Eric Townsend

The mayor of a Kansas town that turned itself into a “green” community following a tornado in 2007 visits Elon University this month to talk about the challenges and successes his town discovered throughout the recovery and rebuilding process.

Elon University professors, students and alumni made regional and national news in recent weeks through their research and activities, both on and off campus. Notable this fall was coverage of the Elon University Poll, the Elon University Forest, and a new book on breast cancer recurrence by associate professor Barbara Gordon. The following list should not be considered exhaustive and does not include athletics news.

The MBA Student Alumni Association hosted a golf tournament that raised $1,000 in support of the Elon Academy Dream Fund, a special budget created by the association three years ago to assist Elon Academy with college visits, involve students in school and community projects, and help students and families when unexpected life situations arise.

Four members of the student organization Student Entrepreneurial Enterprise Development (SEED) served as student ambassadors at the inaugural D.C. Entrepreneurship Week.

An Elon University junior has been named the District Outstanding Brother of the Year for Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., an annual competition that judges nominees on criteria that include involvement in the organization, academic standing, campus involvement and leadership.

More than 120 students from six North Carolina universities took part this month in a third annual contest sponsored by the Doherty Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership and by S.E.E.D., a student group at Elon dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship. The Elon Innovation Challenge concluded Nov. 22 with an afternoon awards ceremony honoring three teams that were lauded by a panel of local entrepreneurs for their work.

A renowned expert on education psychology and diversity in higher education visited Elon University on Nov. 22 and led a lunchtime discussion with dozens of faculty and staff members on the impact of interactions between professors and students, notably among various demographic groups.

Fifty-seven percent of respondents in the latest Elon University Poll disagree with the idea of using school vouchers to help parents pay for their children to attend private or religious schools instead of public schools, and nearly the same number believes doing so would weaken public schools.

International Education Week returns to Elon University this month with a series of events that run from Nov. 15-19, 2010, and include concerts, a special College Coffee and a panel discussion on NAFTA. The annual national program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education this year focuses on Mexico, its people and its influence on American culture, politics and economy.

When the North American Free Trade Agreement went into effect on Jan. 1, 1994, its goal was to increase trade between Canada, Mexico and the United States by eliminating tariffs and encouraging investment. Seventeen years later, as part of International Education Week 2010 at Elon University, representatives from the three nations met to offer thoughts on the future of the agreement.