Parents

A university senior and his family want to raise awareness of suicide prevention strategies as they compete for a $50,000 grant from the Pepsi Refresh Project, and he needs the Elon community’s help with online voting for the Hold Hope Initiative in memory of his brother.

Hundreds of students, and nearly as many professors and administrators, mingled Wednesday afternoon on the green outside Moseley Center in the annual Senior Class Picnic for Graduates, Faculty and Staff. The informal event gives seniors a moment to relax over pork barbecue and grilled chicken with the Elon University educators who guided them through four years of study.

With the most recent forecast calling for a 50 percent chance of rain Saturday morning and scattered thunderstorms throughout the day, seniors taking part in Commencement are reminded to visit Alamance 109 before this afternoon to receive two tickets for guests who will watch the ceremony inside Alumni Gym should weather force the program indoors.

Events leading up to Commencement 2010 take place this week as Elon prepares to graduate its 120th undergraduate class, its MBA and Elon Law class, and its inaugural class in the iMedia graduate program. Activities for seniors start May 18, with a class picnic, an evening gala, receptions and dinners on the agenda.

New alumni can now download a customized news release announcing their graduation from Elon University as part of the Class of 2010.

Imploring students to serve the communities where they will live, the Rev. Richard McBride used his Commencement address on May 23, 2009, to encourage the largest graduating class in Elon University history to find “the place where what you most need to do to fulfill your life intersects with what you believe the world most needs to have done.”

The Rev. Sam Wells, dean of Duke University Chapel, will deliver Elon University’s 2010 Baccalaureate sermon on Friday, May 21, at 3 p.m. in the Koury Athletic Center.