations we have for you.”

48 — Total Enrollment of the Entering Class of Fall 2026

154 — Median LSAT

66% Female | 34% Male

31% — Students of Color

29 — Average Age

20+ — Members holding advanced degrees

27% — First-Generation College Students

Nearly 90% of incoming students are the first in their families to attend law school.

Broad professional and educational experience

Entering Flex Program students earned undergraduate degrees from 34 colleges and universities. The institutions most represented in the class include:

• UNC-Chapel Hill with six students;
• UNC Charlotte with four;
• Appalachian State University and the University of South Carolina with three students each, and;
• North Carolina State University and Winthrop University with two students each.

More than 20 undergraduate majors are represented, ranging from art history to zoology. Political science is the most common major, with 12 students, followed by criminal justice with five, psychology with four and business with three.

Two members of the class have served in the military, and several competed as varsity athletes.

The class also brings substantial professional experience to the classroom. Eleven students — 23% of the class — already work in the legal field, including as paralegals and legal assistants. Others have built careers in banking and finance, real estate, nursing, journalism, teaching and sports coaching.

The class also reflects the Flex Program’s strong regional ties. Eighty percent of students are from North Carolina, while five are from South Carolina. Other members of the class come from Utah, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania and Florida.

“We look forward to witnessing firsthand your accomplishments to come — over the next four years and throughout your careers as ������Ƶ lawyers — as you channel this energy, focus, and commitment to excellence and service in your new chosen profession as pioneering lawyer leaders,” Woodlief said.