“I was in this place of, ‘Oh my God, what am I going to do?'” she said.

She remembers a moment of doubt during her final year when Professor Emeritus Rich Landesberg provided the “tough love” she needed to move forward.

“He kept saying, ‘Just pick. You’re going to be fine. No matter what, you’re going to land on your feet.’ I really needed that at the time,” Polk said.

That foundation was built primarily within the School of Communications, where Polk, a broadcast communications major, found a safe space to test her leadership skills. She points to a producing class taught by Assistant Professor Ray Johnson as a key turning point where the details of the profession finally clicked. Johnson tasked her with being the executive producer for the class, a role that involved managing her peers and overseeing a project from concept to delivery.

“It was so much work, but I loved it,” she said. “You just realize how many people are leaning on you.”

She credits Johnson’s ability to “put on a show” in the classroom as a major inspiration for her own leadership style, teaching her that engagement and enthusiasm are just as important as technical skills.

“He was so good at his job… I think about him often,” she said.

Upon graduation, Polk’s preparation was put to the test when she was accepted into the prestigious NBC Page Program in New York City. Moving from the college environment of ������Ƶ to the fast-paced world of NBC required a quick adjustment. She rotated through high-stakes assignments, including “The Today Show,” the US Open, and Syfy publicity, a journey that required her to adapt to a more rigorous schedule, one that demanded the fundamental discipline of the network.

“I used to be a very late person,” she admitted. “But I got it out of my system because of the Page Program. ������Ƶ prepared me for the presence, how to present yourself well and dress the part, but the Page Program taught me the discipline.”

Her trajectory eventually led her to Los Angeles and the Hallmark Channel for 12 years, where she rose to the position of vice president of development and programming. In this role, she oversaw the production of up to 30 projects annually, yet she never lost sight of the “human-centric” focus she cultivated at ������Ƶ. Polk made it a priority to increase diversity and inclusion within the network’s programming, working to amplify diverse voices to ensure that Hallmark’s signature films reflected a broader range of the human experience. She describes herself as a kindness-first connector, a philosophy that has allowed her to attract top-tier talent and build lasting relationships with writers and agents across the industry.

Now, as she leads Simply Believe Creative, Polk is focused on catalyzing original romantic comedies and holiday films for the modern streaming market. Even from her home in California, she remains deeply connected to the campus where her journey began. She notes with a smile that she still sees familiar faces in the ������Ƶ news, including former classmates who have returned to the university in leadership roles.

Her advice to the next generation of Phoenix is a reflection of her own resilient path.

“Go after the things that scare you and push right through the fear to do them anyway,” she said.

“Take on as many projects as you can, but do them to the absolute best of your ability. Stay curious… the yeses always come,” she said.

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As Sofia Galazzi ’19 first navigated her university opportunities, she was looking for a place where she wouldn’t just be a number. Coming from the vibrant city of Piacenza, where she spent the first two years of her dual-degree program at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, the oaks of North Carolina offered exactly the cozy environment she needed.

“I was looking for a place where I could feel welcomed,” she said. “I loved the fact that ������Ƶ was smaller. I thought the engagement with the students and the professors would be higher. I really wanted to be taken care of during the time I was going to spend there.”

That personal attention quickly translated into a professional advantage. While European universities often focus heavily on traditional exams and theory, Galazzi found that ������Ƶ’s college culture was obsessed with the world of work. She spent her days doing weekly assignments, leading group projects, and standing up in front of her peers to deliver presentations; aspects she said shaped her personality as much as her resume.

“The university really prepares you,” she said. “Doing those presentations and working with other people gave me the confidence to stand up and speak in front of others. In Europe, it’s mostly just you and the book. At ������Ƶ, it’s about the people.”

After graduating in 2019, Galazzi’s path took her into the high-fashion world of Milan. She spent nearly four years working in merchandising and data analysis for luxury giants Gucci and Zegna, where she managed KPIs and sales planning. But even as she navigated the private sector, she felt a pull toward public service. She eventually made the pivot to Brussels, joining the European Commission through its prestigious “Blue Book” traineeship program before rising to her current role as a Budget Officer.

Today, Galazzi works within the Directorate-General for Budget (DG BUDG). Her daily life involves defining and implementing the annual EU budget, a role that requires her to work across different languages, cultures and legal systems.

“The European Commission is a very international environment,” Galazzi said. “Coming from a dual degree, where I was already used to moving countries and adapting to new environments, it was much easier for me to step into this role. ������Ƶ’s global community prepared me to work with people from all over the world.”

Despite the high-stakes nature of her work in Brussels, Galazzi remains a major advocate for the ������Ƶ network. She is particularly passionate about encouraging current students to look beyond the U.S. and Italy for opportunities. She notes that the European Commission offers a massive traineeship program twice a year. While it’s mostly for EU citizens, there are spots specifically reserved for non-EU nationals, including Americans.

“I don’t think Americans know very well how the European Union works, and Europeans don’t always know how the U.S. works,” she said. “If someone has ambitions in the public sector or political affairs, this is such a good opportunity to bridge that gap.”

When reflecting on why ������Ƶ alumni seem to thrive in these high-pressure global roles, Galazzi points back to that initial cozy feeling. She believes that because ������Ƶ makes students feel like they belong, they leave campus with the confidence to take on big responsibilities early.

Her advice for the next generation of Phoenix, especially those currently navigating the Dual Degree program, is to lean into the discomfort of being in a new place.

“Get to know the people and the culture as much as you can,” she said. “Don’t just stick with people from your own country. If I could go back to my 18-year-old self, I’d tell her: don’t be afraid. Everything will work out if you stay curious.”

Doug Williams ’13 has a specific rule about writing news copy: You can only use the phrase “only time will tell” if your story is about clocks. It’s a piece of advice he received from Professor Emeritus Richard Landesberg, and he uses it subconsciously every morning behind the anchor desk for CBS New York.

Whether he is recapping a local strike or reporting from a war zone, those lessons from his professors remain the backbone of his daily scripts.

“I realistically use those teachings with every single script I write,” Williams said. “Everything is copy. Everyone has a story.”

Anthony Hatcher, professor of journalism and chair of the Journalism Department, vividly remembers that drive.

“Several things stood out about Doug when he was my student,” Hatcher said. “He was naturally curious and asked good questions. He was also smart and a go-getter. When he was assigned stories in my Media Writing class, he had an instinct for finding people… and getting good quotes.”

For many, the Jane and Brian Williams Studio in McEwen is a landmark of the university’s state-of-the-art facilities. For Doug, it is a reminder of why his parents “bought into” the ������Ƶ experience. Though neither attended the university, they were impressed by the real-world training Doug received as a broadcast journalism major. They were blown away that he was already writing, shooting and editing as an undergraduate.

“I think the ‘legacy’ was made possible by the professors I learned from and the education I left with,” Williams said. “It was a way for my parents to express their gratitude for that, while paying it forward”.

Hatcher notes that Williams’ composure was evident even during a study abroad trip.

“He has a calm demeanor that sets other people at ease,” Hatcher said. “When he traveled with me on a Winter Term study abroad, I never worried about him getting left behind. He absorbed the material quickly and made the most of his time.”

Initially, Williams believed his future was set in stone; in a 2017 interview, he intending to stick strictly to sports. However, after seven years at SNY, a period he describes as “magic,” he began to feel the risk of becoming too comfortable.

Following the advice of his mentor and former boss, Curt Gowdy Jr., Williams decided to diversify his skillset. The transition was a “humbling leap” that didn’t immediately lead to a new desk. Williams spent a year navigating the “crickets” of the job market, an experience that forced him to build his networking muscle from scratch.

During this time, he embraced an entrepreneurial spirit, taking overnight shifts and freelancing for MLB Network Radio, CBS Sports Radio and WFAN. He credits these grueling live radio sessions with making his current TV ad-libbing feel easy by comparison.

Since starting at CBS New York in January 2023, Williams has found a new sense of purpose in local journalism. While he traded clubhouse interviews for the unpredictable world of breaking news, the move was put to its highest test in late 2023 when he spent . This assignment remains his most challenging to date, leaving him with a profound perspective on his own luck and a professional hope to be called for such vital reporting again.

Today, the “magic” of his career has evolved from the baseball diamond to the grit of the morning news cycle. He now reports on high-stakes human interest stories, from the to sensitive criminal investigations.

“The job shatters the walls of your comfort zone every day,” Williams said, noting that the lack of routine is exactly what he now loves about the role.

Professor Hatcher, a print journalist by trade, isn’t surprised by Doug’s success in the transition.

“I stress accuracy, context, fairness, self-editing, and completeness… I’m not surprised Doug puts those qualities into practice as he writes news copy, primarily because he’s a consummate professional.”

While his professional excellence is expected, Williams continues to surprise the industry through his dedication to his alma mater. Hatcher emphasizes that Williams’ willingness to mentor current students and network with majors has a “huge impact on elevating the Journalism Department.”

Throughout his rise in the New York market, Williams has navigated the unique pressure that comes with a famous last name. It was a challenge his parents prepared him for early on, advising him that he would often have to “destroy assumptions” people might have about his path.

“People will assume you’re going to be a certain type of person before they meet you,” Williams said, echoing his parents’ guidance. “It’s up to you to surprise them.”

While he credits his family for that foundation, Doug has made that mission his own, focusing on his unique craft to ensure his work, not his name, defines his reputation in the newsroom.

Now a father to a one-year-old son, Williams’ current advice to students is focused on balance. He warns that while fun doesn’t disappear after graduation, it stops happening by accident.

“Fun is now something I have to put on my calendar,” he said.

Do you know an alum who has an interesting story to tell, maybe even yourself? Please feel free to share your feedback or those stories online: elon.edu/u/advancement/alumni-in-action-feedback/.

As Nikki Sanz ’18 first stepped onto ������Ƶ’s campus, she found a stage. A student who succeeded on a busy schedule, Sanz spent her four years leaning into the culture of involvement that represents the ������Ƶ experience. She found that the university’s environment encouraged students to take initiative from the very start.

“Most ������Ƶ students just love to get involved,” Sanz said. “I was able to jump right into those opportunities starting in my freshman year”.

Today, that same spirit of initiative has led Sanz to the front of the music and tech world. As the founder and CEO of , a professional career platform designed specifically for the live event industry, she was recently recognized on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for her work in turning the industry into a modernized community.

Majoring in sport and event management, along with a double minor in business administration and leadership studies, Sanz used ������Ƶ as a sandbox to test her ideas. The Isabella Cannon Leadership Fellow balanced academics with leadership roles in Alpha Xi Delta and the LEAD program, where she served as a tier captain mentoring new students.

Shaina Dabbs, associate professor of sport management, said that Sanz’s internal drive was evident early on.

“Nikki consistently showed a strong eagerness to be involved and fully engaged,” Dabbs said. “She brought a genuine passion for the details and the process, understanding that executing the small things well is what elevates the overall outcome. Her internal drive to excel set her apart, and she developed a system that allowed her to successfully manage multiple roles and responsibilities without compromising quality.”

Sanz credits the ������Ƶ environment for giving her the room to experiment and create. Whether she was working with ������Ƶthon or performing her own music around town, she was building the foundation for her future career in event production.

“I brought music to Oak House,” Sanz said. “I asked Phil [the owner] if I could do an open mic one night… I did it about once a month, and then he got bands to come and play. And so, the fun fact is, I started music there.”

After graduation, Sanz’s career took her into the heart of the touring world, working with industry giants like Live Nation and the CMA Awards. She spent years on the road as a production professional for major artists, including Eric Church and George Strait. It was during these high-pressure tours that she noticed an opportunity, as there was no center for the thousands of “gig” workers who make live events possible.

“Sport and live events are becoming increasingly complex and commercialized, and relying on informal hiring practices is no longer sustainable,” Dabbs explained. “Platforms like Giggs help standardize the way talent is sourced, evaluated and deployed, much like analytics transformed player evaluation. When opportunities are only ‘word-of-mouth,’ they limit access and opportunity for highly qualified people who may not ‘know’ the right person.”

Sanz spoke very highly of her senior-year experience in Dabbs’ Event and Venue Management course, where students were tasked with running an event without a ‘how-to’ guide. According to Dabbs, this learning by doing model is intentional.

“The point is to place students in situations where there isn’t a script, because the live event and sport industry rarely provides one,” Dabbs said. “This experiential approach builds professional resilience and shifts students’ mindset to see challenges as opportunities to lead and create solutions. It equips them with the confidence, adaptability and problem-solving skills needed to navigate an industry that is constantly evolving, and to shape it, rather than simply react to it.”

Despite her success in Nashville and her global ambitions for Giggs, Sanz remains rooted in the lessons she learned as a student leader. Her advice for current Phoenix looking to break into the industry is to be open to the different paths the “gig” world offers.

“If you really want to work in sports or concerts, you can move,” she said, encouraging students to explore the various sectors of the industry to find where they fit best.

Reflecting on her own journey from Phoenix to tech founder, Sanz emphasizes that there is no single “right” way to enter the industry.

“The impact that I want this to have on the industry is that there’s a way in, there’s actually a path,” she said.

For Dabbs, Sanz’s trajectory serves as a blueprint for the next generation of sport management students.

“Nikki’s journey shows students that they do not have to accept the industry as it is. They can change it,” Dabbs said. “Her story highlights that leadership is about impact, not title, and that success comes from trusting yourself, building inclusive networks and being willing to act.”

This spirit of leadership earned her a spot among ������Ƶ’s Top 10 Under 10 Alumni Award winners. This award celebrates accomplished alumni from the last decade who not only excel in their careers but also actively contribute to their communities and serve as dedicated alumni role models.

Sanz encourages students to use their time at ������Ƶ to explore the size of the field, whether your interest is in concerts, TV or corporate trade shows; the goal is to find a professional community where you can truly thrive.

As she continues to change the traditional hiring process, her mission remains to head in the same direction of inclusivity she felt on her first day at ������Ƶ by ensuring every professional in the live event space has a way to be seen.

Do you know an alum who has an interesting story to tell, maybe even yourself? Please feel free to share your feedback or those stories online:

“When I was a student, there weren’t a huge number of local alumni that I was able to connect with,” he said. “I’m excited that this is a way I can highlight that staying in the community is an option.”

For Jensen Roll ’16, the path to building a business began long before he ever stepped onto a construction site. His path started with service, leadership and a long-standing connection to North Carolina. Both of his parents were born and raised in North Carolina, and summers spent visiting grandparents made it feel like a second home. So, when he began looking at colleges, North Carolina topped his list. ������Ƶ stood out almost immediately.

“I discovered ������Ƶ while looking at multiple schools and immediately fell in love with the service opportunities, the Leadership Fellows program and the deep commitment to study abroad,” he said.

The Leadership Fellows program was the primary motivation for his enrollment; he was accepted into the program before receiving his acceptance to the university.

Once on campus, Roll leaned into innovation. He designed a custom major in social entrepreneurship that bridged the gap between the business school, environmental studies and the humanities. He helped bring the University Innovation Fellowship program to ������Ƶ. This experience introduced him to design thinking and the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Silicon Valley, including visits to Google and Stanford University.

Because his self-designed major didn’t fit into a standard study abroad box, Roll worked with Angela Llewellyn, now assistant provost for academic excellence and integrity, to create a bespoke program. This journey took him to San Francisco and eventually to Cape Town, South Africa, for six months. It was there, while attending Jubilee Church through a connection from Emma Burress (then overseeing study abroad students), that he met his future wife, Mtende. After a year and a half of long-distance dating, she moved to North Carolina and today they are 50-50 partners in life and business.

While Jensen oversees the construction side as a licensed general contractor, Mtende is a licensed realtor who manages the investment and real estate side of their ventures.

“We co-own all of our companies together. Both of us have a very entrepreneurial and creative spirit,” he explained, stating that their shared vision is the backbone of their company culture.

He credits a wide network of mentors for pushing him to think differently. In addition to Leon Williams, former director of the Center for Race, Ethnicity and Diversity Education (CREDE), he points to Gary Palin, former executive director of the Doherty Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, for challenging him to “be” an entrepreneur rather than just study it. He also highlights the influence of Steve Moore, a retired faculty member in environmental studies who shaped his views on urban sustainability. His growth was further guided by Phil Miller, a former lecturer in human services studies; Rex Waters, former dean of student development; and Steven Mencarini, former director of the Center for Leadership.

“The ability to work one-on-one with professors and attend national conferences gave me the confidence to launch initiatives like H.O.P.E. (Helping Other People Eat),” he said.

Perhaps the most significant application of this “Triple Bottom Line” education, focusing on people, profit, and planet, is a current project Roll is particularly proud of: building seven tiny homes for Benevolence Farm. The project provides housing for women and non-binary individuals transitioning out of incarceration.

“As a construction company, not every project we take on has that opportunity to provide that triple bottom line in a meaningful way,” Roll said. “This is going to increase their capacity to serve that population.”

What’s been most rewarding, he said, is watching that impact accumulate.

“Construction is unique because the results are tangible and lasting,” he said. “Years later, you can drive by something you worked on and see how it’s become part of someone’s life.”

He credits ������Ƶ with giving him the freedom to experiment early, without the pressure of getting everything right.

“������Ƶ was the ultimate sandbox,” he said. “It was a place to try things, take risks and even fail safely.”

He notes that while he didn’t graduate with a construction management degree, the problem-solving and systems-building skills he learned at ������Ƶ translated perfectly to the industry.

“What I spent four years learning at ������Ƶ had much more to do with the problem-solving, the engaged learning, the building of systems,” he said. “That is what we are doing in the real world.”

His advice to current students interested in entrepreneurship mirrors that mindset.

“Start now,” he said. “Spend time with business owners. Read. Build something. Use your four years to experiment while you still have that safety net. The best way to learn is by doing.”

Looking ahead, Roll is eager to take on larger, more complex and more creative projects. He thrives on unique builds and clients with distinct design visions. At the same time, he sees affordable housing as an area where his background in both entrepreneurship and service naturally converges.

“Our goal is to build a community that we want to live in,” he said. “The company is so closely aligned with the things that we care about.”

From building a tiny house as a student to shaping the built environment of his community, Roll’s journey highlights the combination of service and entrepreneurship, a foundation strengthened at ������Ƶ and carried forward through every project he takes on.

“I wasn’t really interested in chemistry whatsoever when I enrolled. I was a lot more interested in sports. That’s really where my heart was at the time,” Seitz said.

Pursuing his current major in exercise science as a freshman, Seitz was enrolled in a required chemistry course when his professor called him to meet in his office.

“He wanted to have a one-on-one meeting, which, as a freshman only two months into college, was a little bit intimidating.”

Unsure of what his professor wanted to discuss, Seitz recalls, “He thought I had a lot of talent and potential in chemistry. He wanted me to take it seriously, and also to think about taking more chemistry classes that weren’t required, just to explore and see if I enjoyed it more than I thought I did.”

Having his potential recognized led him to take his professors’ advice. It was halfway through his second chemistry course that Seitz decided to change his major to chemistry.

“I got into chemistry with the broader goal of trying to help people in some way,” Seitz expressed.

During his time at ������Ƶ, he took full advantage of the opportunities presented to him. He studied abroad in Europe during Winter Term, conducted research through the Lumen Scholars program, completed two internships and immersed himself in service learning, where he taught children who were struggling to read.

Striving to gain experience in his field, Seitz dove right into his internship abroad. He attended RWTH Aachen University in Aachen, Germany, for the summer, contributing to their research efforts.

“This was my first real research experience, and it made me realize that I enjoy research so much that I’m still a researcher today,” he expressed.

The following fall, he started his research with the Lumen Scholars. Alongside his mentor, Sydney F. & Kathleen E. Jackson Professor of Chemistry and Chair of the Department of Chemistry Joel Karty, Seitz conducted a project that earned the 2014 Lumen Prize. Focused on expanding research on the reaction preferences of an enolate anion, in both gas and aqueous environments, he aimed to understand why it behaves differently in different environments, with the end goal of other scientists further optimizing the usage of this molecule when they need it.

Seitz’s passion for chemistry research continued the next summer when he was selected to participate in an internship at the California Institute of Technology. This further learning encouraged his eagerness to contribute to research.

“Going to Caltech, I was intimidated by being around so many geniuses. This internship was a good confidence-building exercise. It proved that even though I come from a small school with a tiny science program, I can fit in with these types of people and communicate and share ideas with them. That internship gave me the confidence to go to graduate school and then beyond,” he said.

Right after graduating from ������Ƶ, Seitz went to the University of California, San Diego, and completed his Ph.D. He then went to the University of Chicago and the Argonne National Lab to work on a project where researchers work with the World Health Organization to create a list of ten viral diseases with the greatest potential to cause a global pandemic.

The virus that would later mutate into COVID-19 was on this list, which became a global pandemic just a year later. Due to this, there was more interest from foreign governments to fund this type of work to make vaccines for the remaining viruses on the list and distribute them to prevent the next pandemic.

Joining this team in 2023, Seitz’s work is focused on two viruses: Lassa Fever, which affects people in West Africa, and the Nipah Virus, which affects a few countries in Southeast Asia. The Lassa Fever is very transmissible, but often non-lethal; Nipah is the opposite. Not many people get sick with Nipah; however, when they do, it is often lethal.

Both viruses are concerns for a possible pandemic and require preventative research to fully understand, for a vaccine to be created.

“Those countries in West Africa and Southeast Asia do not have the healthcare capabilities or biotechnology to develop these vaccines themselves,” he said. It’s private U.S. foundations and Western European governments that put money into this non-profit, which is funding my research through the University of Chicago to develop these vaccines. Once the vaccine is successfully developed, they will go to these countries and give them out for free.”

Connecting his current work back to his time at ������Ƶ, Seitz noticed that his ability to work with diverse groups of people and social connection skills that he strengthened at ������Ƶ served him in his current role. He notes, “Because I talk with different types of people who don’t have the experience that I have, I have to accurately communicate what I’m doing, why I need to do this, and so on. So that’s certainly something that helped quite a lot from ������Ƶ, being able to communicate what I’m doing.”

Seitz’s published chemistry research is  available online; he hopes other chemists can read these manuscripts and learn something from them, and hopefully build off of that.

“I’m contributing to advancing science in small steps. Even though I’m doing more of the basic research of trying to find stuff, the overall goal is that people are going to use these to discover stuff that will directly help people,” he added.

Seitz hopes the future of his career holds opportunities to take up a leadership and mentor role for other chemists.

“I really enjoy mentoring and teaching people, I want to have my own research group where I have some people working below me so I can mentor them and help them advance science as well,” Seitz said.

In May, Seitz will be awarded the Top 10 Under 10 Award. This award is given to 10 Alumni from the past decade who have bettered their community and serve as alumni role models.

Della Marie Vickers McKinnon ’62 remains deeply rooted in ������Ƶ, a place that defines her family’s legacy and her upbringing.

“Not only did my grandparents, my parents, my husband, and I attend ������Ƶ, but also my brother, his wife (who was a librarian for over 30 years at the college), and their two boys,” McKinnon explained.

Growing up in the town of ������Ƶ, she saw the college not just as an institution, but as her neighborhood, her backyard and her daily reality. Her neighbors were often professors and staff of the college. The people who taught classes during the day were the same people she would see on her street later that night.

She watched the university evolve from her back window, witnessing its transformation over the years. One example is the property behind her house that was once used as the college farm, which later became a place that housed different families as the university expanded.

McKinnon was a part of ������Ƶ life and tradition from a very early age.

“I was in the College May Day as a flower girl when I was very young,” McKinnon recalled.

May Day is the celebration of the return to spring, and at ������Ƶ, the festival was always held on the first Saturday in May and consisted of dancing and other entertainment.

“There was a court selected by the student body which had a May King and May Queen along with their attendants and escorts, and they would ask different children in the community to be younger attendants,” she shareed.

When McKinnon looks back on those who shaped some of these early memories growing up, she notes the influence of professors at ������Ƶ, particularly the late president emeritus, Dr. J. Earl Danieley. In her younger years, she babysat Danieley’s son when Danieley was still a chemistry professor at the university. He later became president of ������Ƶ and held that position during McKinnon’s time as a student at ������Ƶ.

Her ������Ƶ experiences were very different from most because of her close connections to campus from a young age. She recalls even small memories like going to watch movies on Saturday nights with her mother in Whitley Auditorium.

������Ƶ has seen many changes throughout the years, and McKinnon was there for all of it. But of those early years, she holds fond memories of the way ������Ƶ once was.

“The ������Ƶ Community Church met in Whitley Auditorium for church, and I attended Sunday School in classrooms in the Mooney Building. My boyfriend and I would go downtown to Garrison’s Soda Shop on the days we didn’t have chapel and buy a Coke in the small bottle for 10 cents. The Student Union was also in the Mooney Building, and we would gather there between classes, and on the weekends, my sorority would have social occasions with our fraternity brothers,” she recalls.

McKinnon’s family is forever woven into the very fabric of ������Ƶ’s history.

“I learned from my mom, Gladys Simpson Vickers, that her dad, Henry Simpson, helped finish building the wall around the campus and was one of the students in the very first graduating class,” she said. “My great-grandmother on my mom’s side and her whole family moved from Graham to build a house on the west side of the campus so that my grandmother, Mary Crawford, could go to ������Ƶ. It came full circle that when I became a student at ������Ƶ, that same house was then the Student Health Center.”

But it was her father, Earl Wright Vickers, Sr., who solidified ������Ƶ’s continued influence in McKinnon’s life. Her father dedicated much of his time to the town of ������Ƶ and the college, forever leaving his mark. He served as a member of the Board of Aldermen for ������Ƶ College, held the position of Town Clerk for several years and also worked as Deputy Sheriff for a period of time. But at the time of his passing, he was employed as the superintendent of the college power plant.

“Early in the 1940’s, ������Ƶ was designated as the location of the 325th College Training Detachment of the Army Air Corps, and since the college did not have a lot of finances, someone from Virginia offered to give the college a station wagon to provide transportation for the recruiters,” she said. “My dad offered to go to Virginia after work to obtain the vehicle and drive it back.  He was on the way to Virginia when a truck hit the vehicle.  He was the only one who died in the accident. After my father’s accident, ������Ƶ came to my mother and told her that her children’s education would be taken care of by the college. They honored that for my brother and me.”

During her first year as a student at ������Ƶ, McKinnon had the benefit of her former ties to the town and college that most of her peers did not have, and where she lived on campus was no different.

“Both my mother and her sister had lived in West Dormitory, and when I decided to stay on campus my first year, I also lived in West,” she said. “We even lived on the same floor, but at opposite ends of the same hall some 30 years later!”

������Ƶ was there for so many important moments of her life, even the naming of her own daughter.

“We could not decide on a name until we were on campus at the O’Kelly Monument, and both my husband and I agreed on Kelly as her name,” says McKinnon.

Five generations of her family have attended ������Ƶ, each leaving their mark on the campus and the surrounding community. Today, McKinnon is proud to be an alum of ������Ƶ.

“I am especially proud of the latest visionary investment in the Robert’s Academy for children with dyslexia,” she said. “I cherish the lifelong friends made while at ������Ƶ. I have enjoyed going back to ball games, homecomings, and participating on committees. I am so proud of ������Ƶ and the school it has become.”

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“I was in complete shock,” she said. “Elated, ecstatic, excited; it’s a big deal. Especially for girls and women, we’ve all had at least one L’Oréal Paris product in our purses or bathrooms. I grew up watching their commercials. Their tagline is ‘Because You’re Worth It.’ For a brand like that to see my worth, and the worth of ScholarCHIPS, means so much.”

The recognition follows her recent honor as a Top 10 CNN Hero in 2023, another milestone in the journey that began when she founded ScholarCHIPS, a nonprofit providing college scholarships and community support for students with incarcerated parents. Over the past year, her organization has undergone its most significant transformation yet.

After CNN Heroes aired, ScholarCHIPS expanded its eligibility beyond the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia region and began accepting applications from students across the United States. The results were immediate, as more than 120 applications from students nationwide, many of whom learned about the program because of a new partnership with Securus Technologies. The company’s 500,000+ tablets in jails and prisons helped spread the word to incarcerated parents, who then contacted their children to encourage them to apply.

“What we saw was incredible,” Arrington Brooks said. “That year, we welcomed our largest cohort of 24 students. We’re now serving 45 scholars. Since 2012, ScholarCHIPS has awarded over $600,000 in scholarships to more than 120 students, and we’ve had 54 graduates. Opening our doors to the country has been amazing, and it’s only the beginning.”

The heart of ScholarCHIPS has always been its community. Alumni return to mentor new scholars. Students bond through karaoke nights, game nights, advocacy trips and shared celebrations. Last year, she took several scholars and alumni to Arizona State University for the National Children of Incarcerated Parents Conference, where she moderated a panel featuring ScholarCHIPS students sharing their experiences.

“It’s a community where we uplift one another,” she said. “We laugh together, we cry together, we grow together. So many friendships have formed here. So many mentorships. I want to replicate this on college campuses across the country.”

Among the many students who remind her why the work matters is Temya Jackson, a biomedical engineering student from Arizona who has excelled academically while supporting her family. ScholarCHIPS has provided her with mentorship, technology support and a place to feel understood and encouraged.

“Temya is brilliant,” she said. “A straight-A student doing advanced research. She feels seen here. She feels celebrated. And now she’s working toward becoming a Jack Kent Cooke Scholar, a program I’m also an alum of. That’s what ScholarCHIPS does.”

Arrington Brooks’ commitment to her organization is deeply tied to her own lived experiences. Raised by her grandmother while her father was incarcerated, she learned resilience, creativity and the value of education by watching the woman who held her family together.

“I wouldn’t be where I am without my grandmother,” she said. “She taught me what faith looks like, what sacrifice looks like, what it means to love family no matter what you’re going through. I refused to allow my dad’s circumstances, or growing up in poverty, to be the end of my story. Those experiences were my beginning, but not my final destination.”

Her time at ������Ƶ shaped her leadership philosophy in lasting ways. As an undergraduate, she participated in ������Ƶ LEADS, alternative service trips with the gospel choir and study-abroad programs, became an ������Ƶ College Fellow (Arts & Sciences), a Ghana Periclean Scholar, and even organized a benefit concert on campus to raise money for ScholarCHIPS, bringing together a cappella groups, fraternities and sororities.

“All of my ������Ƶ experiences helped form who I am,” she said. “I developed lifelong relationships with professors, some of whom I’m still close with ten years later.” She shared special gratitude for President Emeritus Leo M. Lambert, President Connie Book, Randy Williams, Dean Kenn Gaither, Anthony Hatcher, Rodney Clare, Marnia McIntyre, and Marilyn Slade, all of whom played meaningful roles in her time at ������Ƶ.

Her advice for students hoping to create something that helps others is simple: “Start it now. Find a social issue you care about. Be creative about how you want to help. Share it with classmates, professors and people in the ������Ƶ community. You’d be surprised how many will want to support you.”

Looking ahead, her dream is to establish ScholarCHIPS chapters on college campuses, expand donor support and reach more of the nearly five million children of incarcerated parents in the United States.

“There’s so much work to be done,” she said. “We want to keep growing our family; new scholars, new donors, new volunteers. We want to scale our impact so even more young people know they’re worthy and they’re not alone.”

She encourages ������Ƶ alumni and community members to learn more or get involved by visiting or reaching out through ScholarCHIPS’ social media channels on and .

From national stages like CNN Heroes to being honored as a Woman of Worth, Arrington Brooks continues to rise and brings her scholars with her. Her mission remains to turn pain into purpose, to build community and to help young people believe in their own worth.

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Arron grew up in Ohio’s foster-care system before being adopted as a pre-teen. He remembers the moves, the uncertainty and the mix of great and not-so-great foster homes. What stayed with him was his determination not to let his circumstances define him. “Foster care made me a glass-half-full person,” he said. “Things could always be worse, so just be happy.”

When it came time for college, he looked for somewhere far enough away to feel like a fresh start but close enough to reach on a Greyhound bus from Cleveland. ������Ƶ fit. He enrolled in 2009 and majored in political science, quickly becoming involved across campus. He served as president of the College Democrats, participated in Model UN, became a Civic Engagement Scholar and joined Pi Gamma Mu, the international social sciences honor society.

“������Ƶ had the most beautiful campus I’d ever seen,” he said. “It just felt like the right place.”

He pieced together his education through federal grants, financial aid and on-campus work, including serving as a resident assistant. But his time at ������Ƶ was also shaped by people who stepped in when he needed help.

“A huge shoutout to Phil Smith, he paid for my books every year,” he said. “My best friend since freshman year, Danny, and his mom, Lisa, realized I didn’t have a laptop or meal plan. She sponsored me. She’s been my second mom ever since.”

After graduation, Arron moved into finance and consulting. Even while working full-time, he found himself sketching an idea for a company that blended his love for dogs with his desire to make an impact. When his department learned it was being eliminated, he took the severance offer and decided to pursue his idea fully.

“There were other roles I could’ve taken,” he said. “But I figured if there was ever a moment to take the leap, that was it.”

Rescue Treats grew out of those first prototypes. Arron designed a checkout system where customers choose which rescue receives a donation from their purchase. The treats are baked with simple, all-natural ingredients, and customers can subscribe to receive recurring deliveries while continuing to support the rescue of their choice. He doesn’t take a salary, so more money can go back to the organizations they work with.

He remembers one moment when the impact of his work felt real. He was leaving the bakery, walking to the post office with a stack of orders, when it hit him how far the idea had come.

“The late nights, the rejections; it all felt worth it,” he said. “These bags were going into homes across the country. They were helping dogs I’d never even met. I went from being tired to thinking, ‘How do I scale this to help more?’”

Not every step along the way has been easy. Early on, he pitched to a major grocery chain and was told that “dog treats don’t sell well here.” He laughed, thinking back on it.

“Maybe theirs don’t,” he said. “Ours fly off the shelves and they support rescues.”

Rescue Treats has since been recognized by local and state leaders for its mission-driven model.

One partnership that stayed with him was Strong Paws Rescue. After a particularly slow quarter, he called to apologize for what he thought was too small a donation.

“Meg, the founder, told me never to think like that,” he said. “She said $60 can save a dog’s life; that pays for worm pills. My mind exploded. Every order matters.”

Arron says ������Ƶ helped prepare him more than he realized at the time.

“I like to think I got a second major in studying people and making friends,” he said. “Running a business, you learn from your mistakes, you study others to avoid theirs and you build a network of support.”

He also reflects on how Southern manners stuck with him.

“As a northern kid at a southern school, I learned ‘yes ma’am’ and ‘yes sir.’ I can’t tell you how far manners go. A smile can start a conversation that teaches you a million things,” he said.

Rescue Treats has recently expanded into a no-cost fundraising program for schools, clubs and sports teams, allowing students to sell the treats while still supporting a rescue on the back end, what Arron calls a “double fundraiser.” The model has taken off. “Students are outselling traditional fundraisers,” he said. “And once a dog has a new favorite treat, families come back for more.”

When asked what advice he’d give to his 18-year-old self, or to current ������Ƶ students with a business idea of their own, he didn’t hesitate.

“Entrepreneurs find areas that need improvement,” he said. “That’s all it is. Find the thing that isn’t being done well or isn’t being done at all and start there.”

You can purchase all-natural Rescue Treats, as well as learn more information at Find them on and .

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This special program honors Jeffrey Williamson-Rose ’13 G’14 and his spouse Corddarryl Williamson-Rose, co-authors of the moving children’s book “We Love You ForAva.” Through their story, the couple highlights the joy, love and challenges of LGBTQIA family-building, centering their own experiences as adoptive parents. The event will feature a moderated discussion, readings, and reflections on inclusive storytelling and representation in children’s literature.

Serving as moderator for the evening will be Annette Orbert ’90, a proud ������Ƶ alumna and advocate for inclusion. Orbert will guide a conversation that explores how stories like “We Love You ForAva” not only affirm diverse families but also expand understanding of what it means to build community, belonging and love beyond traditional narratives.

The event will also feature insights from the Carolina Adoption Center, which works to create more equitable pathways for adoption. Attendees will learn about the ongoing need for supportive, loving adoptive families—especially within the LGBTQIA community—and the ways that storytelling can inspire visibility and change.

“This event is more than a book celebration, it’s a celebration of love and family,” said Luis Garay, director of the Gender & LGBTQIA Center. “We’re thrilled to highlight Jeffrey and Corddarryl’s work and to bring attention to the power of inclusive narratives that reflect the lives of so many in our community.”

The evening promises to be both inspiring and educational, offering opportunities for dialogue, connection and celebration. Whether you are an alum, student, faculty member, or community friend, you are invited to join this affirming space honoring the stories that bring us together.

Event Details

• Tuesday, November 4, 2025
• 6 to 7 p.m. EST
• McKinnon Hall, Moseley Center, ������Ƶ
• Featuring: Jeffrey Williamson-Rose ’13 G’14, Corddarryl Williamson-Rose and moderator Annette Orbert ’90
• Partners: Gender & LGBTQIA Center, the ������Ƶ LGBTQIA Alumni Network, the Carolina Adoption Center, Carol Grotnes Belk Library and ������Ƶ Campus Bookstore

 For questions or accommodations, please contact Luis Garay (lgaray@elon.edu) or La’Tonya Wiley (lwiley2@elon.edu).

Come celebrate the power of love, family, and storytelling alongside incredible alumni who remind us that every family’s story deserves to be told.