Encouraging civic engagement
Deliberative Dialogues
A partnership between Elon University, the African American Cultural Arts and History Center, the Mayco Bigelow Center and Burlington Parks and Recreation, the Power + Place Collaborative strives to preserve and present stories from and about the people, places and moments of Alamance County’s Black communities. Since 2018, collaborators have digitally recorded the oral histories of more than 40 people to ensure future generations can learn from the experiences of their predecessors.
The digital stories participating students produce each year are presented at public screenings. The Power + Place Collaborative also facilitates educational workshops for K-12 schools, afterschool programs and college students; social media campaigns; walking tours; art exhibits; book clubs; intergenerational community dialogues and more.
The collaborative’s scope has expanded to include highlighting Muslim experiences. And in 2023, the collaborative was awarded a $10,000 grant from Impact Alamance and a $20,000 grant from North Carolina Humanities, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, that will allow its efforts to grow even further. Over the next two years, the collaborative will team with diverse faith-based partners from marginalized communities to organize a series of community engagement events for youth and community elders to exchange their experiences.
Choosing Hope
In 2021, Impact Alamance began working with The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation to find ways to bridge divisions within Alamance County. After a series of in-depth conversations and interviews, the institute produced a report, Alamance Choosing Hope, which catalyzed people and groups in the community, including Elon University, to work together to spearhead efforts aligned with the community’s priorities.
Making Dreams Reality
Innumerable Elon students volunteer at the CityGate Dream Center, which supports the growing Latinx community in Alamance County. Dedicated to creating a sense of belonging within the community to inspire, develop, train and advocate for children, students and families, the Dream Center has become a hub for connection and empowerment. CityGate partners with community groups, schools, churches and individuals to provide life-changing opportunities and resources.
Engaging Across Faiths
wInterfaith is an opportunity for the university community and the surrounding Elon community to engage with and learn from each other about different expressions of religion and spirituality. Each winter the three-day symposium features a variety of panels and speakers on topics such as The Baha’is, Franciscan Catholicism, and Spirituality and Land Justice. The program is a collaboration with the Elon Community Church.
Advancing Accessibility
A joint initiative between Elon University and the Town of Elon, the Elon Community Accessibility Network aims to advance an accessible and inclusive environment for all members of the Elon community. The team’s work is structured to promote communication and cooperation across several units within the university and town, with a focus on education, training, compliance and advocacy related to people with disabilities.
Supporting Voter Participation
Elon was named a Voter Friendly Campus by the Fair Elections Center’s Campus Vote Project and NASPA — Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. The designation was awarded, in part, for the university’s work with the 2022 midterm elections. Elon collaborated with the Alamance County Board of Elections to host a one-stop early voting site in South Gym, utilized by 4,605 voters, including students, faculty, staff and community members.