Inclusive Learning Spaces

Elon advances STEM experiences through HHMI initiative

Elon University is among a group of institutions selected by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute to implement programming that advances diversity, equity and inclusion in STEM.

HHMI will fund Elon’s cluster of 14 institutions for six years as they collaborate in establishing professional development for STEM faculty and staff relating to DEI, peer-to-peer communities for students and STEM curriculum revision.

Led by faculty in the college, Elon participated in the HHMI’s Inclusive Excellence 3 Learning Community initiative beginning in spring 2021. Throughout 2021-22, Elon’s team worked with a Learning Community Cluster of 13 other institutions to plan inclusive STEM experiences and pedagogy. The college will begin implementing programs created through the IE3 process in fall 2022.

Faculty on the team included Assistant Professor of Chemistry Nyote Calixte, Assistant Professor of Chemistry Jen Dabrowski, Associate Professor of Engineering Sirena Hargrove-Leak, Associate Professor of Biology Jen Uno, Lecturer in Statistics Ryne Vankrevelen, Assistant Dean of Elon College Amy Overman, Dean of Elon College Gabie Smith, and Vice President and Associate Provost for Inclusive Excellence Randy Williams.

Elon’s learning community cluster includes Fairfield University, Fisk University, Fort Lewis College, Hamilton College (New York), Oglethrope University, Otterbein University, Portland State University, Simmons University, University of Alaska Anchorage, University of Iowa, University of Minnesota-Morris, University of New Mexico-Main Campus and Xavier University (Ohio).

Elon’s participation in HHMI’s Inclusive Excellence initiatives began in fall 2019 with a $20,000 Faculty Forums grant. That grant resulted in a series of faculty workshops and conferences in 2020-21 focused on supporting student belonging and success in STEM.

Moore awarded $500,000 to support inclusion in STEM education

Associate Professor of Chemistry Vickie Moore is a co-principal investigator on a five-year, $500,000 National Science Foundation award supporting diversity and inclusion in STEM education.

The project, “An Inclusive Community Transforming the Assessment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Learning in Undergraduate Programs,” and grant will fund a series of national and international workshops with co-principal investigators Dan Dries of Juniata College and Kim Cortes of Kennesaw State University.The grant is through the Research Coordination Networks in Undergraduate Biology Education division of NSF to train undergraduate biochemistry and molecular biology educators, especially those from HBCUs and MSIs, in assessment methods.

Another central goal of the project is to build and sustain a community of practice, as well as serve as a source of professional development opportunities, for participating faculty. The grant is a follow-up to a one-year pilot grant from the NSF awarded to Moore, Dries and Cortes that funded a virtual workshop attended in July 2020 by biochemistry and molecular biology educators from across the country.

NSF grant supports Elon-based initiative to create STEM careers

The National Science Foundation awarded a $142,238 grant to Elon faculty planning pathways and programming for students to pursue STEM majors at Elon.

The project will strengthen connections with Alamance Community College’s Early College Program and is led by Associate Professor of Biology Jen Hamel, Associate Professor of Engineering Sirena Hargrove-Leak and Assistant Professor of Biology Jessica Merricks. The faculty team is focused on creating a pipeline and support structures for students from non-traditional and marginalized backgrounds.

The two-year planning grant is part of the NSF’s S-STEM program, which provides scholarships to low-income, high-achieving students in an effort to produce more STEM professionals from those backgrounds.

Leading Women in Audio conference returns for fourth year

The Department of Music presented the fourth annual Leading Women in Audio Conference from Feb. 25-26. LWIA is the industry’s first female-focused audio technology conference. This year’s event was a hybrid of in-person and virtual presentations.

Presenters included renowned professionals, like engineer Marcella Araica and ABC News Creative & Marketing’s Leslie Mona-Mathus. Beyond skills workshops, panels focused on diversity, equity and inclusion; career entry and longevity; and how to support women in the industry. For the third year, area high school students were invited to and attended the conference.

The Moment 2021

The Department of Performing Arts’ second annual all-Black cabaret, “The Moment 2021,” streamed on Facebook Live Feb. 18-19. The student-led production featured performances of Broadway showtunes from “Fiddler on the Roof” and “The Wiz,” as well as popular songs by Sam Smith and Aretha Franklin. Artistic Director Kayla Jordan Jacobs called the program a celebration of “Black beauty, Black joy and the abundance of Black talent” on Elon’s campus.

“The Moment” was conceived in summer 2020 by Elon alumni Kamal Lado ’21 and fellow music theatre majors in response to the Black Lives Matter movement and the killing of Black people by police.

Opera singer Angela Brown leads master classes, rehearsals with students

Renowned soprano Angela Brown led master classes for music and arts administration students and conducted student rehearsals leading up to her performance of “Opera … from a Sistah’s Point of View” in March.

Five outstanding Black undergraduates — Hannah Hubbard ’22, Candace Rhodes ’22, Giselle Watts ’22, Travis Foust ’23 and Bri Braham ’24 — performed with Brown and spent several days rehearsing and receiving vocal coaching. Brown worked with them on solo pieces, emphasizing breathing and vocal techniques, a rare opportunity to learn one-on-one from a world-class talent and stage veteran.

“We wanted our African American students to shine with this very successful African American artist and tremendous mentor,” said Associate Professor of Music and Chair of the Department of Music Hallie Hogan. “It was a huge reinforcement of their talent and the training they are receiving in their studies.”