Lumen Scholars will work closely with their mentors during the next two years to pursue and complete their projects. Efforts traditionally include coursework, study abroad, research both on and off campus, internships locally and overseas, program development, and creative productions and performances.

“It was another very competitive year, and the Lumen Advisory Board saw many good applications,” said Michael Carignan, director of the Lumen Prize and professor of history. “These 15 represent truly special talent and engagement. We look forward to watching the projects unfold over the next two years.”

The name for the Lumen Prize comes from Elon’s historic motto, “Numen Lumen,” which are Latin words meaning “spiritual light” and “intellectual light.” The words, which are found on the 51±ŹÁÏÍű seal, signify the highest purposes of an Elon education.

2026 Lumen Prize Winners

Tajallah Amirkhil
Mentor: Molly Green
Major: Public Health & Biochemistry
Project: Barriers and Resilience: Exploring Mental Health among Afghan Refugee Women in North Carolina

Emma Briceño
Mentors: Dan Burns & Tita Ramirez
Major: English (Creative Writing)
Project: The Desert Lighthouse, a Novel: an Exploration of Queerness and Safety through Body Horror, Immortality, and Genre Reinvention

Kelley Calvillo
Mentor: Renay Aumiller
Major: Dance Performance and Choreography
Project: The Body Knows: Developing a Feminist Framework for Distributed Choreographic Authorship

Chloe Cone
Mentors: Eryn Bernardy & Ahlam Armaly
Major: Biochemistry
Project: Solutions in the Soil: Unearthing Novel Antibacterial Compounds from Soil Microbes to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance

Sanai Crosby
Mentors: Lauren Kearns & Matt Wittstein
Major: Exercise Science & Dance Science
Project: Dance and Neural Activity: Examining Neural Activity Across the Choreographic Process and Performance Environments

Fleur Helmantel
Mentor: Scott Wolter
Major: Biomedical Engineering & Chinese Studies
Project: Development of Tissue-Mimicking Phantoms for the Treatment of Breast Cancer

Anna Keller
Mentor: Scott Morrison
Project: Perceptions and Practices of Outdoor Literacy: a Two-Part Mixed-Methods Study

Nevaeh Kimmie
Mentor: Katrina Jongman-Sereno
Major: Psychology & Economics
Project: To Code-Switch or Not to Code-Switch: Authenticity, Psychological Outcomes, and Social Judgement of Black College Students in Predominantly White Academic Spaces

Lisa Kranec
Mentors: Hwayeon Ryu & Efrain Rivera-Serrano
Major: Biomedical Engineering & Applied Mathematics
Project: Mathematical Modeling of Excessive Collagen Production in Cardiac Fibrosis

Jordyne Lewis
Mentor: Steve DeLoach
Major: Economic Consulting & Data Analytics
Refugees, Emotional Wellbeing, and Financial Inclusion in Uganda

Kendall Lewis
Mentor: Jen Uno
Major: Biochemistry & Mathematics
Project: Can the Microbiome Heal the Brain?Evaluating Butyrate’s Efficiency in Reducing Stroke Severity within the Context of Obesity

Ja’Mir Parham
Mentor: Zack Hutchens
Major: Astrophysics
Project: RESOLVE, ECO, and eRASS: Probing Galaxy Growth through Cold and Hot Gas

Danny Stern
Mentor: Karl Sienerth
Major: Chemistry
Project: From Backlog to Breakthrough: Use of Fluorescence Quenching for the Development of an Explosive Identification Database

Ainsley Thompson
Mentor: Yuko Miyamoto
Major: Biochemistry
Project: Decreasing Platinum Chemotherapy Resistance by Downregulating STAT3 and Upregulating PTEN in the SKOV3 Cell Line

Scout Winter
Mentor: Bill Evans
Major: Exercise Science
Project: Effects of a Whole-Food Plant-Based Diet on Insulin Resistance and Inflammation in Adults with Type 1 Diabetes

Elon students’ presentations spanned both the ages and the globe, with presentations ranging in focus from ancient Maya society to generative AI’s role in online public relations discourse, and spanning both the experiences of Syrian refugees and the indigenous politics of Peru.

The setting in Richmond offered a unique opportunity for mentor/mentee pair Amanda Kleintop, assistant professor of history, and Athena Vizuete ’26, a history major from Carrboro, North Carolina, who study Civil War history. In addition to presenting, they built in time to tour local historical sites that inform their research projects.

“It was amazing to see the quality of Elon’s undergraduate research in our students’ presentations,” said Kleintop. “I was very proud of Athena, who presented on her research on Reconstruction in North Carolina that was threeyears in the making! Plus, there nothing like visiting Richmond as a Civil War and Reconstruction scholar!”

“NCUR is a wonderful opportunity,” Vizuete said. “I am so happy I got to present my research on a national scale and attend so many fascinating presentations by my fellow students.”

Senior Professional Writing and Rhetoric major Caden Halberg is mentored by Travis Maynard and presented his work entitled, “The Whey Forward: Successfully Advocating for the Galactosemia Community.”

“Presenting at NCUR allowed me to raise awareness about rare disease advocacy while connecting with students across disciplines, many of whom had never encountered this topic befor,” said Halberg.

Several students presented their work from the School of Communications. Senior strategic communications and public policy major Teresa Cao is mentored by Shanetta Pendleton, and presented her project entitled, “Sorry, Not Sorry: Exploring Communication Patterns and Perceived Authenticity of Influencer Apologies on Social Media.”

“NCUR was great because I loved being able to see the range of students and how the chose to pursue their interests,” said Cao. “It reinforced to me how there’s always something to learn or dig deeper into, and in my case, that was influencer apology videos. Pop culture is often a mirror to what’s happening in society on a broader scale, so I loved being able to share my insights on something that’s seemingly very superficial. It was also really encouraging to be around students from other disciplines since I got to hear their perspectives on my research, what they admired, and advice on how they’d do things differently.”

Students were accompanied by faculty members Eric Hall, Justin Clar, CJ Fleming, Jen Hamel, Amanda Kleintop and Judy Folmar. Folmar presented two mentor-led sessions accompanied by her research students in which they shared their research process with other student-mentor pairs.

NCUR was first held at the University of North Carolina at Asheville in 1987 and Elon students have been attending the conference since 1993. Elon typically has more than 40 students present at NCUR each year. Next year’s conference will be held April 12-14, 2027 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

“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.

To entice donors, the Sydney F. & Kathleen E. Jackson Professor of Chemistry and department chair promised he would shave his eyebrows, live on the Elon College, College of Arts and Sciences’ Instagram feed, if the goal was met.

That’s how much Karty believes in the Department of Chemistry’s impact on students and how $20,000 can enhance learning by “giving students the best education and the best experiences and preparing them for success.”

And wouldn’t you know it? One day after Elon Day, the university’s annual 24-hour day of giving that raised more than $3.5 million this year, Karty found himself on the patio of McMichael Science Center, the home of the Department of Chemistry, at 1:45 p.m. waiting for the fate of his eyebrows.

It took approximately seven minutes, one trimmer and two razors to shave off his eyebrows. Students in attendance cheered and recorded as the eyebrows disappeared.

“I thought he was nuts for actually going to do it,” said Associate Professor Justin Clar, the director of the Undergraduate Research Program who volunteered his time and talents with the trimmer. “His commitment to the university and to the students is wild.”

What an audience it was on March 6, 2026.

“Raising this money gives us more flexibility in doing the things we do best, such as providing instrumentation for labs, undergraduate research, student travel and more,” Karty said. “That was the whole reason for setting up this challenge in the first place. It was just a question of what I was willing to sacrifice.”

Karty’s wife predicts that his eyebrows will grow back by Monday. Karty said time will tell.

Since his 2023 arrival at Elon, Kelly has hosted a ‘listening tour’ and spent time with each department to hear directly from faculty and staff about what they value. Kelly said that common themes soon emerged from those conversations and the new statement reflects dozens of discussions.

Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences new vision statement reads: “The Heart of an Elon Education: Ignite Curiosity, Engage Challenges, Transform Worlds.”

The mission statement then declares:

“Upholding the centrality of the liberal arts, we explore and apply disciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge for inquiry, creativity, discovery and problem solving in a complex and changing world.”

The statement lists core values that include accessibility, belonging, critical thinking, diversity, equity and inclusion, integrity, intellectual curiosity, problem-posing and respect for human dignity.

Community Reflections

• “There were several opportunities for different groups, departments, branches, interdisciplinary programs, to discuss versions on the table. It was in those conversations where we might learn how a word or phrase was heard within and across disciplines; where we found convergence, deeper awareness, and respect. The both-and of this process modeled what we value and genuinely captures our shared identity as Elon College.” – Caroline Ketcham, associate dean of Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences and a professor of exercise science
• “It was always important to us that this wasn’t a process where faculty were just asked to weigh in at the end, after the real decisions had already been made. From start to finish, it was grounded in listening to what faculty across the college say we do well and what values they believe guide our shared work. Our task wasn’t to invent a mission, vision and values, but to clearly articulate what faculty are already living and leading with. I think that’s why faculty can so readily see themselves and their departments represented in the final statements.” – David Buck, associate dean of Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences and an associate professor of psychology
• “Having shared goals and articulated values helps everyone in the college feel connected as a community, value each other’s work and prioritize our energies on initiatives that matter to us.” – Shannon Duvall, interim associate dean of Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences and professor of computer science
• “I appreciated the collaborative nature of it all, not just between the dean’s office and department chairs, but also extending to faculty members across Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences. It really did involve all of us. What particularly stood out to me were the conversations in our chairs’ meetings with the dean where we came to agreements on core values. It’s inspiring to see that distinctly different types of disciplines uphold the same core values.” – Joel Karty, chair of the Department of Chemistry and 51±ŹÁÏÍű’s Sydney F. & Kathleen E. Jackson Professor of chemistry
• “I appreciated being part of a process that felt genuinely collaborative. Our participation was not merely symbolic. It felt meaningful, and I experienced the dean’s office as truly listening. The process itself was also inspirational, and I feel bolstered in leading my own department through similar work. It was powerful to see such a broad, collective effort take shape into something tangible.” – Samantha DiRosa, chair of the Department of Art and a professor of art and environmental studies
• “The process of creating a new vision statement, mission statement and core values for Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences was both thoughtful and deeply collaborative. Over many months, department chairs worked together to reflect on what makes us distinctive and how best to express those qualities in guiding statements. The process intentionally sought input from across departments, ensuring that everyone in the college had the opportunity to contribute their perspectives. Personally, the time spent reflecting with fellow chairs on what makes each of our departments special fostered a deeper sense of shared purpose and collective commitment.” – Carrie Eaves, chair of the Department of Political Science and Public Policy and associate professor of political science and public policy

Kelly said he was pleased the final language resonated with the faculty in the college.

“The true measure of a successful attempt to lead a group or an organization towards a renewed vision, mission and core values is whether the words and sentiments ‘sound like us’,” he said. “When I heard that some faculty believed my presentation of our vision, mission and core values at our spring faculty meeting ‘sound like us,’ I knew that our work together in small and large group settings was a huge success. It means that stakeholders were heard and that the words resonate so much so that the tune or melody is familiar. The vision, mission and core values reflect truly who we are and where we are going with much intention.”

Fulbright grantees are not just funded to teach or research—they are expected to serve as valuable cultural ambassadors in their respective host countries, both representing the United States and learning about their new communities.

Fulbright grants are awarded on the basis of academic and professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields. As semifinalists, these Elon students and alumni have been recommended by the National Screening Committee of the Institute of International Education for final consideration by review panels in their respective host countries. Semifinalists will be notified of their final award status this spring, beginning in late March, barring any delays or disruptions at the federal level.

This year’s Fulbright semifinalists are:

Azul Bellot ’26

• Psychology and Sociolinguistics
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English teaching assistantship to Spain

Jo Bogart ’26

• Creative Writing and Classical Studies
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright study/research grant to the United Kingdom

Anya Bratić ’26

• International & Global Studies and Public Policy
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English teaching assistantship to Vietnam

Rony Dahdal ’26

• Computer Science, Math, and Philosophy
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright study/research grant to Sweden

Jubitza Figueroa ’21

• Political Science
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English teaching assistantship to Spain

Alex Fleischmann ’26

• Psychology
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English teaching assistantship to South Korea

Rebecca Lovasco ’26

• Psychology
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright study/research grant to Taiwan

Caroline Mitchell ’26

• Middle Grades Math and Special Education
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English teaching assistantship to Bulgaria

Molly Moylan ’26

• Biochemistry
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English teaching assistantship to Spain

Madison Powers ’25

• Journalism
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English teaching assistantship to Spain

Aryanna Vindas ’25

• Dance Performance & Choreography
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English teaching assistantship to South Korea

Elon students and alumni interested in the Fulbright Program or other nationally competitive fellowships are invited to contact the National and International Fellowships Office. To begin the Fulbright application process, please visit the Fulbright Application Process page to register for one of the following virtual Fulbright information sessions during the spring semester:

• Wednesday, March 11 at 4 p.m.
• Thursday, April 9 at 4:30 p.m.
• Thursday, May 21 at 12 p.m.

Join colleagues and students from 51±ŹÁÏÍű, University of Warwick, University of Leeds and partner institutions for a transatlantic collaboration exploring critical questions in higher education teaching. This series is convened by Tom Ritchie, US-UK Fulbright Scholar and visiting professor at Elon from the University of Warwick, working with Sarah Bunnell and colleagues at CATL.

This partnership brings together:

• Elon’s Center for the Advancement of Teaching & Learning (CATL)
• (WIHEA) and (IATL)
• (LITE)
• Members of the UK SoTL alliance
• Colleagues and students from Canadian universities

Each session will feature a short presentation from one of the partner institutions, followed by facilitated small group discussions and sharing across institutions. All sessions run 11 a.m.to Noon EST via Microsoft Teams. Participants may join individual sessions or participate in the full series.

Schedule:

• Feb. 11: What makes teaching “excellent” in your context?
• March 4: How do we teach for a sustainable future – embedding sustainability across disciplines?
• March 25: Belonging and exclusion – frameworks for understanding and action
• April 15: Teaching in the age of AI – opportunities and boundaries
• May 6: How can assessment drive learning – not just measure it?
• May 20: Building transatlantic partnerships – what could we create together?

Register for sessions

Related Articles

• The Month in Photos: July
• The Month in Photos: August
• The Month in Photos: September

The Fall 2025 semester is flying by, and as the leaves turn vibrant shades of red and gold, 51±ŹÁÏÍű students, faculty and staff are embracing every opportunity to learn, grow and celebrate together.

View some of the most impactful moments of the past month through the eyes of staff in the Office of University Communications.

Here Ye! Here Ye!

Student celebrated News Engagement Day at Elon’s Oct. 7 College Coffee. Student journalists rang bells and delivered headlines to students, faculty and staff gathered on the Moseley Lakeside patio, encouraging the campus community to read, watch, listen to and discuss the news — and to share how they engage with journalism using #NewsEngagementDay.

Established in 2014 by the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC), News Engagement Day promotes informed citizenship and highlights the importance of consuming and discussing credible news.

A dedication to Toshio Sato

Elon leaders dedicated Toshio Sato Commons on Oct. 10, 2025, as part of Homecoming & Reunion Weekend in a ceremony that recognized the university’s first international student and first four-year graduate from outside the United States.

Homecoming happiness

51±ŹÁÏÍű’s 2025 Homecoming & Reunion Weekend welcomed alumni, students, faculty and staff onto campus for a dynamic slate of weekend events.

From open houses and an evening step show through a Saturday football game against Villanova University, highlights included the return of the Rock the Block Homecoming concert featuring “The Plain White Ts,” the Golden Alumni Luncheon, campus and academic department receptions, oral history booths, affinity group award celebrations, leadership and networking conversations across schools, themed tailgates, tours, and wellness events.

Molecular moves

Given the option to film a video or write a paper for a chemistry course, Bailey Skinner put her moves to the test.

Learning at Loy

Students took class outside at Elon’s Loy Farm on Oct. 14, 2025.

A Health Promoting University

51±ŹÁÏÍű has adopted the Okanagan Charter as a member of the U.S. Health Promoting Campuses Network, pledging to nurture a campus culture that prioritizes health, belonging and well-being for students, faculty and staff. The university marked the milestone with an institutional adoption ceremony on Oct. 29, 2025.

Cross Country CAA champs

Elon continued its run of dominance in the Coastal Athletic Association on Oct. 31, claiming its in the past seven years. Elon bested runner-up William & Mary by 40 points, marking the most lopsided CAA women’s cross country championship victory since the Phoenix bested the field by 51 points to win the 2020 title.

Halloween in the garden

An Elon tradition, the annual Pumpkin Festival was held on Halloween with the addition of trick-or-treaters for the first time.

The ceremony brought together students, faculty, staff, family and friends to recognize Dan Carmody ’01, Ryan Fairchild ’03 and Jessica Koch ’09, whose achievements were described as a demonstration of the power of an Elon liberal arts and sciences education.

Hilton Kelly, Dean of Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences, delivered remarks in Yeager Recital Hall on the profound impact the recipients have made on their professions and their communities.

“These three exemplary alumni embody the very best of Elon College,” Kelly said. “Their achievements, their service and their commitment to living out the values of a liberal arts education is an inspiration to all of us. They have used what they have learned within Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences, to impact people and organizations.”

Dan Carmody ’01 – Arts and Humanities

Dan Carmody earned his bachelor’s degree in human services from Elon, served with the Peace Corps in Paraguay, and spent two years working at an international school in Honduras. He later earned a master’s degree in counseling psychology from Boston College.

Carmody is a leader for creating meaningful and transformative change. For the past six years, he has served as president at Cathedral High School, leading a mission to give families — especially those without financial access — the chance at a strong, life-changing education. Most recently, he led a $60 million “Cathedral Now, Cathedral Forever” campaign, ensuring the school can keep opening doors for underserved students for generations to come.

Prior to Cathedral, Carmody served as vice president for global mission and identity and as executive director of the Hyde Center for Global Education at Boston College High School, building partnerships in more than 20 countries. He also worked with the worldwide Jesuit network as assistant to the secretariat of secondary and pre-secondary education.

While a student at Elon, Carmody served as president of Habitat for Humanity and lead coordinator with Elon Volunteers!

“I can truly look back on my time at Elon as the most impactful chapter of my life,” Carmody said. “Every adventure and opportunity I’ve had since graduating — each chance to make a small difference — can be traced directly back to the experiences I gained at Elon.”

Ryan Fairchild ’03 – STEM

Ryan Fairchild earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Elon and a Master of Business Administration from The George Washington University.

Fairchild is the managing director of Accenture Federal Service where he leads the Intel Sector and delivers a broad spectrum of technologies to federal agencies across the United States. This past year, he was a Washington, D.C. candidate for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Visionaries of the Year campaign, raising over $125,000.

At Elon, Fairchild was active in the American Chemical Society, Habitat for Humanity, Elon Volunteers!, Lambda Chi Alpha and the Omicron Delta Kappa Honors Society.

“Elon prepared me not only for the ‘real world’, but most importantly, to be a more mature, well-rounded person,” Fairchild said. “I graduated with a chemistry degree, but very quickly took a career path that pulled me away from that line of work. A lot of people ask how I feel about that, and I always answer the same way — Elon’s chemistry department taught me how to be a problem solver, scientifically and contextually. That is an extraordinary gift to have received.”

Jessica Koch ’09 – Social Sciences

Jessica Koch earned her bachelor’s degree in political science and public administration from Elon and her Juris Doctor from Stetson University College of Law.

Koch is a partner at Rothwell Law in St. Petersburg, Fla., focusing on representing doctors and medical practices involved in treating personal injury patients. In this focused practice, Koch defends against invasive discovery into her clients’ practices, attending depositions and hearings on their behalf. She began her career as an assistant state attorney in Pinellas County before moving into private practice in commercial litigation and personal injury.

Prior to joining Rothwell Law, she practiced as an insurance defense attorney focusing on special investigations into medical practices.

While at Elon, Koch was involved in the Student Government Association, the Pi Sigma Alpha political science honors society and the Fire of the Carolinas Marching Band.

“My time at Elon was foundational to my professional success both in law school and in my legal career, teaching me the importance of hard work, perseverance and integrity,” Koch said. “Being recognized for my commitment to my university and my professional achievements made possible by that university means the world to me.”

With expertise across multiple disciplines, the new faculty have demonstrated passion for teaching and pursuing research or creative projects in mentorship with students.

“We are fortunate to welcome these outstanding scholars to Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences,” said Hilton Kelly, Dean of Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences. “During the interview process, I appreciated each scholar’s enthusiasm, expertise, and creativity, as well as their pronounced dedication to teaching, research and student success. These are scholars who will make significant contributions to the College, the university, and their chosen fields.”

New Professors and Staff for 2025-26 in Elon College, the College of Art and Sciences

• Brian Brew, Assistant Professor of Political Science & Public Policy, earned a PhD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He will teach American Government and Campaigns and Elections.

• Charles Doan, Assistant Professor of Psychology, earned a PhD from Ohio University. He will teach Cognitive Psychology.

• Meleena Gil, Assistant Professor of English, earned a PhD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. They will teach Writing: Argument and Inquiry.

• Celia Hameury, Assistant Professor of Engineering, earned a PhD from McGill University. She will teach Grand Challenges Engineering I.

• Dan Hartung, Assistant Professor of Music, earned a DMA at the University of Texas at Austin. He will teach Concert Band, Marching Band and Percussion Ensemble.

• Jessica Hightower, Assistant Professor of Performing Arts, earned an MFA from The Ohio State University. She will teach COR 1100: The Global Experience.

• Zackary Hutchens, Assistant Professor of Physics, earned a PhD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He will teach University Physics I.

• Negesti Kaudo ’15, Assistant Professor of English, earned an MFA from Columbia College Chicago. She will teach Writing: Argument and Inquiry and Introduction to Creative Writing.

• Justin Miller, Assistant Professor of Performing Arts, earned an MFA from The Ohio State University. He will teach Scenic Design, Scenic Art and Drafting and Modelmaking.

• Emma Moesswilde, Assistant Professor of History & Geography, earned a PhD from Georgetown University. She will teach The World in the 20th Century.

• Breanna Mueller, Assistant Professor of Exercise Science, earned a PhD from Auburn University. She will teach Physiology of Exercise.

• Nikita Shepard, Assistant Professor of History & Geography, earned a PhD from Columbia University. They will teach Contested Democracy/US since 1865 and Sexuality in the U.S.

• Rodney Tigaa, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, earned a PhD from the University of Nevada, Reno. He will teach Inorganic Chemistry and General Chemistry I.

• Andre Waschka, Assistant Professor of Mathematics & Statistics, earned a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. He will teach Statistics in Application.

51±ŹÁÏÍű Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences

Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences provides the foundation for the study of the liberal arts and sciences at 51±ŹÁÏÍű. The college is comprised of 21 departments across three branches: the arts and humanities; natural, mathematical and computational sciences; and social and behavioral sciences. It hosts Elon’s chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest honor society celebrating excellence in the liberal arts and sciences.

Committed to the growth of students’ intellectual curiosity, intercultural competence and critical thinking, the college champions disciplinary knowledge and interdisciplinary applications to reflect upon, respond to and offer solutions to complex problems in an interconnected and changing world.

With more than 45 majors and 65 minors, the college is 51±ŹÁÏÍű’s largest academic division. Two-thirds of the nearly 1,600 students who graduate from Elon annually do so with at least one major or minor in the college. Within a year, over 90% of college graduates report employment in their chosen field or enrollment in top post-graduate programs.

College faculty are prolific and preeminent scholars and creators in their fields, recognized for expertise at national and international levels. Each year, its more than 300 full-time faculty publish hundreds of articles, chapters, and books, and they present at scores of conferences and events. Their scholarship results in grants and fellowships from the National Science Foundation, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Institutes of Health and other prominent centers of research.