CENTER FOR LEADERSHIP ALUMNI

NEWSLETTER
HOMECOMING OCTOBER 16-18th
Homecoming is right around the corner, and we are looking forward to reconnecting with you! There will be lots of events and people to
see. The Center for Leadership will be hosting an Open House on Friday October 16th from 3:00-5:00pm and a tailgate before the football
game on October 17th; come by for some free food. Additionally, there is a free Homecoming concert featuring Andy Grammer on Saturday
night. Check out the Homecoming website for more information.

CENTER FOR LEADERSHP UPDATES

Summer in the CFL
While much of campus is quiet during the summer, the Center for Leadership is busy! The
Alamance Youth Leadership Academy ran from June 14-17th. Eighty-seven students from 10
local middle schools took part in the Alamance summer program. The students started their
week at the Elon Challenge Course where they worked together, solved problems and reflected
on the activities. Throughout the week, students brainstormed strengths of their schools and
generated ideas about possible changes that would improve their school environment, such as
anti-bullying programs, academic enrichment, community service, and facility enhancement.
Shortly after AYLA ended, the Adventures in Leadership began! This First-Year Summer
Experience is sponsored by Campus Recreation and the Center for Leadership and is offered
twice over two weeks. The program allows 32 students each week to get to know one another
through, white-water rafting on the New River, hiking, climbing, and camping.

AIL participants stop to take a selfie while

rafting in the New River Gorge

Tier Teams: A Small Group for the LEAD Program

The LEAD Program has over 400 active participants and we wanted to help provide students with a stronger sense of community! The
program now provides students with a small group experience. When students enroll in LEAD, they are automatically placed into a Tier
Team. Each Tier Team is led by a sophomore, junior, or senior LEAD Program participant. Teams earn points by participating in special
events or by attending workshops together. This year each Tier Team is a represented by a country from around the world.
Intersect: Diversity and Leadership Conference
The Intersect: Diversity and Leadership Conference has moved to the fall semester! In the Fall of 2014 the
conference featured keynote speaker Geena Rocero. Geena Rocero is a transgender model and advocate; she is
the founder of Gender Proud, an advocacy and aid organization that stands up for the right of transgender
people all over the world.
This fall, Intersect will be held on November 13-14th and will feature keynote speaker Clint Smith. Clint Smith
is a teacher, poet, and doctoral candidate at Harvard University. He is a 2014 National Poetry Slam champion,
an Individual World Poetry Slam finalist, and has served as a cultural ambassador for the U.S. Department of
State. He has several well-acclaimed TED Talks including The Danger of Silence, and How to Raise a Black
Son in America.
Clint Smith, the Fall
2015 Intersect
keynote speaker

The purpose of the Intersect conference is to educate the campus and community about diversity issues and
how individual leadership can make a difference through its focus on four pillars: power and privilege,
oppression, organizational development and social change. If you are interested in attending or presenting at
Intersect to contact intersect@elon.edu or go to www.elon.edu/intersect to register.

Leaders in a Global World LLC

The Leaders in a Global World Living Learning Community has grown immensely since it began in Fall of 2013. The community now
houses 48 students. Dana Carnes and Mark Dalhouse serve as advisors to the LLC. In addition to living together, these students engage in
a mentoring program, service projects, community events, dinners, discussions, common readings, and off-campus events.

Leadership Fellows Class of 2019

We welcomed a new class of 20 Leadership Fellows this fall! They have already engaged in service
at the Therapeutic Riding Center, taken a weekend retreat to the mountains of NC, and are getting
ready to hold the first Alamance Youth Leadership Academy workshop.
New Staff at the CFL
Over the past two years, two new staff members have joined the CFL and we couldnt be more
thrilled! Melody Harter joined the staff in October 2014 as the Program Assistant. She works with
our office assistants, budgets, and keeping the office up and running. Elizabeth Beavers joined
the CFL Staff in August 2015 and will be working with Organization Development while pursuing
her Masters at University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

CFL ALUMNI HIGHLIGHTS

First year Leadership Fellows

volunteering at the Therapeutic
Riding Center.

Read some updates from recent CFL alums

Elise Lake 12
After three years of working in PR/marketing agencies, I am now the marketing specialist at the Dallas Zoo
my dream job! Highlights in my role have been showing the world a live giraffe birth in real-time through
an internationally recognized project with Animal Planet, partnering with major Dallas sports teams,
organizations, and celebs and the best part, having the chance to watch our beautiful elephants roam the
11-acre Savanna habitat they share with giraffes, zebras and more whenever I like! This summer, I married
Alex Lake (13), who I met through Adventures in Leadership. In my free time I love serving with the Junior
League an international womens leadership and volunteer organization and supporting Elon through the
alumni network! I love speaking with students, so please contact me at Elise.Lake@DallasZoo.com!
Mat Goldberg 14
After graduating Elon in 2014 with a B.A. in Psychology, I received a Fulbright grant to South Korea as an
English Teaching Assistant (ETAs). During my grant year I taught conversational English at a technical high
school. But in addition to completing my teaching responsibilities, I continuously worked to connect and build
relationships with my school and community. The highlights of my year were working with the U.S. Embassy
to facilitate the Alumni Youth Leadership Program (AYLP), receiving two Fulbright Korea Alumni Fund
Grants for a community and research project, co-coordinating the Jeollanamdo Korea Bridge Initiative, and
becoming an Orientation Coordinator for the 2015 - 2016 Fulbright Korea ETAs. Overall, this year has
reminded how valuable my experience with Center for Leadership was in shaping my character and my
understanding of the world.
Cara McClain 14
Since graduation, I've moved to Boston and have been serving as an AmeriCorps member with
City Year Boston. Last year, I was serving in a fourth grade classroom and running an afterschool
program and this year, I've taken on the role of Team Leader, helping to oversee the service of 14
AmeriCorps members in a K-8 school. Some of my highlights from last year were giving students
high fives to welcome them each morning, teaching students how to cook during our afterschool
program, and putting on school wide rallies which got the students incredibly excited for school.

STAY CONNECTED TO THE CFL

Follow us on social media!

Elon University, Center for Leadership

@ElonLeadership

Center for Leadership, Elon University

ElonLeadership