New Student Convocation marks transformational time for Class of 2022

PHOTO GALLERY: New Student Convocation 2018

More than 1,700 of Elon’s newest students gathered Under the Oaks on Saturday in a ceremony that marks the official start of their academic careers at Elon. They were surrounded by hundreds of friends and family members as they gained insight into what lies ahead and learned the long-standing traditions integrated into Elon’s 129-year history. 

​The Aug. 25 convocation is one bookend to the academic careers of the members of the Class of 2022, with each student presented with an acorn at the close of the ceremony, a tradition recognizing “Elon” as the Hebrew word for “oak.” These students heard advice for what lies ahead and encouragement to make the most of the opportunities they encounter. A little less than four years from now, they will have the opportunity to cross the stage at Commencement to receive a diploma, and then an oak sapling, representing their growth as students, global citizens and people.

In her remarks, President Connie Ledoux Book emphasized the importance of this personal and academic transformation in the lives of these students as they begin college. They have been given an opportunity to craft and pursue their dreams as they pursue a degree at Elon, she said, and they should take full advantage of the opportunities that are presented to them. All they need to succeed is available to them at Elon, Book said, and while they should take risks and not be afraid to fail, they should not forget the guiding principles of the university’s honor code along with a sense of human decency and respect.

“Together for the next four years, Class of 2022, we invite you to a powerful journey of learning, curiosity, experience and most importantly, relationships,” Book said. “These rich relationships will shine new light and new understanding.”

Student Body President Kenneth Brown Jr. ’19 recounted his own experience three years ago of arriving at Elon to begin his college career, and sitting on his bed after his parents had left. “Leaving our comfort zone to begin a new phase is the hardest thing in the world,” Brown said. “It’s messy not to know how this will play out.”

​There’s a difference between moving — a change from one location to another — and leaving — the readiness and ability to forge a new path, Brown said. It’s important to form connections with those around you, and despite fears and challenges, take time to “get out and engage,” to attend social events and just sit and talk with your roommate. “Out of this weekend, today may be the hardest part, because we leave our old lives and start a new phase,” he said. “We can do it together.”  

Vice President for Student Life Jon Dooley provided an overview of the Class of 2022, which has 1,703 students from 42 states and 29 countries, including students from Chile, Iceland and Australia. Thirteen of these students are starting their Elon education in Dublin, Ireland, as part of the Global Pathfinders program. The Class of 2022 has 92 students who are siblings of current Elon students or alumni and 27 who are the children or grandchildren of alumni. The class has 130 who are the first in their family to attend college and 59 who are transferring from other universities. 

Randy Williams, associate vice president for campus engagement, offered profiles of three members of the Class of 2022 that speak to the variety of experiences and accomplishments of this new class.

​Samuel Bacon from Richmond, Virginia, is this year’s recipient of the William R. Kenan Honors Scholarship, Elon’s highest academic award. At Trinity Episcopal School, Bacon completed the International Baccalaureate program and was named a National Merit Commended Scholar. He served multiple seasons as captain of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy and dedicated much of his remaining time to RVAccess, an organization that helps youth with mental or physical disabilities with their socialization skills. Bacon plans to major in statistics and will be a midfielder on the men’s soccer team. 

Aishwarya Jayashankar from Durham, North Carolina, attended Durham Academy where she served as president of the FundEd Club, raising awareness about the challenges children in rural India face and raising funds for the Agastya International Foundation. She was recognized for her work with the Durham Mayor’s Gold Award and the President’s Volunteer Service Award. During her senior year, she served on the City of Durham Student Action Board where she worked with former Mayor’s Gold Award winners and Junior Leadership Durham participants to organize service trips. Jayashankar is a classical Indian dancer and she enjoys volunteering at UNC Hospital. 

Kali Clougherty from Coral Springs, Florida, will join Elon’s Musical Theatre Program. A graduate of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Clougherty was featured with her classmates in a performance at the 2018 Tony Awards. She also helped organize and perform at the March for Our Lives event in Washington, D.C., a student-led demonstration attended by an estimated 500,000 people. 

​Each member of the Class of 2022 brings with them their own experiences and talents, which will guide them during their time at Elon, Dooley said. 

“We fully expect that your journey of achievement and success will continue here at Elon.  The location where you are seated today, centered here Under the Oaks, surrounded by my faculty colleagues, is intentional,” Dooley said. “It is a reminder that you will be embraced by this community. One of your most important responsibilities is to begin to build that constellation of mentors who will be your network during your time at Elon. Don’t underestimate the importance of mentoring relationships to your college experience and start building your network right away.”

Elon also highlights the accomplishments of Elon’s extraordinary faculty during New Student Convocation. In his remarks, Provost Steven House noted that Elon faculty enjoy teaching students both in and out of the classroom, and are noted for their accessibility and responsiveness to students. 

During the past year, faculty members led study abroad courses involving more than 1,700 students who traveled to more than 50 countries. More than 1,000 students completed almost 100,000 hours of community service in courses with a service-learning component taught by faculty. 

​During the past year, they have authored more than 20 books and more than 300 book chapters and research articles, while presenting their ideas at professional meetings nationally and internationally, House noted. 

“As teachers, Elon faculty members will help you learn to examine more critically, think more analytically, question more insightfully and reflect more thoughtfully,” House said. “Active scholarship is the engine that keeps faculty intellectually curious and stimulated, and their research influences and improves the ideas they share with you in the classroom.” 

Amy Johnson, director of the Elon Core Curriculum and associate professor of history, recognized faculty members honored earlier this year for their excellence in the classroom and their scholarship including Stephen Bloch-Schulman, associate professor and chair of the Department of Philosophy, Maureen Vandermaas-Peeler, professor of psychology and director of the Center for Research on Global Engagement, and Shereen Elgamal, lecturer in Arabic in the Department of World Languages and Cultures. 

After participating in another Elon tradition — the singing of Elon’s alma mater, the new Elon students processed through lines of faculty members and received an acorn — a symbol of the promise of an Elon education.

With acorns in hand, Leila Jackson and Margaret Averill of Silver Spring, Maryland, and Jay Duncan of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, gathered to talk, noting how the message from Kenneth Brown resonated with them was they prepare to say goodbye to family and begin the time at Elon. 

“It was an authentic message, and one that helps as I start at Elon,” Duncan said. “He touched on issues I’m thinking about — I know how to move, but it’s much more challenging to leave.”