NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, are unique digital assets that represent ownership of items like digital art, music, or other media, securely stored using blockchain technology.

Kim studied how collectors, known as ‘wallets’ because of their digital storage methods, choose and purchase NFTs from various collections.

Key Findings in the research

• Preference for visual similarity: Collectors tend to buy NFTs that look similar to what they already own. For example, someone who has a cartoon-style NFT is likely to purchase more art in that style.
• Exploration vs. staying put: While some collectors stick with familiar collections, many explore new ones. The extent of this exploration varies widely among individuals.
• Movement patterns: Collectors often make many small moves within familiar styles and occasionally make big leaps to different styles, a pattern similar to natural behaviors observed in animals.
• Implications for platforms and artists: Understanding these patterns can help NFT platforms recommend new art that matches collectors’ tastes, and artists can create works that appeal to existing preferences.

Kim plans to bring these insights directly into his teaching at Elon.

“In my classes, I plan to use this research to show how we can turn complex data into clear insights using machine learning,” Kim said. “It helps demonstrate how we can analyze people’s behaviors in new digital markets.”

The study, “,” was published in Scientific Reports and co-authored with Seonbin Jo and Woo-Sung Jung of Pohang University of Science and Technology.

Kim joined 51±ŹÁÏÍű in the Fall of 2023 from Boston University. His expertise includes business analytics, innovation, misinformation, and computational social science. He is currently the director of the Center for Organizational Analytics at Elon.

Jack Costello ’26
Business analytics and finance
Annapolis, Maryland

Jack Costello’s interned at Renewal by Andersen in Fairfax, Virginia, where he focused on improving team collaboration and performance.

“Having worked with the company last summer, I identified ways to boost morale and productivity,” Costello said. “Door-to-door fieldwork can be challenging. I wanted everyone to feel connected and part of a team.”

He took on additional responsibilities, including training new hires and being a reliable mentor. The evolving team dynamics presented unique challenges but also offered opportunities for Costello to adapt and lead through change.

Valuable advice from his boss guided him: “Stay true to your convictions. If you see a path forward, stick to it and see it through.”

Reflecting on his experience, Costello noted that the internship broadened his perspective. “I never thought I’d intern at a window replacement company,” said Costello. “But it taught me to keep my options open and be adaptable.”

He recently accepted an offer from Northwestern Mutual for next summer.

Mya Joy Lee ’26
Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Southern Maryland

For Mya Joy Lee, participating in Ernst & Young’s Launch Internship Program was an opportunity to explore various facets of the company’s professional services while staying true to her entrepreneurial roots.

“I went to Baltimore for National Launch Training for a week, then spent seven weeks at the Tysons Corner, Virginia, office,” said Lee. “I rotated through audit, tech risk and tax service lines.”

The rotational experience allowed her to discover her interests. “I alternated between different projects and teams, getting a feel for what I liked,” Lee said. “I really enjoyed seeing what each line of service was about.”

Networking was a significant part of her internship. She participated in the Big Four kickball tournament in D.C., a major event for interns.

“I loved meeting people, especially at the national launch training with about 600 interns from across the country,” she said. “Connecting with other Elon students, who were also interning with a Big Four, and professionals was incredible.”

Her mentor at Ernst & Young offered valuable advice: “Fully immerse yourself—don’t leave dry. Come in and soak up everything possible. Talk to as many people as you can,” Lee said. “I spoke up and engaged fully, even when I was the only intern in meetings.”

Lee believes her entrepreneurial background will help her connect more with clients by better understanding the challenges they face.

“As a business owner myself, I think my experience will allow me to build common ground and strengthen relationships with clients in the future,” she said.

Looking ahead, Lee is excited to return to Ernst & Young next summer and focus on the tech risk service line.

Em Orendorff ’26
Finance
Annapolis, Maryland

The summer offered an immersive experience in the world of finance at Wealth Enhancement Group in Fulton, Maryland for Em Orendorff. As the sole intern in the office, she took on a range of responsibilities that deepened her understanding of wealth management.

“Working on client reviews was a significant part of my role,” said Orendorff. “I prepped advisors by adjusting portfolio numbers to ensure accuracy before client meetings. It was a hands-on way to apply what I’d learned in class.”

She also conducted research on funds within client portfolios and analyzed market trends.

“I looked into how recent Federal Reserve actions might impact portfolios,” she said. “Keeping up with market analyses was both challenging and exciting.”

A standout moment was attending a client meeting in Washington, D.C., during her first week.

“It was the highlight of my summer,” Orendorff said. “I could apply concepts like capital gains and tax strategies from my financial planning class with Professor Shah.”

Her supervisor played a crucial role in her growth.

“He encouraged me to dive deeper and become more proactive,” she noted. “If I had a question about complex investment concepts, he’d say, ‘Go research it, and we’ll talk after.'”

Orendorff plans to leverage Elon’s partnership with the Certified Financial Planner program.

John Jameson ’27
Finance
Washington, D.C.

John Jameson’s summer was spent at the intersection of economics and policy as a legislative intern in Senator Thom Tillis’s office. Jameson independently sought out his internship over the summer.

“My day-to-day involved attending hearings, conducting tax and economic bill research, giving Capitol tours and communicating with constituents,” said Jameson. “As an 18-year-old working in a senator’s office and talking with him directly, it was a pretty eye-opening experience.”

He researched the OECD’s Pillar Two policy on a proposed 15% global corporate tax rate. When presenting his findings, he was challenged.

“The chief of staff said, ‘I have three minutes. Tell me everything without looking at your slides.’ It taught me about adapting to unexpected situations,” Jameson said.

Despite his political exposure, Jameson realized his passion lies in finance.

“I want to focus on something more analytical and data-driven,” he said.

His goal is to secure an internship with the New York Federal Reserve and progress into investment banking or asset management.

51±ŹÁÏÍű Internships at Elon

Elon’s nationally recognized Student Professional Development Center counselors work with undergraduates from their first year to create personal development plans, rĂ©sumĂ©s and strong networking skills. Through internships, students earn academic credit, gain firsthand knowledge of the workplace and obtain professional skills that put them ahead of other college graduates. Elon partners with an expansive network of employers across the country who actively recruit students for internships and full-time positions.

While their expertise spans multiple disciplines, they share a passion for contributing to Elon’s student-centered approach.

What our new faculty enjoy about Elon

• “At Elon student experience is front and center and as a teacher that encourages me to approach the classroom in a fun and creative way.” – Jose Cerecedo Lopez, assistant professor of management
• “We pride ourselves on creating a student-centered learning environment. The close-knit community here allows me to engage with my students in meaningful ways, helping them not only excel academically but also grow as individuals.” – Ava Hajian, visiting assistant professor of business analytics
• “Our students exhibit a zeal for learning, an openness to sharing, and a joy in participation!” – Linli Zhao, assistant professor of economics
• “Leadership accessibility is one of the best aspects of working at Elon and LSB. The numerous initiatives for student engagement reflect Elon’s top ranking in undergraduate education. I’m eager to explore innovative teaching and prepare the next generation of business and healthcare analysts. The students are exceptional, with strong foundational knowledge, and we’re already diving into data visualization. I can’t wait to see their projects this Fall.” – Vinayaka Gude, assistant professor of business analytics
• “There are two things I really appreciate about Elon so far. First, the collaborative atmosphere at LSB—everyone is incredibly friendly and supportive. Second, the strong focus on helping new faculty succeed, with excellent training, mentoring, and support for both teaching and research.
  If I can add one more, the Signature Sandwich sold on the first floor of Clohan Hall is amazing!” – Feng Dong, assistant professor of finance
• “At Elon, I’m continually impressed by the students’ creativity and their relentless pursuit of knowledge. Their enthusiasm for learning is truly infectious and they’re not afraid of a challenge!” – Katelyn Walls, assistant professor of business analytics
• “Although new to Elon, I have been quite impressed from the first day I started by the culture of collaboration and friendly willingness of everyone I have encountered to help. In addition, the theme of focusing on the student experience is something I heard consistently prior to starting. I can now attest that it strongly influences the approach to how we engage our students in the classroom, which I believe yields strong benefits because of their active participation in learning.” – Larry Burke, assistant professor of accounting

51±ŹÁÏÍű the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business

Established in 1985, the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business has developed a national reputation for its rigorous program of study that prepares graduates to serve as principled leaders in the global community. Seventy full-time faculty teach nearly 2,000 students each year in the Ernest A. Koury, Sr. Business Center and Richard W. Sankey Hall, two buildings that comprise more than 90,000 square feet of classrooms, computer labs, finance centers, design thinking spaces, faculty offices and collaborative study rooms that foster student teamwork and professional networking.

The Love School of Business offers 12 undergraduate majors across five departments – accounting, economics, finance, management & entrepreneurship, and marketing & international business – with graduate programs in business administration, business analytics and accounting. It also features accelerated 3+1 dual-degree programs in accounting and business analytics, as well as an international business dual-degree program in partnership with universities in Germany, France, Italy and Spain. As of fall 2023, the school’s newest major is financial technology (FinTech).

The Huemanity of People project highlights and celebrates inclusive excellence throughout the Elon community. Since 2022, the project has featured members of the community, starting with Xuan Huynh ’24.

The Division of Inclusive Excellence’s framework consists of three pillars: people, paradigm and praxis. The unique spelling of Huemanity reflects the various shades and stories of Elon’s greatest asset and the first pillar of people.

“Huemanity of People strengthens our relationship-rich campus through powerful storytelling that cultivates empathy and advances readiness for meaningful engagements. These stories highlight the richness of human differences, which paradoxically bring us together,” said Randy Williams, vice president for inclusive excellence.

Considering others’ stories is an engaging option for expanding perspectives and supporting inclusive excellence constructs like belonging, equity, well-being, inclusion and diversity.

Nailah Ware ’26 is featured in the Huemanity of People series and is studying music production and recording arts, with a minor in .

Ware wants to create an equitable community through music because that is a language she can speak fluently. “I want to be known for more aspects of music like songwriting, vocals, production, mixing and publishing administration,” Ware said.

Music is a language that Ware knows all too well and would like to share with others. She was honored to be nominated for the series and has a plan to do something big. “I realized that I make an impact at Elon, and I have the willingness to impact the world for the better, but it first starts with your local community,” Ware said.

51±ŹÁÏÍű is a campus that values mentorship and relationships. Huemanity of People gives the opportunity to broaden relationships by learning about Elon’s students, faculty, staff and alumni.

“Elon students, faculty, staff, alumni and others are the heart of Huemanity of People, so having nominees of people whose stories intrigue you helps to sustain this community-building resource,” said Williams. “The storytelling enlightens the Elon community about members who embody and value diversity and want to create belonging for all.”

To nominate someone for Huemanity of People, visit the Inclusive Excellence website. The nomination may lead to another published story of inclusive excellence.

All Huemanity of People stories are featured in The Magazine of Elon and Today at Elon, with a visual display wall in the Division of Inclusive Excellence in Powell 208, where there are photos and QR codes to read more stories.

The Fellows toured offices, attended presentations, and spoke with company representatives who shared advice on topics ranging from how to make the most of Elon, to the opportunities afforded in various job paths, to the transition from college to corporate environments.

During their Sept. 13-15 visit, students took part in the university’s Evening for Elon in New York, an annual celebration attended by hundreds of alumni and parents.

The Business Fellows were led by Lincoln Financial Professor Tina Das; Professor Raj Gupta; Brooke Buffington, assistant vice president for the Student Professional Development Center; and Lauren Bosselait, senior associate director of corporate and employer relations.

Finance and accounting majors visited CIBC, EY, Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo, Richard Bernstein Advisors, and Bloomberg.

“I’m so thankful to the Business Fellows program for the opportunity to travel to New York City with my cohort,” said Gwen Hollingsworth, a junior studying finance and business analytics. “Through this trip, we were able to speak with influential industry professionals and meet with Elon alumni. Not only was it a great networking opportunity but a wonderful way to learn more. As someone who is interning next summer in New York City, it was great to talk with alumni who went through the same Elon-to-New York transition.

“This trip was a great professional experience and continued to bring my classmates closer together.”

Marketing and management majors visited Google, Bowery, Salesforce, Amazon, and Bloomberg.

“This trip provided me with the opportunity to meet with amazing leaders across companies to learn about their experiences, career development, and to answer questions that we had,” said Daphne McGarvey, a junior studying marketing and project management. “Each alum we talked to made it clear they were available to be a resource in any way possible. I am so appreciative to all the people we met on the trip for making it the best experience!”

Class of 2025 Business Fellows said they were grateful for the insider’s look into the business world of New York City.

Elon alumni and friends who hosted Business Fellows:

Richard Bernstein Advisors

• John McCombe  P’16
• Vince Scozzari ’16

Morgan Stanley

• Dan O’Connor ’12
• Jack Carroll ’10

Wells Fargo

• Gabrielle Cifelli ’20
• April Frazer ’03
• JamiLynn Rufo ’07
• Matt Morales ’11
• Harrison Row ’17
• Brandon Goodman ’22

CIBC

• Tanisha Gupta ’19
• Chris Camia ’09
• Justin Wanner ’13

EY

• Jack Johnson ’20

Google

• Tim Buckley ’06

Bowery

• Brian O’Shea ’04

Salesforce

• Laura Beckstead ’14
• Meg Hewitt ’13

Amazon

• Katie Link ’12

“We are truly grateful to be here tonight to celebrate your achievements but also the hopes and dreams that are unfolding in your lives,” said President Connie Ledoux Book during her congratulatory remarks, adding that each awardee was an example of the important work being done at Elon. “We want to celebrate and cheer you on. It’s a gift to us.”

Honored during the awards ceremony, which is sponsored by the Office of Alumni Engagement and the Young Alumni Council, were:

Cedric Pulliam ’12

Senior advisor for the chief medical officer, Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

A double major in international studies and political science with a triple minor in African/African-American studies, criminal justice and non-violence studies, Cedric Pulliam came to Elon ready to foster change both domestically and globally. He was involved in the Student Government Association, s.m.a.r.t. Mentoring Program and Periclean Scholars, among other organizations, and completed four study abroad programs and 10 internships.

Cedric has served as a public servant in the U.S. federal government for nearly 13 years with a focus on foreign diplomacy, global and public health, global human rights, infectious diseases, international development and multilateral diplomacy. He worked at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention managing key HIV prevention cooperative agreements with state health departments and community-based organizations and provided expertise on LGBT+ health, health equity, testing diagnostics and homelessness issues.

Currently, Cedric is the senior advisor for the chief medical officer of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy. He advises and provides subject matter expertise across the entire infectious disease portfolio of the office, which coordinates the Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America Initiative and the development and implementation of national strategic plans for HIV, viral hepatitis, sexually transmitted infections, vaccines and vector-borne diseases. Additionally, he works with the President’s Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS, HHS Behavioral Health Coordinating Council and several other interagency Federal Advisory Committees that are cross-cutting across infectious diseases, virology, COVID-19 and scientific research. Cedric volunteers with public health organizations throughout his community and advocates for key issues such as modernizing HIV criminalization laws in Virginia with the organization he co-founded, ECHO VA Coalition. He lives in Atlanta with his dog, Checkers.

Bill Powers ’13

Global account director at Havas NY

A strategic communications major with a minor in sport and event management, Bill Powers began his career in public relations before deciding that his true calling was advertising. He joined Erwin Penland in Greenville, South Carolina, as an assistant account executive working on Verizon. Bill launched numerous Verizon national advertising campaigns there before moving to New York to join McCann NY. Bill spent more than six years at McCann, playing a key role in the business stewardship of several brands, including Verizon, United States Postal Service, Coca-Cola, U.S. Bank and SAS and rising to the role of account director.

Bill received the 2014-2015 Club Leadership Award while serving on the American Advertising Federation Leadership Council in Greenville. While at McCann NY, his team was recognized as an Effie Awards finalist and Bill featured as “McCanner of the Month” in 2018. He now works at Havas NY, serving as the global account director for JLL commercial real estate with projects ranging from global brand strategy and creative development to regional initiatives supporting various business lines.

Bill has been actively involved in his community since graduating from Elon. While in Greenville, Bill served on the AAF Leadership Council as the VP of membership for two years and worked on a pro-bono account, Harvest Hope Food Bank, developing advertising collateral to promote their activity in the community. While in New York, he was involved with Back on My Feet, participating in weekly volunteer runs with a local homeless shelter in Times Square. He also helped raise money for the organization through local sponsorships.

Bill lives in Waxhaw, North Carolina, with wife Lauren ’13 and son Liam. They are expecting their second child in June.

Ryan Vet ’13

Entrepreneur, consultant, investor and instructor

Ryan Vet has always been entrepreneurial at heart with a keen desire to influence others toward positive change. Before studying marketing at Elon, he founded Digi Tech Studio, a multi-national marketing firm that served more than 200 clients in 25 countries, focused on supporting non-government organizations in their fundraising initiatives. He ran this firm for over 10 years, including while at Elon.

Shortly after graduation, Ryan was part of the founding executive team for Anutra Medical, a venture-backed medical device startup, before becoming VP of marketing at Netsertive, a digital marketing company. In 2018 he founded Boon, a gig-economy and marketplace platform that equipped entrepreneurs to rapidly build and deploy full featured marketplaces. The company was acquired in 2020. As an extension of his passion for craft beverages and love for Elon, Ryan co-founded The Oak House at Elon with Phil Smith in 2014 and opened a Durham location in 2019.

Today, Ryan spends most of his time as a consultant and adviser to many startups including Peoplelogic, DentalHQ, Vint and eWedded, and an investor in several other startups. He is the author of “Cracking the Millennial Code,” an adjunct instructor at the School of Professional Studies at William Peace University and a member of the Forbes Business Council. In 2022 he acquired the majority stake in the Speaking Consulting Network, a network of more than 250 international speakers, authors and consultants.

Ryan received his MBA from Purdue University Global and certificates in change management and global business from Cornell University and Harvard Business School, respectively. He lives in Durham, North Carolina, with wife Jessica ’14 and son Braeden. They are expecting their second child in June.

Nasia Thomas ’15

Theatre actress

Born in Queens, New York, and raised in Virginia, Nasia Thomas grew up engrossed in music, from seeing Broadway shows on every school break with her grandmother to attending the Governor’s School for the Arts in Norfolk, Virginia. She was thrilled to be accepted into one of the top theater programs in the country at Elon, where she made lasting friendships, trained vigorously and honed her craft with a host of talented faculty and staff mentors.

After graduating from Elon with a BFA in music theatre in 2015, Nasia went on to grace the stages of many prestigious theater houses such as The Kennedy Center, The Muny, The Princess of Wales Theater in Toronto and The Ahmanson in Los Angeles. She went on a Broadway national tour and then made her Broadway debut in 2016 as Little Eva in “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.” She has gone on to do two more Broadway shows: “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations” as Tammi Terrell and most recently the revival of “Caroline or Change” as Radio 1.

While Broadway shut down at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Nasia starred in a revival of “The Last Five Years” that was reimagined as a site-specific, immersive production filmed entirely in a New York City apartment. The production received a Drama League nomination for Outstanding Digital Theater, Individual Production. She has also done some film and television roles, recorded a couple of cast albums (including the Grammy Award-nominated cast album for “Ain’t Too Proud”) and performed on The Tony Awards, The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and Good Morning America.

Nasia, who will be playing Nettie in the upcoming production of “The Color Purple” at The Muny, lives in New York with her dog, Romeo.

Mackenzie Zendt ’15

Presidential Management Fellow at the National Institutes of Health

A double major in public health and international studies, Mackenzie Zendt conducted research on HIV with Watts/Thompson Professor of Public Health Studies and Human Service Studies Cynthia Fair as part of the Elon College Fellows program. During her time at Elon, she also studied abroad for a semester in Spain and volunteered as a mentor at a local high school through YoungLife. After graduation, Mackenzie began her career at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a community health worker in rural Kentucky.

When the Zika epidemic began in 2016, she volunteered to join a CDC team deploying to Puerto Rico to respond to the outbreak. She continued working on several CDC emergency response teams while pursuing a master’s degree in epidemiology at Georgia State University. During that time, Mackenzie also spent a semester with the nonprofit organization Partners in Health at their location in Chiapas, Mexico, working alongside Mexican doctors to build a health care system for the rural poor.

After completing her master’s degree, Mackenzie was accepted into the Presidential Management Fellowship program, which is designed to attract citizen-scholars from academic disciplines to be future leaders in government and public policy. As a Presidential Management Fellow at the National Institutes of Health in Washington, D.C., she has rotated through various positions related to epidemiology, research, science policy and management. She also served on several interagency teams working to collect, analyze and report domestic and global COVID-19 data directly to the White House’s covid-19 Task Force. Mackenzie is currently detailed to the U.S. Agency for International Development, working on global covid-19 vaccine distribution.

Danielle Deavens ’16

Co-CEO at Bold Xchange

When Danielle Deavens began her Elon journey in 2012, she knew she wanted to study abroad and pursue a writing-intensive major — and that’s about it. But mentors and friends helped her carve out a college experience that was formative to the life and career she has today.

In typical Elon fashion, Danielle was a busy student. She majored in print and online journalism with a minor in professional writing and rhetoric. During her first Winter Term at Elon, Danielle traveled to Turkey with the Honors Fellows program. She was also an active member of the Omicron Iota chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She studied abroad during the fall of her junior year in London, where she interned at a mental health nonprofit. When she returned, Danielle worked closely on her Honors thesis with J. Earl Danieley Distinguished Professor of Cinema and Television Arts Naeemah Clark, exploring Jet Magazine’s coverage of the Civil Rights Movement.

Danielle also served as editorial intern at three professional magazines during her college career, which helped her snag post-graduate roles at Food Network Magazine and Brides Magazine. In 2018, Danielle developed a strong interest in entrepreneurship and joined Venture for America, a two-year fellowship matching recent graduates with startups in emerging cities. During that program, Danielle and her now-fiancĂ© and fellow honoree Doug Spencer ’16 started their own venture. Bold Xchange is a platform that makes it easier to discover and support Black-owned brands. The company has been contracted to create gift boxes full of Black-owned brands for companies like The Home Depot, CarMax and CapitalOne.

Danielle lives in St. Louis with her fiancé, Doug.

Doug Spencer ’16

Co-CEO at Bold Xchange

Doug Spencer joined Elon Volunteers! his first semester at Elon, coaching a local basketball team with other first-year students. This led him to apply to the Isabella Cannon Leadership Fellows Program. He was accepted as a lateral entry, beginning his four-year exploration of leadership and service at Elon.

While a student, Doug joined Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. After returning from a semester abroad in London, he served the fraternity as chapter president for three semesters. Through Alpha Phi Alpha and a student organization called Men of Character, Doug frequently mentored at the Burlington Boys & Girls Club and Grove Park Elementary School. At various points, Doug held on-campus roles such as university tour guide and executive intern. After graduating in 2016 with a degree in business management and minors in marketing and leadership studies, Doug was appointed Youth Trustee on the 51±ŹÁÏÍű Board of Trustees and served on the Ninth Presidential Search Committee.

After stints in marketing at Fortune 500 company Lumen Technologies and venture-backed D.C. startup Quantified Ventures, Spencer enrolled at Georgetown Law School. He graduated in May 2021 and became full-time co-CEO of Bold Xchange, Inc., the company he co-founded with fellow honoree and fiancĂ©e Danielle Deavens ’16. Bold Xchange is an e-commerce platform that makes it simple to discover and support Black-owned brands. Companies such as The Home Depot, CarMax and DocuSign have partnered with Bold Xchange to bolster their diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The company has been featured in outlets such as New York Magazine, Glamour and Today.com.

Doug lives in St. Louis with his fiancée, Danielle.

Mia GinaĂ© Watkins ’16

Creative Operations, Riot Games

Mia Ginaé Watkins developed a love for storytelling for written and visual media at a young age and self-published her first novel at age 16. During her time at Elon, the cinema and television arts major and Communications Fellow was involved with the Cinelon film club, where she wrote, edited and directed short films and music videos. Her creative talents expanded into the WSOE radio station, home of the quirky audio sketches she wrote and produced.

In 2014, she interned at Dim Mak Records through the Elon in LA program. She studied abroad in Australia and New Zealand for Winter Term and in Hong Kong as part of the Imagining the Internet research group. Mia presented findings from that trip at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research and co-published her work in Elon’s academic journal Perspectives on Undergraduate Research and Mentoring.

In her previous role as a communications specialist at PlayStation, she won two company awards and contributed to several PlayStation game titles including “Days Gone,” “Knack II,” “Uncharted: The Lost Legacy,” “MLB The Show,” “Death Stranding” and “The Last of Us Part ii.” Mia has written, directed and produced several short films and music videos that have screened at more than 15 festivals and accumulated accolades including Best Music Video at the DC Black Film Festival and Toronto Short Film Festival, and the Platinum Award at Mindfield Film Festival LA.

Mia currently runs an online writers’ summit, which she created with friends and colleagues during the COVID-19 shutdown. As of today, she has led more than 20 virtual writer summits with industry professionals from the United States, Canada and Germany. She lives in San Diego.

Carlos Andino ’17

Equal Justice Works Fellow at Washington Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs

Carlos Andino arrived at Elon with a passion for dismantling systemic racism. He submerged himself in the university’s diversity, equity and inclusion work and majored in political science to better understand the systems he hoped to influence. Carlos assisted in the development of the Elon Student Government Association’s first committee focused on promoting inclusivity and diversity and held leadership roles with the Presidential Student Leadership Advisory Committee and the North Carolina Student Legislature, where he argued Against LGBTQIA+ and racial discrimination on and off campus. He also served as captain of the Elon Men’s Cross-Country team.

After graduating a year early in 2017, Carlos attended Emory University School of Law in Atlanta. He cultivated his passions around racial justice by being part of the university’s Latino and Black law student associations. In both organizations, he founded new divisions of moot court competitive teams and led eight all-women of color teams to their first national placement.

Carlos now serves as a fellow at the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs in Washington, D.C., where he provides litigation, advocacy and community programming to meet the identified needs of Black and Brown residents in neighborhoods in the Metropolitan D.C., areas that are plagued by unjust, racially motivated police practices. Over the past year, he has brought lawsuits against police departments and landlord developers alleged to have discriminated against Black and Brown residents of the district. He has also drafted legislation, testified before city council and hosted community events to promote the dismantling of systemic racism.

Carlos lives in Washington, D.C., with his partner, Katharine Milbradt ’18, and college roommate, Spencer Wagner ’18.

Ben Lutz ’17

Founder at Al Fusaic

During his time at Elon, Ben Lutz was a double major in international and global studies and political science with a triple minor in Middle East studies, peace and conflict studies, and interreligious studies. He studied abroad five times, all in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region with an emphasis on Arabic learning. He credits most of his grasp of Arabic and the cultural nuances of the region to Lecturer in Arabic Shereen Elgamal, his most formative mentor, teacher and champion in all his studies.

Ben was president of the Arabic Language Organization for two years and heavily involved in Model United Nations for four years, including a year as president. Model UN influenced his desire to focus his career on diplomacy, negotiation, mediation and peace-building, which led him to his current job. He serves as director of communications and operations at Mediators Beyond Borders International, maintaining the global organization’s network of mediators who support international peace-building efforts through effective mediation strategies.

In 2020 Ben founded Al Fusaic, an educational and cultural platform for resources related to the MENA Region. To date since its launch, he has published more than 500 articles focusing on language learning, history, politics, food, culture, a recommendations library and more, all related to the region. He has onboarded 110 writers, produced five unique podcasts, created six separate 101 courses and instituted seven organizational partnerships.

Ben holds a master’s degree in Middle East security politics and peace studies from the University of Bradford in England and is currently a Ph.D. student in the Centre for Religion, Reconciliation, and Peace at the University of Winchester in England. He lives in Washington, D.C., where he annually selects the American Delegates for the G7 and G20 Youth Summits.

The team of Mark Leath, vice president of sales and marketing at AMT Group Inc., Charles Rizzo, senior IT operations manager at Landis + Gyr, Michael Strickland, managing consultant at PROACTIVE and Erica Walsh, system implementation manager at Sevaredent Sourcing Solutions, won the event.

“Each member of our team brought unique insight as well as experience to the case,” Leath said. “The short turn from case delivery to presentation really required us to have good time management and communication skills.”

This year’s case focused on the issues real estate brokerage firm Redfin faces in its efforts to be successful and sustainable as it grows its business and expands its presence in the online real estate industry.

Over the course of two weeks, teams considered Redfin’s strategic concerns and conducted an analysis of its business model to find and evaluate problems and solutions. Teams presented their findings and recommendations to a panel of judges on Feb. 5.

“The case competition put a bow on the courses I’ve taken in the MBA program,” Strickland said. “We pulled various topics from past classes to produce a well-rounded presentation. It was a great forum to reflect on the various topics covered in the program.”

Teams were evaluated on their identification and analysis of key issues, evaluation of proposed alternative solutions, strategic recommendations, proposed action plan, communication, presentation organization and team dynamics.

Placing second was the team of Salvatore Catapano, landscape turf supervisor at 51±ŹÁÏÍű, Derrick Durbin, site controller at Creative Snacks Co., Benjamin Richardson, senior chassis engineer at Volvo Trucks North America, and Charbourne Rumley, COO of North State Dental Partners.

Patrick Bell ’01, lecturer in management, Pieter Swanepoel ’04, lecturer in accounting, Jocelyn Johnson ’18, product manager at NetApp, Michael Johnson ’18, customer reference manager at Red Hat, Tom Fitzgerald ’19, principal at Schnabel Engineering and Jonathan Brown ’18, vice president at East Coast Oxygen & Hydro Testing, Inc, served as judges.

“The case competition was an enjoyable experience, much like a microcosm of the whole program,” Rizzo said. “We tried to certainly play to our strengths, but also apply the tools and techniques we learned in each class to bring a holistic perspective.”

Jay Reno ’10, Founder and CEO, Feather

A business administration graduate, Jay is the founder and CEO of Feather, a next-generation furniture rental company for city dwellers focused on keeping furniture in homes and out of landfills. Since graduating from Elon, he received his master’s degree from Columbia University, where he studied climate and environmental science. He went on to launch three companies, including a same-day grocery delivery company focused on local food resources, an app dedicated to solving excess capacity at bars and restaurants in New York City as well as his most successful venture thus far, Feather. The company has raised $76 million of venture capital from the top venture capitalists Kleiner Perkins and Spark Capital. Jay has been recognized as one of Inc Magazine’s Rising Stars, and has been featured in the New York Times, ABC News, CBS News, Forbes, Vogue and, most proudly, his hometown newspaper, The Concord Monitor.

Emily Adams ’11, Eastern and Southern Africa Science Coordination Lead, NASA SERVIR Science Coordination Office

A biology and environmental studies graduate, Emily’s interest in biology, environmental science and international development came together during her second Winter Term at Elon, when she took a field biology study abroad course in Peru. She never could have imagined that would lead to a career supporting SERVIR, a partnership of NASA, USAID and leading technical organizations around the world that develops innovative solutions to improve livelihoods and foster self-reliance in Asia, Africa and the Americas. Emily is responsible for supporting and/or coordinating the direct science support, capacity building and service planning activities for the SERVIR Eastern and Southern Africa Hub, based at the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development in Nairobi, Kenya.

Nick Dyer ’11, Head of Digital for ‘The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon’

A broadcast and news media graduate, Nick began his career in the television industry at Comedy Central’s parent company, Viacom. Over the past eight years, he has worked across a variety of TV series including “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah,” “South Park,” “Key & Peele,” “Tosh.0,” “Nathan For You” and more. Nick also led digital efforts for the channel’s news and stand-up programming, a role that earned him and The Daily Show an Emmy award in 2017 for “Outstanding Short Form Variety Series,” recognizing the team’s online video content supplementing the late-night television program. He has received industry accolades throughout his career including two consecutive Emmy nominations and the Outdoor Lions Grand Prix award at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. In his role as the head of digital at “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon,” he oversees the development of digital content, strategy and production for the late night program.

Kristin Kostka ’11, Associate Director of OMOP Data Networks – Americas at IQVIA

An exercise science graduate, Kristin’s passion for outcome research started in 2009 when she received IRB permission to conduct her first correlational case study examining alcohol education initiatives in NCAA Athletes. With the help of her mentor, Professor Amanda Tapler, Kristin got her first taste of presenting research. She is now an associate director running the OMOP Data Network at IQVIA. She also sits on the steering committee within the Observational Health Data Sciences & Informatics community – a global, multi-disciplinary open source community of more than 200 organizations aimed at improving patient outcomes through large-scale analytics. As part of that work, Kristin collaborates with hospitals, payers and health care providers to help institutions connect and run research within the world’s largest observational health data network. In 2020, she spearheaded a research network of 23 data partners from eight countries to respond to COVID-19. This work has culminated into more than 18 papers on COVID-19 trends in real world data.

Alexandra “Allie” Solender Boyd ’12, Physics Teacher, Apex Friendship High School

A physics and secondary science education graduate, Allie currently teaches physics at Apex Friendship High School in Apex, North Carolina, where she has built the physics program from the ground up. In 2017, she was named National PhysTEC Teacher of the Year for her service to physics education and work within her classroom, after she increased physics enrollment not only throughout the school, but especially in young women. Allie is committed to being a leader in her field through speaking at conferences such as the American Association of Physics Teachers, APS Conferences for Undergraduate Women in Physics, and Bridging the Gap. She was also responsible for rewriting Wake County’s physics curriculum and serves on the Science Core Leadership Team to help support other science teachers within the county.

Alex Dempsey ’12, Associate at Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners

A finance and accounting graduate, Alex’s dedication to service started early in his life and permeated through his time at Elon and beyond. While at Elon, he served as the president of the campus Habitat for Humanity chapter, participated in two Hurricane Katrina relief trips, and was philanthropy and service Chairs for his fraternity, Sigma Phi Epsilon. Since his time at Elon, Alex has dedicated his career to stopping climate change. While at York Capital, he helped finance more than $1 billion of renewable energy projects across the globe. He later joined the World Bank Group, working on projects that preserved forests and animal sanctuaries in Kenya, distributing clean cook stoves to remote areas of Rwanda, and helping the solar energy sectors in India and Brazil. He graduated with an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in May of 2020. He now works as an associate at Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners in Houston, Texas, where he is investing in renewable energy and net zero carbon infrastructure projects.

Ryan Keur ’12, Managing Partner, Knuckleball Entertainment

A sports and event management graduate, Ryan has spent the first decade of his career post-Elon in the sports and entertainment industry. In 2013, he was named the general manager of the then-Burlington Royals in North Carolina, making him the youngest GM in professional baseball at the age of 24. In each subsequent season, the team achieved record highs in total attendance and revenues. Ryan was awarded the Appalachian League Executive of the Year for each of the three seasons in 2014, 2015 and 2016. He was recruited to Daytona Beach where he became the team president for the Daytona Tortugas, the High-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. After his inaugural season with the Tortugas, Ryan was honored by Baseball America and Ballpark Digest as the overall Minor League Baseball Executive of the Year in 2017. He and his wife, Brittany, now live in Raleigh, North Carolina, where they own two baseball teams, the Burlington Sock Puppets and the Danville Otterbots, and have the greatest ballpark dog, Barley.

Brenna Humphries ’13, Management Consulting Manager, Accenture

A business administration graduate, Brenna has always dreamed of serving others through leadership. She took the first step toward that dream by attending 51±ŹÁÏÍű as an Isabella Cannon Leadership Fellow and serving as an RA and member of the 51±ŹÁÏÍű Gospel Choir. Upon graduation in 2013, Brenna joined Oracle as a software consultant in her hometown of Atlanta, Georgia. She later obtained an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis. While there, she was named one of the “Best and Brightest MBA’s of the Class of 2018” by Poets&Quants, an honor only given to 100 student leaders from the world’s top MBA programs. Brenna lives in Philadelphia and works in health care management consulting with Accenture. In her role as manager, she leads her team to optimize clients’ business processes using innovative technology and attributes 51±ŹÁÏÍű as the launchpad for her leadership and career achievements.

Heather Harder ’14, Marketing & Communications Director, RSE Ventures

A strategic communications graduate, Heather began writing at age 6, and she has never stopped. Her passion for writing led her to become a Communications Fellow at Elon, where she graduated as the Outstanding Strategic Communications Senior. After a brief stint of speechwriting at ExxonMobil, Heather joined Ketchum in Raleigh before moving to New York City to do financial communications at Prosek Partners, with clients such as Ernst & Young and Travelers. In 2018, she was recruited to oversee communications at RSE Ventures, an investment firm led by CEO Matt Higgins and real estate billionaire Stephen Ross. In this role, Heather splits her time between managing the CEO’s brand and working with RSE’s extensive portfolio of consumer and entertainment companies.

Fergie L. Philippe ’17, Actor, Director, Writer & Puppeteer

A music theatre graduate, Fergie first caught the theatre bug at the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center where he learned about, auditioned for, and got accepted to New World School of the Arts in Miami, Florida. It was here that he learned of his future alma mater, 51±ŹÁÏÍű. Prior to Broadway’s shutdown in 2020, Fergie was playing the roles of Hercules Mulligan and James Madison in the Broadway production of “Hamilton.” He is also a writer, dabbling mostly in screenwriting and poetry, and hopes to soon produce his own works with his newly created production company “Et Toi Productions.”

For more information about the awards, please contact Mary Chayse Haithcock, senior coordinator of alumni engagement and special events.

In providing for Elon through her estate, Powell, who died in 2017, leaves behind a legacy of endowed scholarships that will support Elon students in perpetuity.

“Estate commitments like Beth’s are a meaningful way for a donor to make a lasting impact on the life of the university,” said Jim Piatt, vice president for university advancement. “The opportunities created from Beth’s generosity will change the lives of the recipients of these scholarships. Because they are endowed, they will impact every generation of Elon student to come. Elon is honored to be the steward of this legacy.”

The gift will ultimately provide for 12 Dr. Beth Powell Business Fellows Scholarships. The first six recipients were awarded for new students this fall, and more scholarships will be awarded next year. The Dr. Beth Powell Global Studies Scholarship will be awarded for the first time in the coming year.

Beth Powell founded Omni Resources, an international map supplier in 1982. She served on Elon’s Martha and Spencer Love School of Business Advisory Board from 1987 to 2010 and was the chair from 1990 to 2003. She visited 65 countries in her lifetime for business and pleasure. Many of her business ventures took her to places like Syria, Algeria, Morocco and Cuba, said Russell Guy, her former husband and business partner.

Guy said the Business Fellows program represents two of Powell’s largest interests: international business and world travel. The Powell Business Fellows Scholarship is a merit-based scholarship that combines academic rigor with real-world experience in global environments. As part of their experience, Fellows study abroad in their sophomore and junior years, sometimes combined with internships or other networking opportunities. The first preference for those receiving the Dr. Beth Powell Business Fellows Scholarship are women who want to major in business.

“She thought women in business are underrepresented, underappreciated and underfunded,” Guy said. “Travel was a big part of her admiration for Elon. She thought highly of the study abroad programs. She thought Elon’s program was much better than programs at other universities.”

Endowed scholarships are a top priority of the Elon LEADS campaign. Gifts from donors who place Elon in their wills count toward the campaign’s $250 million goal.

The Business Fellows Program: A Hallmark of Excellence

Tina Das, the Lincoln Financial Professor and professor of economics at Elon, is director of the Business Fellows program, which attracts high-achieving students looking for the kind of engagement and academic challenges that a cohort-based curriculum presents. Competition to be selected for the program is keen. Das said around 470 potential students apply annually. That list is trimmed to 190 who are then invited to take part in Fellows Weekend, where interviews and special engagement sessions are conducted. Approximately 30 are chosen to be part of an incoming Business Fellows class.

“It’s a four-year developmental program. We choose the best of the best from high school. They follow a structured path so they emerge as leaders when they finish the program,” Das said. “The program creates leadership opportunities for them, it allows them to grow as they go through the different cohort classes. They learn together as they progress into more rigorous classes. At the same time, they study abroad together. They have the opportunity to network with professionals in New York and other locations. It leads to internship opportunities and greater job placement.”

Das said study abroad and cohesiveness within the cohort are important factors in attracting students to Business Fellows. Students within the cohort take classes together through their junior year and usually study together. They study abroad as a group during Winter Term their sophomore year and for a full semester their junior year. It’s a dynamic atmosphere that fosters teamwork but also sparks competition and achievement.

“I think the togetherness of the students in the cohort and the fact of being in the cohort separates them from the crowd is what attracts them. They students are very, very close,” Das said.

Kai Bilotta ‘24, of Albuquerque, New Mexico is among the first six Dr. Beth Powell Business Fellows Scholars. Being awarded the scholarship was the deciding factor in Bilotta’s decision to enroll at Elon.

“The amount of depth and professional development which is added to the already outstanding Elon curriculum by the Business Fellows program was important to my decision, and the scholarship which accompanies the program allowed me to choose to attend Elon without any concern about potentially needing to take out loans to finish my education,” Bilotta said.

A Passionate World Traveler

Guy said the Business Fellows concept appealed to Powell’s interests in business, academics, community engagement, adventure and travel. Powell grew up in Burlington, North Carolina and graduated from Walter Williams High School. She earned a degree in biology at Wellesley College in Massachusetts and a doctorate in paleontology at Oxford University in England. She worked as an assistant curator at the National History Museum in Basel, Switzerland and taught geology at Rutgers University in New Jersey before returning to Burlington to start Omni Resources.

Along with her service on the Love School of Business Advisory Board, Powell was on the boards of the Duke Lemur Center, the Greensboro Science Center and the North Carolina World Trade Association. A member of the Rotary Club of Alamance, she was instrumental in organizing Rotary dental and medical mission trips to the Dominican Republic. She was also a co-founder of the Burlington-Alamance Sister Cities chapter of Sister Cities International.

Her previous philanthropic support for Elon includes gifts to support Elon’s Greatest Needs, including scholarships, the Love School of Business, the Ernest A. Koury Sr. Business Center and the Frank S. Holt Professorship in the Love School.

“Beth loved traveling. She loved interacting with people in their own culture and trying to communicate in their language,” Guy said. “She believed people needed to travel more, to experience the world and meet people one on one. She thought that travel made a person look beyond the stereotype.”

The gift continues a long history of the Powell family’s engagement and generous philanthropy at Elon. Beth Powell’s late father, Thomas Powell Jr., graduated from Elon in 1919 and served as a biology professor. He founded Carolina Biological Supply Co.

51±ŹÁÏÍű the Elon LEADS Campaign

With a $250 million goal, Elon LEADS is the largest fundraising campaign in the university’s history and will support four main funding priorities: scholarships for graduates the world needs, increase access to engaged learning opportunities such as study abroad, research and service learning, support for faculty and staff mentors who matter and Elon’s iconic campus. To date, donors have contributed $196 million toward the goal.

Every gift to the university—including annual, endowment, capital, estate and other planned gifts—for any designation counts as a gift to the campaign, which will support students and strengthen Elon for generations to come. To learn more about how you can make an impact, visit www.elonleads.com.

The article, examines the concept of discouraged workers — or people who have not looked for jobs in the past four weeks because they do not believe there is work for them — and what the current rate of those discouraged workers says about the economy. The author addresses slow wage gain and a lack of working hours as possible issues leading to discouraged workers in America.

In the article, DeLoach, the Martha and Spencer Love Term Professor and Chair of the Department of Economics, discusses employment rates and why there will always be discouraged workers, regardless of unemployment numbers.

“There’s a reason we can’t go to zero unemployment,” he said. “There’s a group of people, even in a really strong economy, who don’t have the skills appropriate for whatever jobs are being posted.”

DeLoach also points to financial constraints for workers who cannot afford to relocate, as well as education and skill levels, as other possible causes of discouragement in the workforce.

For more of DeLoach’s insights, read the entire Bankrate article .

The article was also featured by local television news affiliates , , , , , , and , as well as .