Leadership Prize in the News

Surya Shahi '19 conducting field research on education policy in his home country Nepal. Summer 2017.

Surya Shahi '19 conducting interviews on education policy in his home country Nepal. Summer 2017.

Surya Shahi '19 conducting field research on education policy in his home country Nepal. Summer 2017.

Perry Elyaderani '18 explains at Spring Undergraduate Research Forum the research he conducted on mental wellness of college students, particularly male students. April 2018

Perry Elyaderani '19 also organized and hosted a one-day symposium in April 2018 as part of his Leadership Prize research. Here he shares his research at SURF day, April 2018.

Courtney Kobos '19 answers questions at SURF day from students, faculty and staff regarding her work in linguistically diverse schools in Alamance County. April 2018.

Center for Leadership program Assistant Melody Harter assists with photo gallery presentation for Leadership Prize recipient Surya Shahi during graduation week May 2018

Surya Shahi '18 speaks about his research during graduation week to community members, faculty, students, family and friends at a gallery exhibition presentation. May 2018.

Leadership Prize faculty director Rob Moorman (center) and Surya Shahi, '18 speak with Surya's mentor, friend and sponsor (left) during a photo gallery presentation. Graduation week, May 2018.

Children in Humla who attend school but lack resources for a proper school. Surya Shahi, '18 plans to use his research through the Leadership Prize to build a school complex along with a community center-museum-training for his home district in Nepal.

Surya Shahi ' 18 worked closely with his faculty mentor Mussa Idris throughout his research process. As a result of his Leadership Prize work, Shahi garnered a Samuel Huntington Public Service Award in spring 2018 which will enable him to continue his non-profit work after graduation to build a school in his home district in Nepal.

David Duncan '19 explains the research, site visit to Berkeley, California and interviews he's been conducting this summer during Summer Undergraduate Research Experience poster session. July 2018.

David Duncan '19 points out the lack of resources to support immigrant college students in the south.

Courtney Kobos '19 traveled to Ecuador through her Leadership Prize grant during summer 2018 to work with students through World Teach.

Courtney Kobos '19 with students in Ecuador during summer of 2018 for World Teach program.

Courtney Kobos '19 utizilies her Leadership Prize research funds to gain experience teaching in Ecuador related to her research focus on responding to educator needs in linguistically diverse schools in Alamance County.

Sarra Eddahiri '19 presents her field work and research on a panel at the Arab Conference, organized by the Harvard Arab Alumni Association and student groups. The Arab Conference at Harvard is the largest pan-Arab conference in North America, bringing together nearly 1,300 students and professionals to discuss key issues with the region’s most prominent politicians, business people, and civil society leaders.

Supported by her Leadership Prize funds, Sarra Eddahiri '19 traveled to Cambridge, MA to present at the Arab Conference at Harvard University, April 2019.

Left to Right: Elon faculty Jeff Carpenter, Jennifer Eidum (Leadership Prize mentor), Jennifer Fish and Courtney Kobos '19 lead the English Language Teaching Symposium, Feb. 16, 2019 on campus.

Elon students and teachers interact during a session at the February 16, 2019 English Language Teaching Symposium led by Leadership Prize recipient Courtney Kobos '19.

Elon students and teachers from central North Carolina and surrounding counties participated in a 1 day symposium led by Leadership Prize recipient Courtney Kobos '19 and mentor Jennifer Eidum.

Faculty mentor Carmen Monico and Leadership Prize recipient David Duncan '19 share research during SURF day, April 2019.

David Duncan '19 explains his methodology, shares insights on his interviews, and interprets data collected for his Leadership Prize project during SURF.

Sarra Eddahiri '19 discusses social, religious, medical and cultural aspects related to her research topic during SURF Day, April 2019.

Spring Undergraduate Research Forum in April 2019 showcases Courtney Kobos '19 Leadership Prize work over the past one and a half years with faculty mentor Jennifer Eidum to a packed room of faculty and students.

Sarra Eddahiri '19 garners the best abstract for outstanding research at UCLA's annual Psychology Undergraduate Research Conference, May 2019.

David Duncan '19 takes his research to the next level by offering a workshop for students led by students.

Dani Toma-Harrold, '23 shared her work and led a discussion in a session at American Educational Research Association conference in San Diego, April 2022.

Gillian Kick '22 presented her research and shared the importance of community engaged undergraduate research with university faculty/staff and community partners at the 2022 Pathways to Achieving Civic Engagement (PACE) Conference. This session included the story and outcomes of a community writing partnership jointly initiated by an undergraduate student and high school teacher Courtney Kobos, '19 (Leadership Prize). The partnership invited high school juniors to write creatively about their community and the social issues relevant to it as part of a creative writing for social justice workshop integrated into their American literature curriculum.

Gillian Kick, '20, presented at North Carolina Campus Compact’s 25th annual Pathways to Achieving Civic Engagement (PACE) Conference on Feb. 9, 2022. This year’s conference was virtual with over 200 participants from 31 institutions representing eight states.

Gillian Kick, '22 excited to receive the delivery from Independent printing house Printery of Greensboro: 150 copies of the culminating project from her work with high school students at Alamance's Early College class taught by Courtney Kobos, '19 (Leadership Prize).

Making a difference in the lives of high school students through writing and civic engagement, led by Gillian Kick, '22 throughout an entire semester culminating in a collection of original works in a published book.

Center for Leadership's Melody Harter celebrates with Leadership Prize student Maggie Davis, '21 at a historic and memorable graduation May 2021 in Schar Center.

Alumnae Courtney Kobos, '19 Leadership Prize, is featured on her teaching and pedagogy at Alamance Burlington's Early College at Alamance Community College. She connected with Gillian Kick, '22 to bring her research and project on creative writing and civic engagement for high school students during the COVID pandemic. Check out the video here: https://www.facebook.com/ABSSPublic/videos/271584277947450

Allie Hawley, '21, through her Leadership Prize grant, inspires and motivates teachers and administrators locally in 10 Alamance-Burlington schools who are interested in getting their students outside to grow and learn. She also presented her work at Elon's Spring Undergraduate Research Forum in April 2021.

Maggie Davis, '21, provided an in-depth look at her research during Elon's Spring Undergraduate Research Forum (SURF) virtually on April 27, 2021. She also was one of 66 Elon students who presented their mentored scholarship and creative endeavors at the 2021 virtual National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) from April 12th‐14th.

Margaret Davis, '21 selected as recipient to evaluate inpatient care educational programs for children with speical health care needs, and both hospitals and schools' capacity to effectively support students transitioning back into school settings.

Leadership Prize research recipient Maggie Davis '21 interviewed the principal and librarian at a UNC hospital school for pediatric patients in Spring 2020. The school has a faculty of 70 teachers and Maggie gained important insights on her research centered on inpatient care educational programs for children with special health needs.

Alexandra Hawley, '21 will focus her research on developing and sustaining a school garden collective in Alamance County, and to study the social-emotional effects of school gardens.

Alumnus Surya Shahi, '18 along with members of his home village in Humla district make progress on the school complex that will include a boarding facility, classrooms, community center, training and museum center. March-April 2021.

The school in Humla, Nepal is slowly becoming a reality! Surya Shahi, '18 overcomes incredible odds between engineering and construction materials, transportation, weather, terrain, and funding. March-April 2021.

This amazing school complex in Humla is designed to be eco-environmentally sustainable with bio gas, rain water collection, thicker walls due to climate conditions and will have glass windows. Surya Shahi '18 leads a team of local villagers and works with a non-profit for funding, including a grant from the Japanese embassy! He travels back and forth between Kathmandu and Humla presenting his work, advocating for the school construction and seeking additional funding and donations.

Surya Shahi, '18 presents his research at NCUR, April 2018 on the challenges and issues of education, including policy and access in Nepal, his home country.

Leadership Prize recipient Surya Shahi, '18 presents his research on education in Nepal at NCUR conference April 2018, also attended by other Elon undergraduates.

Congratulations! Proudly displaying his diplomas, Surya Shahi '18 journeyed from Nepal to Elon to pursue his education and dreams. May 2018.

Leadership Prize recipient Courtney Kobos, '19 shares during graduation.

Overlooking the town of Český Těšín in the Czech Republic, Courtney Kobos draws upon her Leadership Prize experience during her Fulbright fellowship teaching in a technical high school, attending practical hands on lessons, supplementing their English instruction and English speaking clubs.

Leadership Prize recipient Courtney Kobos '19 (English with Teacher Licensure) was selected into the prestigious Fulbright US Student Program, receiving the English Teaching Assistant Grant to the Czech Republic. Kobos is second from right in the middle row, pictured here with her Fulbright Czech cohort.

Leadership Prize alumna Courtney Kobos, '19 visiting the US Embassy in Prague with her mentor and school principal during her Fulbright year.

During her Fulbright year, Courtney Kobos '19 attends a Sileisan autumn festival in traditional clothing. This region is a special mix of Czech and Polish cultures with their own dialect.

Jenna Nelson ’16 presents a poster at the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., March 2016.

Josephine Gardner '17 presenting at the Spring Undergraduate Research Forum April 25, 2017 with her faculty mentor Mussa Idris and Leadership Prize faculty director Rob Moorman.

Becca Nipper '17 shares her research with students, faculty and staff at Spring Undergraduate Research Forum, April 27, 2017.

Surya Shahi '19 conducting field research on education policy in his home country Nepal. Summer 2017.