Elon celebrates collective generosity at 2023 Faculty & Staff Giving Donor Celebration

Elon's faculty and staff raised more than $338,000 during the 2022-23 academic year for various philanthropic efforts at the university.

The Elon University community gathered in the Snow Family Grand Atrium inside of Schar Hall on Tuesday to celebrate the collective philanthropy and generosity of the faculty and staff during the 2022-23 Faculty & Staff Giving Donor Celebration.

With 956 total faculty/staff donors, 61% of all Elon employees, totaling $338,376, President Connie Ledoux Book said the giving of Elon’s employees displays the power of philanthropy at the university.

“What I’m proud of and what I’m committed to is being a good steward of your resources,” Book said during the celebration. “Thank you for supporting education because I truly believe that an education is how we change the world for the best, it’s how we lead, it’s how to provide an opportunity for learning and growth and to see solutions for the real challenges we face.”

Faculty and staff members partake of fruit and ice cream at an event celebrating the amount donated by faculty and staff to Elon University, May 9, 2023, in Snow Atrium.

Associate Professor Tiffany Morris, the inaugural chair of the Department of Nursing, is on the Faculty/Staff Giving Executive Committee and spoke about the direct significance of Elon’s giving efforts to her personally. Her goddaughter, Kiara Hunter ’23, passed on a full scholarship at another university to attend Elon with support from the Odyssey Scholarship.

During her time as an undergraduate, Hunter has experienced all five of the Elon experiences, an opportunity that starts with the generosity of the Elon community.

“I know that without the scholarship and funding from Elon, she would not be graduating this May,” Morris said. “This year, we had 54 colleagues step up as captains for the giving efforts in their respective departments across the entire campus. Without the help of our captains, we will not be able to spread the importance and impact of philanthropy effectively.”

Book spoke of the difference made by the historic Elon LEADS campaign, which raised $260 million, and how it has paved the way for an incoming cohort of 57 Odyssey Scholars, the largest cohort since she has been president. Book also noted that Hunter’s story is what inspires the community and is the secret to what drives Elon’s generosity.

John Barnhill, Associate Vice President for University Advancement, speaks at an event celebrating the amount donated by faculty and staff to Elon University, May 9, 2023, in Snow Atrium.

“The piece that I love about it is that it’s reciprocal. We have impacted Kiara’s life, no question about it. But Kiara has impacted Elon,” she said.

As the current vice chair and incoming chair of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, Book has a broader perspective on how dedicated Elon’s faculty and staff are to supporting philanthropy. “It’s a really powerful testament and I’m proud to be president of a community that believes so deeply in the work that we do,” Book said.

During the academic year, 22 faculty-staff departments reached 100% participation: