Alumni, parents and friends gather at Evening for Elon in Washington, D.C.

On Tuesday, Oct. 15, alumni, parents and friends gathered in the nation’s capital to celebrate their connections to Elon University.

Following the reception, a short introductory video showcased the many updates to Elon’s campus allowing attendees to visualize the new spaces. These included projects such as the Francis Center, East Neighborhood Commons, an indoor batting facility for the baseball team, the Loy Farm Living-Learning Community and the relocation of the Acorn Coffee shop to Belk Library. The video also revealed a new rendering of the Health EU building that is scheduled to open in the summer of 2026.

Following the video, Kristen Burke ’18, the DC alumni chapter president, and Elon University Trustee, Shelly Hazel ’78 LP’09, took the stage. Burke discussed her pride in serving the alumni in the area and the excitement for their upcoming chapter events, including a first-time homebuying seminar and their first Women of Elon event being held this December.

Hazel introduced President Connie Ledoux Book, touching on how the president was changing Elon for the better before even stepping into her current role.

“Our President redesigned Career Services at Elon from the ground up, giving it a new mission, new leadership, and new facilities in Moseley, the Koury Business Center and the School of Communications,” said Hazel.

President Book took the stage to explain the latest news and accomplishments for the University.

“Elon remains the number one university in the nation for study abroad, and during Winter Term, students will also complete internships and engage in service projects in the Alamance County community,” Book said.

President Book continued her remarks with updates on Elon’s innovation in artificial intelligence, including Mustafa Akbens’ efforts to ensure responsible and ethical usages across campus as Elon’s first director of AI integration.

“Drs. Akben, (Haya) Ajjan, and (Paula) Rosinski are just a few of the many faculty on campus using AI to enhance student learning and engagement. Each represents the highest levels of teaching, scholarship and service at Elon,” Book explains.

One notable initiative that the president focused on is the new AI-driven platform Elon Q&A, which connects students and alumni.

“This tool allows anyone in the Elon community to ask a question, and AI technology finds alumni with the relevant expertise to answer,” said Book. “Whether it’s career advice or academic insights, Elon Q&A makes meaningful connections possible.”

The President’s remarks also focused on the Health EU initiative, Elon’s largest capital fundraising initiative to date. She shared renderings and plans for the building, giving guests a look at the many features the state-of-the-art facility will entail. Her speech concluded with a call to action for attendees to be partners, advocates, mentors and investors of the university to empower students and inspire bold futures: “Together, we are building a future that reflects our shared values and ambitions,” she said.

Following President Book, Jim Piatt, senior vice president for university advancement and external affairs, concluded the event with inspiring thoughts on unity. He honed in on what it truly means to be a partner, advocate and investor in the university and the campus community, sharing specific ways that attendees can get involved, such as recruiting at Elon, referring prospective students to Elon and hiring students from Elon. He also encouraged those in attendance to stay connected to the DC chapter and with the campus community through attending events like Homecoming and Reunion Weekend.

The evening concluded with a Cheers to Elon celebration honoring current alumni donors and the university’s most active alumni volunteers.

The next Evening for Elon event will take place in Tampa, Florida at Armature Works on Thursday, Nov. 14. Register at connect.elon.edu/24Tampa.