The end-of-the-year luncheon concluded a full year of participation from 12 participants representing six Student Life departments.
On Thursday, May 11, the Division of Student Life celebrated its inaugural cohort for the Elon Early Career Institute at The Inn at Elon. The luncheon began with a welcome by Megan Noltemeyer, assistant to the Vice President of Student Life and co-lead for the institute, and was followed by a recognition of the inaugural participant cohort and a recognition of the facilitators.
The Elon Early Career Institute is a result of a 2019-20 work group within the Division of Student Life which proposed a New Professionals Institute following similar types of institutes across higher education and student affairs professional associations such as NASPA, ACPA, and NIRSA.
In 2021, the Division of Student Life began implementing the work group’s recommendation. Megan Noltemeyer, assistant to the Vice President for Student Life, Emily Krechel, director of New Student Programs, and Jenni Spangenberg, former director of Student Conduct, served as co-leads for the institute and they worked on the recruitment of facilitators and participants.
The luncheon concluded a full year of participation from 12 participants representing six Student Life departments. The participants learned and discussed topics related to inclusive excellence, university decision-making, leadership, wellness and well-being, and career planning. Each participant was honored by one of the five facilitators and received a certificate of completion for their commitment to the program.
Next year, the divisions of Student Life, Admissions and Financial Aid, Finance and Administration, and University Advancement will launch a university-wide Elon Early Career Institute as well as its inaugural Mid-Level Professional Institute.
2022-2023 Participants
- Olivia Brown, Center for Leadership
- Shannon Finney G’20, Student Involvement
- Tal Fish ‘09, Counseling Services
- Zach Gentz, Campus Recreation and Wellness
- Sara Beth Hardy, Kernodle Center for Civic Life
- Meredith Harrison, Counseling Services
- MJ Larrazabal G’21, Center for Race, Ethnicity, and Diversity Education (CREDE)
- Andrew Moffa, Kernodle Center for Civic Life
- Simone Royal ‘17, Center for Race, Ethnicity, and Diversity Education (CREDE)
- Crystal Scarborough, Counseling Services
- Alexis Swider, Student Involvement
- Abigail Wiatrek, Kernodle Center for Civic Life
2022-2023 Facilitators
- Luis Garay, Gender and LGBTQIA Center
- Jenny Larson, Campus Recreation and Wellness
- Betsy Polk, Jewish Life, Truitt Center for Religious & Spiritual Life
- Ian Reynolds, Residence Life
- Charlotte Williams, Campus Recreation and Wellness
2022-2023 Co-Leads
- Emily Krechel, New Student Programs
- Megan Noltemeyer, Student Life
- Jenni Spangenberg (until June 2022), Student Conduct