Academic Partnership Award

The Academic Partnership Award is presented annually to a Student Life professional and department that worked closely with academic partners to design a program or service that purposefully integrates curricular and co-curricular experiences or connect social and intellectual activities in an intentional manner.

Professional: Melanie Bullock Harris, Center for Leadership

Department: Gender & LGBTQIA Center 

Collaboration Award

The Collaboration Award is presented to an individual and department that has excelled in forming partnerships within and/or outside the Division of Student Life to enhance the student experience by advancing priorities of the division and/or university.

Professional: Jenni Spangenberg, Student Conduct

Department: Campus Recreation & Wellness

Inclusive Excellence Award

The Inclusive Excellence Award is presented to a professional and department that has demonstrated a commitment to fostering a positive campus climate and community through the advancement of diversity, equity and inclusion.

Professional: Betsy Polk, Truitt Center for Religious & Spiritual Life

Department: Equity Audit Work Group

Innovation Award

The Innovation Award is presented to a professional and department that have developed programs, services or ways of working that are new, unique or forge new pathways in supporting our divisional mission and goals.

Professional: Callie Kelly, Campus Recreation & Wellness

Department: New Student Programs

Mentoring Award

The Mentoring Award is presented annually to a Student Life professional who is an exceptional mentor to students, engaging with them in purposeful student development activities.

Professional: Nicole Bergen, Kernodle Center for Civic Life

New Professional Award

The New Professional Award is presented to an individual serving in their first or second year at Elon, who exhibits exceptional ability and commitment to work a Student Life professional.

Professional: Jordan Buie, Residence Life

Professional Achievement Award

The Professional Achievement Award is presented to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the student affairs profession.

Professional: Jenny Larson, Campus Recreation & Wellness

Each candidate passed the ACT/SAT or CORE Academic Skills tests with a higher than average score, achieved an overall GPA of 2.70 or higher and passed all prerequisites with no grade lower than a C. Candidates also received positive recommendations from non-EDU Elon faculty, demonstrated appropriate disposition befitting a professional and continue to uphold Elon’s Academic and Social Honor Code.

As teacher candidates, they will participate in coursework and more intensive clinical experiences, learn how to facilitate and assess student learning and deepen their understanding of student behavior and how to organize and manage a classroom.

Through the teacher induction ceremony, the School of Education builds cohesion across all teacher education programs. This bond is paramount to student retention and motivation not only through graduation, but also into their teaching careers.

Paige Knapke ‘20, an elementary and special education major and psychology minor, Elon Teaching Fellow and North Carolina Teaching Fellow, introduced Renita Webb ’04, educational leadership strategist and founder of The Refining Life, Inc., as devoted to her work as an educator, consultant, and trainer. One of the goals of The Refining Life is “to provide experiences so that people can have their mindsets shifted so they can live more positive and productive lives.”

During her engaging presentation titled, “Why,” Webb encouraged the teacher candidates to “find their why” because it will “activate joy in you, help you stay true to yourself and keep yourself moving forward.”

In conclusion, Webb asked the teacher candidates to consider what type of education they want to impart as they “will teach new thinkers, change agents and future educators.” Her challenge was to “discover your why so strong that it keeps you from stopping – to find the strongest, fiercest why.”

Teacher candidates were recognized individually by Ann Bullock, dean of the school of education, and received a certificate from Marna Winter, lecturer and chair of the department of education and wellness, to symbolize their transition into the teaching profession.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, Dean Bullock commended the students for “selecting teaching as a career because it is a moral decision, a decision to dedicate one’s self to the future of all children and young adolescents.”

The ceremony was organized by the School of Education Induction Ceremony committee members: Heidi Hollingsworth (committee chair), Dani Lane, Marna Winter, and Megan Noltemeyer.