Alumni
Alumni Spotlight
DeLayne Jolly ‘20
Major: History/Art History
Minor: Classical Studies
On the value of a History and Art History degree: “Being a double major in Art History and History has allowed me to discover a passion for museum studies and public history. History and Art History professors both have been instrumental in supporting my undergraduate research in history museums, which allowed me to independently explore my interest in museums and develop my knowledge further.”
Do you have a most memorable class at Elon?: “In the Art History program, it was Dr. Gatti’s class “The Un/Ethical Museum” in which I first began to learn about the ways our institutions collect and display art and culture. I am thrilled to continue learning and even helping teach in Dr. Ringelberg’s “Museums Are Not Neutral” class this semester.”
What are you currently doing?: “My experiences at Elon have taught me to 
continually question the systems of power which determine how culture is displayed and understood, and to use my own work in museums and my community to challenge these systems whenever possible.”
What are your next steps? “After taking a gap year, I intend to apply for graduate school to get my Masters in Public History.”
Anneliese (Annie) Daggett ’20
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anneliese-daggett/
Major: History with a Teacher’s License
Minor: Policy Studies
On the value of a History degree: “Reach out to alumni and professors on things that you are interested in that you might not know much about! Fulbright was not on my radar until I read an article about a student that I knew who was a semi-finalist. By reaching out to students who had applied, talking to mentors, and professors who knew more about it, I was able to prepare my best self for the application process and it opened many other doors to post-grad opportunities I hadn’t thought about before!”
What are you currently doing?: MAET Graduate Student at the Georgetown University, Graduate Research Fellow at HCM Strategists
What are your next steps?: Annie is currently finishing up her masters in educational transformation degree at Georgetown University. Her concentration is in advocacy and policy, which she hopes to be able to apply in the classroom next year.
Fredrick Evans ’20
https://www.linkedin.com/in/fredrickevans/
Major: History
Minor: African and African American studies
On the value of a History degree: “Being a history major has set me up well for my experience now and what is to come. I was challenged in each of my courses at Elon to consider and critically analyze various topics. Now, being in a masters program, I have felt prepared and ready to take on anything that comes my way largely in part due to my History degree from Elon. Professors such as Dr. Clare, Dr. Bissett, Dr. Mehas, Dr. Irons, Dr. Sinn, and others were always so supportive of me and I am appreciative of their efforts and contributions to the Elon community.”
What are you currently doing?: “I’m finishing up my 1st year of 2 in the Clemson University Masters of Education in Student Affairs program. In addition to being a student I am a Graduate Assistant for Fraternity/Sorority Housing.”
What are your next steps?: “I have aspirations of working at a University one day as a Student Affairs professional. At Elon, I had so many great mentors and people there to support me. I wish to give back and make an influence on a student’s collegiate experience just like it was done for me.”
Natalie Beach ’15
https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-beach-b4485451/
Majors: Media Arts & Entertainment, History
Minor: Spanish
On the value of a History degree: “I’m so grateful for my history degree because I’ve found the skills invaluable in my personal and professional life. It’s so important to be able to collect information before making judgement and to synthesize and express ideas clearly. I loved my history classes at Elon so much and found them to be extremely fun and interesting, but it feels even better to recognize how well I’ve been able to use what I’ve learned beyond the academic setting.”
What are you currently doing? Natalie has spent the six years since graduating from Elon working in marketing at Discovery writing and producing promo videos and graphics for a wide variety of non-fiction TV shows. In her current role at Discovery Inc, Natalie is an Associate Producer for Marketing.
Yasmine Arrington, ’15
https://www.linkedin.com/in/yasmine-arrington-mdiv-66451220/
Majors: History and Strategic Communications, I was also an Arts & Sciences Elon College Fellow (in History) and a Periclean Scholar, under the leadership of the late Dr. Heidi Frontani.
Minor: African and African American Studies
In 2010, while a junior in high school, Yasmine founded ScholarCHIPS, Inc.(www.scholarchipsfund.org) a DC-based nonprofit that provides college scholarships, mentoring and a support network to youth who have incarcerated parents, inspiring them to complete their college education. Currently, Yasmine is the Founder & Executive Director of ScholarCHIPS, Inc. and is also the author of Daily Reflections for Social Entrepreneurs Journal. In 2018, she earned her Master of Divinity degree from the Howard University School of Divinity.
Yasmine has been featured in TeenVogue, Essence, Black Enterprise, Forbes Magazine, The Washington Post, and the Baltimore Times, and on ABC7 News WJLA and NBC4 for her community work with ScholarCHIPS and is a recipient of many awards for the work, including the Linowes Leadership Award from the Greater Washington Community Foundation, the Peace First Prize, the DC Social Innovation Prize, and the Angel Among Us Award by the Negro Council of Women.
On History and Service: “Earning a degree in History from Elon University, helped me to have an even deeper appreciation for our nation’s history and global history – especially the histories of indigenous people, black people who are dispersed throughout the world as a result of the Middle Passage and the buying and selling of slaves from the continent of Africa, immigrants, and women – those whose stories we do not get to hear as much, if at all. I was able to take classes I was truly interested in, which further sparked my intellectual curiosity. In spending four years taking a plethora of history courses and going through the IRB process at Elon, I have a better understanding about life, people and the human psyche. I wholeheartedly believe that I am a better leader because of it! Also, knowing the histories of various peoples and timeframes makes for great conversation starters and richer conversations!”
Andrew Riley ’14
https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewpatrickriley/
Major: History/Geography, Communications
Specialization: Cinema
On the value of a History degree: “My decision to pursue a Major in History & Geography has proven to be the most important decision I made while a student at Elon. My entire career, from my internship through an independent producer, has relied on my ability to conduct a high level of professional academic research in a given topic.”
“Elon’s History & Geography Department prepared me for a career in broadcast documentary production because information presented to the public must be accurate and verified. All types of investigative documentary production demands a mastery of navigating private libraries and online databases, including locating individuals, identifying areas of expertise for conducting interviews, and critically analyzing topic monographs for summary and review. In the cinema world, a narrative storyteller’s ability to identify and conceptualize a historic time-and-place is among their most important skills, and defines the characters they bring to life. A 21st century filmmaker must consider all the possible voices and settings for a given story. Every serious visual storyteller should consider a double major in History, and they will find it among their most important skills throughout their career and life.
“What are you currently doing?: Presently an independent video content producer, formerly of Georgia Public Broadcasting in Atlanta.
Megan Wynn Gregg ’11
https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-wynn-gregg/
Major: History
Minors: Religious Studies and Classical Studies
On the value of a History degree: “During my initial advising session with Dr. Irons during my freshman year at Elon, I confidently informed him that my ultimate post-graduation plan was to somehow and someway work at Monticello in Charlottesville, VA. We explored the possibility of archaeology as a career path through a spring break internship, during which I quickly learned that I enjoyed talking about artifacts more than I did searching for them. Throughout my four undergraduate years, I felt incredibly challenged and encouraged by many of my history professors, including Dr. Irons, Dr. Chang, Dr. Clare, Dr. Carignan, and Dr. Fletcher. Thanks to their mentorship and belief in my dreams, my first job right out of the gate was indeed at Monticello. However, it was an unconventional path – who knew that a history major who began as a House Interpreter would end up spending seven-plus years in Fundraising?! Luckily that journey brought me back to my other dream job, Elon. And guess who were the first people I wanted to catch up with when I returned to campus… the very professors who had poured so much into me as a student and alumna! You never know where life is going to take you, but the important thing is to be open to those twists and curves that you may not be expecting. Unplanned joy could be right around the corner!”
What are you currently doing?: After working for several years at the Thomas Jefferson Foundation in various roles, followed by working at HopeWay, Megan is now a Development Research Analyst at Elon University. Megan is also a wife, mom to a fur-baby named Dash (historically named, of course, named after Queen Victoria’s Cavalier Spaniel!), and has had the utter joy of working at two dream jobs in her career.
James Schwemlein ’09
https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-schwemlein/
Majors: History and Religious Studies
Minors: Classical Studies and Political Studies.
During his time at Elon, James studied abroad at the University of St. Andrew and in Greece for a J-Term. After graduating from Elon, James went on to get a master’s degree in international affairs from American University. James previously worked at the World Bank and at the U.S. Department of State. At the World Bank, he co-led a project assessing the political and economic risks associated with China’s expanding investments in South Asia and advised local governments on how best to manage those risks. At the State Department, he served as senior advisor to the U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, helping to lead regional diplomatic strategy and negotiations around ending the Afghanistan conflict as well as helping to oversee U.S. development and economic programs across the region. Currently, James is the Senior Director, Albright Stonebridge Group. ASG is a private consulting firm based in Washington, DC that advises companies, foundations, and non-governmental organizations about navigating policy changes, regulatory challenges, and business strategies in a fast-changing global landscape. He also serves as a non-resident scholar for the South Asia program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
On History and Public Policy: “I have always benefited from cultivating as deep an understanding of the context and background around any particular challenge as possible in each of the national security and public policy roles I’ve served in over the years. I came out of Elon not just with an understanding of the tools and methods of history as a field, but with a love for it. That is good news for me, because in my chosen field and especially due to the accelerating pace of global change, I’ll always be a student of history.”
Drew Redman ’08
https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewtredman/
Major: History
Minors: Political Science and Philosophy
After graduating from Elon, Drew pursued a career in law. Currently, Drew is an Assistant Reporter of Judicial Decisions (Attorney) for the State of Connecticut Judicial Branch and the Supreme and Appellate Courts. Drew is responsible for editing, reviewing, and bringing to publication judicial opinions of the Connecticut Appellate Court and the rules of practice for the Connecticut legal profession.
On History and the Law: “My History 
degree from Elon has been extremely valuable to my professional pursuits. As a History major, you learn to look at
events from different perspectives and how those events are interpreted and treated throughout time. As an attorney working for my state’s appellate courts, I am tasked daily with looking at judicial opinions and the rules of practice from different points of view. It’s a skill that’s helpful for every attorney, no matter what they do in the legal profession. The research and writing skills I cultivated
at Elon have been a huge help to me as well. My advice for current students – don’t limit your career aspirations to a particular field, you never know who will value your outside-the-box thinking and appreciation of the historical record. Get creative with your job search!”
Rebecca Frost-Brewer ’08
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-frost-905a2215/.
Major: History
Minor: African American Studies
On the value of a History degree: “My History degree from Elon represents the foundation of the skills required for every job I’ve held since graduation – critical thinking, analysis, interpretation, decision-making, research, problem-solving, writing, and findings answers. Understanding the why and how of different problems and issues were fundamental to the questions being asked in my History classes at Elon, and now in my professional career as well.”
What are you currently doing?: Since graduating from Elon, Rebecca has moved back and forth across the country four times for different opportunities, directed a private tutoring center with an annual revenue over $1 million, and for the past eight years, managed offices of disability services at different colleges in providing students with disabilities and accommodations equal access to learning opportunities. In her current role, Rebecca is an Accommodations Support Specialist (Disability Services) for the Savannah College of Art and Design.