The camp, AI Play, is led by the university鈥檚 computer science department, teaches middle school students about artificial intelligence through hands-on learning and digital game design.

Alexis Goslen, assistant professor of computer science and director of the camp, said it is important to introduce kids to the basics of AI because they are exposed to it in their everyday lives.

“The cool thing is to get them to understand how those technologies are working,鈥� Goslen told WXII. “Then they could maybe decide what they want to do with it and make informed decisions about it.”

How the course works

The capstone experience spans two courses. In the winter term, GAM 4100, cross-disciplinary teams form and move through pre-production 鈥� developing concepts, building early prototypes and laying out a project plan. In GAM 4200 during the spring semester, those same teams advance through the full production pipeline: pre-alpha, alpha, pre-beta, beta, gold master and release.

Throughout both semesters, teams follow the Scrum framework 鈥� holding sprints, daily standups and milestone reviews like a professional studio would. Students take on defined roles in the development process, including programmer, level designer, environment designer, and narrative designer, and are accountable for delivering at each stage.

“I think the ultimate skills gained from the capstone experience are working under constraints and collaboration,” said Pratheep Paranthaman, associate professor of computer science and coordinator of the game design minor. “We don’t always know what technical complexities we’ll run into, or what might slow the development process. But that’s where the real learning happens 鈥� solving the unknown, working through an ambiguous development landscape.”

The games

鈥� Angry Sea Studios

鈥淵our Friend, Sam鈥� is a mystery adventure and puzzle game, where players return as the childhood friend of a boy who vanished a decade ago. Collecting clues, solving puzzles, and fighting off corrupted creatures, players work to piece together what happened. The game launched on April 29.

For Aidan Spoerndle ’27, who served as a gameplay programmer on the project, seeing it go live was the payoff for months of sustained work.

“It feels really exciting to have a project that I tirelessly worked months creating actually be published for everyone to play,” Spoerndle said.

Keeping the technical scope in check, he said, was what made it achievable.

“There’s no such thing as a small game,鈥� Spoerndle said. 鈥淭he reason we were able to accomplish so much in such a short amount of time was that we kept the technical aspects enclosed in a smaller scope and allowed our narrative and art elements to exist in a larger scope.”

Carter Puckett ’26, also a gameplay programmer on the team, says the minor’s coursework prepared the team for what production actually demands.

“The minor helped me understand the full process of making a game 鈥� game design principles that make games fun, playable, and achievable,鈥� Puckett said “In game development, you will always run into things that you are unfamiliar with or don’t know how to do. 鈥淜nowing how to do research and use online resources is essential to improving your skills.”

鈥� InDecision Studio

鈥淥nslaught鈥� is an action-adventure game set in Betham, a decaying western mining town suspended above a sea of clouds. Players take on fighting toward Sanctuary, climbing and battling through vertical environments in third-person combat while managing resources against escalating enemies. It was released on May 14.

Owen Crider ’26, who served as a level designer, says the production process that never quite ran smoothly 鈥� and a team that worked through it anyway.

“We encountered a lot of bugs, and even though it seemed like every week there was something new to deal with, we always sorted it out,” Crider said. “I also learned how important it is to always be talking to your team.”

Beyond the technical work, Crider said, the program offered something harder to quantify.

“The game design program for me is really a community,鈥� Crider said. 鈥淚’ve built lots of friendships with people who are funny and helpful. Since everyone knows the problems and how tough it is to make a game, everyone is encouraging of one another.”

Noah Gartenberg ’27 says game development also comes with intense demands.

鈥淭here are so many different parts and finding ways to conserve energy and momentum becomes extremely important despite any and all setbacks,” Gartenberg said. “You need to rely on and trust whoever you are working with, because that is the only way to make any sizable game in any decent amount of time without burnout.”

鈥淏ack In my Day,鈥� is a strategy-puzzle game built around an unusual mechanic: time only moves when the player moves. Players guide a grandma home from work through levels that mix puzzle logic and projectile-based encounters. The game was

released on May 5.

What students take away

Several students pointed to the game design minor’s coursework 鈥� and its faculty 鈥� as what made the capstone possible.

“All of the knowledge and expertise from Dr. Paranthaman and Professor Hollingsworth helped me think through various problems in ways I never would have without the courses,” Spoerndle said.

Puckett encourages other students to add game design as a minor.

“Every class in the game design minor was the class I most looked forward to that day,鈥� Puckett said. 鈥淚 hope that if any 乱伦视频 student has any interest in making games, they try out the game design minor because it is a great opportunity.”

Noah Gartenberg says the class left him ready for more.

“In the minor, we learned various aspects of working in modern game engines, and we learned the fundamentals of game design, in addition to how to work with others who may not come from the same disciplines as we do,鈥� Gartenberg said.聽 鈥淢any of the classes left me with a whetted appetite for more game development, more creativity, more discussion with like-minded individuals. The program succeeds at teaching how to make games 鈥� in spades.”

That breadth of games is intentional, and the program’s aim is never purely technical.

“Our goal is to make not only game developers, but also project managers 鈥� people with leadership skills in decision-making and problem solving,鈥� Paranthaman said. 鈥淭he central core of what we do is student learning, community, and creative ownership: giving students the space to build something real, together, and see it through to the end.”

Looking ahead, Paranthaman says the program will continue to grow its library of published titles and deepen the studio simulation experience 鈥� building transferable skills in project management, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and problem solving that students can carry into adjacent industries, from software development and UX design to film production and beyond.

“Publishing twelve games on Steam is a milestone worth noting,” Paranthaman said. “But what it really represents is twelve teams of students who learned that they could start something hard and finish it. That’s the skill we’re building.”

All 12 games published by 乱伦视频 game design minor students are free to play on Steam.

Crowley’s research focuses on queer and trans communities, particularly in the U.S. South, and the ways language evolves. Over the past several years, trans people have gained greater public visibility, which, Crowley says, has sparked debates about language.

鈥淗ow do trans people want people to refer to us?鈥� Crowley asks. 鈥淲hat are the 鈥榗orrect鈥� ways to talk about transness?鈥�

While many people look to Crowley for answers to these questions, Crowley is not interested in coining new terms. Through interviews with members of queer and trans communities, Crowley has found that people navigate the ever-changing landscape of gender and language in different ways.

鈥淥ne interviewee said that if you’re about to say 鈥榯hank you, sir鈥� or 鈥榯hank you, ma鈥檃m鈥� to be polite, you could choose another phrase that conveys the same respect,鈥� Crowley said. 鈥淪omething like 鈥榯hank you so much.鈥欌��

At 乱伦视频, mentorship takes many forms. Before arriving at the university, Crowley found mentorship through Professor of Art History Kirstin Ringelberg.

During the interview process, Crowley was asked whether there was anyone on campus they would like to meet. They requested a conversation with a trans faculty member to gain insight into that experience at 乱伦视频.

Ringelberg, who has been a member of the 乱伦视频 faculty for more than 20 years, became an important resource.

鈥淜nowing that they’ve been here so long and have so much institutional memory has been a great fountain of knowledge for me, especially navigating this campus as a trans person,鈥� Crowley said.

Next year, Crowley will serve as coordinator of the Women’s, Gender and Sexualities Studies program. As they prepare for that role, they have looked to colleagues such as Ringelberg for guidance on creating spaces where queer and trans students, faculty and staff can thrive.

鈥淗iring Archie has helped with mentorship across campus,鈥� said Ringelberg, 鈥淎rchie is an incredible mentor, to our students and the way that Archie models positive but critical transness to our students is transformative .”

Like many 乱伦视频 faculty members, Crowley has also become a mentor to students.

During their first year of teaching at 乱伦视频, Crowley taught Azul Bellot ’26 in an introductory linguistics course. Bellot entered the class as a psychology major but became interested in linguistics through the course. With Crowley’s guidance, Bellot designed an independent major in sociolinguistics.

Then, for an independent research project, Bellot interviewed trans women and collected stories about their health care experiences. Bellot later presented the research at the Student Undergraduate Research Forum, the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience and the Women’s and Gender Studies South Conference.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really gratifying to be able to guide someone through that process and see them get excited,鈥� Crowley said.

For Crowley, Pride is more than a month-long celebration. Through their research, mentorship and work with the Women’s, Gender and Sexualities Studies program, they are helping build community where people feel seen, supported and heard.

Crowley keeps reminders of Pride’s history throughout their office, from a small brick they received at a Pride event in Alamance County to a poster commemorating the 1966 Compton’s Cafeteria Riot.

“The history of Pride is rooted in confrontation,鈥� Crowle said. 鈥淚t’s a celebration in the confrontation.”

乱伦视频 honors Pride Month stories

As part of LGBTQ+ Pride Month, 乱伦视频 is sharing stories through Today at 乱伦视频 that highlight students, faculty and staff who contribute to a campus environment where cultural identities and experiences are celebrated year-round. Throughout the month and year, 乱伦视频 also offers resources and events to support the LGBTQ+ community.

On Friday, June 12, students enrolled in the Study USA Washington, D.C. 鈥淐apital Connections鈥� program had the opportunity to visit the United States Capitol, where they learned more about Congress and the architectural history of the Capitol Building on a special tour organized by Jacob Stoken 鈥�22, policy aid to House of Representatives Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. After the tour, Stoken sat down with students in the leader鈥檚 office in the Capitol for an extended Q&A session, where he shared insights about getting started as a Congressional staffer and provided an inside perspective on how Congress operates day-to-day. After the Q&A, students traveled with Stoken to the Rayburn House Office Building for additional conversation.

Joel Shelton, faculty director for Study USA, Washington, D.C. and associate professor of political science and public policy, and Tom Kerr, assistant teaching professor in the Department of Political Science and Public Policy, joined students at the Capitol.

鈥淚 am exceedingly grateful to alumni like Jacob for supporting the 鈥楥apital Connections鈥� program in its first year,鈥� Shelton said. 鈥淚鈥檝e known Jacob since he was a student in my Philosophy, Politics, and Economics capstone course, and it is especially meaningful to see him thriving in Washington and to experience how generously he is mentoring the next generation of 乱伦视频 students.鈥�

The visit to the Capitol is part of the innovative curriculum for 鈥淐apital Connections:

Power, People, and Place in Washington, D.C.,鈥� is a place-based capstone seminar in the 乱伦视频 Core Curriculum that integrates classroom learning and direct engagement with D.C.鈥檚 institutions, cultural sites, and neighborhoods. Now in the fourth week of the nine-week program, students are busy interning in public and private sector institutions across the D.C. metro area, engaging with alumni, and attending special events and programming around Juneteenth and the upcoming 250th Independence Day celebration. This weekend, students will attend the Shakespeare Theatre Company鈥檚 widely acclaimed production of Othello and will join a special tour of Klein Theatre led by Company Manager Morgan Engle 鈥�22.

Students interested in this experience for summer 2027 may begin applying on Sept. 1. For more information about the program, contact Anna Smith, director of Study USA.

Cayden Tirak 鈥�28 and Myka Thomas 鈥�27 are the second and third 乱伦视频 students to receive the award, following Jules Levanti 鈥�25 in 2024. Tirak is also the youngest 乱伦视频 student to receive the award.

鈥淚t is really exciting to have won this grant, and the funding will be able to help me take this research project further,鈥� said Tirak, who is an astrophysics major and Honors Fellow studying 鈥済reen pea galaxies鈥� and the black holes at their center. 鈥淏eing able to say I won a research grant for my undergraduate project is a huge privilege and will help me in the future pursue my dreams of doing research as a career.鈥�

Tirak, who is from Lincolnton, North Carolina,聽is mentored by Chris Richardson, associate professor of astrophysics. Richardson says this achievement reflects her ambition.

鈥淚 am beyond thrilled for Cayden to earn this very competitive award, as it not only rewards the hard work she put into crafting the proposal, but will also enable her to create new opportunities to grow as a researcher,鈥� Richardson said.

Thomas, an astrophysics major and minor from Annapolis, Maryland, is using the James Webb Telescope鈥檚 OutThere survey to identify and group galaxies to build a catalog of these galaxy groups and study how they evolve.

鈥淚t feels incredible. Receiving this award opens up so many doors,聽from attending conferences to connecting with others in the field, and it’s validating to see how much work I’ve been putting in paying off,鈥� Thomas said.

Zack Hutchens, assistant professor of astrophysics and physics, says earning this award is a 鈥渟erious scientific achievement鈥� for Thomas.

鈥淲riting a proposal of this nature requires the student to carefully identify an open research question, design a feasible yet ambitious timeline and persuasively present the scientific case for answering it,鈥� said Hutchens. 鈥淭he award also speaks to the novelty of the work Myka is leading with JWST-OutThere. OutThere is one of the largest survey programs on the Webb telescope, and I am quite proud to bring it to 乱伦视频 for students like Myka to engage in.鈥�

The 12 Undergraduate Research Scholarship awardees receive $8,000 to spend on research. N.C. Space Grant is a state-wide network of North Carolina higher-education institutions, industries, government entities, educational programs and nonprofit partners with NASA-related interests. The organization works to promote, develop and support space-related STEM research, education and public outreach.

鈥淲e鈥檙e proud to assist these undergraduate students as they begin their research,鈥� said Sandy Canfield, assistant director of NC Space Grant. 鈥淚ncreasingly, we are seeing students integrate AI and machine learning into their聽work, which echoes emerging NASA and industry priorities.鈥�

Related Articles

• Strategic multifaith engagement shapes the 乱伦视频 campus experience
• 乱伦视频 students and faculty extend multifaith engagement to the community

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

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

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

Religion is anything

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Multifaith at home and abroad

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

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

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

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

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

Advancing Equity

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

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

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

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

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

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

鈥淭he Religious Studies Department at 乱伦视频 actively advances the goals of the multifaith strategic plan. It does so not through a single initiative, but through an ecosystem of mentorship, community engagement, creative coursework and genuine care,” said Carney.

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

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

This story is the fourth and final in a series of stories focusing on 乱伦视频鈥檚 Multifaith Strategic Plan.

The article, “,” was co-authored by Jennifer Stephens, director of Academic-Residential Partnerships and assistant professor of education; Jill McSweeney, assistant director of the Center for the Advancement of Teaching & Learning and assistant professor of wellness; Nina Namaste, professor of Spanish and assistant director of First-Year Seminars in the 乱伦视频 Core Curriculum; and Brandy S. Propst, director of 乱伦视频 1010 and assistant director of Academic Advising.

The collaborative nature of this work is, in itself, a unique reflection of 乱伦视频’s approach to the first-year experience, as it brings together offices across academic affairs and student life to create a unified and campus-wide ethos to the first-year experience, which they argue is essential but often missing in institutional approaches to the first-year experience.

The piece explores how institutions should view the first-year experience as a culmination beyond first-year seminars, and that in doing so, it requires us to see this as a unique pedagogical context that differs from teaching students in their sophomore to senior years of college. The authors present a framework for faculty development in First-Year Pedagogies, incorporating CATL’s Teaching for Equity and Inclusion work, and faculty, staff, and student data at 乱伦视频. The framework asks educators to think intentionally about who they teach, what they teach, and how they teach, all within a commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusivity.

The article outlines how other institutions can put this framework into practice, by sharing how over the last two years, 乱伦视频 has developed specific faculty development opportunities to bring together faculty and staff from across first-year experiences (e.g., residential learning communities, gateway major courses, advising seminars). The goal of this work has been to build shared values, language, and classroom strategies focused on preparing students to be engaged, autonomous, and self-directed learners during their college degree and supporting students through the numerous transitions they experience during their first-year at college.

This work reflects why 乱伦视频 has earned national recognition for the first-year undergraduate experience and emphasizes the importance of uplifting and supporting staff and faculty in order to continue to best support our first-year students.

Polly Cornelius, associate teaching professor of music, who teaches the Summer Opera Workshop in Florence will debut the Italian premiere of the Tony-Award winning musical by composer Adam Guettel. Produced by Cornelius, the play will take place in the historic Medici Palace in Florence on June 11-12, through a collaboration between 乱伦视频 and AEF, 乱伦视频鈥檚 study abroad partner institution.

“For years, I have dreamed of producing 鈥淭he Light in the Piazza鈥� in Florence because the story is about a mother and daughter from Winston Salem, North Carolina who travel to Florence, Italy,鈥� said Cornelius. 鈥淚t has never been performed in Florence. We are the first. It could have been any university or organization, but it鈥檚 乱伦视频 who has the honor do this international, site-specific premiere.鈥�

Based on the 1960 novel by Elizabeth Spencer, 鈥淭he Light in the Piazza鈥� follows Margaret Johnson, a mother from Winston Salem, who travels through Florence with her daughter Clara, who falls in love with an Italian man named Fabrizio. The musical won six Tony Awards including Best Original Score in 2005 and is known for its romantic story and score.

Cornelius, who has taught at AEF since 2018 through a summer opera workshop course, has dreamed of producing the musical to be an authentic international artistic experience for students.

Two years ago, Cornelius met with Guettel about producing the play in Florence which includes 14 乱伦视频 students, one 乱伦视频 alumni, faculty, and professional Italian and American singers and performers. 乱伦视频 alumni Gianni Palmarini 鈥�22 returns to play the role of Fabrizio, while Cornelius will perform as Signora Naccarelli, the Italian mother.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been crazy but manageable to produce and perform a role, but I’m happy to be performing this particular role,鈥� Corenlius said. 鈥淚’m excited for the everyone involved and to bring this famous musical to the city of Florence.鈥�

The creative team includes Chris Rayis, assistant professor of performing arts as music director and conductor and Jacob Brent, assistant professor of music theatre, as stage director.

鈥淭his has become a huge collaboration between 乱伦视频, AEF, and the city of Florence鈥� Cornelius said. 鈥淥ur colleagues in Florence are so excited and have been working very hard too.鈥�

The experience offers students a rare opportunity to rehearse and perform internationally while collaborating with professionals. Students in Cornelius鈥� course, 鈥淥pera in Italy: The Global Citizen Artist,鈥� also take an Italian language course.

鈥淭his first opera was performed in Florence, Italy, so it鈥檚 especially meaningful to perform and study there,鈥� Cornelius said. 鈥淪tudents are meeting Italian artists, performing alongside them, and learning about the Florentine culture.鈥�

In addition to 乱伦视频 students performing in the ensemble, music theatre majors Addyson Reese 鈥�28 will play Clara Johnson and Mackenzie Tammara 鈥�28 will play Franca Naccarelli.

For Reese and Tammara having a role in this musical is a dream come true.

“To perform this piece in Florence alongside incredible professionals is an absolute dream come true, and I am so grateful to be part of this project,鈥� Reese said. 鈥淭his show has been one of my all-time favorites since I first listened to the cast album at age 14. Clara has been one of my dream roles since high school and playing her in Florence is especially meaningful to me.鈥�

The rehearsal process has been unique and included in person rehearsals with cast members in North Carolina and many virtual sessions with cast members from across the northeastern United States and Italy. The entire cast will have the opportunity to rehearse together in the days leading up to the performance in Florence.

鈥淭his show is bringing together people from all different parts of the world and allowing them to share universal themes of love and acceptance,鈥� Tammara said. 鈥淭he entire show is special to perform.鈥�

For Tammara, her part comes with a learning curve, performing her lines in Italian. Many of her lines are in Italian and involve speaking with an Italian accent when she does speak in English. This is a challenge she has gladly taken on.

鈥淚 have spent a lot of time working on my lines since they aren鈥檛 in my native language,鈥� Tammara said. 鈥淭his is definitely the hardest score I have ever sung. It has tested my musicianship, vocal technique, and artistry. I have grown immensely.鈥�

In May, the local cast members spent several days participating in a 鈥榖ootcamp鈥� to rehearse and stage the show.

鈥淢y favorite part of this experience so far has been getting to work with the professional artists in the show during the bootcamp,鈥� Reese said. 鈥淛ill Gardner, who plays my mom, Margaret Johnson, and Gianni are both incredible people and performers, and I have had the best time working on this material with them. I am learning so much from them and I can’t wait to keep learning once we start rehearsals in Italy.鈥�

Gardner performed the opera house debut of this show with Piedmont Opera Company and is thrilled to reprise the role of Margaret in Florence.

Reese and Tammara are both honored to represent 乱伦视频 in this international production.

鈥溌衣资悠� has given me the opportunity to immerse myself in a world very different from my own, adding so much truth and variety to my craft,鈥� Tammara said. 鈥淭his is a once in a lifetime experience and I am so grateful to be living out my dream.鈥�

For Cornelius, one of the most rewarding parts of the project has been watching 乱伦视频 students engage in a global artistic experience with a dream cast.

鈥淪eeing the excitement from the students, creative team, and colleagues in Florence makes me so excited,鈥� Cornelius said. “So many people have supported this project, and after working on it for two years, it is incredible to finally see if come to life.鈥�

Sixty-eight percent of American adults say they are proud to be American, and 79% agree the United States plays a uniquely important role in world history. At the same time, 69% believe the signers of the Declaration of Independence would feel more disappointment than pride about modern American democracy.

The survey of 1,000 adults in the United States, conducted April 30-May 4, 2026, explores how Americans view the nation鈥檚 past, present and future as the country prepares to commemorate its semiquincentennial.

鈥淎s the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Americans have complex and diverse feelings about America 250,鈥� said Jason Husser, director of the 乱伦视频 Poll and a professor of political science and public policy. 鈥淲e found several points of optimism among Americans, including pride in being American and belief that the United States has a uniquely important role to play in world history. At the same time, many Americans expressed significant concern about the health of American democracy today, and the country is split on its outlook over the next 50 years.鈥�

More than half of Americans (52%) say the United States is unsuccessfully living up to its founding ideals, while only 30% say the nation is successfully living up to them. Nearly three-quarters of Americans (73%) rate the overall health of U.S. democracy as only 鈥渇air鈥� or 鈥減oor.鈥�

The survey also found widespread concern about political instability and civic division:

• 68% believe elected officials today are worse than leaders of the past
• 80% say they at least sometimes feel no political party or movement represents their views
• 70% say the country is more turbulent than average compared with other periods in U.S. history
• 64% say they have little or no confidence that U.S. political institutions will make mostly good decisions over the next 50 years
• 68% predict America will become more politically divided by 2076

Americans are also pessimistic about the country鈥檚 long-term future in several key areas. Majorities predict that by 2076 the nation will have less freedom, less economic equality, a lower standard of living, and more pollution. More Americans also believe technology will create more harm than benefit over the next 50 years.

Despite those concerns, the poll found Americans still hold strong connections to the nation鈥檚 democratic ideals and history.

When asked which event best represented American democracy at its highest ideals, respondents most frequently selected the Civil Rights Movement and World War II. Abraham Lincoln was named both the historical figure who best exemplified democratic ideals and the greatest president in U.S. history.

The survey also revealed broad bipartisan resonance for many historic presidential messages when respondents were not told who made the statements. More than three-quarters agreed with quotations from George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, while large majorities also agreed with statements from John F. Kennedy and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Looking toward the nation鈥檚 semiquincentennial celebrations, Americans expressed greater interest in reflection than pageantry. Nearly seven in 10 (68%) said America250 should focus more on reflecting on U.S. history and values than simply celebrating national achievements, and 71% said smaller local events would feel more authentic than large national celebrations.

The survey found Americans entering the anniversary with mixed emotions. The most common feeling was pride, cited by 38%, followed by gratitude at 17%. But 21% said they have no strong feelings, 12% described themselves as conflicted, while others reported disappointment or frustration.

The margin of error for the 乱伦视频 Poll survey is +/- 3.95%.

Poll Methodology

Access the poll topline and methodology at:聽www.elon.edu/elonpoll. The survey was developed by the 乱伦视频 Poll and fielded by the international marketing and polling firm YouGov as an online, web-based survey, self-administered with online panels. Between April 30 and March 4, 2026, YouGov interviewed 1,077 U.S. adults aged 18 and older. These respondents were then matched down to a sample of 1,000 to produce the final dataset.

The matched cases were weighted to the sampling frame using propensity scores based on age, gender, race/ethnicity, years of education, and home ownership. The margin of error for this poll (adjusted for weights) is +/-3.95%.

About the 乱伦视频 Poll

Established in 2000, the 乱伦视频 Poll conducts national and North Carolina surveys on issues of importance to voters and residents. Information from these polls is shared with media, citizens and public officials to facilitate informed public policy making through the better understanding of citizens鈥� opinions and attitudes. The poll is fully funded by 乱伦视频 and operates as the neutral, non-biased information resource.

The 乱伦视频 Poll is a charter member of in 2014 to educate polling firms on ways to better share how they collect and interpret their information. The 乱伦视频 Poll鈥檚 voluntary participation in this initiative signifies a willingness to clearly state in its reports how questions were asked, in what order, who funded the poll and then conducted it, and a definition of the population under study, among other details.

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• The Month in Photos: April 2026
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• The Month in Photos: February 2026

As the 2025-26 academic year drew to a close, May was marked by celebration, reflection and new beginnings across 乱伦视频. From Commencement festivities and awards ceremonies to end-of-year traditions, performances, and moments of community, the month showcased the accomplishments and experiences that defined another successful year on campus. These photos highlight some of the memorable scenes and milestones that made May a special month at 乱伦视频.

Engineering excellence

Students in 乱伦视频’s Department of Engineering聽put their classroom learning into practice through six capstone projects showcased May 8 in Founders Hall as part of the Engineering Senior Design course.

Coolin’ on the Commons

乱伦视频’s Black Student Union held Coolin’ on the Commons in May, which featured live music, games and fun.

‘乱伦视频 will never leave you.’

The Class of 2026 gathered Under the Oaks on May 19 for Numen Lumen: Senior Baccalaureate, a time for reflection on the light students will take into the world. During the event, Jana Lynn Patterson,聽associate vice-president for student life, dean of student health & well-being, and assistant professor, reminded graduates about the importance of the relationships they’ve built at 乱伦视频. Patterson will retire from the university this summer after 40 years.

Think critically, lead empathetically

Candidates from graduate-level programs in the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education and Martha and Spencer Love School of Business received their diplomas during a joint Commencement ceremony on May 20 in Alumni Gym.

In her address, journalist and author Katherine Blunt 鈥�15 acknowledged a challenging reality 鈥� that today鈥檚 graduates are leaving institutions of higher learning across the country and embarking on professional journeys in a world where artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how people work, learn and think.

But she reminded the graduates that聽while many people may be tempted by the path of least resistance, 乱伦视频 cultivates leaders who are deeply rooted in collaboration, communication and, most importantly, the ability to think critically.

Celebrating community

Ahead of and during Commencement Week, 乱伦视频 held a variety of affinity celebrations celebrating and engaging graduates who share common identities, passions and connections that exist throughout various affinities. Those include Lavender Celebration, , Celebremos: Graduates Take Flight and Donning of the Kente.

‘Be-possible-ists’

During the 136th Commencement Ceremonies in Schar Center on May 22, President Connie Ledoux Book asked the Class of 2026 to look back on their聽New Student Convocation in 2022,聽1,371 days prior.

During their first year, the Class of 2026 all read the Common Reading book聽鈥淔actfulness鈥� by Hans Rosling. In his book, Rosling described the word 鈥減ossible-ist:鈥� someone who looks honestly at the world鈥檚 problems and still believes, based on evidence, that things can get better, and that they are getting better. Book asked the graduates to be “possible-ists” as they enter the world.

乱伦视频 celebrated graduates in two ceremonies 鈥� the morning event for the School of Communications and the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business, and the afternoon event for 乱伦视频 College, the College of Arts and Sciences, the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education and the School of Health Sciences.