ā€œI wasnā€™t really interested in chemistry whatsoever when I enrolled. I was a lot more interested in sports. Thatā€™s really where my heart was at the time,ā€ 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.

ā€œHe wanted to have a one-on-one meeting, which, as a freshman only two months into college, was a little bit intimidating.ā€

Unsure of what his professor wanted to discuss, Seitz recalls, ā€œHe 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 werenā€™t required, just to explore and see if I enjoyed it more than I thought I did.ā€

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

ā€œI got into chemistry with the broader goal of trying to help people in some way,ā€ Seitz expressed.

During his time at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, 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.

ā€œThis was my first real research experience, and it made me realize that I enjoy research so much that Iā€™m still a researcher today,ā€ 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.

Seitzā€™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.

ā€œGoing 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,ā€ he said.

Right after graduating from ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, 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, Seitzā€™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.

ā€œThose countries in West Africa and Southeast Asia do not have the healthcare capabilities or biotechnology to develop these vaccines themselves,” he said. Itā€™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.ā€

Connecting his current work back to his time at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, Seitz noticed that his ability to work with diverse groups of people and social connection skills that he strengthened at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ served him in his current role. He notes, ā€œBecause I talk with different types of people who donā€™t have the experience that I have, I have to accurately communicate what Iā€™m doing, why I need to do this, and so on. So thatā€™s certainly something that helped quite a lot from ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, being able to communicate what Iā€™m doing.ā€

Seitzā€™s published chemistry research isĀ  available online; he hopes other chemists can read these manuscripts and learn something from them, and hopefully build off of that.

ā€œIā€™m contributing to advancing science in small steps. Even though Iā€™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,ā€ he added.

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

ā€œI 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.

A Saturday morning orientation introduced students to the ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ Los Angeles home base at The Preserve, in Hollywood, and included presentations by all of this semesterā€™s faculty about their courses and the content of their classes.

Returning instructors include director and long-time ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ LA professor Boris Schaarschmidt, who is once again teaching a directing masterclass. Entertainment attorney Daniel Spitz has returned to teach Media Law and Ethics, and writer and longtime ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ LA professor Matthew Antonelli has returned to teach a unique, one-evening master seminar in March, called Inside the Writerā€™s Room.

New to the ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ Los Angeles faculty team this semester are art historian and educator Charles Peterson, who is teaching a course in Los Angeles art and architecture history, and award-winning global strategist, thought leader and educator Brandon Shamim, who is teaching ā€œPrinciples of Management,ā€ with a Los Angeles focus.

ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ Los Angeles director and long time industry professional Brad Lemack is once again teaching the experiential learning course this spring, which focuses student internship experiences on work culture, industry shifts and transitions, and professional development.

ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ Los Angeles program assistant and ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ alumna Macy Mills ā€˜23 led students on their first excursion this semester after orientation, with an immersive day of LA experiences at the world class Getty Center, followed by a visit to the historic Los Angeles Farmerā€™s Market and The Grove, at Third and Fairfax.

In addition to unique academic classes and internships, this spring semester experience for students will also include a day of community service at the Hollywood Food Coalition, alumni engagement gatherings and the opportunity to participate in and/or observe the production of the three short films being produced by the ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ LA-based alumni recipients of the 2025-26 ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ Los Angeles Alumni Short Film Competition.

Through and National Campus Programs, ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ Los Angeles offers immersive spring and summer semester programs for students with a variety of majors. For information about the Los Angeles experience and 2027 opportunities, please visit the and National Campus Programs websites.

The Divided Lands course focuses on states in their post-conflict transitions; this winter term, the class is in the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. Political Science professors Baris Kesgin and Safia Swimelar co-lead the class for a third time.

Recently, the students, Kesgin, and Swimelar spent a full day with the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), met with the international organizationā€™s representatives on the ground and visited various locations under the United Nationsā€™ (UN) control. The group met with the UN Good Offices Mission leaders, UN Police officers, and then joined a walking tour of the old airport of the Cypriot capital (pictured) and of the buffer zone.Ā  The decayed airport appears as it did when it was abandoned in 1974 during the military conflict.

ā€œThe UN briefing and tour of the abandoned Nicosia International Airport and buffer zone provided rare insight into peacekeeping in Cyprus and the costs of war,” said Hayes Johnson ’28. “The buffer zone was in a state of decay, used only for UN patrols and receiving minimal maintenance or reinforcement in the hope of an eventual reunification that never seems to come. This experience made clear that peace is something that must be actively defended through constant effort, not complacency.ā€

ā€œThe airport still had boarding passes on the floor and colorful airline advertisements on the walls, and houses still had scarves hanging in the closets and half-used bars of soap in the kitchen,” said Kate Gray ’27. “It was moving to see all these personal items that had been ruined by time and the elements and will probably never be reunited with their owners. We were lucky to have really knowledgeable guides who explained significant areas and gave us time to explore the space and immerse ourselves.ā€

Cyprus became an independent state in 1960, and shortly after, experienced violent clashes between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities on the island by late 1963. The UN forces arrived in 1964 and have remained on the island since then to prevent conflict escalation between the two communities. In 1974, the two sides were divided along a buffer zone managed by the United Nations.

For Claire Blatt ā€™26, the visit with the UN ā€œmade the fragile nature of this “peace” painfully clear. The walk along the Green Line and through the abandoned airport felt surreal and heavy; there were tens of cars left untouched covered by decades of debris, homes reclaimed by nature, personal belongings scattered as if people meant to return. It was impossible not to think about the lives interrupted there, and to realize that what can seem distant or abstract to outsiders is a lived reality of loss, fear, and uncertainty for those who call Cyprus home.ā€

This year, the class ran into the president of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides in the streets of Nicosia. The president spared some time to chat with the group before he greeted his official guest, the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. The president then introduced the group to von der Leyen. Both presidents expressed appreciation for American studentsā€™ interest in Cyprus, Europe, and cultural exchange. They also emphasized the importance of close relations between the United States and Europe.

Kesgin and Swimelar designed the course in 2019 and led its first cohort in 2022. One of the key motivations for the duo was to add ā€œoff the beaten pathā€ study abroad destinations. The destinations of the course, Cyprus and Bosnia & Herzegovina (the past two iterations), represent a major contribution to ĀŅĀ׏Óʵā€™s faculty-led study abroad programs for its geographic locations. Furthermore, the courseā€™s thematic emphases on post-conflict societies and navigating multiple ethnic and religious identities in transition, domestic and international peacebuilding efforts, and complicated intersections of memory, narrative, and truth-telling relate the course to studentsā€™ multiple academic interests.

While the students attain foundational knowledge about divided lands such as Cyprus in the pre-departure course, they meet with a diverse array of domestic and international actors during the travel class. These meetings include major non-governmental organizations (such as civil society members, journalists, academics), international actors (US Embassy, United Nations personnel, the European Union, among others), as well as their peers (such as university students).

Anastasia Feldman ā€™28 said: ā€œHere in Cyprus, weā€™ve been exposed to a lot of differing perspectives, activities, and cultural experiences that Iā€™m grateful to see and do,” said Anastasia Feldman ’28. “This was an amazing opportunity to learn about how the United Nations keep the peace in a high tension environment. We were able to see locations that havenā€™t been touched since 1974 such as the old Nicosia airport, and walking the buffer zone between the North and South which was incredible from a historic perspective. Beyond the UN, having the opportunity to meet with the president of Cyprus as well as the president of the European Commission was an incredible experience that Iā€™m sure I never would have had without this course.ā€

Biggers has been enrolled in a business and legal studies pathway since high school. His consistent hard work throughout his early studies and his passion for change within the business world led him to strive for a rigorous graduation plan.

As a scholar in the Odyssey Program, through the Leon and Lorraine Watson scholarship, and actively pursuing his dual degree, Biggers has the opportunity to achieve his career dreams early.

ā€œI feel like I can do anything,” he said. “Itā€™s amazing because people from Gastonia donā€™t normally get exposed to the opportunities I’ve had here at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ.”

Biggers has been interested in the intersection of business and legal studies since his high school accounting class, where he learned about the effect of the 2008 market crash and the Enron and WorldCom scandals that shaped corporate accountability.

ā€œStudying those cases made me realize I wanted to be part of the solution,” Biggers said.

He recognizes the unethical practices of some corporations, expressing his sincerity for the real people affected and hurt by these practices.

ā€œIn accounting, they say we ensure the publicā€™s trust,” he said. “I want to make sure that businesses are held accountable and that they are not just seeking to gain profit but also doing good for the world.ā€

This belief system heavily impacted his career aspirations. ā€œI would love to be an attorney who protects consumers from corrupt behavior by businesses. I want to ensure that businesses act ethically and donā€™t harm consumers in small communities,ā€ Biggers adds.

Recognizing his hard work in high school, he was drawn to ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ to continue his rigorous studies in the Odyssey Program and the 3+1 program. After setting foot on ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ’s campus, he knew this was the place for him.

ā€œI fell in love with the campus when I visited for the first time. It was the first college campus that felt doable and I could see myself here, living and going to class, joining clubs and pursuing the opportunities they have here,ā€ explained Biggers.

However, there was a financial barrier he would have to overcome to study here. After he received his dual degree program offer, which solidified his desire to study at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, he recalls that ā€œthe Odyssey Scholarship was the icing on the cake because it eliminated the financial barrier.ā€

His first year marked the beginning of his journey to explore opportunities outside of his comfort zone.

Starting with joining the Student Government Association, Biggers experienced firsthand how supportive ĀŅĀ׏Óʵā€™s faculty and staff were in pushing him towards his goals in SGA and his aspirations beyond the organization. He expresses, ā€œSince that initial push, Iā€™ve continued to go even further, from running for SGA, doing undergraduate research or studying abroad. The faculty pushing me has been my fondest memory at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ.ā€

His career aspirations are materializing due to his hard work and the extra push from ĀŅĀ׏Óʵā€™s staff and the Odyssey program. He expresses that Odyssey taught him that he has the potential to achieve great things in his life and that he has to push to reach his goals, study abroad being one example he mentions.

This past August, Biggers studied abroad in London, England, at the London School of Economics and Political Science, taking a course in competition law and policy. He notes that, at first, he was fearful of traveling so far to an unknown place, but ĀŅĀ׏Óʵā€™s faculty constantly pushed him to reach for and accomplish things heā€™d never done before.

ā€œI was honestly afraid to go because no one in my family had ever traveled outside of the country. But faculty at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ pushed and inspired me to do something that I’d never done before,ā€ said Biggers.

Martha Lopez Lavias and Kenneth Brown Jr., two staff members in the Center for Access and Success, were instrumental in encouraging him to take advantage of the ā€œonce-in-a-lifetime experienceā€.

ā€œIā€™m glad they pushed me because had I not gone, I would still have the fear of traveling abroad, and now I canā€™t wait to go back,” he said.” Once you go somewhere like that, you can go anywhere.ā€

Now, he is going to do just that. In January, he will be traveling to Portugal to study
environmental social governance reporting, which supports his academic and career aspirations.

Biggers extends his gratitude for his ā€œfamily on campus,ā€ which he fondly calls the people heā€™s met through the Odyssey program.

ā€œNow that Iā€™ve had these experiences, I get to share with other students in the Odyssey program who are also looking to join. Itā€™s like weā€™re all in this together, and my success is your success,” he said.

Coming to ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ from Annapolis, Maryland, the small class sizes and opportunities for professor and peer mentorship enticed her to study at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ. Her decision was led by a need for connection and community on campus, mentioning.

Freshman year, while with her peers in the Business Fellows, she realized others knew their finance education would lead them into a career, but not knowing her own path, she sought guidance from Chris Harris, associate professor of finance and chair of the Department of Finance. After an honest discussion of her likes, dislikes, aspirations and goals, she knew wealth management was the path she wanted to pursue.

ā€œWealth management is perfect for what I want to do, and itā€™s very rewarding, very analytical and (focused on) problem-solving, but it also has a client side and personal side, where you get to actually help people and change their lives for the better,ā€ said Orendorff.

Being the president of the Women in Finance club, she faced some initial challenges in her understanding of finance and the ratio of women to men in her classes.

“There’s probably me and three other girls, if Iā€™m lucky,” she said.

She also notes that finance doesnā€™t come naturally to her, saying, ā€œI have to work a lot harder for it to stick.ā€

Being a leader in the club, she took these challenges head-on. Not letting the drawbacks get her down, she placed her focus on mentorship.

ā€œThe executive team and I are acting as big sisters who have gone through the process,ā€ she said. “I wanted a bigĀ sister in the process, and thatā€™s what Iā€™m trying to offer these girls in the club.Ā There’s so much space for us, I want to let women know that.”

Her participation in the Business Fellows also helped challenge her personal growth.

ā€œI came to school with the mindset that I already had 40 best friends in my cohort. That changed everything for me when adjusting to college,” said Orendorff. ā€œThese people are ambitious, theyā€™re extremely intelligent, theyā€™re hard working and they push me to be the same. Theyā€™re involved in everything, and itā€™s not a competition, but Iā€™m challenged for the better, and I really love being in a space like that.ā€

She says that this environment has also pushed her to be more forward-thinking and ambitious towards her goals in her finance career.

All of this growth and opportunity is supported by donors through the Dr. Beth Powell Business Fellows Scholarship and the Presidential Scholarship.

ā€œMy scholarships have equipped me to do so much at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ and have assisted me and encouraged me to be more engaged and involved on campus,” she said.

Her scholarship helped her study abroad in Florence, Italy, where she was able to further her studies and grow in confidence.

ā€œI was able to be more present in the world around me, and that’s an experience that Iā€™ll never take for granted,ā€ she explained. ā€œIt was all due to the scholarships that I got, which enabled me to be there.ā€

Through this experience, Orendorff recognizes the strength and confidence it took to put herself out there and be open to experiences in a country and culture foreign to her.

ā€œIā€™m proud of how I didnā€™t doubt myself. I knew I could do it, and I created the steps, and I did so much because I didnā€™t restrict myself by thinking ā€˜I canā€™t do this.’ Instead, I said, ā€˜Iā€™m going to find a way.’ I grew a lot in my confidence,” she said.

With this strengthened confidence and sense of self, she is inching towards graduation in May. Having been challenged and pushed by her peers and professors, she expresses that her growth mindset has her in the thought pattern of, ā€œWhatā€™s the next best thing I need to achieve? Whatā€™s the next best thing I should grow towards?ā€

When asked what she would say to the donors who made her experiences possible, Orendorff expresses that ā€˜thank youā€™ will never be enough in her eyes. She hopes donors realize the impact they have.

ā€œEach thing a student accomplishes is because of their support; each donor plays a part in a student’s story,” she said.

For your awareness, once the early voting period ends on Nov. 2, only those individuals who have already registered will be eligible to cast a ballot on Election Day. There is no same-day voter registration on Election Day in North Carolina and the deadline to register online or postmark a mail-in NC voter registration form has already passed.

Everything you need to know about voting in the upcoming election can be found at .

Here are the rest of your Phoenix Five tips for the week:

Vote in the ENN ā€˜Best Ofā€™ Survey

Survey open now; closes Oct. 31

Each year, the ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ News Network publishes a special edition guide to campus and local favorites based on community voting through our “Best Of” survey. ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ students, staff, faculty and local residents are able to vote for 60 categories split into four sections ā€” Local, Campus, Food & Drink and Sports. Take a few minutes to fill out the 2025 Best Of Survey,

Study USA and National Campus Programs Meet and Greet Week

Applications for summer and fall 2025 Study USA programs opened Oct. 1.Ā  There are three upcoming meet and greet events to learn more about the programs. Former program participants will be on-site to answer your questions and share their experiences. Stop by anytime from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. No RSVP required; just show up! Free coffee at each event.

• Monday, Oct. 21, 3-5 p.m., Irazu Coffee ā€“ ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ in Charlotte
• Tuesday, Oct. 22, 3-5 p.m., Irazu Coffee ā€“ ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ in New York City
• Wednesday, Oct. 23, 3-5 p.m., Snow Grand Atrium in Schar Hall ā€“ ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ in Los Angeles

If you are unable to attend a meet and greet event and want more information on course offerings, program details and application instructions, visit the Study USA website. Email the Global Education Center at global@elon.edu with any questions. Students are encouraged to apply before the Nov. 15 Early Action deadline as enrollment is limited.

HealthEU Day

Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024

Celebrate with the campus communityā€™s ongoing efforts to promote integrated wellness, including a campus community wellness fair, faculty/staff benefits fair, flu vaccine clinic, a Cone Health mobile health screening bus, a special College Coffee and opportunities to win giveaways! Visit the HealthEU website for the full schedule of events.

2024 Greek Dance

Thursday, October 24, 2024, Schar Center
8 p.m. (Doors open at 7:30 p.m.)

Greek Dance, an annual philanthropic dance competition for ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ Greek organizations, will take place this Thursday in Schar Center. Teams will take the floor in the Schar Center starting at 6 p.m., with the winners announced following the last performance. Come out to support our Fraternity and Sorority Community participating in Greek Week. All are welcome to attend!

Fall Musical ā€œLegally Blondeā€

Oct. 25, Oct. 26, Oct. 31 and Nov. 1-2 at 7:30 p.m.; Oct.Ā  27 at 2 p.m., McCrary Theatre, Center for the Arts

ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ Performing Arts presents the award-winning musical, “Legally Blonde,” based on the iconic movie with Reese Witherspoon! The musical focuses on Elle Woodā€™s journey from UCLA to Harvard Law School. Help us cheer on our heroine as she becomes the best-dressed lawyer we all know and love. Admission is free with ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ ID. .

During Andrew Houlihanā€™s ā€™01 junior year in high school, the search for a suitable four-year university in North Carolina led him to an unexpected yet fateful visit to ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ.

His parents, having visited ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ for a work event, encouraged him to explore the campus. The moment he stepped foot on the grounds, he knew it was the place for him. Enrolling in the fall of 1997, he pursued a degree in elementary education and immersed himself in various extracurricular activities. He participated in intramural sports, was President of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity and studied abroad in London.

Houlihan received a full tuition scholarship as a North Carolina Teaching Fellow, a prestigious state award for high school students dedicated to teaching for at least three years. The award provided Houlihan opportunities he would not have had otherwise.

ā€œThis scholarship enabled me to work alongside my Teaching Fellows peers as a cohort and helped provide various activities that range from state/national education policy work to the study abroad experience,ā€ Houlihan said. ā€œIn addition, I was able to really benefit from high quality teaching and learning experiences through the school of education.ā€

Gravitating toward leadership

Upon graduating from ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, he embarked on his teaching career at AB Combs Leadership Magnet Elementary School in Raleigh, North Carolina. Initially, Houlihan resisted following in his fatherā€™s footsteps in becoming a superintendent. His perspective evolved once he began teaching.

ā€œAs the son of a superintendent, I grew up never wanting to do ā€˜what he did,ā€™ā€ Houlihan said. ā€œMy perspective changed, however, when I began teaching. I gravitated toward leadership and leadership roles, was supported to pursue such by my principal and took the necessary steps to attain additional degrees that would qualify me for such.ā€

After completing his masterā€™s degree and doctorate, he became the principal of Parker Elementary School, a music magnet school in the Houston Independent School District (HISD) in 2010.

A positive impact

Houlihan then took on several district level roles within HISD, including Chief Academic Officer, with the goal of becoming a superintendent in the future. In 2016, Houlihan was named superintendent of Union County Public Schools, just outside of Charlotte, North Carolina.

ā€œThe most rewarding part of my journey has been the positive impact made for the students I have served, and the success they are having after graduating from high schoolā€ he said. ā€œFrom teaching a 7-year-old how to read, to watching my students perform in national concerts as a principal, to celebrating our high school studentsā€™ plans for college, career or military enlistment now as a superintendent, the journey so far has been beyond rewarding.ā€

ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ played a crucial role in preparing Houlihan for his career. The comprehensive lessons and leadership experiences he gained equipped him with essential skills and strategies.

ĀŅĀ׏Óʵā€™s emphasis on time management, organization and collaboration further honed his abilities. The study abroad program in London broadened his perspectives and instilled values and beliefs that continue to inform his leadership and decision-making.

ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ’s investment

Looking ahead, Houlihanā€™s professional goal is to sustain and enhance the outstanding work at UCPS as ensuring that his school system is providing a high-quality education in a safe environment for all students.

ā€œPersonally, our familyā€™s collective goal is to ensure our children are thriving and successful in whatever they decide to pursue after high school,ā€ he says. ā€œOur oldest graduates from high school next year and our youngest the year after. Getting them prepared for college and ensuring they select the right fit, like ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ was for me, is job number oneā€.

Houlihan attributes his success and the success of his peers to ĀŅĀ׏Óʵā€™s investment in students.

ā€œThe faculty and staff, university leadership, school culture and sense of family truly separate ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ from many other colleges in our nation,ā€ he says. ā€œWhen students graduate, they are highly prepared to enter a world ready to be successful and equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to do so. I am so very thankful for my time at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, for the life-long friends I made and for the outstanding education I received.ā€

The Ranya Alexandra Russo ā€™24 Global Engagement Scholarship, named in their daughterā€™s honor, will provide financial assistance to students pursuing a major in the School of Communications who are interested in a study abroad or Study USA experience. First preference will go to a student interested in studying in Spain.

ā€œWe love ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ and wanted to give back to the university,ā€ Azmy said. ā€œIt was because of our daughterā€™s experience abroad and her passion for Spanish that we decided to create this scholarship.ā€

Ranya Russo, a communications design and Spanish double major, spent a semester studying in Seville, Spain, in fall 2022. She lived with a host family who spoke no English and took all her courses in Spanish, which allowed her to become fully immersed in a different culture. She also volunteered by teaching English and American culture to Spanish middle schoolers through the Council on International Educational Exchange.

ā€œThat turned out to be the best experience for our daughter,ā€ Jeff Russo said. ā€œWe had the ability to help her participate in this study abroad experience and not every family does. We wanted to honor Ranyaā€™s experience and make it possible for others to have the same opportunity she had.ā€

Ranya said she chose to study in Seville because English is not as predominant there compared to other parts of Spain. In addition to classes in journalism, painting, current events and the history of food, she completed four intensive Spanish courses, which, along with living with her host family, enabled her to become fluent in the language.

ā€œStudying abroad was one of the greatest challenges and most rewarding experiences of my life,ā€ Ranya said. ā€œMy courses were not only insightful in learning the language, but about Spanish culture as well, and they helped me grow my knowledge of intercultural media in different ways.ā€

Living with her host family was equally powerful.

ā€œFor three months, the entire family made me feel like I was one of their own,ā€ Ranya said. ā€œWe were always talking to each other at dinner about my life back home, having movie nights, going out in the Alameda de Hercules plaza where we lived, and joking when I would mess up a Spanish word or phrase. They made my entire experience better, and helped comfort me when I was homesick.ā€

ā€œIt took a lot of courage, but I felt that ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ really helped facilitate that experience for Ranya and she felt she had that support,ā€ Azmy said. ā€œItā€™s part of the culture and community at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ. She came back a different person, and now she looks back and feels she can do things independently.ā€

ĀŅĀ׏Óʵā€™s national leadership in study abroad initially drew the family to the university. Once Ranya enrolled, the familyā€™s admiration for ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ deepened as they learned about the variety of programs and activities available to students.

ā€œThereā€™s something for everyone at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ,ā€ Azmy said. ā€œThe breadth of the academic programs, the experiential learning opportunities, and the faculty are all fantastic. Thereā€™s a lot of spirit at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ.ā€

The couple believes strongly in investing in education, and experiencing different cultures is an essential component of studentsā€™ learning.

ā€œStudents need to get out of their comfort zone,ā€ Russo said. ā€œOne of the ways you grow is by testing yourself and seeing what you can handle and how you adapt to change and uncertainty.ā€

Azmy agreed, adding, ā€œIt changes your perspective and hopefully opens your mind up to other peopleā€™s differences.ā€

As she prepares to graduate, Ranya said she has high hopes for the scholarship her family has established.

ā€œI am proud of the legacy that my family and I are establishing at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, one that emphasizes the importance of global education and the impact that it can have on someoneā€™s life,ā€ she said. ā€œBy starting this scholarship, I hope to encourage and enable more students to embark on their own international journeys. One that will change their lives forever, just like it did for me.ā€

Sheā€™s also grateful to her alma mater for preparing her for the next chapter of her life.

ā€œĀŅĀ׏Óʵ did an incredible job in pushing me to explore my creativity through graphic design, tapping back into my love for art,ā€ she said. ā€œI am grateful for the lasting memories and the strong foundation ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ has provided for my future endeavors.ā€

Watching his mother age inspired the retired U.S. Army major to fast-track the impact of the scholarship. Last fall, he began making annual gifts to the university to enable the scholarship to be awarded immediately.

ā€œMy mother was honored knowing a scholarship would be named in her honor when she leaves this earth, and I thought it would be nice if she could see the impact now and meet the person receiving the award,ā€ he said.

The ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ alumnus didnā€™t stop there. He asked his four brothers to join him in making annual gifts to the scholarship, and without hesitation, they did.

ā€œEven though they graduated from different institutions, we were all in agreement and supported this idea,ā€ Ike said. ā€œWithout my brothers, I wouldnā€™t be where I am today, and I wanted them to be part of it. We call ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ ‘the family.ā€™ā€

Rebecca Credle, 85, was touched to learn her sons had honored her in this way.

ā€œI was grateful and proud because God has blessed them, and they want to try and help someone else,” she said. “Itā€™s just a blessing.ā€

Banding together for each other ā€” and their mom ā€” is nothing new to the Credle boys, who understand what it means to work hard and persevere through challenges.

ā€œMy mother raised five boys in a trailer in eastern North Carolina and because of her sacrifices, all of us are college graduates,ā€ Ike said. ā€œMy family could not afford to send me to college, but we had a system that once you left the nest, each brother would reach back and lift the other person up.ā€

His brother Joseph Credle helped him fill out the paperwork for financial aid, which made his ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ education possible.

ā€œWe recognize the value of this scholarship and that it represents what Mom stands for,ā€ Joseph said. ā€œShe gave us the tools and guidance but also the love and appreciation that we would always look out for one another. It was something paid forward in her life and is what we try to instill with our kids.ā€

For Rufus Credle, supporting the scholarship is his way of thanking his mother for keeping their family together while growing up in New Bern, North Carolina.

ā€œI thought about how our Mom struggled as a single parent in the ’60s,ā€ Rufus said. ā€œShe had every intention of keeping her boys together. She did allow us to go for a short time to live with an aunt or uncle, and I really appreciated her for giving us the chance to go out into the world and experience things. But she always made sure we came home.ā€

Rebecca also nurtured in her sons a love for learning and insisted each of them graduate from college.

ā€œOur whole family history is about furthering oneā€™s education and supporting those ideals for our community,ā€ Rufus said. ā€œTo be able to do this at a great university like ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ and make it possible for students to study abroad is awesome.ā€

Kimball Credle agrees, adding how proud their family is that their grandmother worked as an educator after graduating in the 1930s from then-Elizabeth City State Teachers College.

ā€œThe scholarship at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ adds to the legacy of both women,ā€ Kimball said. ā€œItā€™s the culmination of all the work she has done for us and the ethics she has instilled in us.ā€

ā€œI think she couldnā€™t be more proud than she is of her boys,ā€ added Ike. ā€œWe make it our business to make sure sheā€™s happy because sheā€™s made so many sacrifices for us.ā€

Rebecca has high hopes for the scholarship that bears her name.

“Young people need to get their education and remember that somebody along the way was there to help them,” she said. ā€œMaybe that same young person who receives this scholarship can do the same thing for someone else.”

About the donors

Ike Credle, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, retired from the military in 2003 following a 20-year career in the U.S. Army and later served as a senior training specialist for the Army. One of ĀŅĀ׏Óʵā€™s most devoted donors, Ike has given back to his alma mater for nearly four decades. He was a co-founder of the Black Alumni Scholarship and together with his wife, Sharron, has made annual gifts to support the scholarship, along with the Phoenix Club, Gospel Choir, womenā€™s basketball and ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ College, the College of Arts and Sciences, where he earned his degree in history. The couple are members of the 1889 Society and Order of the Oak, which recognizes donors who make estate and other planned gifts to ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ.

Joseph Credle, of Joilette, Illinois, works at Liberty International Underwriters and graduated from St. Augustineā€™s College in Raleigh; Marvin Credle, of Upper Marlboro, is an IT principal consultant at Guidehouse International and is a graduate of N.C. State University; Rufus Credle, of Garner, N.C., is retired from the Navy and IBM, where he worked for 37 years, and graduated from St. Augustineā€™s University; and Kimball Credle, of Atlanta, served in the Army and worked for 33 years at the Centers for Disease Control and graduated from N.C. A&T State University.

Make An Impact

To learn how you can make an impact at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ through estate and other planned gifts, contact Brian Feeley ā€™03, assistant vice president for university advancement, at (336) 278-7474 or bfeeley@elon.edu.

Members of the ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ football team are in Costa Rica this week while the women’s soccer team is in Portugal and the men’s soccer team is in Brazil. Each immersive program combines competition with education as student-athletes learn about a different culture while competing against competitors from another country and offering guidance to young athletes.

ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ is committed to providing student-athletes with the opportunity to participate in a global experience during their time at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, with each team typically embarking on a program abroad once every four years.

Members of the team as well as coaches and support staff are helping to document the adventure, and fans are invited to follow along to learn more about what the student-athletes are experiencing and learning. Visit the blogs for each team to see photos and read about their experiences and find engaging content on the social media accounts of the teams.

ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ Football

ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ Women’s Soccer

ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ Men’s Soccer