Professional Development Pathways

Recognizing that some students’ long-term goals have specific advising needs, Elon College supports several unique pathways of professional development and credentialing.

Five students standing by the side of an indoor pool operating underwater vehicles.

Engineering Scholars

Elon’s Engineering Scholars program continues to attract passionate students engaged with the discipline and invested in their classmates’ success. In the program’s second year, scholars developed peer-mentoring relationships through a shared Elon 1010 class and involvement with the Elon Engineers club. Faculty also held a focus group of first- and second-year scholars to assess student experiences and plan future opportunities in the program.

First-year scholars completed Grand Challenges in Engineering I & II, a highly experiential foundation of courses that included completion of remotely operated underwater vehicles and Arduino-controlled solar-powered water purification devices. Those prototype projects address the National Academy of Engineering’s 14 Grand Challenges for Engineering involving scientific discovery, health and the environment.

The program will welcome its third cohort of scholars this fall. These 21 students were selected from nearly 70 candidates and 100 applicants from across the country. The program will continue to challenge students to create multidisciplinary, culturally sensitive and human-centered solutions to problems facing the world.

Health Professions Scholars

Outcomes of the Health Professions Advising and Health Professions Scholars programs continue to be strong.

From 2019-2022, Elon students were accepted to medical schools at rates equal to or higher than the national average in medical doctorate, doctor of osteopathic medicine, dentistry and physician assistant programs. Ninety-seven percent of those students spent significant time with Elon’s pre-health advising faculty and the Student Professional Development Center.

Two members of the Class of 2022 were accepted to programs at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and Thomas Jefferson University’s Sidney Kimmel Medical College.

The first cohort of 11 Health Professions Scholars graduated in May 2022. Another 11 are expected to graduate in 2023. Seventeen first-year scholars enrolled in fall 2021 — the program’s fourth cohort — engaging with medical professionals and exploring educational and career pathways. Ten scholars in the program’s second year practiced “medicine in action” through collaboration on community-based and service-learning opportunities.

In fall 2022, 16 members of the Class of 2026 will join the Health Professions Scholars Program.

Legal Professions Scholars

Elon students remain avidly interested in applying to law school and engaged with the college’s Legal Professions and Pre-Law Advising programs.

Twenty-three out of 30 Elon seniors applying to law school for fall 2021 were admitted to at least one law program. When considering both seniors and Elon alumni applying for the same term, 57 out of 96 were admitted. Fifty-one of those students were registered at a law school in fall 2021.

Students earned impressive admissions to several Top 14 law schools, including the University of Pennsylvania; New York University; University of Virginia; University of California, Berkeley; and University of Michigan.

Eighteen new Legal Professions Scholars entered the program in fall 2021. The group completed Elon 1010 and COR 1100: The Global Experience with program coordinator Associate Professor of Political Science Elisha Savchak-Trogdon. Another 18 scholars plan to enroll in fall 2022.

A group of six ROTC students posing in front of a brick building and fountain on Elon's campus.

Military Science/ROTC

Six members of the Class of 2022 took the oath of office and were commissioned as officers in the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force as they graduated from Elon. Richard Bright, Patrick Brundidge Jr., Victoria Sardegna and Austin Stillman were celebrated during an Army commissioning ceremony May 19 in Holt Chapel. Stephen Haley and Theodore Thomas were commissioned in the U.S. Air Force during a joint ceremony May 13 at High Point University.

Elon offers its ROTC program through a cooperative agreement with N.C. A&T State University. Nineteen ROTC students were enrolled at Elon in 2021-22, including 11 in the Army ROTC and eight in the Air Force ROTC.

Cadets participated in a Veteran’s Day flag-raising ceremony on Scott Plaza. Others coordinated with Admissions to attend events and meet with prospective students interested in ROTC. In the fall and spring, Army cadets led morning workouts at Elon for all Greater Greensboro Consortium cadets.

Elon’s ROTC Advisory Committee continues to meet and advance initiatives to support our ROTC students, including assistance with travel, academic advising and coordination with A&T.

Four Peace Corps students holding up certificates while standing in front of a fountain on Elon's campus.

Peace Corps Prep Program

Ten Elon students earned certification through Elon’s Peace Corps Prep Program during the 2021-2022 academic year: Grace Contino ’22, Skylar Flechsig ’22, Katie Grinnell ’22, Josie Malone ’22, Taylor Rudtner ’22, Catherine Stallsmith ’22, Ashley Tatum ’22, Lauren Whyte ’22, Sophie Winston ’22 and Juliana Schiano ’23.

In fall 2021, the Peace Corps ranked Elon No. 7 among 150 partner universities for the levels of participation in Peace Corps Prep and the number of certifications issued. The certification program highlights leadership, intercultural competencies, foreign language fluency, health, education and the environment and makes students more competitive in the Peace Corps selection process.

Elon’s Peace Corps Prep Program was established in 2013, re-certified in 2018 and expanded to prepare students to serve in all six Peace Corps service areas: Agriculture, Community Economic Development, Education, Environment, Health and Youth in Development.

Public Health Scholars

The first cohort of Public Health Scholars enrolled in fall 2021 and began career exploration through shared courses, tailored advising and exposure to professional public health events. Students completed Introduction to Public Health as a cohort and Elon 1010 with students in the health professions pathways program. Scholars attended the UNC Minority Health Conference at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in spring 2022. Throughout the year, they met with Assistant Professor of Public Health Studies Yanica Faustin and Watts/Thompson Professor and Chair of the Department of Public Health Studies Cindy Fair.

The incoming cohort of 10 scholars will continue to be closely mentored with emphasis placed on service learning, engagement with area public health agencies and the community. The Public Health Scholars program is designed for students with passionate interest in addressing health inequity, removing barriers to care and becoming leaders in future public health-related disciplines.