The scholars’ deep empathy and love of their communities emerged as they spoke passionately about their desire to use art to bridge generational divides and spend time with elderly residents sequestered in nursing homes and facilities across the county. They shared their optimism at having a new superintendent, who they hope will help re-energize the hopes and dreams of ABSS students and their families. The scholars are planning an ABSS cultural diversity day in Spring 2025, bilingual information sessions and resources for their peers, environmental and sustainability events and more.

Beginning in November, students deepen their understanding of the scholarship that exists around their varied interests of concern. In December, they will log volunteer hours with local organizations and groups doing similar work as they continue expanding their initiatives and activities through June 2025.

The Elon Freedom Scholars is one of several university college access programs, launched in 2022. The proposed civic engagement work of this year’s cohort builds on a powerful legacy Freedom Scholars have established in the two short years of the program. To learn more and to become involved in the civic engagement work, email freedomscholars@elon.edu.

The Elon Freedom Scholars, launched in 2022, is one of several university college access programs. In one of the most powerful moments of the orientation session, one of the members of the cohort expressed her gratitude to the program for the opportunity, especially her friend who texted her a link to the program application in a simple message, saying, “Join me.” These two powerful words changed the trajectory of her life. In her words, she said she was heading to cosmetology school in the absence of a clear path to a four-year college experience.

Prudence Layne, director of the Freedom Scholars program, provided the ABSS high school seniors and their families an overview of the year ahead, which includes the ability to take college-level classes at Elon, develop a network of mentors to support their college, career and civic leadership aspirations, build and expand a strong civic leadership legacy in Alamance County, and share their research and work as they prepare for college and life after high school.

Currently, eight Elon Freedom Scholars alumni are enrolled as scholars in the Odyssey Program and other signature Fellows and Scholar programs at Elon. Other graduates of the program are enrolled at high-caliber colleges and programs across the nation, including Clemson, Duke, N.C. A&T State University, Queens University, the University of Alabama, UNC-Chapel Hill, UNC-Charlotte and Virginia Tech. Freedom Scholars alumni also serve their country, enrolling in the U.S. Marines and the U.S. Army Reserve.

The program’s academic curriculum takes a “classic citizenship to contemporary challenges” approach to its curriculum.

“We provide you with the real-world relevance of how thinkers from the classical and ancient worlds, like Hobbes, Locke and Plato, when studied alongside contemporary writers, help you recognize the significance for their worlds,” said Joel Shelton, Elon Freedom Scholars associate director of curriculum and instruction.

While parents and families embarked on a bilingual (English & Spanish) tour of the Elon campus, Freedom Scholars shared some of the most pressing challenges they identified in their communities, including: food insecurity, homelessness, the ABSS teacher shortages, under-resourcing, and under-employment and promoting access and inclusion in their schools and the broader communities. Students shared some of the painful realities of their communities and began brainstorming ways they could partner with each other, local agencies and activists to impact their communities.

Scholars will meet at least once monthly over the coming year to focus on their research and projects. The class will gather for their two-week summer residency in June 2025 before heading off to college. They will share their research and civic engagement projects with the public at the third annual Elon Freedom Scholars Symposium on June 27 at Elon.

Meet the Class of 2025

Bisan Abu Khalaf
Williams High School

Lily Alba Martinez
Cummings High School

Darwin Cortes Pimentel
Cummings High School

Rafael Campos Perez
Cummings High School

Symphoni Curtis
Southeast Alamance High School

Emily Davis
Eastern High School

Kairiana Day
Eastern High School

Kalyn Faille
Williams High School & ABSS Early College

Keydie Hernandez Sandoval
Cummings High School

Stephanie Flores-Portillo
Eastern High School

Gabrielle Howard
Cummings High School

Madison Kingery
Southern High School

Breon Love
Cummings High School

Grettel Martinez Rojas
Cummings High School

Marianna Martinez
Williams High School

Britny Mendoza Portillo
Cummings High School

Daysi Nicoll Merlos-Avila
Cunnings High School

Magaly Palomares
Southern High School & ABSS Early College

Eimy Roselin
Cummings High School

Yuritza Sanchez
Cummings High School

Inaaya Siddiqui
Walter Williams High School

Haleigh Totten
Cummings High School

Dulce Velasquez Arreaga
Eastern High School

Kymani Mason
Graham High School & COP

Yarile Yajaira
Graham High School

More than ever, the world needs humanists. Tess Taylor reminds us to  care for Mother Earth, each other and ourselves. The state of our world is a delicate balance of luck and the attention or work we give to the endeavor.

Also selected as the keynote speaker for the International Convention being held in Ohio in March 2019, the Elon community has a unique opportunity to hear from this amazing speaker and writer. Copies of her most recent work will be on sale and the author will sign copies of her book following the lecture, which is free and open to the public.

To learn more about Tess Taylor and her work visit

“ENGage your Passions, PoWeR your Lives” features virtual and in-person information, our alumni sharing their diverse career experiences as writers, editors, researchers, lawyers, teachers, artists, recruiters and so much more. Students can enjoy virtual sessions from 5 to 6 p.m. with STYLECASTER, OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network) and Lasell College. Representatives from Duke University Press, the Burlington Police Department, Piedmont Community College, LabCorp, Fourscore Business Law, Curtis Brown, Ltd., Ketchum and others will greet students at the event.

In addition, the event offers concurrent sessions from experienced professionals for all students interested in charting their own career paths, exploring global opportunities and using their training in the humanities to advance in the corporate, technology and nonprofit worlds. Students can have their résumés and cover letters professionally reviewed and can get a sneak peek at local, regional, national and international careers for which students from English departments are in high demand.

All students and members of the 51������ community are welcome to attend this free event. Business attire is preferred.

The event is designed to teach the 51������ community about the region and to introduce the students, faculty and staff at Elon who hail from the region. Caribbean Fest is a casual, fun event, offering food, prizes, games, displays, and a great time. Attendees are encouraged to bring friends and to like the organization’s Facebook page (51������ Caribbean Students Association) to be eligible for the prizes.

For information about the event or the organization, contact CSA President Jemuel Phillips-Spencer at jspencer10@elon.edu

On March 15, 2016, Associate Professor of English, Prudence Layne, delovered the Seventh Annual Women of Excellence Conference held at Halifax Community College in Waldon, NC. Layne’s lecture, “When Excellence Subverts Womanhood . . .” addressed this year’s conference theme “We are W.O.M.E.N.: Women Organized for Motivational and Educational Networking.”

In her talk, Layne challenged participants to extend their bonds of sisterhood in new and uncommon ways. She urged them not to lose the ‘woman’ or the ‘hood’ in their pursuit of excellence, indulge in self-denigration or the denigration of other women in the process.

Among the more than 300 women attending the conference were Halifax Community College’s fourth President and CEO, Dr. Erwin V. Griffin, Jr. and Mayor of  the Town of Halifax, Kristy Johnson , abd  the first female mayor of Halifax.

Layne also led a workshop for faculty during the “Dean’s Hour.” The hour-long workshop, “Whose Teaching? Whose Learning” An Exploration of Student-Teacher Collaborative Partnerships” attracted approximately 20 faculty members, who were guided through individual and collaborative activities that explored questions and issues of  reciprocity in teaching and learning.

Coming from the Caribbean nation of Barbados and having taught in Kingston, Layne brought a perspective and Caribbean dimension to her paper titled “Transforming Higher Education: Restructuring Space and Minds.” The paper forms part of the chapter from her forthcoming book, Global Innovation of Teaching & Learning in Higher Education: Transgressing Boundaries (London: Springer Press, 2014).

To read more about Both Sides of the Story, visit http://go-jamaica.com/power/pp-bothsidesofthestory.html

1. Like our Facebook page:

2. Follow us on Twitter @ElonAAASE #DFTC #AAASE

3. Stop by our Moseley Table between 11a.m. – 2 p.m. where our minors will provide info. and snacks

4. Join us in McKinnon at 5 p.m. to join the movement.

5. Bring a friend or two!

6. Declare the minor by visiting academic advising, at one of these events, or drop by our office in Alamance 302.

Happy Spring!

Associate Professor Prudence Layne’s paper, “Neither Rich, Nor Free, but We are Brave! Black Female Social Entrepreneurship in Post-Apartheid South Africa,” formed part of the panel session titled “Righting/Writing Her Place in the World: Constructions of The (Thankfully) Rebellious Black Woman.”

The panel forms part of an ongoing AAASE initiative to encourage more participation among African and African-descended students in undergraduate research. As part of her ongoing scholarship on Black female resistance, Layne has spent the past year conducting research with students on various dimensions of the subject. For example, she serves as the research mentor for Raven Bennett, a strategic communications major and African & African-American studies minor whose presentation at the NCBS conference was titled “Resisting Erasure: Representations of the Fat, Black Woman in the U.S. Media.”

Layne’s NCBS paper is derived from her work in the short-term study abroad winter program she leads to South Africa and her upcoming sabbatical project to explore the life, work and industries of Black South African social entrepreneurs working in the arts.

Layne and Bennett have been invited to present their research and to discuss their collaboration at the Mico University College in Jamaica in April.

Any student interested in pursuing Black Studies research and in accessing related topics in their disciplines and fields should email playne@elon.edu.