Recent Innovations
Since its inception in spring 2019, the Elon Innovation Council has awarded $16,000 in grants to fund 15 innovative project proposals that support the objectives and themes within Boldly Elon, the university’s 10-year strategic plan.
Spring 2023 EIC Grant Recipients
The Sports Media Lab
David Bockino
The Sports Media Lab aims to make Elon an industry leader in sports media research. The lab includes a student panel that pairs undergraduate researchers with industry partners, and a research collaborative for students and faculty to workshop new ideas about sports media research and find ways to make them a reality. (Boldly Elon Themes: Learn, Connect, Rise)
Asian American Affinity Cohort
George Dou
A new cohort program pilot led by the Center for Race, Ethnicity and Diversity Education seeks to provide a pipeline for success for Asian American students. The innovative program offers the cohort unique opportunities to build upon their personal, professional and identity development, while creating mentoring relationships within the Elon community. (Boldly Elon Themes: Learn, Connect, Thrive)
A First-Generation Peer Mentoring Program
Darynha Gnep
To address the evolving needs of the First-Generation campus community more effectively, Elon’s Center for Access and Success is expanding its First Phoenix Program to include peer mentor development and engagement and promote social cohesion. With the help of an IEC grant, program organizers hope to support 14 mentors and 30 mentees during 2023-24. (Boldly Elon Themes: Learn, Thrive)
Art and Communication Design Day in DC
Shawn Tucker, Ben Hannam, Michael Fels, Derek Lackaff, Ryan Rasmussen and Shannon Zenner
A daytrip to Washington, DC, designed for arts and communication design faculty and students to build on interdisciplinary work across units on campus. Besides giving students first-hand experience with some of the finest art from around the world, the trip provides opportunities to forge ties and bonds of friendship, explore ways to encourage educational transfer across programs and encourage students to make the most of their Elon education. (Boldly Elon Theme: Thrive)
Adapting Communications for the Age of Artificial Intelligence
Brian Walsh
A two-part, recorded presentation to help School of Communications faculty foster confidence so they can incorporate AI into their lesson plans, work collaboratively with students to leverage its abilities, and take the lead in working with AI rather than falling behind. Artificial Intelligence systems are based on this complex data, and our students need to learn to use it and avoid redundancy in the workforce. (Boldly Elon Theme: Learn)
Additional funded projects from past years
Comprehensive experiential transcripts: Helping Elon students tell their story
Rodney Parks, Casey Hayes and Alexander Taylor
This project aimed to build on the Elon Visual Transcript, which is dedicated to recording experiential and applied learning experiences for students.
Repository for Interdisciplinary Data
Laura Taylor, Ryne VanKrevelen and Mark Weaver
This project aimed to create an interdisciplinary data repository, promoting the use of statistics in various fields and teaching students its practical application in introductory courses on campus.
Building a Community for Underrepresented Business Students
Nicole Filippo, Dinora Guadarrama Flores ’21, Jovani Mendez-Sandoval ’22 and A’Shaela Chaires ’22
The project worked to create a welcoming and supportive community for underrepresented students at the business school through community activities, educational events and an expanded mentorship program.
Elon Contemporary Chamber Ensemble Concert Series
Jonathan Poquette, Cora S. Palfy, Linda Cykert, Katherine Thomas and Meagan Skogen
The chamber hosted faculty and local musicians, plus guest soloists, for 3-4 annual performances to enhance campus culture, spotlight faculty talent and elevate Elon’s national arts profile.
Infusing Sustainability into the COR 110 Curriculum
Robert Perdue, Tom Arcaro, Samantha DiRosa, Elaine Durr and Kelsey Bitting
This project’s focus was to encourage faculty to infuse sustainability and climate change-focused material into their COR 110 courses.
Marketplace Under the Oaks (now Oak Originals)
Claire Bach ’21, Trinity Swepson ’24 and Aidan Steinbach ’23
This project expanded on the initiative offering students the chance to develop micro-businesses and included workshops, pop-up events, startup counseling and mentoring, as well as programs to assist students in launching their own businesses.
Connecting Community: Access, Inclusion, and Diversity in Dance
David McGraw, Wen Guo, Lauren Kearns, Jen Guy Metcalf, Renay Aumiller, Casey Avaunt and Keshia Wall
A two-day dance workshop focused on enhancing access, visibility and equitable distribution of dance education and career development resources. It targeted students and community members interested in dance.
Elon Drone Day 2021
Randy Piland
The event explored various commercial and safety aspects of drone technology, such as remote ID, night operations, FAA regulations, Part 107 certification, delivery applications, educational uses, public safety and legal implications.
Black Entrepreneur Initiative @ Elon (BEI@Elon)
Soniyah Robinson ’23, Kobie Williams ’22 and Dejour Banks ’24
The initiative was focused on creating an inclusive organization for Black students, faculty and staff interested in innovation and entrepreneurship through speakers, workshops and the annual Black Innovation Matters Conference. Supported in part by the Doherty Center, C.R.E.D.E. and EBAN.
2022 Elon Education Conference
Allison Bryan and Nermin Vehabovic
With a focus on “Transformative and Inclusive Technology Tools and Partnerships with Multilingual K-12 Students, Families, and Communities,” the conference brought together Elon education students, local educators and Elon alumni in education.