For more information, including ticket details, please visit
elon.edu/speakerseries and .

Fall Convocation with David Brooks

Bestselling author, staff writer for The Atlantic and longtime New York Times columnist

Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, 3:30 p.m. | Alumni Gym,
Koury Athletic Center, 乱伦视频, N.C.
乱伦视频 Speaker Series

David Brooks is a leading observer of American culture, politics and civic life. Over decades in journalism, his columns have become some of the most widely read in the nation, offering insight into political dynamics, social trends and the challenges facing modern democracy.

Common Reading Lecture with Hanif Abdurraqib

Cultural critic and author of 鈥淭here鈥檚 Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension鈥�

Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, 7:30 p.m. | Alumni Gym,
Koury Athletic Center, 乱伦视频, N.C.
乱伦视频 Speaker Series

Hanif Abdurraqib is widely recognized for his lyrical and deeply personal writing that explores music, identity and the intersections of culture and lived experience. 鈥淭here鈥檚 Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension鈥� was selected as 乱伦视频鈥檚 Common Reading for 2026-27.

鈥淣avigating Change, Empowering Progress: A Roadmap for Leaders Committed to Community and Democracy鈥� with the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, former
Prime Minister of Canada

Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, 7 p.m. | Sandra Levine Theatre, Sarah Belk Gambrell Center for the Arts and Civic Engagement, Charlotte, N.C.
The Learning Society

In an era of unprecedented global challenges and technological change, the foundation of progress remains human 鈥� our ability to build and strengthen communities through democratic principles and shared values. Drawing from his transformational decade as Canada鈥檚 23rd Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau shares compelling insights on how leaders can foster resilient, inclusive communities that can thrive in times of opportunity and crisis.

Carol Ann Walker International Lectureship with Lance Cpl. Kyle Carpenter

Recipient of the Medal of Honor

Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, 11 a.m. | McCrary Theatre,
Center for the Arts, 乱伦视频, N.C.
乱伦视频 Speaker Series

The youngest living recipient of the Medal of Honor, Lance Cpl. Kyle Carpenter was recognized for extraordinary heroism when he suffered life-threatening injuries after throwing himself on a grenade in Afghanistan to protect a fellow U.S. Marine. He is the author of the memoir 鈥淵ou Are Worth It: Building a Life Worth Fighting For.鈥�

Coming in 2027

Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Address with Danielle Coke Balfour

Artist, author and social justice advocate

Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2027, noon | Alumni Gym,
Koury Athletic Center, 乱伦视频, N.C.
乱伦视频 Speaker Series

A Conversation with Venus Williams

Olympian, world-renowned tennis champion and entrepreneur

Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2027, 7 p.m. | Sandra Levine Theatre, Sarah Belk Gambrell Center for the Arts and Civic Engagement, Charlotte, N.C.
The Learning Society

Baird Lecture with Tim Tebow

Heisman Trophy winner, former NFL quarterback and philanthropist

Tuesday, March 9, 2027, 7 p.m. | Alumni Gym, Koury Athletic Center, 乱伦视频, N.C.
乱伦视频 Speaker Series

James P. Elder Lecture with Heather Cox Richardson

Historian and bestselling author

Tuesday, April 6, 2027, 6:30 p.m. | Alumni Gym, Koury Athletic Center, 乱伦视频, N.C.
乱伦视频 Speaker Series

Plain White T’s聽headlined last year聽with over聽2,000聽alumni, students and friends聽in attendance!聽As a fan-favorite Homecoming event,聽Rock the Block will once again transform into a full music festival experience featuring a variety of food trucks, a bar, activities and an end-of-night fireworks show.

O鈥橬eal聽will聽perform聽from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Rock the Block and the Homecoming聽Concert are open to all members of the 乱伦视频 community for free, so register for today!

A new chapter in 乱伦视频鈥檚 global sport education programming officially began Sept. 7 in Pistoia, Italy.

Five 乱伦视频 students arrived in the Tuscan city as the inaugural cohort participating in the university鈥檚 partnership with Lumos Pistoia Basket 2000, a professional basketball organization, and the Accademia Europea di Firenze (AEF). Their arrival was marked by a from the club as the students prepare to begin a semester combining study abroad with hands-on experience in the professional sport industry.

As part of their initial visit, the students explored Pistoia鈥檚 historic center before making their way to LumoSquare, the 3,835-seat home of Pistoia Basket and a growing community hub. Accompanied by Professor Marco Bracci and Elisabetta Santanni, academic director of AEF/乱伦视频 in Florence, the group toured the facility, met members of the club staff, and received a personal welcome from Pistoia Basket President Joseph Mark David.

The visit offered the students their first look at the organization, where they will soon become part of the day-to-day operations. Beginning in mid-September, they will work alongside Pistoia Basket staff on projects involving sport management, marketing and social media.

鈥淭his experience is over a year in the making and couldn’t have come together without the amazing work of our partners at AEF, especially Elisabetta Santanni and Marco Bracci,鈥� said David Bockino, professor of sport management. 鈥淎s we launch the partnership this semester, we’re already discussing how to make it accessible to more students moving forward. The reception on campus has been great 鈥� we have students lining up to participate in the future.鈥�

A global professional experience

Announced last fall, 乱伦视频鈥檚 partnership with AEF and Pistoia Basket was developed in collaboration with the Department of Sport Management to expand experiential learning opportunities for students studying in Florence. It combines two hallmarks of an 乱伦视频 education 鈥� global engagement and professional experience 鈥� placing students inside a European professional sport organization while they study abroad.

鈥淭his experience was the logical next step as 乱伦视频 grows its sport-related experiences,鈥� Bockino said. 鈥淎s a university, we’re great at study abroad and at helping our students get internships. Why not put those two together? When these students eventually hit the job market, they’ll arrive with a true resume differentiator: an internship with a professional Italian basketball club that allows them to better understand sport from a global perspective.鈥�

As part of a mentored, two-credit internship with Pistoia Basket, students will spend approximately 10 hours each week gaining practical experience in event operations, fan engagement, marketing, communications and social media. Their responsibilities will be tailored to their academic backgrounds and professional interests.

For example, students interested in media analytics may evaluate the club鈥檚 social media performance, while students studying sport management or strategic communications will work to increase Pistoia Basket鈥檚 visibility among college students studying abroad in Florence. Participants will also meet regularly with accompanying professors and complete applied and reflection-based assignments.

The cohort will also contribute to a video storytelling project designed to introduce Pistoia Basket to new audiences in the United States. Funded by the 乱伦视频 Innovation Council and coordinated through 乱伦视频鈥檚 Sports Media Lab and 乱伦视频 Sports Vision, the project will use footage captured by the students to tell the story of Pistoia鈥檚 2026-27 season. According to Bockino, the resulting videos are expected to appear on 乱伦视频 social media channels and during 乱伦视频 Athletics broadcasts.

This fall鈥檚 inaugural cohort includes Robbie Pataky ’28, a strategic communications major; Amelia Weaver ’28, a sport management and media analytics double major; Riley Greenwald ’28, a sport management major; Olivia Tichnor ’28, a marketing major; and Max Edelstein ’28, a sport management major.

鈥淚鈥檝e always been a writer, but I never believed I could write a whole novel,鈥� said Schramm, who majored in philosophy and journalism in 2008. 鈥淏ut during the pandemic I saw all these people living their dreams and I thought maybe I could do that too. This is when I came up with the idea for my novel and started writing.鈥�

The young adult novel, 鈥�,鈥� tells the story of high school senior Sydney Hoffman as she sees pink neon countdown clocks over people鈥檚 heads 72 hours before they die. This has left her cynical, closed off and alone until she meets Peter Beckett, who changes everything she believes about life and death. Peter convinces Sydney she does not have to handle the countdowns alone, and together they help strangers live their best final hours.

鈥淚t felt like everyone around me had a clock over their head during the pandemic and I was really struggling to figure out how to live a meaningful life with the threat of the world possibly ending at any moment,鈥� said Schramm. “I was sort of learning alongside the main character, Sydney, how to enjoy life and be present.鈥�

During this time writing the novel became cathartic for her.

鈥淢y classes at 乱伦视频 influenced my writing so much,鈥� said Schramm. “This book is very philosophical and so many of the ideas in there are from my time eating bread around the fireplace in the philosophy building talking about existentialism and what it means to live an examined life. One of the teachers in the book is named in honor of one of my favorite philosophy professors, Dr. Jegstrup. She pushed me harder than any teacher ever has, and I owe so much to her and her classes.鈥�

Schramm was originally only a journalism major, but that all changed after she took a philosophy class taught by Associate Professor Elsebet Jegstrup.

鈥淎fter the first class, I walked directly to the registrar鈥檚 office and immediately changed my major to philosophy,鈥� Schramm said. “I only needed one day for it to change everything.

Publishing a novel was not exactly what she thought it would be. While writing her debut novel, Schramm learned from other authors how the publishing world worked.

鈥淥ne of the things I didn鈥檛 realize was how long publishing takes,鈥� Schramm said. “My auction for 鈥�72 Hours of You鈥� happened in early 2024 and it just recently came out.鈥�

Life as a debut author has been a dream come true for Schramm. She has had the opportunity to meet many creative colleagues and visit stores to sign copies of her book.

鈥淚 feel wildly lucky that this is my job,鈥� Schramm said. 鈥淭o see my debut novel translated into so many different languages has been such an incredible gift.鈥�

Now working on her second young adult novel, 鈥淜iss Me Like the Last Time,鈥� about a girl who kisses someone for the first time while also experiencing her last kiss with them at the same time, which is set to publish in 2027.

Schramm is also publishing her first debut adult novel in 2028 titled 鈥淭he Eternal Deaths of Hattie Gold,鈥� about a woman who is training to become Gen-Z Death.

While at 乱伦视频, Schramm participated in Greek Life and developed strong relationships with faculty.

鈥淚 loved attending 乱伦视频 and being in the Department of Philosophy,鈥� Schramm said. “The philosophy department was such a special tight-knot space, and I am forever grateful that I changed my major to philosophy.鈥�

Schramm is earning her PhD in creative writing.

This heartfelt project began as a nudge when Keith Alessi鈥檚 life took a major turn. Now, it鈥檚 his mission to raise money for causes close to his heart. Alessi shares his exceptional true story of leaving the world of corporate board rooms to follow a long-delayed passion 鈥� playing the banjo! When faced with a deadly cancer battle, his musical pursuit took him on a journey that became the key to saving his life. Told through authentic storytelling, heartfelt humor and music, Alessi鈥檚 story is an uplifting tale of challenge, triumph and the healing power of the arts and music.

The Princeton Review has again featured 乱伦视频 in a popular college guide that annually recognizes excellence in dozens of categories, with the university placing among the top 25 schools in 15 categories and in the top 10 of eight categories, including #1 Best College Theater.

乱伦视频鈥檚 profile in 鈥溾�澛爄ncludes more than a dozen recognitions:

• #1 Best College Theater
• #4 Best Classroom Experience
• #6 Best Student Support and Counseling Services
• #6 Best College Dorms
• #8 Happiest Students
• #9 Most Beautiful Campus
• #9 Everyone Plays Intramural Sports
• #10 Their Students Love These Colleges
• #11 Best Campus Food
• #12 Best Career Services
• #12 Best-Run Colleges
• #18 Most Active Student Government
• #23 Professors Get High Marks
• #24 Best Quality of Life
• #25 Green Matters: Everyone Cares About Conservation

The Princeton Review chose the 392 colleges for the book based on its surveys in 2025-26 of 2,000 college administrators about their school’s academic offerings. The company also surveyed students attending the colleges in the book who rated their schools on dozens of topics and reported on their campus experiences at them. Only about 14% of America鈥檚 nearly 2,800 four-year colleges are in the book.

“We are delighted to name 乱伦视频 one of our Best Colleges for 2027, and we recommend it to students searching for their 鈥榖est-fit鈥� college,鈥� said Rob Franek, The Princeton Review’s editor-in-chief and lead author of The Best 392 Colleges.聽 “乱伦视频 has outstanding academic programs; we also took into account the candid feedback we received about it from its very own customers鈥攊ts enrolled students.”

The rankings are entirely based on the company’s surveys of students attending the schools in the book who reported on their campus experiences at their schools. Surveys of 172,000 students (about 439 per school on average) were tallied for the rankings in The Best 392 Colleges.

Information on the for the rankings and the student is published in the book and on .

Select Responses Cited in 鈥淭he Best 391 Colleges鈥�

• 乱伦视频 provides “meaningful access to professors, research opportunities, internships, and leadership roles early鈥hich allows (students) to explore their interests in practical, hands-on ways.鈥�
• 鈥淓veryone from the most esteemed professors to our incredible dining hall workers, to the student life staff, to our groundskeepers鈥澛爄s described as 鈥渢he most incredible support system.鈥�
• Faculty are “highly experienced and enthusiastic” who do “constant check-ups and meetings with you. They want to make sure that you鈥檙e not only succeeding in their class, but also having an amazing, enriching time in college.鈥�
• Students praised the small class sizes, which allow for bonding聽鈥渨ith both my professors and my peers, and it gives me more opportunities for success.鈥�
• 乱伦视频’s experiential learning model provides an opportunity “where students can use both classroom learning and real-world experience to understand the information being taught.鈥�
• Students highlighted the university’s “strong culture of involvement” where “students are constantly balancing academics with leadership roles, service organizations, research, athletics, and creative projects, and that energy creates an environment where it feels normal to want to do big things.鈥�

About the Princeton Review

The Princeton Review (), founded in 1981, is an education services company known for its tutoring, test-prep, admission services, school rankings, books, and other resources. Headquartered in New York, NY, it is not affiliated with Princeton University, and it is not a magazine.

The Best 392 Colleges is the 35th annual edition of The Princeton Review’s flagship college guide which debuted in 1992. It is one of more than 150 Princeton Review books in a published by Penguin Random House. The book and its annual student-survey-based college rankings have been featured on NBC TODAY more than two dozen times over the years and referenced by media from NPR to The Wall Street Journal and The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Related Articles

• The Month in Photos: June 2026
• The Month in Photos: May 2026
• The Month in Photos: April 2026

While many students are away for the summer, July remained a busy month at 乱伦视频. Student researchers shared the results of projects driven by curiosity and purpose, high school students experienced campus through summer programs and the university continued to welcome visitors for camps and community events. Take a look back at some of the month鈥檚 highlights through the eyes of the staff in University Communications.

乱伦视频 Engage

The Engage program at 乱伦视频 provides an opportunity for incoming students to spend a week on campus before their first semester, learning more about the university and volunteering in the local community. It is聽one of 乱伦视频鈥檚聽First-Year Summer Experience (FSE)聽programs, which聽gives incoming 乱伦视频 students a preview of the university during the summer before their first semester

Adventures in Leadership

Another FSE program, Adventures in Leadership, allows incoming first-year students to explore the outdoors across North Carolina.

A combined College Coffee

乱伦视频 faculty and staff visited Queens University for a day of collaborative learning, professional development and Queens’ first-ever College Coffee event fostering connection and community between both institutions.

Research together

More than 50 乱伦视频 and Queens University of Charlotte students came together for the annual Summer Undergraduate Research Experience presentations on July 23 in Schar Hall.

The largest Odyssey

乱伦视频鈥檚聽Odyssey Program welcomed its largest cohort in history during Odyssey Week, a collection of events that introduces the students to the scholarship program and college life.

Phoenix Summer

乱伦视频 hosted its inaugural Phoenix Summer residential camp this month for rising high school juniors and seniors interested in preparing for the transition to college.

Twenty-six students participated in Phoenix Summer, held July 6-17 on 乱伦视频鈥檚 campus, where they immersed themselves in hands-on, college-style academics while fostering curiosity, community and independence.

Off-the-Court

Seven incoming first-year students explored careers in the sport industry this summer through the Off-the-Court First Year Summer Experience, an immersive program designed to help students discover where they fit in the business of sport before declaring a major.

Led by sport management faculty members Cara Lucia and Khirey Walker, participants toured 乱伦视频 Athletics facilities, connected with alumni in Charlotte, toured Truist Field, home of the Charlotte Knights, and visited organizations such as the Carolina Core Elite Training Center and the Burlington Sock Puppets, gaining firsthand insight into the many career paths within the sport industry.

The 鈥淣ever Be at a Loss for Words鈥� workshop idea was created through a partnership between 乱伦视频 and The Groundlings, an industry improv training leader in Los Angeles. The workshop was led by actor, improv performer and The Groundlings improv coach Andres Parada. Parada has spent many years teaching actors critical communication skills that prepare them for anything that comes up in an audition, in a live performance or on a film set. Actors Will Ferrell, Melissa McCarthy, Maya Rudolph and Lisa Kudrow are among the many well-known alumni of The Groundlings.

Now, 乱伦视频 LA students have learned how to apply those techniques to benefit them along both their career and personal journeys ahead.

乱伦视频 Los Angeles, offered by 乱伦视频鈥檚聽听补苍诲听National Campus Programs, offers spring and summer immersive experiences for students that feature academic courses taught by instructors who are working professionals in their fields and on-site experiential learning at internship sites across the city. The 乱伦视频 LA experience also includes alumni engagement, community service and unique professional development opportunities.

Based in historic Hollywood, applications are now being accepted for the spring 2027 semester.

Engle, who graduated from 乱伦视频 in 2022 and currently serves as company manager at Shakespeare Theatre Company, said the Washington, D.C. community has embraced theatre and arts culture.

鈥淚 think that when a lot of people think of DC, they think of Capitol Hill and politicians and different lobbying organizations or aid organizations, things that are more visible from the outside perspective and how DC is represented in media,鈥� Engle said. 鈥淏ut DC as a whole has been so welcoming as a theater community; we’re very lucky to have some incredible regional theaters.鈥�

Faculty Director for Study USA D.C., and Associate Professor of Political Science and Public Policy, Joel Shelton, echoed Engle, noting that theater is just one part of the arts culture in D.C.

鈥淚 think the most important context is that Washington, D.C., is often thought of as a place where politics happens, but culture in the capital is a really fundamental aspect of community here,鈥� Shelton said. 鈥淭here are so many different manifestations of popular culture in the city, whether that be art, literature, or museums, and especially theater, because, of course, Washington, D.C. is not New York, and it’s not Los Angeles.鈥�

Shelton also said choosing to attend Othello was to show students both the political and artistic parts of the play.

鈥淭o me, when we were dreaming of this course, I thought that Othello was a wonderful place to see the linkages between political meaning and cultural production in Washington,鈥� Shelton said. 鈥淪o you have the arts and culture, but also a play that is deeply political and deeply concerned with contemporary questions around race, gender, power, identity.鈥�

Engle, who earned a degree in arts administration, said that the program introduced her to students with different experiences.

鈥淭he program is made up of people who have life experiences and a lot to teach, and you’re coming together with students who are not taking all of the same classes with you, but have different experiences within the school,鈥� Engle said.

乱伦视频 junior Kallie Latham, who has a background in dance, said being in the theater had a sense of reminiscence.

鈥淭his program has a lot of people with different musical theater interests. We all felt pretty happy and nostalgic,鈥� Latham said.

Latham said the tour gave her a sense of understanding when watching Othello later in the day.

鈥淚t’s even better because I think we get to understand the acting and the theater production that goes into all of it, and how all the settings and the background were changing,鈥� Latham said. 鈥淭hat was really cool.鈥�

Engle also highlighted the out-of-the-classroom experiences 乱伦视频 offers to its students.

鈥淭hey encourage you to join clubs and travel abroad and to experience the world outside the classroom as well.鈥� Engle said. 鈥淚 think that ties into the really cool nature of moving beyond the classroom and then into the professional world, and so much of what you do comes down to the relationships you build, and the way you’re able to engage with the world around you.鈥�

Students interested in this experience for summer 2027 may begin applying on Sept. 1. For more information about the program, contact Anna Smith, director of Study USA.

On a Friday afternoon, the Gerald Francis Center was transformed from a quiet space of rigorous study into a lively hub of global play. The SHS Student Diversity Committee hosted its Cultural Game Night on May 22, inviting students, faculty, and staff to “play something new and meet someone new” while celebrating the unique diversity of the School of Health Sciences.

The event was well attended, drawing a diverse crowd that included students from three separate Physical Therapy and Physician Assistant Studies cohorts, the PT resident, and

multiple faculty and staff members.

As one student remarked, “It is nice to be in the (Francis Center) and get to do something other than study with other students that I only get to pass in the halls.”

The festivities were fueled by a generous donation of popcorn from Regal Cinema in Greensboro, secured by DPTE Program Assistant Angie Reid. Attendees snacked as they navigated a world of games, ranging from high-tech favorites like Japan鈥檚 Mario Kart to traditional staples like Africa鈥檚 Mancala. While a four-person Mancala board, Connect 4, and Uno saw constant action, the competitive spirit of the afternoon reached its peak during a custom Kahoot trivia challenge.

The Kahoot tested participants’ knowledge of cultural dress, traditions, and holiday celebrations from around the globe. Second year student Maci Yaeger claimed victory. Her winning edge? A quick-thinking identification of the Dirndl, a traditional female German outfit.

Beyond the competition, the event provided a space for meaningful reflection. Rousing games of Spades聽and Dominoes were preceded by a heartfelt discussion regarding the cultural lineage of these games. Participants shared stories of how these traditions were passed down through generations, often learned at grandparents’ kitchen tables, and kept alive within family circles. This “drop-in” afternoon bridged the gap between academic life and personal heritage, proving that the SHS community is defined by much more than just its curriculum.

As the school year continues, the SHS Student Diversity Committee remains committed to fostering this spirit of inclusion. In June 2026, the committee will celebrate Juneteenth and Pride Month.