The honorees, young alumni who have achieved major professional success, serve as difference-makers in their communities and loyally support Elon as partners, advocates and investors, will be recognized April 13.
The Office of Alumni Engagement and the Young Alumni Council have announced the 2019 Top 10 Under 10 Award recipients. These honorees will be celebrated at an on-campus ceremony Saturday, April 13.
This year's recipients are outstanding young alumni who have achieved high levels of success, continuously work to elevate their communities and are loyal alumni role models. They are:
Emily Favret ’09, director of global communications, Nike
A communications graduate, Favret has built a career in sports communications that has spanned the globe. Favret now leads a team that looks after the experiences, editorial and communications that keep Nike's global employee base of 73,000 members engaged in the brand, the products and the athletes and sport moments they love.
Wyn Ferrell, Jr. '09, owner, Mile High Spirits Distillery and Tasting Bar
A business administration graduate, Ferrell is the owner of Mile High Spirits, Denver's hottest distillery and tasting room with craft cocktails and house-made infusions. Mile High Spirits is also one of the most popular bars and music venues in Denver, where Ferrell produces and hosts an annual music festival for more than 5,000 attendees.
Sam Slaughter ’09, food and spirits editor, author, The Manual
An anthropology and English graduate, Slaughter has been publishing fiction, creative nonfiction, critical essays and journalistic miscellanea since 2009. After graduation, Slaughter went on to receive his master's degree in English literature from Stetson University in 2013. Slaughter is currently employed as a food and spirits editor at the men's lifestyle magazine The Manual and has apeared in Maxim, Bloomberg, The Bitter Southerner, Thirsty, The Bluegrass Situation, Chilled, Supercall, Edible and more.
Hannah Lane '11, postdoctoral research fellow, University of Maryland School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics
A biochemistry graduate, Lane cultivated unique interests while at Elon, which led her to pursue a career in public health research. After graduation, Lane completed a master's degree in public health from George Washington University and a doctorate degree in community and behavioral science from Virginia Tech. Lane is now finishing a postdoctoral fellowship and preparing to transition to assistant professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore.
Josh Norris '11, NFL writer and podcaster, NBC Sports and Rotoworld
A media arts and entertainment graduate, Norris works out of NBC Sports headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut, focusing on football year-round. In his position, Norris hosts and produces NBC Sports' most successful original podcast and anchors weekly football shows during football season on NBC digital platforms.
Barrett Wilbert Weed '11, broadway actor
A music theatre graduate, Weed is a musical theater actress and singer who made her Broadway debut in "Lysistrata Jones" in 2011 as an understudy for many of the female roles. Weed is best known for originating the role of Veronica Sawyer in the Off-Broadway production of "Heathers: The Musical." Weed now stars in the lead role of Janis Sarkisian in the Broadway production of "Mean Girls."
Jasmine Gregory '12, associate attorney, Payne & Associates, PLLC
A strategic communications graduate, Gregory held a series of positions in the marketing and communications field, but after becoming closely acquainted with the work of Legal Aid, decided to pursue a law degree to help expand access to legal services in the Triad area. After graduating from Wake Forest University School of Law and receiving the North Carolina State Bar Student Pro Bono Service award for outstanding pro bono service in the Winston-Salem community, Gregory accepted a position as associate attorney at Payne & Associates, PLLC., specializing in high conflict custody battles, divorce proceedings and domestic abuse cases.
Tyler Marenyi '13, DJ and electronic dance music producer, NGHTMRE
A finance graduate, Marenyi, better known by his stage name "Nghtmre," is a DJ and electronic dance music producer based in Los Angeles, California. Known for his meticulous production and pulsating performances, Marenyi is a household name at the world's best clubs and festivals, driving crowds into a frenzy at EDC Las Vegas, Tomorrowland, Creamfields, Coachella, Amnesia Ibiza and more.
Alanna Vagianos '13, women's reporter, HuffPost
An arts and sciences graduate, Vagianos has always been a champion for women's rights but didn't realize she could turn her passion into a career until she arrived at Elon in 2009. With the help of her mentor, Associate Professor of Religious Studies Amy Allocco, Vagianos independently majored in women's & gender studies, graduating and earning experience at Ms. Magazine and Bust Magazine before landing an editorial fellowship at HuffPost and being hired months later as an associate editor. Vagianos was later promoted to women's Reporter on HuffPost's national news desk, where she now focuses on gender issues, sexual violence and social justice.
Zora Stephenson '15, anchor/reporter, KDVR – Fox 31/ KWGN – Channel 2 News
A communications graduate, Stephenson always had a knack for public speaking. While at Elon, Stephenson was captain of the women's basketball team, involved in Elon Local News and Elon Phoenix Weekly, an in-game host on the big screen at football games, and a campus tour guide. Stephenson now serves as an anchor and reporter at KDVR, the Fox Station in Denver, covering everything from breaking newes to enterprise stories. Prior to that, Stephenson worked as a reporter at WNCT in Greenville, North Carolina, and was recognized for her work in Eastern North Carolina as the RTDNAC Division 2 News Reporter of the year.
For more information about the awards, please contact Mary Chayse Haithcock, coordinator of alumni engagement and special events, at mbullard5@elon.edu.