June was officially recognized by the U.S. government as Pride Month in 1999 when President Bill Clinton proclaimed June “Gay and Lesbian Pride Month.” Learn more about the history of the month��.

The GLC also hosts a Pride Month Community Coffee event on June 9 from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. in Irazu Coffee. Attendees can get one medium iced or hot drink. .

Resources at ������Ƶ

• Gender and LGBTQIA Center��(GLC) in Moseley 209 provides support to LGBTQIA students, provides confidential support for survivors of gender-based violence, and presents on gender and LGBTQIA-related topics. The GLC is open during the summer, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed on holidays. Feel free to stop by the office, email (glc@elon.edu) or call at 336.278.6228
• The Gender and Sexuality Living Learning Community��is a residential community open to any student wishing to explore topics around gender and sexual orientation.
• ��is a queer-straight student alliance ensuring a safe space for all queer people, existing for over 20 years.
• OutLaw��is a social and educational organization that fosters a supportive and accepting environment for LGBT students, faculty, staff and professionals at ������Ƶ Law.
• LGBTQIA Alumni Network celebrates��and connects LGBTQIA alumni by fostering belonging and advocating for our community.
• The Spirit and Pride Initiative��is a grant-funded initiative supported by The Carpenter Foundation and in collaboration with the GLC and Truitt Center to support LGBTQIA students of faith.
• RISE, a QTPOC student initiative, supports LGBTQIA students of color through affirmation, celebration, and elevation.
• CLEAR��(Coalition of Learning, Empowerment & Anti-violence Resources) is a��student-directed initiative supervised by the GLC that coordinates events and presentations on gender-based violence awareness and prevention.
• The GAP Fund��provides financial support to currently enrolled ������Ƶ students who are supported by the mission and programs of the Gender and LGBTQIA Center. The GAP Fund is made possible by generous donations to the GLC from LGBTQIA alumni, allies, faculty, staff, current students, and community members.

Community Resources

• ��is a nonprofit organization serving the LGBTQ communities of Alamance County by organizing an annual Pride festival.
• ��provides support for families and friends of LGBTQ people through educational materials and advocacy against harassment and bullying.
• ��is a community-led initiative created to form opportunities that inspire a sense of belonging for LGBTQIA+ and gender expansive people of any age, race and ability in Alamance County.
• ��(Greensboro) creates unity through programming and philanthropy that advances equality and inclusion for LGBTQ communities.
• ��works to to serve, empower, and advocate for the well-being of our diverse LGBTQ+ communities.
• ��supports LGBTQ+ people through services, programming, resources, and support networks that center their wellbeing and allows them to thrive.

Allyship Tips from the GLC

• Connect with any of the organizations in this article.
• Give��to the Gender and LGBTQIA Center to provide financial support for LGBTQIA students who are experiencing food insecurity, to have access to gender-affirming clothing and to make educational experiences financially accessible.
• Learn the history of the LGBTQIA communities from The Society for Human Rights to the Compton’s Cafeteria Riot and to the Stonewall Riots and subsequent Pride Parades.

Reach out to the staff at the Gender and LGBTQIA Center about other ways to get involved or if you are interested in volunteering with the GLC.

The competition gave students the chance to showcase their point-of-care ultrasound skills, compete with other students, and learn from ultrasound experts across a variety of medical specialties.

The team was comprised of students��Aria Keyser G’27, Varenna Minshull G’26, Trevor Minshull G’26, Sukriti Rai G’26, James Whitham G’26 and Chris Gentilella G’27.

Students��Varenna Minshull ’26, Trina Phan ’26 and Brooke Hall ’27 also competed in a “Challenge Bowl” competition and entered the second round.

“I was always told going abroad would change you as a person, but I never knew that feeling was real,” said McDermott, a marketing and international business major from Newburyport, Mass. “If you had asked me three years ago where I thought I’d be, studying in Australia and working in Singapore would have never crossed my mind.”

This spring, the second-year class in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business’s Business Fellows program studied abroad together through a new Asia-Pacific semester experience. The program began with coursework in Sydney, Australia, continued with a week in Vietnam and concluded with full-time internships in Singapore.

In Sydney, students took courses in management, marketing, operations and supply chain, and Australian life and culture. They then traveled to Vietnam for company meetings, lectures from local faculty and cultural activities before beginning internship placements in Singapore through Global Academic Ventures.

For McDermott, the semester’s first weeks in Australia helped her build confidence in unfamiliar settings.

“By immersing myself in the culture, I found an increase in my confidence levels,” McDermott said. “I became more independent, more willing to take risks and more open-minded in situations that once would have felt daunting.”

Her internship in Singapore also challenged her expectations. McDermott expected more content creation work, but her early assignments focused on writing scripts for a developing podcast.

“I learned that not every professional experience will fit perfectly into my expectations, and growth often comes from the assignments that challenge me the most,” McDermott said.

Eli Karpas ’28, a finance major from Houston, Texas, chose the program because he wanted to explore a part of the world he had never experienced.

“I chose this program because I wanted to explore Asia, a new area of the world I’ve never been to,” Karpas said.

While in Australia, Karpas said he embraced the daily rhythm of Sydney, from morning runs along Bondi Beach to afternoons at beachside cafes after class. The semester also gave him opportunities to travel beyond Sydney, including Fiji, Tasmania and New Zealand.

“I didn’t expect there to be so many opportunities to travel outside of Sydney,” Karpas said.

In Singapore, Karpas worked as an investment analyst at a boutique private advisory firm.

“I was thrown into real work from day one,” Karpas said. “I reviewed and created pitch decks for fund managers, built market maps, wrote about global events affecting private markets and attended a conference on artificial intelligence in the workforce.”

Olivia Gover ’28, a marketing major from Stamford, Conn., said her internship helped her better understand cross-cultural communication. Working with colleagues from a variety of cultural and professional backgrounds, she learned how strongly workplace communication depends on patience, curiosity and mutual understanding.

“Not only was I able to build a deeper connection with the people I work with, but I also gained new global knowledge,” Gover said.

Some of that learning happened in everyday moments. Coworkers taught her local expressions, shared food during lunch and asked questions about life in the United States.

“This showed me how a well-rounded work environment requires mutual understanding of one another, allowing relationships to build,” Gover said.

For Parker Forgash ’28, an entrepreneurship major from Laguna Beach, Calif., the internship showed him the difference between classroom confidence and professional readiness.

“There was a version of me from before this semester who thought he was pretty prepared,” Forgash said. “He had taken the finance courses, written the case studies, and could talk about markets with enough fluency to feel confident in a classroom.”

That confidence was tested when Forgash received an open-ended research assignment early in his internship. With no template and a real deadline, he had to analyze unfamiliar markets, organize his findings and work through uncertainty.

“Delivering that report was the first moment I felt like I was actually contributing something real, not just completing an assignment for a grade,” Forgash said.

By the end of the semester, the experience had changed how students understood themselves as learners and future professionals.

“If I were sitting in an interview, I would want an employer to know that I am someone who can easily adapt, communicate effectively, and be placed outside my comfort zone,” McDermott said. “This abroad experience has shaped me as a student today and the professional I hope to become.”

Several of this semester’s studies center on TikTok and the platform’s growing influence on media consumption, identity and audience behavior. “The emphasis on TikTok underscores its increasing prominence in today’s media landscape,” journal editor Harlen Makemson wrote in his introduction to the issue.

Among the featured studies, strategic communications major Kyra Briggs examines how TikTok users responded to the Idaho college student murders, analyzing emotional expression, narrative construction, misinformation and collective sensemaking on the platform. Fellow strategic communications major Avery Ferguson explores how women ages 18 to 25 perceive the “clean girl aesthetic” on TikTok and how it influences their well-being, self-esteem and lifestyle choices. Elizabeth Walker, another strategic communications major, analyzes 100 TikTok videos to examine how Gen Z users expressed nostalgia, emotional memory and generational identity through references to 2016.

Several students investigated the relationship between television, fandom and audience participation. Delaney Guidi, a communication design major, studies how popular film franchises borrow principles from sports merchandising to create team identification, while also examining how fan-made merchandise attempts to establish authenticity. Sport management major Shelby Keel looks into how institutional framing and participatory fan discourse elevated the reality television phenomenon “Scandoval” into a culturally and commercially significant media event.

Additional research focuses on representation and identity in television storytelling. Jenna Moylan, a cinema and television arts major, analyzes four contemporary animated television programs to study trans characters’ narrative roles, the centrality of transness and the visual legibility of character design. Strategic communications major Evelyn Ealey compares portrayals of the Strong Black Woman archetype in television series before and after 2000, finding that more contemporary programs tend to offer greater complexity and depth to those characters.

The issue also includes Halli Harwood’s examination of how three cruise lines frame port communities through excursion descriptions. The strategic communications major found that cruise lines often present selective portrayals of destinations that result in limited diversity, equity and inclusion representation.

“These articles, produced in collaboration with faculty mentors, each represent exceptional achievements in undergraduate research,” Makemson said.

To assemble the spring 2026 edition, Makemson worked with an editorial board of 21 School of Communications faculty who participated in a blind-review process to select the strongest submissions. Since launching in 2010, the ������Ƶ Journal has published 33 issues, with each research article on its own dedicated webpage.

Among more than 200 undergraduate research journals cataloged by the Council on Undergraduate Research, the ������Ƶ Journal remains one of the few focused exclusively on student work in journalism, media and communications.

Six Rising Stars in German Studies were awarded this year. Rising Stars are new students in the German Program who have impressed the faculty with their progress, dedication and curiosity regarding German language and culture. This years awardees are:

• Katherine Ragan
• Hannah Reeves
• Sasha Ronsayro
• Marshall Sears
• Elizabeth Walters
• Madison West

Moving from newcomers to seniors in German Studies, we welcomed 13 new members to Delta Phi Alpha, the national German Honor Society. Delta Phi Alpha was founded in 1929, and ������Ƶ’s chapter��Upsilon Omikron was established in 2018. We welcome the following students to Delta Phi Alpha:

• Colin Blount
• Fiona Hodge
• Haley Johnson
• Elisabeth Holmes
• Tori Layton
• Brooke Allen Menzock
• Sarah T. Moore
• Patrick Tuohy
• Zoe Richardson
• Matthew Rostan
• Taylor Salmon
• Elina Shah
• Cayden Williamson

The German Studies faculty also awarded three students with achievement awards. The Marsilius von Inghen Award was awarded to Tori Layton and Haley Johnson. The award recognizes Tori and Haley’s excellence in German language proficiency, cultural competence, and undergraduate research. The award was named after Marsilius von Inghen, the first president of Heidelberg Universität, which both, Tori and Haley, attended during their semester abroad.

Sarah T. Moore was awarded the inaugural Moffitt-Newman Award.��The Moffitt-Newman award recognizes academic achievement and sustained service to the German program. It is named for the earliest instructors of German at ������Ƶ, Emmett Moffitt and the Reverend John Urquhart Newman, who taught German beginning in the 1890s. Moore started learning German at ������Ƶ, and has taken it every year. She has also been an officer of the German Club and its president in 2025-26.

The festivities were accompanied by a delicious spread of German-inspired food put together by ������Ƶ’s Harvest Table, including Spätzle and Schnitzel.

Refined��during the 2025-26��academic year with oversight from Sam Lopez, associate director of Student Involvement, SOE builds on prior efforts to provide��a��structured approach to chapter development, encouraging organizations to engage intentionally across key areas, including intellectual development, membership development, chapter operations, alumni and graduate engagement, responsibility, health, and safety, and housing operations.

Throughout the year, chapters��participated��in training, educational programs, and philanthropic initiatives, with members across all class years contributing to their organization’s progress. A points-based tracking system measured engagement and outcomes, with chapters earning recognition at the Red, Bronze, Silver or��Gold��level based on overall performance.

Supporting chapters throughout this process is a chapter coaching model led by Assistant Directors of Student Involvement Aniya Jerkins, IFC/NPHC advisor, and Kayla Hedrick, PA/MGC advisor. Through ongoing coaching, individualized support, and regular check-ins, staff work directly with chapter leaders to help them interpret expectations, set goals and make meaningful progress within the SOE framework.

The SOE program is also made possible through��collaboration��across multiple campus partners, creating a holistic and integrated approach to student organization development. Contributing offices included the Center for Race, Ethnicity, and Diversity Education; Kernodle Center for Civic Life; Gender & LGBTQIA Center; Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life; Health Promotion, Academic Accommodations & Accessibility; Center for Leadership; Residence Life; Student Conduct; Inclusive Excellence; Hazing Prevention Coalition; and Belk Library.

Thirteen organizations achieved Gold Status, the program’s highest level of recognition: Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Epsilon Phi, Alpha Omicron Pi, Alpha Xi Delta, Beta Theta Pi, Chi Upsilon National Latin Sorority, Inc., Delta��Delta��Delta, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Kappa Delta, Kappa Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc., Lambda Upsilon Lambda Fraternity, Inc., Sigma Kappa and Zeta Tau Alpha.

Chapter leaders also��participated��in end-of-year presentations, sharing accomplishments, challenges, and goals with a panel of ������Ƶ faculty and staff. These presentations, combined with each chapter’s SOE performance, helped inform the��selection��of the Chapter of the Year recipients across the four governing councils. Chapter of the Year honors recognize organizations that��distinguish themselves��through a��strong commitment��to leadership, accountability and community engagement.

This year’s recipients are:
Beta Theta Pi (Interfraternity Council)��demonstrated��strong growth��and achievement across the academic year, earning top marks in both fall and spring semester GPAs, and receiving national recognition through the Knox Award. The chapter expanded member engagement through a variety of brotherhood events and campus partnerships, including collaborations with the Burlington Animal Shelter, while also showing a commitment to health and safety through high participation in training programs and prevention initiatives.

Chi Upsilon Sigma National Latin Sorority, Inc. (Multicultural��Greek��Council)��excelled academically and organizationally, earning��an��“Above & Beyond” rating for both fall and spring semesters’ GPAs, and actively��participating��in academic enrichment initiatives such as the Chapter Study Challenge and campus study programs. The chapter��showed��strong commitment��to leadership and service through executive board engagement, partnership with the Mebane Public Library, alumni programming and recognition at the national level.

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (National Pan-Hellenic Council)��maintained��an active presence in leadership, educational engagement and community programming throughout the year. The chapter achieved high academic success while��participating��in identity-based programming and campus events, including the Black Solidarity Conference and Spring Pride. Their efforts also included hosting a Rise Against Hunger service event and engaging members in professional development opportunities, reflecting a focus on both community impact and member growth.

Alpha Chi Omega (Panhellenic Association)��demonstrated��comprehensive excellence across all areas of the Standards of Excellence program, exceeding expectations��in member��education and leadership��development. The chapter hosted a wide range of sisterhood, philanthropic, and career-focused initiatives, including “Walk a Mile,” Alpha Chi Olympics, and a professional headshot and LinkedIn workshop, while also��establishing��partnerships��with Family Abuse Services. Their strong participation in health and safety training and consistent chapter operations reflect a well-rounded and highly engaged organization.

The Office of Student Involvement will continue to build on the program’s first year, with plans to further support chapter development and enhance opportunities for engagement across the fraternity and sorority community.

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’s Mario Kart to traditional staples like Africa’s 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��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.

Members of the Class of 2026 and their parents can now��download customized news releases for distribution to hometown media outlets that publish information on academic achievements. News releases can also easily be shared through social media platforms Facebook and LinkedIn.

The university encourages submissions to local newspapers, which often announce college graduations in their community sections.

President’s List and Dean’s List honorees also have��news releases��available for download.

Students and parents may contact Eric Townsend in the Office of University Communications at��etownsend4@elon.edu��if corrections to the news release need to be made before sending to local media.

Emergency and Crisis Response

• As a reminder, Campus Safety & Police will operate as normal, 24-hours per day, and can be reached at 336-278-5555.�� They can also assist with connections to the Student Life on-call administrators, who are available 24/7 throughout the summer.
• SAFEline is always available at 336-278-3333 for confidential support with sexual and relationship violence response – it can also be a confidential resource to access on-call violence responders.
• For urgent mental health needs, the Counselor On-Call is available at 336-278-2222.
• For any life-threatening emergency, call 9-1-1.

TimelyCare Virtual Medical and Mental Health Care – available all summer

• Telemedicine and telemental health services through TimelyCare will be available to all ������Ƶ students, regardless of whether they are enrolled in summer classes, as long as they are in the United States.
• Information is available on the TimelyCare page of the Division of Student Life website, and can also be accessed through the appointments pages of the Counseling Services and Student Health Services websites.

Campus services available during Summer Break

Below are the hours for student service operations during Summer Break.

Belk Library

• Belk Library will be open 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 26, through Thursday, May 28.
• Summer hours begin Saturday, June 1, and are as follows:
  • Mondays – Thursdays: 8 a.m.�� – 9 p.m.
  • Fridays: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
  • Saturdays: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
  • Sundays: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
• Visit the for current library hours.

Campus Bookstore

• Starting Tuesday, May 26, the bookstore will be open weekdays from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. It will be closed on Sundays and holidays coinciding with university closures.
• Visit the for information about hours or online shopping.

Campus Recreation

• Koury will be closed for an operations reset on Thursday, May 21, starting at 2 p.m., and will reopen on Monday, June 1, at 11 a.m. Summer hours for Campus Recreation facilities are the following:
  • Koury Center
    • Mondays – Fridays:�� 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
  • Driving Range
    • Mondays – Fridays: noon – 7 p.m.
    • Saturdays and Sundays: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
    • Last bucket at 6 p.m.
• Visit the Campus Recreation website for more information.

Counseling Services

• No clinical appointments are available Monday, May 26, through Friday, May 30. Starting Monday, June 2, hours will include the following:
  • Administrative Office Hours: weekdays, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
  • Clinical Hours: Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m. –�� 4 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
  • Closed weekends and holidays
• Call 336-278-7280 during administrative office hours or visit the Counseling Services website to schedule an appointment.
• Important updates on available services and��online scheduling are available on the Counseling Services website.
• On-demand mental health support is available 24/7 throughout the summer using TimelyCare’s “TalkNow” service. For information about how to access the service, visit TalkNow on the Counseling Services website.

������Ƶ Dining

• Starting Tuesday, May 26, Lakeside Dining Hall will be open weekdays, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. It will be closed on most weekends and holidays coinciding with university closures.
• Additional hours may be available based on the camps and conference schedule.
• Menus and hours are always available .

������Ƶ Express and Campus Transportation

• All ������Ƶ Express routes will stop service at the end of Wednesday, May 20 at 10 a.m. ������Ƶ Express will resume routes in August with the start of the Fall semester.
• ������Ƶ Express schedules and routes and E-Ride Services are available online.

Moseley Center

• Starting Tuesday, May 26, the Moseley Center’s hours of operation are as follows:
  • Mondays through Fridays, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
  • Saturdays, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
  • Closed on Sundays
• Irazu Coffee will be open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – noon.
• Updated building hours of operation are available on the Moseley Center website.

Mail Services

• Weekdays: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Closed weekends and holidays coinciding with University closures
• If you are in ������Ƶ for the summer (June & July) and would like to continue receiving mail and packages, you MUST complete the Summer Address Notification Form in .
• Visit the Summer Mail page for more information. This only applies to returning students, not students who have graduated.

Student Health Services

• Starting Tuesday, May 26, 2026:
  • Appointments with a provider are available every Monday and Tuesday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and every other Wednesday beginning June 3 from 9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. in the office and in Francis Center for SHS grads only from 12:40–4:30 p.m.
  • Closed weekends and holidays.
  • Administrative staff will be available by phone Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.; closed for lunch from noon – 1 p.m.
• Call 336-278-7230 during operational hours to schedule an appointment or make an appointment online through the PhoenixHealth portal (instructions online).
• TimelyCare medical telehealth service is available 24/7 throughout the summer.
• For information about how to access the service, visit the appointments page of the Student Health Services website.

Circles of varying shades of red creep up the box’s side, while daubs of deep blues, bright greens and icy whites give passersby something new to notice every time they see it. Has Burlington commissioned a new piece of modern art for its downtown? No, this colorful beauty is entirely practical; it’s a traffic control signal box. The first in this collaboration.

A traffic control signal box may not be most people’s first thought for an art installation, but downtown Burlington has chosen it to be the new medium to host a collaboration with ������Ƶ’s Department of Art. Samantha DiRosa, professor of art and environmental studies and chair of the art department, acted as their liaison, choosing student work to be shown to a committee, from which they selected the finalists.

“It’s energizing to see this partnership between ������Ƶ’s Art Department and downtown Burlington,” DiRosa said. “Public art has the potential to spark dialogue, invite curiosity and strengthen community identity. We’re excited about the possibilities for more students to participate and to see their work enliven the streets of Burlington.”

The signal box initiative is the latest of downtown Burlington’s efforts to incorporate local art into public spaces, with previous installations including Hervey Garcia’s mural “Between Us,” Beechwood Metalworks’ “Heart of Downtown” and Gina Elizabeth Franco’s “Dance It Out.”

“We value local art and we wanted the downtown to have locally generated art and reflect the community,” said Adam Shull, economic development director for the City of Burlington. “The signal boxes were chosen as a canvas since they are in plain sight, because once you see them, you notice them everywhere. We wanted to bring more whimsy in everyday life.”

The first box to be installed is the work of Jolie Patten ’25, an art major and expressive art minor. Patten’s work emphasizes finding wonder in the mundane, a concept she brings to fruition through this project. Chosen for its ‘vibrant color and abstract qualities’ Patten’s design was printed onto vinyl, which was then installed onto the signal box. This combination of durability and vibrancy ensures that the artwork will remain available to the Burlington community for years to come.

Patten’s box was the first of nine signal boxes designed by ������Ƶ students and alumni. Art major Sarah Allan Straight’s ’26 artwork is also on display.

“Some work I did in class happened to be a good fit for the signal boxes, Straight said. “I’m happy the piece was a good fit, and it got to have a life outside of being just classwork. It’s exciting that I get to have my work displayed in Burlington. I’m happy to be able to contribute.”

DiRosa views the opportunity for civic partnership as an extension of the Department of Art’s mission.

“At ������Ƶ, we empower students to reach their potential as makers, thinkers and global citizens,” DiRosa said. “It reflects our emphasis on curiosity, material exploration and community engagement — showing students that their art has the power to shape public spaces and spark creative transformation beyond the classroom.”

The city of Burlington has received positive feedback on the artistic signal boxes.

“Businesses and residents really like the signal boxes, and it gives Burlington a nice and cultural feeling that adds to the downtown,” said Maggie Hogan, City of Burlington downtown manager. “As a student, seeing your art on something public is really exciting. We hope to continue to build that relationship with ������Ƶ.”

������Ƶ and the City of Burlington both see this collaboration continuing to display student artwork.

“We see this as a growing collaboration,” DiRosa said. “More students and alumni will be able to showcase their work in highly visible, community-centered ways, whether through additional signal boxes or other downtown art initiatives. It’s an opportunity not only for professional exposure but also for students to see their art making a tangible difference in the place where they live, work and study.”