Elon’s new president to begin tenure working on Habitat house

ELON COLLEGE – Elon College students won’t find Dr. Leo Lambert, their new president, in his office when they return to classes Tuesday, Jan. 5. Instead they’ll find him laboring with a dozen students on a Habitat for Humanity House in a working class area of Burlington.

Lambert and the students will put the finishing touches on a house being built by the college’s student Habitat chapter at 1011 Jackson St. The chapter, the largest and most active campus organization, builds a house each year.

“I wanted to become active in the total education process of Elon from the first day. There’s no better way to do this than to work with students in an area that is meaningful to their lives,” Lambert said.

Although Lambert has no prior involvement with Habitat, as a college student he worked for several summers in home construction.

Lambert, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, officially became Elon’s eighth president on Jan. 1.

Media advisory:

Media representatives are welcome to meet and talk with Dr. Lambert and the students at the work site from 10 a.m. to noon. From Highway 62 North, turn left onto Dudley Street, then right onto Jackson Street. The house is the third one on the right.

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