Freshmen gathered in Alumni Gym to pledge their commitment to honesty, integrity, responsibility and respect — the foundation of Elon’s honor code — at the university’s third Call to Honor ceremony Thursday, Sept. 11.
During the ceremony, members of the Class of 2012 received special coins engraved with the word “Honor.”
Chase Rumley, Student Government Association president, told students that Elon’s honor code applies to their actions on and off campus. He also noted that the ceremony coincided with the seventh anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the importance of upholding these values while keeping the country safe.
“We are preparing for citizenship on a larger stage,” said Rumley, who invited the audience to gather at Fonville Fountain at 6 p.m. today to commemorate the 9/11 anniversary.
Michael Bumbry ’07 urged students to “enhance the home” that is Elon, which has been nurtured for more than 100 years by students, faculty, staff and the Alamance County community.
“A combination of these four values makes Elon Elon,” Bumbry said. “The decisions you make will impact you and the community in which you reside.”
The four class presidents spoke of the values that form Elon’s honor code and signed the Call to Honor book, which includes signatures from alumni dating back to 1936.
Honesty: “When you practice honesty, others come to see you as someone who can be trusted and relied upon,” said Rachel Long, freshman class president.
Integrity: “Nothing is more important to our sense of who we are than integrity,” said Danielle Durst, president of the senior class. “Our integrity means we are true to our word.”
Responsibility: “Everything we do, especially in a small community, has a ripple effect that is beyond our control,” said Jenny Statler, junior class president. “In a world of variables, the only things we can control are ourselves and our actions.”
Respect: “We must never take Elon for granted and respect our school…and ourselves,” said Justin Peterson, president of the sophomore class.
President Emeritus Earl Danieley closed the ceremony by leading the audience in reading aloud Elon’s Call to Honor:
“Today we are entrusted with the honorable legacy of Elon University, dedicated to the intellectual, personal and spiritual growth of all its members, to the advancement of knowledge for the good of all, and to the service of local, national and global communities. To that end, we affirm our commitment to the core values of our university:
“We commit ourselves to honesty, being truthful in our academic work and in our relationship with others.
“We commit ourselves to show integrity, being trustworthy, fair and ethical.
“We commit ourselves to responsibility, being accountable for our actions and for our learning.
“We commit ourselves to respect, being civil, valuing the dignity of each person, and respecting the physical and intellectual property of others.
“With these commitments we join generations of Elon students as bearers of its honor.”
