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Elon journalism students spent an evening surrounded by professional inspiration – and familiar faces – during an alumni networking event held Oct. 16 in the nation’s capital. Hosted by the School of Communications, National Campus Programs, and Elon’s Office of Advancement, the gathering brought together current students and accomplished alumni now working across top media and corporate organizations, including NBC News, National Geographic, Bloomberg Law, Capital One and The Washington Post.

The event coincided with the students’ travel to , the national college media convention sponsored by the Associated Collegiate Press, College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Led by Professor Anthony Hatcher, the seven students from Elon News Network took the opportunity to connect with alumni whose work they’ve long admired.

Among them was Gary Grumbach ’16, legal affairs reporter for NBC News, who fielded question after question from students eager to hear about his path to Washington and his coverage of high-profile political and legal stories.

Other alumni in attendance included Cameron Wolfslayer ’21, video producer at National Geographic, and Kristen Burke ’18, president of the D.C. Alumni Chapter and associate director of development at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Burke, alongside Ashley Pinney, director of national campus programs, emphasized Elon’s strong alumni network and the support available to graduates as they transition to professional life.

For students like Fiona McAllister ’26, the night underscored just how far an Elon education can take you.

“Being able to meet Elon alumni I’ve only ever heard of was inspirational,” the journalism major said. “Watching alumni connect with us – and with each other – was heartwarming. From swapping stories to exchanging business cards, it’s always great to get in touch with Elon alumni.”

Fellow journalism major Lilly Molina ’27 added, “Some of the people, I’ve seen their pictures around the School of Communications, so it was cool to finally meet them in person. It was refreshing to get advice from people within the industry who also know what it’s like to attend Elon.”

The evening doubled as a celebration for Hatcher, who will retire in May after two-plus decades of service to Elon. “This will be the last conference I will ever attend with my students,” he reflected. “And I couldn’t have imagined a better experience to end on.”

Organized in collaboration with the Office of Advancement, the D.C. event serves as a blueprint for future alumni-student meetups, emphasizing meaningful conversation, mentorship and the powerful professional ties that continue to shape the Elon community nationwide.

Maggie Mullikin, manager of experiential programs, contributed to this article.