Vision for 2025

The Division of Student Life will be recognized as a visionary leader and national model for programs, services, and partnerships across the institution focused on engaged learning and transformative student experiences.

Mission Statement of the Division of Student Life

The Division of Student Life provides premier student centered services, programs, and experiences that assist students to:

  • Integrate their in-and-out of class learning,
  • Develop holistically, and
  • Be engaged and honorable members of their communities.

The Division of Student Life is highly distinctive in its delivery of services, programs, and experiences for students. The division is committed to student engagement. Students are actively involved in student life programs and experiences – often being the ones to initiate, plan, and implement them – and are given significant ownership of the programs and experiences. The division has a longstanding and valued partnership with academic affairs, one that colleagues at other universities envy. Together, programs and experiences are designed to purposefully integrate curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular experiences and overlap social and intellectual activities in an intentional manner. Finally, student life staff members are committed to fostering a positive campus climate and community, and essential supports for students, faculty, and staff to learn, develop, and thrive.

These three guiding pillars – engaging students, partnering with academic affairs, and fostering a positive campus climate and community – provide the framework for the division of student life to achieve its mission.

Themes of the 2020-2025 Student Life Five Year Plan

Our vision for 2025 was developed with engagement from staff across the Division of Student Life and guided by the values and vision of Elon University. Seven themes provide guidance for departmental and individual commitments to our roles outlined in Boldly Elon, the University’s strategic plan for 2020-2030.

The seven themes are:

  • Mentoring Relationships: Ensure all students have access to high-quality mentoring relationships, learn how to build a mentoring network, and are empowered to serve as peer mentors.
  • Leadership and Skill Development: Leverage co-curricular experiences to produce graduates who are ethical leaders with essential skills the world needs and employers desire.
  • Inclusive Excellence: Advance a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive community.
  • Wellness and Well-being: Foster holistic wellness by inspiring and educating students who are active, resilient, and mentally healthy and engage in meaningful and purposeful commitments within their communities.
  • Vibrant Residential Campus: Advance the goals for an innovative, integrated approach to living and learning at Elon, establish the next set of priorities to advance a vibrant residential campus, and deepen student belonging and traditions within the Elon community.
  • Civic Engagement: Prepare every student to engage with communities, developing the next generation of informed leaders motivated by the common good who will help strengthen communities and shape democracies.
  • Divisional Excellence: Advance a culture of excellence as a Student Life division, providing exceptional programs and services and supporting a team of educators committed to student success, inclusive excellence, professional growth, and wellness and well-being.

This plan outlines the areas of focus the Division of Student Life at Elon University will highlight through 2025 as it works to advance the student experience for all students at Elon University.

Strategic Planning Committee Members

  • Nicole Bergen, Program Assistant for the Kernodle Center for Civic Life
  • Jenny Ciesiulka, Associate Director of Student Involvement
  • Bob Frigo, Associate Director for the Kernodle Center for Civic Life
  • Aliana Harrison, Associate Director of Residence Life for Residential Education and Community Development
  • Tyrone Jean, Assistant Dean of Students & Director of the Center for Race, Ethnicity, and Diversity Education
  • Cole Moore, Assistant to the Vice President for Student Life & Director of Assessment and Planning
  • Jan Register, Administrative Assistant for the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life
  • Detric Robinson-Miller, Assistant Director of Student Conduct
  • Jodean Schmiederer, Dean of Student Development and Assistant Professor