Allison Fox ’15 creates scholarship opportunities for women who wish to study business at Elon. The generous gift targets two priorities of Elon LEADS, the largest fundraising campaign in the university’s history.
When Allison Fox ’15 attends corporate meetings in her role as a banking industry manager, she sometimes finds herself as one of the few women in the room. She would like to change that dynamic by investing in future women business leaders who attend Elon University.
Fox, who majored in finance with a minor in statistics, says her gift to the Elon LEADS Campaign serves multiple purposes— developing more scholarships at her alma mater and building diversity in business careers.
“Diversity is key for innovation in the workplace, however women are still underrepresented in business leadership positions,” Fox says. “I want to encourage more women to pursue education and careers in business.”
Fox’s gift will assist two students each year. Elon Engagement Scholarships are designed for promising students who embody the spirit and values of the university and are eager to take advantage of the university’s engaged learning programs called the Elon Experiences: Study Abroad, Study USA, Undergraduate Research, Internships, Leadership and Service Learning. The Elon Engagement Scholarship is renewable annually and includes a one-time grant to be used for one of the Elon Experiences.
“I think that education is a valuable tool and I wanted to give more people the opportunity to have an Elon education, to get the Elon Experiences,” Fox says. “It was such a good opportunity for myself that I wanted to give it to people who might not be able to do it on their own.”
James B. Piatt, Jr., vice president for university advancement, says scholarship support from young alumni donors is critical to increasing the university’s financial aid program. It is the top priority of the current Elon LEADS Campaign.
“Nothing is more important than making an Elon education more accessible to promising students who might not otherwise be able to attend Elon and take advantage of the incredible experiences the university offers,” Piatt says. “I am inspired by this kind of support from caring alumni members like Allison, and we thank her for her generous gift that will help future generations of Elon students.”
Fox says she was attracted to supporting an Elon Engagement Scholarship because of her own experiences as an undergraduate at Elon. She studied abroad in Asia, which included stops in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Bali. She learned about the driving economic forces in those nations while also observing and absorbing the culture. She found it to be a rewarding experience that she wanted to share.
“I think that Elon has a wonderful study abroad program. I was fortunate to take part in it, and I wanted to make sure more people can take on those opportunities,” she says.
Fox’s interest in philanthropy began when she was a student at a boarding school in Massachusetts and continued at Elon. Her endowment of an Elon Engagement Scholarship served as a matching incentive gift for Elon Day on March 5, 2019.
“Elon Day is a great program to get the school and alumni to rally and give back to the university. It generates a lot of excitement,” Fox says.
About The Elon LEADS Campaign
The gift from Allison Fox is part of the Elon LEADS Campaign. The university launched the public phase of the campaign on April 5. With a $250 million goal, Elon LEADS is the largest fundraising campaign in the university’s history and will support four main funding priorities: scholarships for graduates the world needs, access to engaged-learning opportunities, support for faculty and staff mentors who matter and our iconic campus. To date, donors have contributed $168 million toward the overall goal.
Every gift to the university—including annual, endowment, and estate and other planned gifts—counts as a gift to the campaign, which will support students and strengthen Elon for generations to come. To learn more about how you can make an impact, visit www.elonleads.com.