“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. Elon stood out almost immediately.

“I discovered Elon 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 Elon. 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 Elon with giving him the freedom to experiment early, without the pressure of getting everything right.

“Elon 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 Elon translated perfectly to the industry.

“What I spent four years learning at Elon 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 Elon and carried forward through every project he takes on.

Since the campaign entered the public phase in 2019, donors have built on Elon’s position as a leader in higher education by investing in graduates the world needs, engaged learning, mentors who matter and the university’s iconic learning environment. Members of the greater Elon community are invited to come hear an update on the campaign’s progress at events in Elon and Raleigh.

Both events will feature a reception with a hosted bar and hors d’oeuvres followed by a program with remarks by President Connie Book and special guests. More details on each event, including links to register, are below.

Elon LEADS in the Triad

Thursday, April 28, 2022
The Inn at Elon

A celebration of leadership and philanthropy with President Connie Book. Located at The Inn at Elon at 605 North O’Kelly Ave. Business attire is the dress code for the event. Please RSVP by April 14 here:

6:30 p.m. Reception
7:30 p.m. Remarks by President Book

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Elon LEADS in Raleigh

Thursday, May 5, 2022
The Pavilion at the Angus Barn

Located at 9401-1 Glenwood Ave. in Raleigh, N.C., the event will be a celebration of leadership and philanthropy with President Connie Book. There will be a reception at 6:30 p.m. and remarks by President Book at 7:30 p.m. Business attire is the dress code and please RSVP by April 21 at this website: 

Contact Jill Hollis ’13 G’17 at jhollis@elon.edu with any questions.

As summer kicks into high gear, things are heating up for our regional alumni chapters and Elon in the Ballpark is back. Take your family out to the ball game and mingle with other alumni!  Select cities and regional alumni chapters will be hosting a baseball outing in your city. Check out the list below to see how you can snag your tickets just in time to join alumni, friends and family at the game.

• 
  July 30
  Burlington Sock Puppets
• 
  Aug. 5
  Greensboro Grasshoppers
• 
  Aug. 6
  Durham Bulls
• 
  Aug. 7
  New York Yankees
• 
  Aug. 27
  Atlanta Braves
• 
  September 19
  Boston Red Sox

We’re laser-focused on keeping our alumni and their guests safe by following social distancing guidelines. Certain areas may have reduced capacity, so register sooner than later to make sure you can join us at the game.

We hope to see you there.

Friday, Sept. 27
5:30-7:30 p.m.
Burlington Beer Works
103 E Front Street
Burlington, NC 27215

Join fellow alumni and friends to welcome new alumni to the area! We will be providing appetizers and Elon swag. All alumni, guests and friends are welcome.

Please contact alumni@elon.edu with any questions.

The chapter has discounted group tickets for only $10 for our designated picnic area. Your ticket includes access to the all-you-can-eat hot dogs, pizza, chips, and Pepsi products in the picnic area. We will also be giving away Elon hats.

All alumni, friends, families, and guests are welcome to join. See details and register below:

Burlington Royals

3rd Base Picnic Area

Aug. 16, 2019

6:30 p.m.

Upon registering, you will receive your ticket pick-up instructions closer to the date of game.

Alumni of all generations are encouraged to attend as we kick off a new year of chapter events. Family, friends and guests are welcome to join. Free food and Elon gear will be available at all events. This is an opportunity to connect with other local Elon graduates and hear from chapter leaders about what is in store for the upcoming year.

Learn more and register for your chapter’s event by clicking the name of your city below: 
 

Alumni chapters in Alamance County, the Triad (Greensboro), Richmond, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. hosted events in mid-August. If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Alumni Engagement at alumni@elon.edu or (336) 278-7500.

In efforts to attract Elon students to the free public-wide events, Lott helped start a new event for the month of March. Downtown Burlington is excited to announce that the is back again this year! On March 17 from 5 to 10 p.m., the streets of downtown Burlington will close as the community lights up with a decorated golf cart parade, live music from traditional bagpipers and drummers, food and store vendors, games, and face painting.

The honor, presented at the association’s annual Winter Institute on March 9, recognizes the Greensboro News & Record photojournalist as the state’s best daily newspaper photographer in 2016. The award is named for Hugh Morton, a prolific North Carolina photographer who had his work featured in Life, National Geographic, Time and numerous other national and state publications.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” said Krech. “I keep thinking this is going to be a ‘Moonlight’/‘La La Land’ situation, and that I’ll get a call this week from NCPA taking the award back. Some phenomenal photographers have won the Hugh in the past and I’m honored to be a part of that club.”

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Krech credited his award-winning work to increased consistency, which allowed him to make quality images throughout the year, as well as his decision to often leave his long lenses at home.

“I used to use my longer (telephoto) lenses as a crutch, keeping my distance and shooting from farther away,” he said. “Now I carry two shorter lenses and try to get closer with the subject I’m photographing. It makes for intimate pictures with more context.”

Krech was one of several School of Communications graduates to receive hardware as part of the NCPA’s 2016 News, Editorial and Photojournalism Contest, which celebrates excellence in reporting, photography and other projects. The awards were distributed at the NCPA’s Winter Institute.

​Stephanie Butzer ’14, a multimedia reporter at The High Point Enterprise, was honored as a finalist for the Associated Press Walter Spearman award, recognizing her as one of the top young journalists in the state. Butzer, who also captured a second-place award in the feature photography category, was honored for her 2016 story examining how the Boston bombings affected local runners. The April 17 article is titled “.”

Natalie Allison Janicello ’13, a crime and breaking news reporter with The Times-News of Burlington, captured two first-place awards. Her article “Jurors see discovery site” won the deadline news reporting category and her series of articles following a surge of Burlington shootings prevailed in the beat news reporting category.

A group of Wilmington StarNews staff members, which included Hannah DelaCourt ’14, won first place for online breaking news coverage in the case of a  in Monkey Junction.

The StarNews crime reporter also took home two other first-place awards, including a story on . She co-authored the education reporting entry with Wilmington colleague Ashley Morris. Additionally, DelaCourt won the best lede category.

​While Anna Johnson ’12 is currently working for The Herald-Sun in Durham, the Elon alumna was honored for several articles she penned during her tenure in Burlington with The Times-News.

The Herald-Sun’s online producer won first place for “ in the investigative reporting category, captured second place for “” in news enterprise reporting, and placed third for “” in city/county government reporting.

Johnson was also a finalist for the O. Henry Award for Outstanding Writing for her story, “,” which detailed elder abuse, neglect and exploitation cases in Alamance County.

Charity Apple ’92, the Times-News’ accent editor, placed third for “Gaffigan’s comedy relatable to all ages” in the arts and entertainment reporting category.

Adam Lawson ’12, a crime reporter at The Gaston Gazette, also received a first-place award in the general news reporting category for a series of stories regarding the disappearance and death of 3-year-old Jordyn Dumont. While he wrote , Lawson on the series.

Lawson and two other Gazette reporters captured a third-place award in general news reporting for , a 43-year-old African-American man killed by a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department police officer.

Kristin Zachary ’09, an associate editor for digital content at The Daily Reflector in Greenville, also earned a second-place finish in general news reporting. Zachary and colleague Tony Castleberry provided detailed news coverage on the death of Dave Mirra and the BMX legend’s impact on the Greenville community.

Baltutis received nearly 55 percent of the vote in Burlington’s municipal elections on Nov. 3, 2015.

An entrepreurship major while at Elon, Baltutis began his career with Honda Power Equipment Manufacturing from 2007-2011. He today  owns and manages Vibration Solution LLC, which he describes as an American product design and manufacturing company that he founded during his studies at Elon around the idea of “turning the standard business model upside down and creating a company that is lean, efficient and nimble.”

The Eagle Scout often gives back to his community through service, leadership and philanthropy and tutors math and science for 4th and 5th graders at Alexander Wilson Elementary, volunteers with 51±ŹÁÏÍű students and alumni, and mentors youth through the local Boy Scout Venture program.

In 2009 he founded the East of Elon Home Brewing Cooperative and, according to his official campaign website, has since helped hundreds of people learn how to brew at home.

His contributions to Elon, his profession and the greater Alamance County community led Baltutis to be named an inaugural 51±ŹÁÏÍű “Top 10 Under 10” award recipient in 2011.

Thompson earned her Master of Elementary Education from 51±ŹÁÏÍű in 1994. She has served on the university’s Elementary Education Advisory Board and currently serves on the Teacher Education Committee and on the search committee for the new dean for the College of Education.

Thompson has been involved in the development of a K-12 Writing Core Team partnership between 51±ŹÁÏÍű and the Alamance-Burlington School System that began three years ago. In that time, 60 ABSS teachers in grades K-12 have collaborated with 51±ŹÁÏÍű School of Education faculty members Steve Braye and Richard Mihans on best practices of writing instruction and development. The team also helped in the development of teacher resources and rubrics related to the Writing Common Core Standards.

The award was presented by Mihans, who chairs the Department of Education, at the School of Education’s annual award ceremony held May 7.