Elevating athletics and cultural enrichment
Connecting Athletics with Education
In a renewed partnership with the Alamance-Burlington School System, Education Day brought nearly 2,500 elementary school students to an Elon Women’s Basketball game against the University of Richmond on Dec. 15, 2022. Leading up to the game, Elon Women’s Basketball team members visited elementary school classrooms, answering questions about their experiences at the university, from the classroom to the court. They even showed them a few moves. While the visits and other pre-game activities were fun, nothing got the elementary schoolers more excited than the game itself. The sound of 3,087 enthusiastic people made for a very loud and energetic experience. Raucous cheering was encouraged as the most spirited school won a postseason pizza party with the team. There were also opportunities for each school to adopt a Phoenix player to support during the game.
The next Education Day game is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Feb. 2, 2024.
Christmas Cheer
Every holiday season, Elon Athletics works to ensure families with financial need have presents under their tree through Christmas Cheer of Alamance County. Each of the 17 Phoenix sports teams raise funds, package and distribute gifts to a different child.
Read Across America
Student-athletes across Elon’s sports teams regularly volunteer with Read Across America, reading to students in local elementary school classrooms as part of the National Education Association’s initiative to motivate children to read.
Phoenix Field Day
Several Phoenix sports teams partnered with the Boys & Girls Club and the Kernodle Center for Civic Life to host a field day for local children at Comer Fields, Elon’s intramural fields, in April 2023. The day of fun and physical activity will be an annual event.
Allied Churches of Alamance County
Elon Athletics has partnered with Allied Churches to support the community’s homeless population, including holding a clothing drive in which all teams collected and donated new pairs of socks, one of the most requested items for those in need.
Supporting Young Athletes
The athletics department hosts summer camps by 12 Phoenix teams annually. These residential programs provide young students with the opportunity to learn from Elon coaches. Elon sports camps prepare students to be better teammates while fostering technical skills. Offerings and levels differ by sport based on NCAA regulations. Each coaching staff determines the priorities of their respective camps. For more information and to register, visit eloncamps.com.
Championing Athletes of All Abilities
Special Olympics at Elon is an opportunity for students to assist Special Olympics athletes during sporting events. At the spring 2023 Special Olympics, more than 330 athletes from Alamance County participated in three main events: track run, so ball throw and a trial run of a long jump event. Elon students held leadership and volunteer positions that made the event possible.
Hometown Athletics
Elon is a member of the Coastal Athletic Association, with 17 intercollegiate men’s and women’s sports in NCAA Division I (FCS football). Men’s sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, football, soccer and tennis. Women’s sports include basketball, cross country, golf, indoor track, lacrosse, outdoor track and field, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball. Elon Athletics offers affordable group pricing for all NCAA Division I athletics events, and the community is encouraged to explore unique game day experiences, tailgating and great seating options. Visit ElonTickets.com or call the ticket office at (336) 278-6750 to learn more.
Professional-quality Performances
From musicals to plays to dance performances, Elon’s Department of Performing Arts produces a wide range of high-quality entertainment open to the public every year. The university has built a reputation in the performing arts industry for producing mature, talented, energetic and creative performers.
The 2024 edition of The Princeton Review college guide ranked Elon No. 8 in the nation in the “Best College Theater” category. The music theatre program in particular is highly competitive, with more than 1,600 students applying for fewer than 20 admissions each year. Alumni have gone on to make their mark on Broadway, in regional theater, in TV and fi lm, and more. Playbill has ranked Elon alongside New York University, Yale and Julliard as one of the most represented colleges on Broadway. Visit elonperformingarts.com to learn more about this season’s productions and view ticket information.
Dynamic Speakers and Events
Elon’s Office of Cultural and Special Programs presents a rich and varied offering of special events that are open to the community every year, from lectures and poetry readings to art exhibitions and concerts. A signature offering is the Elon University Speaker Series, which welcomes distinguished thought leaders and change-makers who are actively taking on society’s most pressing issues. Elon places students and the local community in the same room with world leaders and scholars to inspire, to create bold ideas and to motivate new thinking.
Past distinguished speakers include two former Secretaries of State, Madeleine Albright and General Colin Powell; former President George H.W. Bush; former Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom Margaret Thatcher and David Cameron; former U.S. Attorney General Lore a Lynch; CNN Chief Medical Correspondent and neurosurgeon Dr. Sanjay Gupta; actress and social activist Ashley Judd; Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak; pioneering astronauts John Glenn, Buzz Aldrin and Leland Melvin; astrophysicist and author Neil deGrasse Tyson; and renowned conservationist Jane Goodall.
By the Numbers
In the 2022-23 academic year: