About 1,000 alumni, parents and friends turned out Sept. 21 for the annual Evening for Elon event at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York.
The evening kicked off with a rousing rendition of the Elon alma mater by a group of performing arts alumni vocalists, followed by a welcome from Erica Ayala ’08, who has been honored for her work on behalf of children through the Children’s Defense Fund of New York City and the Westchester Children’s Association. “This evening is a time for us – classmates, friends and family – to build our networks, update our Elon IQ, and celebrate the place that unites us each in spirit – Elon University,” Ayala said.
“Elon leads the nation in engaged, experiential education,” Lambert said. “In every dimension of what matters most in undergraduate education, Elon aspires to be world class.”
National leadership in high-impact academic programs was spotlighted in the announcement of a philanthropic investment by Trustee Cindy Citrone and her husband, Rob, who are parents of an Elon student. The Citrone’s support will fund innovative new efforts to integrate design thinking into curricular and co-curricular experiences across the campus. Design thinking is a creative, solutions-generating process that encourages creativity, teamwork, collaboration across many disciplines, experimentation and learning from failures. This innovative process is gaining attention in business and education.
“We are so excited to be bringing design thinking to Elon, where we are confident it will thrive,” Cindy Citrone said. “This isn’t a gift, this is an investment – an investment that we are ready for … a sure thing.”
> Learn more about Elon’s design thinking initiative.
Design thinking aligns well with Elon’s emphasis on entrepreneurship, most notably through the Doherty Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, endowed by Ed and Joan Doherty a decade ago. Ed Doherty told the audience he is honored that the center has become a force for good on campus as it engages students from many majors.
“The ultimate goal of the Doherty Center is to make Elon the leader in entrepreneurship at the undergraduate level,” Doherty said. “We’re on our way – we’re number ten and we will become number one.”
“Ed has become a mentor, supporter, motivator, friend and my business partner,” Tamblyn said. “We have launched this idea into a business and are working each day to bring this product to market.”
Lambert shared details of new facilities being developed through a new campus master plan, and also emphasized the critical importance of fundraising in support of greater financial aid for students.
“Scholarships are where it’s at,” Lambert said. “And whether you are an alum or a parent who is in a position to endow a scholarship award, or among the many alums who will pool many small gifts to make a difference, I promise you that you can participate in the transformation of someone else’s life. There is nothing more important than that.”
Lambert also talked about ways that alumni can support faculty members who were so important in their Elon education, and he encouraged support for civic engagement projects such as the Elon Academy, a college access program for high school students, and the It Takes a Village Project, a literacy program for struggling young readers.
“These projects speak to the soul of Elon – what’s best about our university,” Lambert said. “And I ask you, as Elon graduates, to never forget that wherever you are in the world – from Manhattan to Los Angeles, from Paris to Beijing, that it is your responsibility to make your local communities better through your leadership and service.
“When I am here and I look out over this group tonight, I know I am looking into the future of our university,” Lambert said. “I see bright stars in the constellation of Elon alumni, and I know that Elon’s future is assured because each of you will cherish your alma mater.”