As Nikki Sanz ’18 first stepped onto Elon’s campus, she found a stage. A student who succeeded on a busy schedule, Sanz spent her four years leaning into the culture of involvement that represents the Elon experience. She found that the university’s environment encouraged students to take initiative from the very start.

“Most Elon students just love to get involved,” Sanz said. “I was able to jump right into those opportunities starting in my freshman year”.

Today, that same spirit of initiative has led Sanz to the front of the music and tech world. As the founder and CEO of , a professional career platform designed specifically for the live event industry, she was recently recognized on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for her work in turning the industry into a modernized community.

Majoring in sport and event management, along with a double minor in business administration and leadership studies, Sanz used Elon as a sandbox to test her ideas. The Isabella Cannon Leadership Fellow balanced academics with leadership roles in Alpha Xi Delta and the LEAD program, where she served as a tier captain mentoring new students.

Shaina Dabbs, associate professor of sport management, said that Sanz’s internal drive was evident early on.

“Nikki consistently showed a strong eagerness to be involved and fully engaged,” Dabbs said. “She brought a genuine passion for the details and the process, understanding that executing the small things well is what elevates the overall outcome. Her internal drive to excel set her apart, and she developed a system that allowed her to successfully manage multiple roles and responsibilities without compromising quality.”

Sanz credits the Elon environment for giving her the room to experiment and create. Whether she was working with Elonthon or performing her own music around town, she was building the foundation for her future career in event production.

“I brought music to Oak House,” Sanz said. “I asked Phil [the owner] if I could do an open mic one night… I did it about once a month, and then he got bands to come and play. And so, the fun fact is, I started music there.”

After graduation, Sanz’s career took her into the heart of the touring world, working with industry giants like Live Nation and the CMA Awards. She spent years on the road as a production professional for major artists, including Eric Church and George Strait. It was during these high-pressure tours that she noticed an opportunity, as there was no center for the thousands of “gig” workers who make live events possible.

“Sport and live events are becoming increasingly complex and commercialized, and relying on informal hiring practices is no longer sustainable,” Dabbs explained. “Platforms like Giggs help standardize the way talent is sourced, evaluated and deployed, much like analytics transformed player evaluation. When opportunities are only ‘word-of-mouth,’ they limit access and opportunity for highly qualified people who may not ‘know’ the right person.”

Sanz spoke very highly of her senior-year experience in Dabbs’ Event and Venue Management course, where students were tasked with running an event without a ‘how-to’ guide. According to Dabbs, this learning by doing model is intentional.

“The point is to place students in situations where there isn’t a script, because the live event and sport industry rarely provides one,” Dabbs said. “This experiential approach builds professional resilience and shifts students’ mindset to see challenges as opportunities to lead and create solutions. It equips them with the confidence, adaptability and problem-solving skills needed to navigate an industry that is constantly evolving, and to shape it, rather than simply react to it.”

Despite her success in Nashville and her global ambitions for Giggs, Sanz remains rooted in the lessons she learned as a student leader. Her advice for current Phoenix looking to break into the industry is to be open to the different paths the “gig” world offers.

“If you really want to work in sports or concerts, you can move,” she said, encouraging students to explore the various sectors of the industry to find where they fit best.

Reflecting on her own journey from Phoenix to tech founder, Sanz emphasizes that there is no single “right” way to enter the industry.

“The impact that I want this to have on the industry is that there’s a way in, there’s actually a path,” she said.

For Dabbs, Sanz’s trajectory serves as a blueprint for the next generation of sport management students.

“Nikki’s journey shows students that they do not have to accept the industry as it is. They can change it,” Dabbs said. “Her story highlights that leadership is about impact, not title, and that success comes from trusting yourself, building inclusive networks and being willing to act.”

This spirit of leadership earned her a spot among Elon’s Top 10 Under 10 Alumni Award winners. This award celebrates accomplished alumni from the last decade who not only excel in their careers but also actively contribute to their communities and serve as dedicated alumni role models.

Sanz encourages students to use their time at Elon to explore the size of the field, whether your interest is in concerts, TV or corporate trade shows; the goal is to find a professional community where you can truly thrive.

As she continues to change the traditional hiring process, her mission remains to head in the same direction of inclusivity she felt on her first day at Elon by ensuring every professional in the live event space has a way to be seen.

Do you know an alum who has an interesting story to tell, maybe even yourself? Please feel free to share your feedback or those stories online:

“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.

“I wasn’t really interested in chemistry whatsoever when I enrolled. I was a lot more interested in sports. That’s really where my heart was at the time,” 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.

“He wanted to have a one-on-one meeting, which, as a freshman only two months into college, was a little bit intimidating.”

Unsure of what his professor wanted to discuss, Seitz recalls, “He 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 weren’t required, just to explore and see if I enjoyed it more than I thought I did.”

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

“I got into chemistry with the broader goal of trying to help people in some way,” Seitz expressed.

During his time at Elon, 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.

“This was my first real research experience, and it made me realize that I enjoy research so much that I’m still a researcher today,” 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.

Seitz’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.

“Going 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,” he said.

Right after graduating from Elon, 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, Seitz’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.

“Those countries in West Africa and Southeast Asia do not have the healthcare capabilities or biotechnology to develop these vaccines themselves,” he said. It’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.”

Connecting his current work back to his time at Elon, Seitz noticed that his ability to work with diverse groups of people and social connection skills that he strengthened at Elon served him in his current role. He notes, “Because I talk with different types of people who don’t have the experience that I have, I have to accurately communicate what I’m doing, why I need to do this, and so on. So that’s certainly something that helped quite a lot from Elon, being able to communicate what I’m doing.”

Seitz’s published chemistry research is  available online; he hopes other chemists can read these manuscripts and learn something from them, and hopefully build off of that.

“I’m contributing to advancing science in small steps. Even though I’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,” he added.

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

“I 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.

Della Marie Vickers McKinnon ’62 remains deeply rooted in 51±ŹÁÏÍű, a place that defines her family’s legacy and her upbringing.

“Not only did my grandparents, my parents, my husband, and I attend Elon, but also my brother, his wife (who was a librarian for over 30 years at the college), and their two boys,” McKinnon explained.

Growing up in the town of Elon, she saw the college not just as an institution, but as her neighborhood, her backyard and her daily reality. Her neighbors were often professors and staff of the college. The people who taught classes during the day were the same people she would see on her street later that night.

She watched the university evolve from her back window, witnessing its transformation over the years. One example is the property behind her house that was once used as the college farm, which later became a place that housed different families as the university expanded.

McKinnon was a part of Elon life and tradition from a very early age.

“I was in the College May Day as a flower girl when I was very young,” McKinnon recalled.

May Day is the celebration of the return to spring, and at Elon, the festival was always held on the first Saturday in May and consisted of dancing and other entertainment.

“There was a court selected by the student body which had a May King and May Queen along with their attendants and escorts, and they would ask different children in the community to be younger attendants,” she shareed.

When McKinnon looks back on those who shaped some of these early memories growing up, she notes the influence of professors at Elon, particularly the late president emeritus, Dr. J. Earl Danieley. In her younger years, she babysat Danieley’s son when Danieley was still a chemistry professor at the university. He later became president of Elon and held that position during McKinnon’s time as a student at Elon.

Her Elon experiences were very different from most because of her close connections to campus from a young age. She recalls even small memories like going to watch movies on Saturday nights with her mother in Whitley Auditorium.

Elon has seen many changes throughout the years, and McKinnon was there for all of it. But of those early years, she holds fond memories of the way Elon once was.

“The Elon Community Church met in Whitley Auditorium for church, and I attended Sunday School in classrooms in the Mooney Building. My boyfriend and I would go downtown to Garrison’s Soda Shop on the days we didn’t have chapel and buy a Coke in the small bottle for 10 cents. The Student Union was also in the Mooney Building, and we would gather there between classes, and on the weekends, my sorority would have social occasions with our fraternity brothers,” she recalls.

McKinnon’s family is forever woven into the very fabric of Elon’s history.

“I learned from my mom, Gladys Simpson Vickers, that her dad, Henry Simpson, helped finish building the wall around the campus and was one of the students in the very first graduating class,” she said. “My great-grandmother on my mom’s side and her whole family moved from Graham to build a house on the west side of the campus so that my grandmother, Mary Crawford, could go to Elon. It came full circle that when I became a student at Elon, that same house was then the Student Health Center.”

But it was her father, Earl Wright Vickers, Sr., who solidified Elon’s continued influence in McKinnon’s life. Her father dedicated much of his time to the town of Elon and the college, forever leaving his mark. He served as a member of the Board of Aldermen for Elon College, held the position of Town Clerk for several years and also worked as Deputy Sheriff for a period of time. But at the time of his passing, he was employed as the superintendent of the college power plant.

“Early in the 1940’s, Elon was designated as the location of the 325th College Training Detachment of the Army Air Corps, and since the college did not have a lot of finances, someone from Virginia offered to give the college a station wagon to provide transportation for the recruiters,” she said. “My dad offered to go to Virginia after work to obtain the vehicle and drive it back.  He was on the way to Virginia when a truck hit the vehicle.  He was the only one who died in the accident. After my father’s accident, Elon came to my mother and told her that her children’s education would be taken care of by the college. They honored that for my brother and me.”

During her first year as a student at Elon, McKinnon had the benefit of her former ties to the town and college that most of her peers did not have, and where she lived on campus was no different.

“Both my mother and her sister had lived in West Dormitory, and when I decided to stay on campus my first year, I also lived in West,” she said. “We even lived on the same floor, but at opposite ends of the same hall some 30 years later!”

Elon was there for so many important moments of her life, even the naming of her own daughter.

“We could not decide on a name until we were on campus at the O’Kelly Monument, and both my husband and I agreed on Kelly as her name,” says McKinnon.

Five generations of her family have attended Elon, each leaving their mark on the campus and the surrounding community. Today, McKinnon is proud to be an alum of Elon.

“I am especially proud of the latest visionary investment in the Robert’s Academy for children with dyslexia,” she said. “I cherish the lifelong friends made while at Elon. I have enjoyed going back to ball games, homecomings, and participating on committees. I am so proud of Elon and the school it has become.”

Are you enjoying our Alumni in Action series? Do you know an alum who has an interesting story to tell, maybe even yourself? Please feel free to online.

“I was in complete shock,” she said. “Elated, ecstatic, excited; it’s a big deal. Especially for girls and women, we’ve all had at least one L’OrĂ©al Paris product in our purses or bathrooms. I grew up watching their commercials. Their tagline is ‘Because You’re Worth It.’ For a brand like that to see my worth, and the worth of ScholarCHIPS, means so much.”

The recognition follows her recent honor as a Top 10 CNN Hero in 2023, another milestone in the journey that began when she founded ScholarCHIPS, a nonprofit providing college scholarships and community support for students with incarcerated parents. Over the past year, her organization has undergone its most significant transformation yet.

After CNN Heroes aired, ScholarCHIPS expanded its eligibility beyond the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia region and began accepting applications from students across the United States. The results were immediate, as more than 120 applications from students nationwide, many of whom learned about the program because of a new partnership with Securus Technologies. The company’s 500,000+ tablets in jails and prisons helped spread the word to incarcerated parents, who then contacted their children to encourage them to apply.

“What we saw was incredible,” Arrington Brooks said. “That year, we welcomed our largest cohort of 24 students. We’re now serving 45 scholars. Since 2012, ScholarCHIPS has awarded over $600,000 in scholarships to more than 120 students, and we’ve had 54 graduates. Opening our doors to the country has been amazing, and it’s only the beginning.”

The heart of ScholarCHIPS has always been its community. Alumni return to mentor new scholars. Students bond through karaoke nights, game nights, advocacy trips and shared celebrations. Last year, she took several scholars and alumni to Arizona State University for the National Children of Incarcerated Parents Conference, where she moderated a panel featuring ScholarCHIPS students sharing their experiences.

“It’s a community where we uplift one another,” she said. “We laugh together, we cry together, we grow together. So many friendships have formed here. So many mentorships. I want to replicate this on college campuses across the country.”

Among the many students who remind her why the work matters is Temya Jackson, a biomedical engineering student from Arizona who has excelled academically while supporting her family. ScholarCHIPS has provided her with mentorship, technology support and a place to feel understood and encouraged.

“Temya is brilliant,” she said. “A straight-A student doing advanced research. She feels seen here. She feels celebrated. And now she’s working toward becoming a Jack Kent Cooke Scholar, a program I’m also an alum of. That’s what ScholarCHIPS does.”

Arrington Brooks’ commitment to her organization is deeply tied to her own lived experiences. Raised by her grandmother while her father was incarcerated, she learned resilience, creativity and the value of education by watching the woman who held her family together.

“I wouldn’t be where I am without my grandmother,” she said. “She taught me what faith looks like, what sacrifice looks like, what it means to love family no matter what you’re going through. I refused to allow my dad’s circumstances, or growing up in poverty, to be the end of my story. Those experiences were my beginning, but not my final destination.”

Her time at Elon shaped her leadership philosophy in lasting ways. As an undergraduate, she participated in Elon LEADS, alternative service trips with the gospel choir and study-abroad programs, became an Elon College Fellow (Arts & Sciences), a Ghana Periclean Scholar, and even organized a benefit concert on campus to raise money for ScholarCHIPS, bringing together a cappella groups, fraternities and sororities.

“All of my Elon experiences helped form who I am,” she said. “I developed lifelong relationships with professors, some of whom I’m still close with ten years later.” She shared special gratitude for President Emeritus Leo M. Lambert, President Connie Book, Randy Williams, Dean Kenn Gaither, Anthony Hatcher, Rodney Clare, Marnia McIntyre, and Marilyn Slade, all of whom played meaningful roles in her time at Elon.

Her advice for students hoping to create something that helps others is simple: “Start it now. Find a social issue you care about. Be creative about how you want to help. Share it with classmates, professors and people in the Elon community. You’d be surprised how many will want to support you.”

Looking ahead, her dream is to establish ScholarCHIPS chapters on college campuses, expand donor support and reach more of the nearly five million children of incarcerated parents in the United States.

“There’s so much work to be done,” she said. “We want to keep growing our family; new scholars, new donors, new volunteers. We want to scale our impact so even more young people know they’re worthy and they’re not alone.”

She encourages Elon alumni and community members to learn more or get involved by visiting or reaching out through ScholarCHIPS’ social media channels on and .

From national stages like CNN Heroes to being honored as a Woman of Worth, Arrington Brooks continues to rise and brings her scholars with her. Her mission remains to turn pain into purpose, to build community and to help young people believe in their own worth.

Are you enjoying our Alumni in Action series? Do you know an alum who has an interesting story to tell, maybe even yourself? Please feel free to share your feedback or those stories online, here: 

Arron grew up in Ohio’s foster-care system before being adopted as a pre-teen. He remembers the moves, the uncertainty and the mix of great and not-so-great foster homes. What stayed with him was his determination not to let his circumstances define him. “Foster care made me a glass-half-full person,” he said. “Things could always be worse, so just be happy.”

When it came time for college, he looked for somewhere far enough away to feel like a fresh start but close enough to reach on a Greyhound bus from Cleveland. Elon fit. He enrolled in 2009 and majored in political science, quickly becoming involved across campus. He served as president of the College Democrats, participated in Model UN, became a Civic Engagement Scholar and joined Pi Gamma Mu, the international social sciences honor society.

“Elon had the most beautiful campus I’d ever seen,” he said. “It just felt like the right place.”

He pieced together his education through federal grants, financial aid and on-campus work, including serving as a resident assistant. But his time at Elon was also shaped by people who stepped in when he needed help.

“A huge shoutout to Phil Smith, he paid for my books every year,” he said. “My best friend since freshman year, Danny, and his mom, Lisa, realized I didn’t have a laptop or meal plan. She sponsored me. She’s been my second mom ever since.”

After graduation, Arron moved into finance and consulting. Even while working full-time, he found himself sketching an idea for a company that blended his love for dogs with his desire to make an impact. When his department learned it was being eliminated, he took the severance offer and decided to pursue his idea fully.

“There were other roles I could’ve taken,” he said. “But I figured if there was ever a moment to take the leap, that was it.”

Rescue Treats grew out of those first prototypes. Arron designed a checkout system where customers choose which rescue receives a donation from their purchase. The treats are baked with simple, all-natural ingredients, and customers can subscribe to receive recurring deliveries while continuing to support the rescue of their choice. He doesn’t take a salary, so more money can go back to the organizations they work with.

He remembers one moment when the impact of his work felt real. He was leaving the bakery, walking to the post office with a stack of orders, when it hit him how far the idea had come.

“The late nights, the rejections; it all felt worth it,” he said. “These bags were going into homes across the country. They were helping dogs I’d never even met. I went from being tired to thinking, ‘How do I scale this to help more?’”

Not every step along the way has been easy. Early on, he pitched to a major grocery chain and was told that “dog treats don’t sell well here.” He laughed, thinking back on it.

“Maybe theirs don’t,” he said. “Ours fly off the shelves and they support rescues.”

Rescue Treats has since been recognized by local and state leaders for its mission-driven model.

One partnership that stayed with him was Strong Paws Rescue. After a particularly slow quarter, he called to apologize for what he thought was too small a donation.

“Meg, the founder, told me never to think like that,” he said. “She said $60 can save a dog’s life; that pays for worm pills. My mind exploded. Every order matters.”

Arron says Elon helped prepare him more than he realized at the time.

“I like to think I got a second major in studying people and making friends,” he said. “Running a business, you learn from your mistakes, you study others to avoid theirs and you build a network of support.”

He also reflects on how Southern manners stuck with him.

“As a northern kid at a southern school, I learned ‘yes ma’am’ and ‘yes sir.’ I can’t tell you how far manners go. A smile can start a conversation that teaches you a million things,” he said.

Rescue Treats has recently expanded into a no-cost fundraising program for schools, clubs and sports teams, allowing students to sell the treats while still supporting a rescue on the back end, what Arron calls a “double fundraiser.” The model has taken off. “Students are outselling traditional fundraisers,” he said. “And once a dog has a new favorite treat, families come back for more.”

When asked what advice he’d give to his 18-year-old self, or to current Elon students with a business idea of their own, he didn’t hesitate.

“Entrepreneurs find areas that need improvement,” he said. “That’s all it is. Find the thing that isn’t being done well or isn’t being done at all and start there.”

You can purchase all-natural Rescue Treats, as well as learn more information at Find them on and .

Are you enjoying our Alumni in Action series? Do you know an alum who has an interesting story to tell, maybe even yourself? Please feel free to share your feedback or those stories online, here: http://www.elon.edu/u/advancement/alumni-in-action-feedback/.

This special program honors Jeffrey Williamson-Rose ’13 G’14 and his spouse Corddarryl Williamson-Rose, co-authors of the moving children’s book “We Love You ForAva.” Through their story, the couple highlights the joy, love and challenges of LGBTQIA family-building, centering their own experiences as adoptive parents. The event will feature a moderated discussion, readings, and reflections on inclusive storytelling and representation in children’s literature.

Serving as moderator for the evening will be Annette Orbert ’90, a proud Elon alumna and advocate for inclusion. Orbert will guide a conversation that explores how stories like “We Love You ForAva” not only affirm diverse families but also expand understanding of what it means to build community, belonging and love beyond traditional narratives.

The event will also feature insights from the Carolina Adoption Center, which works to create more equitable pathways for adoption. Attendees will learn about the ongoing need for supportive, loving adoptive families—especially within the LGBTQIA community—and the ways that storytelling can inspire visibility and change.

“This event is more than a book celebration, it’s a celebration of love and family,” said Luis Garay, director of the Gender & LGBTQIA Center. “We’re thrilled to highlight Jeffrey and Corddarryl’s work and to bring attention to the power of inclusive narratives that reflect the lives of so many in our community.”

The evening promises to be both inspiring and educational, offering opportunities for dialogue, connection and celebration. Whether you are an alum, student, faculty member, or community friend, you are invited to join this affirming space honoring the stories that bring us together.

Event Details

• Tuesday, November 4, 2025
• 6 to 7 p.m. EST
• McKinnon Hall, Moseley Center, 51±ŹÁÏÍű
• Featuring: Jeffrey Williamson-Rose ’13 G’14, Corddarryl Williamson-Rose and moderator Annette Orbert ’90
• Partners: Gender & LGBTQIA Center, the Elon LGBTQIA Alumni Network, the Carolina Adoption Center, Carol Grotnes Belk Library and Elon Campus Bookstore

 For questions or accommodations, please contact Luis Garay (lgaray@elon.edu) or La’Tonya Wiley (lwiley2@elon.edu).

Come celebrate the power of love, family, and storytelling alongside incredible alumni who remind us that every family’s story deserves to be told.

That spark, born in a hospital room and cultivated at Elon, now powers Rosales’ work as a bilingual journalist, TV host and content creator traveling to red carpets and fashion weeks across Latin America and the U.S.

In early 2025, she checked off two vision-board moments: New York Fashion Week and Premio Lo Nuestro, an awards show honoring the best of Latin music. “Stepping out of the car and seeing the cameras, the fans, I thought, this is real,” she said.

Elon felt like home from the start, Rosales says, even before she enrolled, when her family visited campus during her sister’s recovery. The support continued when she arrived as a student. “El Centro was my support system,” she said, adding that staff like Sylvia Muñoz and Diana Prieto were family. She also credits the Center for Race, Ethnicity & Diversity Education (CREDE) and the daily kindness of dining staff who “checked on me, cheered me on, and made campus feel like home.”

She entered as a cinema and television arts major but quickly gravitated toward being on-air. A friend encouraged her to try ETalk, the student-run TV show. “There was a spark when I saw the host,” she said. “They brought so much magic to the table. I thought, ‘Why don’t I do that?’.”

Another nudge led her to WSOE, where she launched the station’s first Spanish-language radio program, Tu Cita Favorita, a weekly hour of entertainment news and music. “It was just me, myself and I, talking about what I loved,” Rosales said. “I wanted the Burlington community to hear Spanish on air.”

Faculty mentors helped her embrace bilingual storytelling. Professor Anthony Hatcher “showed me not to be afraid of speaking Spanish in journalism, or of my accent,” she said.

Professor Kelly Furnas remembers the purpose behind her early assignments.

“Beyond energy, engagement and work ethic, she brought a sense of purpose to her writing,” Furnas said.

Professor Alex Luchsinger also noticed a “lightbulb moment” as Rosales leaned into reporting on Nicaragua and Latin America. “Her background and skillset put her in a good position to do this,” Luchsinger said.

A pivotal moment came when Maity Interiano ’07, a Univision host and Elon alumna, returned to campus. While on campus, Rosales asked her for advice.

“Maity says people come to TV for three things: fame, a voice or to do what they love,” Rosales recalled. “I realized I want to entertain and inform, to be that spark for someone having a hard day.”

After four years of storytelling and growth, she was ready to take that energy into the professional world. Graduating into the 2020 pandemic, however, meant rescinded offers and a frozen job market. Rosales returned to Managua and pitched a morning segment to the national station, VosTV. The show, Tu Cita con Carmencita, began as a 15-minute feature twice a week. “I had no professional camera, just my phone and a lot of ganas (enthusiasm),” she said.

Then came a turning point. In February 2022, as her grandmother’s health declined, sponsors abruptly pulled out of the show.

“Within two days, about 15 brands said they couldn’t continue,” Rosales said. That same weekend, an international fashion invitation landed in her inbox. “It felt like a sign,” she said.

After her grandmother passed on Feb. 14, “her favorite date,” Rosales thanked viewers on live TV and announced it would be her last episode on the channel. “I took the invitation and went independent.”

Since then, Rosales has covered Miss Nicaragua and Latin American fashion weeks, and booked U.S. commercial work, all while growing Tu Cita con Carmencita as her own platform. She has also explored acting, including a role on a Telemundo project titled Velvet: El Nuevo Imperio.

“Being on set felt like home,” she said.

She took acting and special-effects classes at Elon and hopes to keep that door open. Rosales is passionate about creating greater visibility for Hispanic journalists and TV hosts in the U.S. entertainment industry. She hopes her work helps open doors for others who share her background.

“I want young viewers, especially girls across Latin America, to see that their dreams are possible,” she said. “You have to believe in yourself and follow your heart.”

She also measures success differently now.

“Before Elon, I thought success was just making it,” she said. “Today, success is being at peace with where you are on the journey. As a Phoenix, we rise, no matter how many times we fall.”

Rosales keeps Elon close to her heart. As a student, she often walked through the School of Communications’ ‘Wall of Fame’ for inspiration, reminding herself that the people on those walls once stood where she was.

“I used to look at those photos and think, one day, I want a Latina student to see my picture and believe it’s possible,” she said. Now, she hopes current students do the same, finding motivation in the stories of those who came before them.

She hopes to return to campus to speak with students and partner with Latin organizations.

Her advice to current Phoenix: “You don’t have to know your path as a first-year. Try everything. Walk the ‘Wall of Fame’ and see yourself there. Those four years are hard, and they shape you,” she said.

And for anyone navigating setbacks, she offers the same encouragement she once gave her sister from a hospital bedside: “Keep going. Little signs will tell you you’re on the right track, and the yeses always come.”

Do you know an alum who has an interesting story to tell, maybe even yourself? Please feel free to share those stories online.

“Something about seeing those editing rooms was just really intriguing,” she says. “By the time I arrived at Elon, I knew I wanted to be a cinema major. Specifically, within that, I had become interested in becoming an editor.”

That curiosity has since guided Engel through the cutting rooms of major studio projects, from “Extraction” on Netflix to “Joker: Folie Ă  Deux” with Warner Bros. Today, she lives in Los Angeles, cutting out her place in Hollywood’s fast-moving post-production world, one frame at a time.

Growing up in Connecticut, Engel didn’t initially know that cinema and television could be a field of study. But after visiting Elon, she was drawn to the university’s approach.

“I’m a very hands-on person, other schools I visited talked about doing theory for the first few years,” she said. “At Elon, they encouraged filmmaking from day one.

That approach gave Engel a creative outlet and community. She joined Cinelon Productions, the student-run film organization, where she eventually served as a writing executive.

“Editing is part technical and part storytelling,” she says, “Knowing how to tell a story, and being able to teach that, is integral to what I do. You need a big-picture understanding so you’re not just putting shots together.”

By the time she graduated, her professors knew exactly where her passion was. “If we were doing a project, they knew I wanted to be the editor,” Engel says. “They let me tailor my time at Elon toward that focus.”

Engel credits several Elon faculty members for helping her build that focus. Cinema & Television Arts faculty Nicole Triche and Youssef Osman, she says, helped refine her technical skills and explore new editing software. Director of Student Engagement and Special Projects and Assistant Professor of Journalism Colin Donohue, who served as her academic advisor, provided constant encouragement.

“He was always championing me toward my goals and helping me figure out where to position myself,” she said.

Donohue recalls her as “one of the finest students I’ve had in 18 years.”

“Lillian exhibited tremendous leadership and empathy. She was thoughtful, creative and curious — the kind of student who inspired everyone around her to be better,” he said.

That drive carried her beyond campus. Engel interned in both New York and Los Angeles, gaining early exposure to production and post-production environments. She also studied abroad in Paris through Elon’s French program, an experience that deepened her love of global storytelling.

In 2018, she nearly missed the deadline for the American Cinema Editors’ (ACE) Student Editing Competition, but managed to submit her entry just in time. A few months later, she received an email that changed her path — she was named a finalist and invited to the ACE Eddie Awards in Beverly Hills. “It was surreal,” she says. “I was meeting people whose names I’d only ever seen in movie credits.”

The event became her first glimpse into the professional editing world and her first encounter with Elon’s vast alumni network.

“There was another Elon alumnus there, and he later referred me for what became my first job. Elon pulled through and got me my start in Hollywood,” she explained.

After graduating, Engel moved to Los Angeles without a job or apartment.

“I was couch-hopping and networking, but within weeks, two Elon connections reached out at the same time with opportunities,” she said.

One of those connections led her to her first project: Netflix’s “Extraction,” where she joined the team as an office assistant.

“It was a really good take-off point, I was learning the back end of how a professional post-production office runs,” said Engel.

She has since worked on high-profile projects, including “Vacation Friends” for Hulu, “Peter Pan & Wendy” for Disney+, and “Joker: Folie Ă  Deux” for Warner Bros. As an assistant editor on “Joker: Folie Ă  Deux,” she helped manage footage organization, sound and music coordination and communication between departments.

“I was in charge of liaising with the music department, sending and receiving cuts, and integrating the composers’ work,” she explained. “It was a good way for me to learn the process without being totally overwhelmed.”

Despite the differences between genres, Engel says the essence of editing remains the same. “The process doesn’t necessarily change, you still screen, cut, and refine scene by scene with the director. What changes is the scale, but the collaboration and creativity stay constant.”

Now an editor for an independent feature film, she reflects on the challenges of working in an industry that thrives on connections.

“There are no job boards in editing; everything is word of mouth. You can’t force the network, it happens organically,” she said.

She’s also quick to note that setbacks are part of the process: “Mistakes happen, and the key is staying calm and finding a solution. If I’m confident I can fix it — the world isn’t ending. It reflects better to take responsibility, communicate, and move forward.”

Her mentors and collaborators have continued to inspire her growth, including “Joker” editor Jeff Groth.

“Jeff would have us assistants come in and ask our opinions,” she said. “He made the cutting room collaborative. That taught me a lot about leadership and trust.”

Engel remains connected to Elon’s film community, seeking to mentor students who want to enter post-production.

“When I first moved to LA, I didn’t know anyone except some other Elon connections; that network has been everything,” she said. “I always want to be a resource for students interested in editing; it’s not as shiny as directing, but it’s vital to storytelling.”

Her advice for students: practice constantly, “Editing is like a muscle; the more you do it, the stronger your eye and timing get. Get involved with projects, apply for competitions, and reach out to professionals. It’s all about staying curious and connecting with people.”

As for her own future, Engel hopes to keep exploring new genres. “I’d love to edit a musical one day, or maybe a period piece, something with a lot of emotion and texture. Right now, success means working on stories I care about and being part of great teams,” she explained.

For those who knew her at Elon, Engel’s story comes as no surprise. Donohue remembers presenting her “Outstanding Senior in Cinema and Television Arts’” award at the end-of-year ceremony.

“We didn’t need prepared remarks to celebrate Lillian,” he said, “She inspired people around her to be better. She left an imprint on this place.”

From the editing suites that first caught her eye to the cutting rooms of Hollywood, Engel’s path reflects the importance of curiosity and perseverance; the same values that continue to shape Elon storytellers today.

Do you know an alum who has an interesting story to tell, maybe even yourself? Please feel free to share those stories online.

New members’ first meeting with the full board was held on Friday, Oct. 10 as part of Homecoming & Reunion Weekend.

Whitney Butcher ’09 L’12
Whitney is a practicing attorney with more than ten years of experience in complex civil litigation. She is a partner with the multi-state law firm Ketterer, Browne & Associates, PLLC. While at Elon, Whitney was a member of the Women’s Tennis Team and while at Elon Law, was a part of the moot court board and argued at national competitions her 2L and 3L years.

Whitney lives in Raleigh with her husband, Nick, and her handsome goldendoodle, Shep.

Stephen Dahlem ’07
Stephen is the president and founder of Steele Commercial and Steele Property Management of Raleigh, NC.  Together with Steele Residential, the three companies provide comprehensive real estate solutions throughout the great Triangle area.

Stephen earned his BA from Elon and has a MBA from UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School.  In his free time, Stephen serves as Treasurer on the Board of Directors for the Triangle Area Office Building Association (TRAOBA). He can otherwise be found on the tennis or pickleball courts or enjoying a glass of wine with friends and family.

Kristyn Green ’95 P’29
Kristyn was born and raised in South Jersey. She graduated from Elon in 1995, with a degree in History and Philosophy and went on to get her Certification in Business Management from The Wharton School in 2004. Her career has been focused on technology services, and she is currently the Global Lead for Customer Feedback and Reporting at EY LLP where she has been for over 25 years.

Kristyn lives in New Jersey with her family and her daughter, Sara, is currently a freshman at Elon.

Scott Rehnert ’12
Scott earned his BA in Business Administration (Management and Economics) from Elon and is a member of the Sigma Iota Epsilon Management Fraternity. He is currently a Manager on the Business Solutions team at Audax Group, where he drives operational efficiency and manages CRM platforms across the firm. He previously spent more than five years on Audax Group’s Investor Relations team, supporting fundraising, client communications, and strategic relationship management.

He and his wife, Kate (also a 2012 alum), live in Wellesley, MA with their two daughters, Reese (3) and Blair (1), and their dogs, Watson and Millie.

Peter Walpole ’15
Peter graduated with a degree in media arts and entertainment. Following a decade-long PR agency experience at Golin, he joined the networking and cybersecurity company Infoblox to lead their social media and digital strategy. As part of his commitment to serving students and young people, Peter has been an adjunct professor for the City College of New York Branding + Integrated Communications master’s program since 2022.

Peter lives with his wife Sarah in Brooklyn, NY, and can usually be found picking up litter around his beloved Bushwick neighborhood.