The value of community and our concern for the common good underpin our decision to create The Center for Access and Success at Elon University. The purpose of The Center is to help students from all backgrounds to have access to and succeed in higher education. We serve individuals in our Elon University community and our surrounding communities from pre-K to adults through our current initiatives: It Takes a Village Project, Elon Academy, Odyssey Program, First-Generation Student Support Services, iBelong, and Beyond 12.

  • At the elementary level, the expanded “It Takes a Village” Project, locally known as the Village Project, is a district-wide tutoring initiative aimed at enhancing the academic achievement of elementary students across 12 Title I schools in Alamance County. The expanded project operates through a collaborative partnership between Elon tutors, Alamance County teachers, and school principals. The Village Project is designed to improve academic outcomes by focusing on key areas such as instructional materials, student attendance, the quality of instructors, parental involvement, and the provision of additional enriching opportunities for students.
  • At the middle school level, Beyond 12 seeks to directly address the pressing challenge of college and career readiness by focusing on students in three Title I middle schools in Alamance County. Developed in collaboration with the Alamance-Burlington School System and school principals, Beyond 12 offers a comprehensive and complementary array of activities. These initiatives are designed to enhance students’ knowledge and interest in college and career opportunities, reinforce essential academic habits and preparedness, and foster the development of executive functioning skills through structured experiential learning.
  • At the high school level, Elon Academy is a college access and success program for academically promising high school students in the Alamance County community who demonstrate a financial need and/or no family history of college. The Academy provides academic, emotional, social and financial support to scholars and families to and through college.
  • At the college level, the Odyssey Program supports students who are eager to benefit from an Elon education but face financial barriers that may otherwise limit their access. This four-year program empowers students by providing both peer and administrative support, ensuring they have the resources and opportunities to fully engage in the diverse experiences of college life. In doing so, the program enables students to contribute meaningfully to the intellectual and social fabric of the university through active participation in campus citizenship.
  • Elon University’s First-Generation Student Support Services is an initiative designed to support students who are the first in their families to pursue a college education. This program offers a range of academic and social support services aimed at facilitating a smooth transition to and success throughout their college experience. The initiative’s goal is to foster a supportive, empowering, and celebratory environment for first-generation students, ensuring they feel valued and connected within the broader Elon University community.
  • Elon University’s iBelong Mentoring Program provides funding to implement a strategy designed to increase persistence, retention, and/or graduation rates of first-and second-year students particularly those from underrepresented and historically marginalized communities on campus through programmatic efforts to mentor, coach, and to make forums available for the students to explore various career opportunities.