Crowley’s research focuses on queer and trans communities, particularly in the U.S. South, and the ways language evolves. Over the past several years, trans people have gained greater public visibility, which, Crowley says, has sparked debates about language.

“How do trans people want people to refer to us?” Crowley asks. “What are the ‘correct’ ways to talk about transness?”

While many people look to Crowley for answers to these questions, Crowley is not interested in coining new terms. Through interviews with members of queer and trans communities, Crowley has found that people navigate the ever-changing landscape of gender and language in different ways.

“One interviewee said that if you’re about to say ‘thank you, sir’ or ‘thank you, ma’am’ to be polite, you could choose another phrase that conveys the same respect,” Crowley said. “Something like ‘thank you so much.’”

At Elon, mentorship takes many forms. Before arriving at the university, Crowley found mentorship through Professor of Art History Kirstin Ringelberg.

During the interview process, Crowley was asked whether there was anyone on campus they would like to meet. They requested a conversation with a trans faculty member to gain insight into that experience at Elon.

Ringelberg, who has been a member of the Elon faculty for more than 20 years, became an important resource.

“Knowing that they’ve been here so long and have so much institutional memory has been a great fountain of knowledge for me, especially navigating this campus as a trans person,” Crowley said.

Next year, Crowley will serve as coordinator of the Women’s, Gender and Sexualities Studies program. As they prepare for that role, they have looked to colleagues such as Ringelberg for guidance on creating spaces where queer and trans students, faculty and staff can thrive.

“Hiring Archie has helped with mentorship across campus,” said Ringelberg, “Archie is an incredible mentor, to our students and the way that Archie models positive but critical transness to our students is transformative .”

Like many Elon faculty members, Crowley has also become a mentor to students.

During their first year of teaching at Elon, Crowley taught Azul Bellot ’26 in an introductory linguistics course. Bellot entered the class as a psychology major but became interested in linguistics through the course. With Crowley’s guidance, Bellot designed an independent major in sociolinguistics.

Then, for an independent research project, Bellot interviewed trans women and collected stories about their health care experiences. Bellot later presented the research at the Student Undergraduate Research Forum, the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience and the Women’s and Gender Studies South Conference.

“It’s really gratifying to be able to guide someone through that process and see them get excited,” Crowley said.

For Crowley, Pride is more than a month-long celebration. Through their research, mentorship and work with the Women’s, Gender and Sexualities Studies program, they are helping build community where people feel seen, supported and heard.

Crowley keeps reminders of Pride’s history throughout their office, from a small brick they received at a Pride event in Alamance County to a poster commemorating the 1966 Compton’s Cafeteria Riot.

“The history of Pride is rooted in confrontation,” Crowle said. “It’s a celebration in the confrontation.”

Elon honors Pride Month stories

As part of LGBTQ+ Pride Month, 51±ŹÁÏÍű is sharing stories through Today at Elon that highlight students, faculty and staff who contribute to a campus environment where cultural identities and experiences are celebrated year-round. Throughout the month and year, Elon also offers resources and events to support the LGBTQ+ community.

It was through the Gender & Sexuality Living-Learning Community that Lagunes Flores discovered something more: a community that helped her realize she wasn’t “just another student,” but someone who mattered deeply to the people around her.

“It made me realize that I played a bigger role than I initially did,” Lagunes Flores said. “I thought it was just going to be, ‘Oh, another first year,’ but it made me realize that I mattered a lot more than what I thought.”

What began as a search for belonging has evolved into a commitment to help others find it, too. That transformation started the day she moved to campus.

A journey of self-discovery

Lagunes Flores’s journey began during a Phoenix Friday event, where she experienced a sense of belonging and purpose after meeting another incoming student who encouraged her to apply to the Gender & Sexuality LLC. The two would later become roommates.

“I thought to myself, ‘Well, okay, at least I’ll have one friend at Elon and a roommate I know I can trust,'” said Lagunes Flores, who joined the university community through the Leon and Lorraine Watson scholarship in the Odyssey Program.

What she didn’t know at the time was that the connection would help shape the foundation of her first year of college. After settling in on move-in day, Lagunes Flores and her roommates gathered the pride flags they had brought for their shared living space.

“One of my roommates was like, ‘Before putting them up, do you want to just go outside or go in the hallways and run with them?'” Lagunes Flores said.

Carrying their flags through the residence hall, she and her roommates celebrated the start of their first year and the community they had established. For Lagunes Flores, this moment meant so much more than celebrating move-in day.

“That was the first time I had actually experienced a sense of community with other queer people,” she said.

Growing up in a Native American community in Lumberton, North Carolina, Lagunes Flores had few opportunities to explore many of her intersecting identities.

“The only identity that I really got to explore before undergrad was the money struggles and things like that,” she said.

Elon became a springboard for self-discovery, helping her embrace parts of her identity that had remained largely unexplored. That journey included gaining a deeper understanding of her queer identity. Experiences and friendships with fellow students led her to the support and community she needed.

One of those experiences came during a Drag Extravaganza event hosted by the Gender and LGBTQIA Center (GLC), featuring drag star Stormie Daie, who invited audience members to celebrate diverse identities and encouraged them to cheer when they heard one that resonated with them.

“That was the solidifying moment where I was comfortable in my sexuality,” Lagunes Flores said. “That was when I found my label.”

Building a foundation of belonging

Beyond helping her explore her identity, the Gender & Sexuality LLC also connected Lagunes Flores with mentors who would shape her academic and professional journey. Among them were Lauren Gulimette, an associate professor of philosophy and co-coordinator of Women’s Gender and Sexualities studies, and Luis Garay, director of the GLC, who are both co-advisors of the LLC.

Through conversations with Gulimette, Lagunes Flores discovered a passion for Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies and eventually added it as a minor, alongside her major in elementary education and a minor in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).

Guilmette also connected her with the PACE program, which helped her secure a campus position and introduced her to opportunities she hadn’t considered as a first-year student.

Among them was an internship with Transcend Alamance, a nonprofit organization that supports transgender individuals in Alamance County. As an intern, Lagunes Flores helps write the organization’s bi-monthly newsletter.

Those who have worked closely with Lagunes Flores have noticed her growth and commitment to building community, noting that she is someone who actively creates spaces where others feel welcomed and connected.

“While Maria can at first seem shy and quiet, it has been a pleasure to watch her find community and come into their own as an active participant in the classroom and a student organizer on campus,” Gulimette said.

Garay echoed Gulimette, highlighting that Lagunes Flores’ commitment to inclusivity and building connections extends beyond the living-learning community itself.

“She brings floormates and friends outside of her residence hall to our monthly community dinners, extending our values of connection and relationship-building to others across campus,” Garay said.

Tibs Vance ‘29, a fellow student and friend, said that Lagunes Flores has a gift for helping others feel included.

“Maria is always really good at inviting me to events she helps organize or events she thinks I’ll enjoy,” he said. “Her understanding of others in her communities really helps her support and form impactful connections.

The sense of belonging and community that she found through the Gender & Sexuality LLC and with students, such as with Vance, now informs how she approaches leadership opportunities and her future career goals.

Looking ahead, she hopes to help students explore their identities and find community, just as she did during her first year at Elon. After graduation, she plans to teach in the classroom before pursuing a graduate degree and a career in higher education.

Her first-year experiences have shaped not only her career aspirations but also her understanding of belonging and what pride looks like in everyday life.

“Belonging means knowing you’re loved in a space and that space makes you feel welcome,” she said. “You being you is an act of everyday pride.”

Elon honors Pride Month stories

As part of LGBTQ+ Pride Month, 51±ŹÁÏÍű is sharing stories through Today at Elon that highlight students, faculty and staff who contribute to a campus environment where cultural identities and experiences are celebrated year-round. Throughout the month and year, Elon also offers resources and events to support the LGBTQ+ community.

Elon has been repeatedly recognized for the number of its alumni who participate in the Fulbright Program as teachers, graduate students, and researchers and has been named a top-producer of Fulbright students in six separate years. Students and alumni interested in the Fulbright Program or other nationally competitive fellowships are invited to contact the National and International Fellowships Office. The deadline to notify the office of your intent to apply for Fulbright in this upcoming cycle is June 1, 2026. Rising seniors are required to work with the National and International Fellowships Office to apply for Fulbright, and alumni are highly encouraged to do so.

Those who received awards this year are:

Azul Bellot ’26

Azul Bellot, a double major in psychology and sociolinguistics with a minor in TESOL, has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in Spain. She is The Elon Commitment scholar in the Odyssey Program and a student scholar with The Center for Engaged Learning.

Bellot has been preparing for an experience like Fulbright long before she arrived at Elon. Reflecting on her early years, she says, “Growing up as the daughter of Mexican immigrants, I was my family’s translator from a young age. I navigated formal systems, adult conversations, and bureaucratic spaces in both English and Spanish long before I had the language to describe what that experience was doing to me. It gave me a deep understanding of what it means for language to be a gateway, and what it costs when that gateway is closed.”

These formative years laid the groundwork for her time at Elon, where she developed her own independent sociolinguistics major, volunteered as an English tutor for children and adults, and conducted research on meaningful mentoring relationships. To Bellot, a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Spain is “the most honest intersection of everything [she’s] been working towards: language, identity, education, and community.”

After Fulbright, Bellot plans to pursue more international fellowships before returning to academia to earn her PhD in Applied Linguistics. Her Elon mentors include Archie Crowley, assistant professor of English; Nina Namaste, professor of Spanish; and Sylvia Muñoz, assistant dean of students and director for the Center for Race, Ethnicity and Diversity Education.

Anya Bratić ’26

Anya Bratić, a double major in international & global Studies and public policy with a minor in public health, has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in Vietnam. She is an Elon College Fellow, a Periclean Scholar, and the Student Government Association Student Body President.

To Bratić, Fulbright represents the intersection of her two greatest passions: global engagement and teaching. She found ways to blend these passions during her time at Elon. As a Periclean Scholar, she had the opportunity to study abroad in India to understand what mutually beneficial relationships look like in practice, not just in theory. As a student consultant with the Center for Design Thinking, she developed a love for teaching and facilitation, specifically the challenge of guiding others through the structured process of finding meaningful solutions to “wicked” problems. Serving as an English teaching assistant will allow her to refine her intercultural and teaching skills while strengthening diplomatic relations between the United States and Vietnam.

After Fulbright, Bratić is interested in pursuing a career in diplomacy or global social impact. “Simply put, I want to work at the intersection of people, policy and purpose,” she says. Bratić’s constellation of Elon mentors includes Amanda Tapler, associate teaching professor of public health studies; Safia Swimelar, professor of political science and public policy; Sean McMahon, professor of entrepreneurship; and Danielle Lake, director of design thinking and associate professor of human service studies.

Molly Moylan ’26

Biochemistry major Molly Moylan has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in Spain.

At Elon, Moylan took every opportunity to foster and blend her passions for STEM research, teaching and service. As a researcher, Moylan worked with chemistry professor Dan Wright to study trace metals within medicinal herbs and spices. She refined her teaching skills by serving with America Reads, the Village Project, the CityGate Dream Center, and more. Most notably, Moylan found a way to combine her passions by co-founding Imagine Science, a program designed to address declining student engagement in science education by bringing hands-on experiments and activities to local after-school programs.

In Spain, Moylan will serve as an English Teaching Assistant in Galicia, a region that is especially interested in promoting students’ scientific thinking skills. This Fulbright year will serve as crucial preparation for Moylan as she applies to medical school. The language and cultural skills she will gain in Spain will allow her to better serve Spanish-speaking patients in the future.

Moylan’s most influential Elon mentor has been Assistant Professor of Chemistry Dan Wright. “Dr. Dan Wright has been instrumental in my success at Elon,” she said. “Through his continued support, my confidence in both my personal and professional capacities has grown immensely, and I am extremely grateful to have had him as a mentor.”

Madison Powers ’25

Madison Powers, who graduated in 2025 with a degree in journalism and a minor in Spanish, has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in Spain. At Elon, Powers was a communications fellow and a 2023 Pulitzer reporting fellow. Since graduating, she has served as an editorial intern at Garden & Gun Magazine in Charleston, South Carolina.

Powers has long had her sights set on a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Spain. During her undergraduate years, she spent a semester in Sevilla and fostered her dual passions for cross-cultural exchange and global education. Eager to return, she applied for Fulbright in last year’s application cycle and was named a semifinalist. She remained so committed to the value of a Fulbright experience that she chose to reapply this year, and her hard work and persistence paid off.

Powers will serve as an English teaching assistant in Madrid. She is excited to live and work in a large, diverse city while improving her Spanish language skills and forming connections with her community. Serving in Madrid will also allow her to work closely with students on Global Classrooms/Model UN projects, which are important to the development of their critical thinking and cross-cultural skills.

This Fulbright year will serve as a bridge between Powers’ current and future journalistic work. Upon returning to the U.S, she plans to work as a journalist reporting on and working in Spanish-speaking communities. Her Elon mentors include Kelly Furnas, associate teaching professor of journalism; Jan Register, administrative assistant for the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life; and Pablo Celis-Castillo, associate professor of Spanish.

Aryanna Vindas ’25

Aryanna Vindas, a graduate of the class of 2025, has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in South Korea. She graduated with a BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography and a minor in Asian studies.

Serving as an English teaching assistant in South Korea is a natural extension of the work Vindas began at Elon. She completed a two-year undergraduate research project about Korean Buddhist mindfulness, studied abroad for a semester in South Korea, and undertook a rigorous course of Korean language study. Simultaneously, she developed her teaching skills by serving as a volunteer English teacher, tutoring Spanish, and leading and assisting dance classes.

Because her grant does not begin until January 2027, Vindas has chosen to go above and beyond to prepare. She will spend this summer in South Korea completing intensive language study at Yonsei University in Seoul, which will help her integrate more successfully into her future host community and build more meaningful relationships with her students.

After Fulbright, Vindas plans to enroll in graduate school to continue the research on Buddhist mindfulness she began at Elon. Vindas’ Elon mentors include Renay Aumiller, associate professor of dance; the “wonderful” dance staff; and Pamela Winfield, professor of religious studies and associate director of international & global studies.

In addition to these students, one senior has been named an alternate. Alternates are still in the competition and have the chance to be promoted to finalists (recipients of the grant) up until the official start of the grant period. We will update this story as we continue to hear news of their progress.

Rebecca Lovasco ’26

Rebecca Lovasco, a psychology major with minors in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies and neuroscience, has been selected as an alternate for a Fulbright study/research grant in Taiwan to earn a master’s degree in Mind, Brain, and Consciousness at Taipei Medical University.

Lovasco is an Elon College Fellow who went on to win the Lumen Prize. Her research, which integrates cognitive neuroscience, clinical psychology, and philosophy of mind, explores how anxiety and depression affect reinforcement learning and conscious visual perception. Outside of her research, Lovasco is proud to have served as a law enforcement crisis counselor with the Campus Alamance program.

Lovasco’s Elon mentors include Kristina Krasich, assistant professor of psychology; William Schreiber, associate professor of psychology; Kim Epting, professor of psychology; Alexa Darby, professor of psychology; and Jill McSweeney, assistant director of the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning and assistant professor of wellness.

delivered her remarks on Feb. 26, 2026, in the university’s annual Lauren Dunne Astley Memorial Lecture, named in memory of a woman murdered in 2011 by an ex-boyfriend weeks before she was to enroll at 51±ŹÁÏÍű with the Class of 2015.

Miller-Idriss’s remarks to more than 100 audience members inside the McBride Gathering Space of the Numen Lumen Pavilion drew from her latest book, to describe what she called a persistent blind spot in how the United States defines and fights domestic threats.

For years, she said, national security institutions created a “false separation” between domestic and intimate partner violence, typically handled by local law enforcement and the Justice Department, and political violence treated as a homeland security problem.

That divide obscures a foundational pattern, she said: “Misogyny is a constant.”

Miller-Idriss, a professor in the School of Public Affairs and School of Education at American University where she directs the , uses feminist philosopher Kate Manne’s definition of misogyny as the “law enforcement arm of patriarchy.” That arm pressures women, LGBTQ people and men who don’t conform to dominant ideals of masculinity to “get back in your place.”

That policing, she argued, can show up in everyday life and online culture and then be “channeled into something much more violent.”

Miller-Idriss cited research showing a strong overlap between mass violence and histories of domestic abuse. She told the audience that 60 percent of mass violent attackers in the United States have a documented criminal history of domestic or intimate partner violence, noting that such violence is often underreported and that many datasets do not capture stalking, harassment or online threats.

She also described how investigators, journalists and policymakers often categorize attacks only by the immediate target — a school, a workplace, a racial or religious community — and miss gender-based motivations that can help predict escalation. In some cases, she said, perpetrators circulate inside online subcultures that glorify punishment of women and idolize previous attackers, building shared language, memes and “success strategies” around domination.

Those dynamics, she said, are amplified by algorithm-driven platforms where teens can be served misogynistic content without seeking it out. Citing work by the , she said a “sock puppet” account designed to mimic a teenage boy began encountering such material within minutes after searching for gender-coded topics like sports or fitness.

During a question-and-answer session, one audience member asked about a recent video described as showing male athletes laughing as a teammate made a sexual joke. Miller-Idriss called it an example of how easily people “don’t stand up,” noting that bystanders often tell themselves they did nothing wrong because they weren’t the person who made the joke.

But silence still sends a message, she said, especially in environments shaped by peer pressure.

Asked what can change the online ecosystem, Miller-Idriss said she supports social media regulation but doubts sweeping changes are likely in the U.S. under the current legal framework, pointing to the protections platforms receive as content hosts. In the absence of regulation, she advocated for teaching young people and caregivers how online actors profit from outrage, misinformation and gender grievance narratives.

Despite frustration with U.S. inaction, Miller-Idriss expressed cautious optimism, citing the response to her work from educators, students and men’s wellness groups seeking healthier models of masculinity.

“Young people are hungry to have these conversations,” she said.

In attendance at the lecture was Malcolm Astley, Lauren’s father, who delivered brief remarks where he thanked the program’s organizers. Astley also shared details about his daughter’s death and her ex-boyfriend’s behavior leading up to it before thanking the audience for the courage and honesty in confronting the issue of intimate partner violence.

Such violence is not isolated, he said.  As many as three girls and women are similarly killed each day in the United States. Nearly one in 10 teens experience physical abuse within intimate partner relationships.

“I hope we can gain important and effective insights this afternoon on this vital matter of building self respect in ourselves, in others, and in future generations, to provide care and dismantle false drives to gain self worth by creating power over others,” Astley said. “Thank you for taking on the challenges together and building a strong, caring community.”

51±ŹÁÏÍű the Lecture Series

The Lauren Dunne Astley Memorial Lecture is supported through a gift from the Lauren Dunne Astley Memorial Fund, started by Lauren’s parents, Malcolm Astley and Mary Dunne, to educate and inform the 51±ŹÁÏÍű community about mutually effective relationships, emphasizing preventing boys’ and men’s violence against girls and women and other boys and men.

Astley was to have been a member of the Class of 2015. In July 2011, she was murdered by her former boyfriend, who was sentenced to life in prison for his crime. Directed by Elon’s Women’s, Gender, and Sexualities Studies program in partnership with other university offices and programs, the Lauren Dunne Astley Memorial Lecture features speakers, workshops, or any educational program formats that speak to the mission of the gift.

Amy L. Allocco, professor of religious studies and director of the Multifaith Scholars program at 51±ŹÁÏÍű, has published a new article in the International Journal of Hindu Studies examining how ritual practices in Tamil-speaking South India engage with alcohol abuse and suicide and serve as a site for a gendered ethic of refusal. The article, “ appeared in a recent special issue focused on Hindu narratives and practices in the contemporary world, guest edited by Tracy Pintchman (Loyola University Chicago).

Drawing on long-term ethnographic fieldwork in Tamil Nadu, Allocco analyzes Hindu rituals that invite deceased women to return as protective family deities called pĆ«vāáč­aikkāris. Although these rituals were traditionally reserved for auspicious wives who died “good” deaths, in recent years, women who died via suicide have also featured in these rites, particularly in response to their husbands’ alcohol abuse. Through close attention to ritual dialogue and performance, the article shows how these ceremonies create space for confronting gendered suffering and social injustice, particularly the effects of male alcoholism on women’s lives. Allocco argues that these ritual encounters allow both living and deceased women to voice grievances, demand accountability, and articulate forms of ethical protest. In doing so, the rituals illuminate broader social realities in contemporary India, where suicide rates have risen sharply and debates over alcohol policy remain politically charged.

Community Conversations & Civic Engagement

Deliberative Dialogue – America’s 250: What’s Next America?

Monday, Feb. 23, 4:30 p.m., Lakeside 212

As America marks its 250th year, this dialogue invites reflection on our shared past and the opportunity for diverse voices to share space and ideas to develop a collective vision for the next 250. Sponsored by the Kernodle Center for Civic Life and Political Engagement Work Group

Better Together: Breaking Bread, Building Bridges

Feb. 24 – May 5, every other Tuesday, 12:30-1:45 p.m.

Join us at Better Together this spring for connection and conversation. This time together invites us to live fully in the present and reflect on what makes this moment meaningful. Share stories, explore diverse perspectives, and build community. .

Dr. Habiba Sarabi: Education Rights of Afghan Women

Tuesday, Feb. 24, 4:30-5:30 p.m., Alumni Gym

Join a conversation with Dr. Habiba Sarabi on the global impact of Afghanistan’s ban on women’s education and the fight for educational rights and gender equality. Dr. Sarabi, an Afghan politician, women’s rights activist, and medical doctor made history as the first woman to be appointed a provincial governor in Afghanistan, leading Bamyan Province. She previously served as Minister of Women’s Affairs and Minister of Culture and Education, where she focused on expanding education, protecting the environment and advancing the rights of women.

State of the Union Address Watch Party

Tuesday, Feb. 24, 8-10:30 p.m., Moseley 105

Join us for pizza and a live viewing of President Trump’s first State of the Union address of his second term. Come watch, discuss and stay informed. Sponsored by Elon Votes!

Love Your Body, Berry Much

Wednesday, Feb. 25, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Lakeside Entrance

Stop by for coconut-lime strawberries and a strawberry mocktail, courtesy of Elon Dining, while also learning tips for mindful eating. Swing through, grab a treat and discover ways to build healthier habits. Visit the for more information.

Cynthia Miller-Idriss – “Man Up: Understanding Misogyny to Prevent Extremism

Lauren Dunne Astley Memorial Lecture

Thursday, Feb. 26, 4:30 p.m., Numen Lumen Pavilion, McBride Gathering Space

Extremism expert Cynthia Miller-Idriss examines how misogyny – online and off – fuels the rise in far-right and mass violence, and offers strategies for interruption and prevention rooted in everyday life. The Lauren Dunne Astley Memorial Lecture honors Lauren, who was set to join Elon’s Class of 2015 before her murder by a former boyfriend in July 2011. Established in her memory, the fund educates the Elon community on healthy relationships and building a culture free from violence. Visit the Spring Cultural Calendar for more information about upcoming events this semester.

Adventure Time with Elon Outdoors!

Adventures in Leadership Summer Staff Positions Available

Applications are now open for summer Adventures in Leadership staff positions, where you’ll guide incoming first-year students through exciting outdoor experiences. Earn potential internship credit and build leadership skills. Apply today on the Elon Job Network!

Elon Challenge

The Elon Challenge is a great way to help classes, teams, organizations, corporations or cohorts grow through building authentic relationships, learning how to manage resources, developing creative thinking, and applying knowledge in new ways. Visit the Elon Challenge website to review the options, gather your group, and complete the interest form to schedule a customized, no-cost experience.

Last Chance to Become an Orientation Leader

Application Deadline is Friday, Feb. 27

The Orientation Leader application is still live. As an OL, you are an integral part of the orientation process. You will play a pivotal role in the transition of all the new students to Elon, serving as a guide and mentor to new students throughout their transition. by this Friday, Feb. 27.

All programs in the series “Abolition as Presence in Higher Education and Beyond” are free and open to the public.

Tuesday, Nov. 4

A “snack-and-learn” on mandated reporting will feature investigator and strategist Margaux Lander of at 12:30 p.m. in Lindner Hall 206. The discussion aims to understand the current models of mandated reporting with Emancipate NC, an organization that supports people as they free themselves from mass incarceration and structural discrimination. Lander will share strategies to navigate the mandated reporting system while reducing harm and supporting families.

Wednesday, Nov. 12

The series concludes with the annual Reynolds Lecture on Political Theologies of Criminalization, Political Spiritualities of Abolition at 6:30 p.m. in the McBride Gathering Space featuring a conversation with author Andrew Krinks on the religion of criminalization and the religion of abolition from his book “White Property, Black Trespass.”

Assistant Professor Maria Mejia, who is currently teaching a philosophy senior seminar on abolition, helped organize the 2025 series with Assistant Professor Archie Crowley in the Department of English and Assistant Professor Amanda Kleintop in the Department of History and Geography.

“Abolition does not just mean getting rid of harmful systems. It also means building lifegiving practices, structures, and communities that help us flourish while reducing and transforming harm,” Mejia said. “We hope this series will nourish connections between the Elon community and abolitionist organizers through which we can redefine safety and foster well-bring for all.”

The series is sponsored by the Elon Fund for Excellence, Turner Theatre, the Division of Inclusive Excellence, Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Office, the Title IX Office, and the departments of English, philosophy, and public health, as well as the Women’s and Gender Studies and American Studies programs, the Center for the Study of Religion, Culture & Society, and the Gender & LGBTQIA Center.

Previous activities in the fall series included a “snack-and-learn” led by Assistant Professor Amanda Kleintop; a session titled “Thinking Like an Abolitionist to End Sexual Violence in Higher Education” by visiting scholars Chris Linder and Nadeeka Karunaratne; and a documentary screening of “One Million Experiments” followed by a panel discussion with directors Daniel Kisslinger and Damon Williams of Respair Production & Media, along with local organizers Mona Evans of Benevolence Farms, Amanda Wallace of Operation Stop CPS, and Associate Professor Stephanie Baker.

Now, 51±ŹÁÏÍű’s Department of English, History and Music, and Women’s, Gender, & Sexualities program is inviting the community to “Celebrating Jane Austen and Virginia Woolf: An Anniversary Symposium” from Nov. 4-6 to commemorate the 250th anniversary of Austen’s birth and the 100th anniversary of Woolf’s “Mrs. Dalloway”.

Austen’s novels explore the moral, material and emotional lives of women navigating the constraints of the late 18th and early 19th centuries’ marriage market.

“In spite of her reputation as a charming romance writer, Jane Austen is not as polite, kind or innocent as sometimes advertised,” said Professor Rosemary Haskell. “Letters reveal a sharper side. In a letter to her sister Cassandra, for example, Austen writes, ‘Mrs. Hall, of Sherborne, was brought to bed yesterday of a dead child, some weeks before she expected, owing to a fright. I suppose she happened unawares to look at her husband.’”

Woolf’s “Mrs. Dalloway” follows upper-class Clarissa Dalloway through a single day in 1920s London as she plans a party that will bring together friends and former lovers, only to be overshadowed by the tragedy of a World War I veteran’s suicide.

“Virginia Woolf explored the lives of women in both fiction and nonfiction,” Haskell said. “Her 1929 essay ‘A Room of One’s Own’ argues women need both the space, the time and the money to be artists. As Woolf speculates, ‘What would have happened had Shakespeare had a wonderfully gifted sister, called Judith, let us say?’”

The symposium will feature music, student poster presentations, lectures and a film screening.

Tuesday, Nov. 4

Who Do You Play For? Music and Meaning in Jane Austen

Associate Professor of Music Douglas Jurs and his students will perform music inspired by Austen’s works.
Whitley Auditorium | 4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

Student Poster Presentation

Students in Professor Megan Isaac’s “Senior English Seminar” and Professor Janet Myers’s “British Women Novelists” courses will present research on the works of Austen and Woolf.
LaRose Student Commons Room 200 | 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.

Lightning Lectures

Three brief lectures by Professor Rosemary Haskell, Assistant Teaching Professor Craig Morehead and Professor Michael Carignan from the Department of History will explore the lives and times of Austen and Woolf.
LaRose Student Commons Room 200 | 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 5

Film Screening: “Mrs. Dalloway”

Enjoy a screening of “Mrs. Dalloway,” based on Woolf’s celebrated novel, with opening remarks by Assistant Professor Dan Burns.
McEwen Screening Room 013 | 8 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 6

Guest Lecturer on Austen

Inger Brodey, a professor of English and comparative literature at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, will lecture on, “Revisiting Jane Austen’s Happy Endings after 250 Years,” to examine the problematic endings of Austen’s novels, which are conveniently romantically happy, but also contain disturbing implications. Brodey’s book, “Jane Austen and the Price of Happiness” was published in 2024 by John Hopkins University Press.
McBride Gathering Space, Numen Lumen Pavilion | Reception at 6:30 p.m., Lecture at 7 p.m.

She presented the work of the Diocesan Commission for the Defense of Nature (CODIDENA), an organization that advocates for the restoration of the identity and spirituality of the Xinka Indigenous people of Central America while protecting nature against extractivist mega-projects. Lemus talked in detail about the case of the peaceful resistance to the Escobal mining project, and their everyday struggles against the government and the mining corporations.

During the talk, she shared the values of her community to protect the earth and how they recognize themselves as Xinka by recovering their language and their culture. She also expressed the difficult reality faced by her community in rural areas as well as the challenges faced by organizers advocating for the Xinka land rights. The talk explored how they were able to stop the development of the mining project after three years of struggle, based on the Indigenous and Tribal People Convention, an international agreement acknowledged by the International Labour Organization, in which indigenous people must be consulted in case of any project affecting their population. In this case, after consulting with the Xinka people, they decided to reject the mining project given the multiple threats to their health and the environment.

Lemus also showed her grassroots initiative with young scientists in the Xinka community to address water contamination issues provoked by mining operations. This project not only capacitates the new generations, but also advocates for an intergenerational collective growth of the whole Xinka people. As a result of this initiative, community members created a system for measuring the degree of contamination in the water, empowering communities to defend themselves in their fight for environmental justice.

Over 50people attended the event. Students from peace and conflict studies, Latin American studies, as well as from different Spanish courses, the Core Curriculum, and philosophy classes learned about the complexity of current environmental struggles in Guatemala. After the talk, students asked several questions regarding the role of the Guatemalan government in this conflict and the recognition of the Xinka identity, engaging in a very fruitful dialogue about the importance of advocating for indigenous rights and environmental justice in peaceful demonstrations. The conference was conducted in Spanish with interpretation performed by Emily Rhyne from the organization Witness for Peace.

Lemus also participated in a roundtable discussion in Spanish with other human rights activists at El Centro. The roundtable focused on Guatemalan history and cultural diversity, generating a constructive dialogue among students learning about Latin American indigenous identities. The speakers talked about the work of their organizations at the local, national and global level, emphasizing the need to construct strong networks of solidarity. Students from the Spanish program engaged in a vivid conversation during the event, learning about the intercultural richness of Central America and the political relevance of the region in relation with the U.S. government today.

This visit was co-organized by the Peace and Conflict Studies program and the Latin American Studies program, and it was sponsored by the Department of World Languages and Cultures; El Centro; the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning; International and Global Studies; Isabella Cannon Global Education Center; Women’s, Gender, and Sexualities Studies; the Department of Philosophy; and the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.

On Sept. 24-25, 2025, Chen-LĂłpez’s two-day visit invited students to reflect on their understanding of Latin American identity and migration as he shared his innovative research on the representation of Chinese communities in Latin American literature, cinema, and visual arts, which is a topic that opened new perspectives for students and community members across multiple disciplines.

Chen-LĂłpez’s keynote address, “Affective Mapping: Tracing the Chinese Diaspora in Latin American Literature, Cinema, and Visual Arts,” examined how Chinese identity and history are portrayed in creative works throughout different Latin American countries: Mexico, Costa Rica, and Argentina. His work traces how emotional responses to Chinatowns and Chinese neighborhoods have evolved over time and explores how the very concepts of “China” and “Chineseness” have shifted in response to changing geopolitical dynamics.

The visit extended far beyond a single lecture. Chen-LĂłpez engaged directly with students in various courses in the classrooms and in El Centro, including “Human Migrations”, “Medical Spanish”, “Growing Up in the Spanish Speaking World”, “In Search of Identity, Innovation and Social Protest Theater”, and COR1100. He also met with student members from the Latin American Studies program, the Spanish Club, and the Chinese Club during a community breakfast, fostering cross-cultural dialogue.

For many students, the presentations sparked revelations about migration patterns they had never considered. Anette Cruz ’28, reflected on how the experience transformed their perspective

“Previously when thinking about migration to Latin American countries it never really came to my head to think about countries like China,” said Cruz. “When I would think about migration, I would think it was mostly within Latin American regions. But after learning about the impact Chinese migration has had on countries like Mexico, Costa Rica, and Argentina, it really made me think about the significance of it. I was able to see that through symbolism shown to me in Mexican readings, Argentinian movies and Costa Rican paintings, and to me I found that very interesting because again, I feel as if I would have overlooked that if I was presented with it. Overall Chinese diaspora in Latin American countries shown through historical contexts and symbolism in art is something new that I learned today, something that has opened my eyes a little more when talking about migration to Latin American countries.”

Chen-LĂłpez’s interdisciplinary approach demonstrated how overlooked communities have shaped Latin American culture in profound ways. By examining representations of “China” and “Chineseness” in Latin American art, literature, and film, he sparked a dialogue among students and the broader 51±ŹÁÏÍű community on the importance of interdisciplinary research and looking beyond dominant narratives to discover the multiple histories of a society.

The Latin American Research Series is presented by Latin American Studies and sponsored by the Department of World Languages and Cultures; Peace and Conflict Studies; El Centro; International and Global Studies; Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning; Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; Isabella Cannon Global Education Center; the Department of Philosophy; and Global Films and Cultures.