Gabriela Alvarez ’28 built her Elon experience around connection,Ā opportunityĀ and identity. As a first-generation college student, she has embraced campus communities that strengthen her character while also discovering her passion for strategic communications.

In her junior year of high school in Westchester, New York, Alvarez signed up forĀ the Immersion experience through the Emerging Journalists Program at ĮńĮ«app¹Ł·½ĶųÕ¾Čė,Ā where she was flown to Elon for a week to gain experience in her passion for news and broadcasting. Before the program, Elon had not been on Alvarezā€™s radar.

ā€œThe program changed my view of Elon. I had a reallyĀ good timeĀ and connected with the professors and the cohort I was in.Ā So,Ā I decided toĀ come seeĀ Elon as a result,” said Alvarez, who notes communications facultyĀ Colin Donohue, Kelly Furnas and Israel Balderas were influential in her experience.

HerĀ campusĀ tour was onĀ HomecomingĀ & ReunionĀ weekend, where she spokeĀ upĀ about her interest in journalism, which resulted in the tour guide encouraging her to explore the newsroom. There, she was able to chat withĀ alumni from theĀ SchoolĀ of Communications, who shared their positive experiencesĀ fromĀ their time at Elon.

AfterĀ touringĀ theĀ communicationsĀ facilities and connectingĀ withĀ theseĀ alumni,Ā she knewĀ Elon was the place for her.

Her first year here, Alvarez was aĀ journalismĀ major, and joining Live Oak Communications Agency became a turning point in her communications career. After contributing to the agency, Alvarez realized her passions alignedĀ moreĀ with the strategic communications major.

ā€œI fell in love with agency life. I liked strategic communications better because there was more creative freedom for me. I enjoy helping businesses that are someoneā€™s lifeā€™s work, blossom even further,ā€ she said.

As a part of the Communications Fellows cohort, Alvarez was able to attendĀ a Winter Term FloridaĀ trip in her first year. She notes that thisĀ trip gave her the opportunity to explore different fields within communications, which reinforced her passion for strategic communications.

ā€œI think the FellowsĀ is an amazing program.Ā Itā€™sĀ given me some of my best friends, and it opened doors for me to connect with professors,ā€Ā said Alvarez.Ā ā€œIā€™mĀ so glad I met Professor (Vanessa) Bravo through a Communications Fellows networking event because, like me, she is Hispanic, andĀ thatā€™sĀ very importantĀ to my identity. I connected with her, and I joined the Unity in Communications club that helped me connect with other people who are interested in diversity in the communications world.”

Alvarez is also a proud first-generation college student.Ā As theĀ secretary forĀ ĮńĮ«app¹Ł·½ĶųÕ¾Čė First-Generation Society,Ā sheĀ is consistently making the most out of the opportunities offered to her.

ā€œI really love being first-generation,” she said. “Itā€™sĀ aĀ big part of my identity. I try to do as much as I can to make my parents proud and make their sacrifices worth it.ā€

In addition, she is also aĀ Bill and Sue Smith OdysseyĀ Scholar. Through attending workshops on financial literacy, discussions on how to stay motivated, and even mental health checks.

ā€œOdyssey has pushed me to be a better person and a better leader who is not afraid to ask for help or try new things.Ā Iā€™veĀ become more aware of how to succeed in the future, and I feel prepared for post-graduate,” she said.

Through the many communities and cohorts Alvarez is committed to, she has found belonging and purpose on ĮńĮ«app¹Ł·½ĶųÕ¾Čė campus.

ā€œI think being a part of these communities, like Odyssey, First Phoenix and Unity in Communications, is a way for me to stay true to myself,ā€ sheĀ explained. ā€œI grew up in aĀ Hispanic-centered community, so coming to aĀ predominantly whiteĀ institution was a bit intimidating, but joining these communities helped me connect to others who have similar backgrounds and qualities as me.Ā Itā€™sĀ important to stay true to the characteristics that are important to you and what makes you, you.ā€

Her scholarships have beenĀ a ā€œweight off her shouldersā€ throughout her experience at Elon, allowing her the opportunity to see her dreams realized.

ā€œBeing able to tell my family theyĀ donā€™tĀ have to worry so much about me and thatĀ Iā€™veĀ worked hard in school and will continue to work hard isĀ very rewarding.Ā Iā€™mĀ very proudĀ of myself.Ā Iā€™mĀ proud to make my parents happy,ā€Ā she said.Ā ā€œIā€™m willing to fight for dreams and fight for what Iā€™m passionate about, and my scholarships have made that possible for me.ā€

Mitchener’s connection to Elon began through an unexpected source: her mother’s nursing practice. Her mother was treating a patient who was attending Elon, which gave Mitchener access to explore the campus.

She recalls the day she visited for the first time: ā€œWhile my mom was seeing her patient, she left me downtown. I went to Oak House and walked around the campus. And after the tour, I fell in love with Elon. I knew that this was my campus, and this was my home,” she said.

After this newfound love, Mitchener explored ways to begin her Elon journey through financial aid programs. She discovered and applied to both the Odyssey Program and Public Health Scholars.

She remembers the night her academic potential was recognized; it was the night of her final senior year dance concert. As the show wrapped up, she received a call from ĮńĮ«app¹Ł·½ĶųÕ¾Čė Odyssey Program delivering good news of her acceptance into the program through theĀ Kerrii Brown Anderson Odyssey Scholarship.

Now a senior double major in public health and policy studies, Mitchener is actively involved in creating solutions for the communityā€™s public health problems.

ā€œGrowing up, I always thought the way to help others was just being a doctor,ā€ she said. ā€œI really love how public health is grounded in not only finding the root issue, but understanding the community that you’re working with.”

While Mitchener was in a public health course that was required for the Public Health Scholars Program, she recalls her professor, Associate Professor of Public Health Studies Stephanie Baker, stating: ā€œIf you’re going to be a healthcare professional and be upset at the systems that don’t allow you to help your patients to the full extent that you want to, being a healthcare professional might not be for you.ā€

ā€œThat stuck with me, because I think of insurance and how much medicines can cost, making it very difficult for people to access healthcare. I want to be a piece of the healthcare solution,” said Mitchener.

Now, Mitchener and her course group are currently working to revise the Public Art & Honorary Policy for the city of Burlington. This includes making an application form for any community member who wants to donate a piece of art or get a memorial plaque. Additionally, she created a resource for community members to connect with local and statewide art collectives.

ā€œWe share all of our deliverables with the city in hopes that they will implement the policy. They can make any edits they see fit, and it was a collaborative process where we were constantly in contact with the city,” said Mitchener.

Also involved with Periclean Scholars, Mitchener was able to mentor the sophomore class and go to their global partner in Sri Lanka.

ā€œThe Periclean cohort has honestly just been such a light in my Elon experience and not only given me community but also purpose,” she said.

Her initiative for change doesnā€™t stop there; Micthener is also a HealthEU Senator with Elon Student Government Association.

ā€œA big piece of Student Government is writing legislation and advocating for the student body and what they need,ā€ she said.

Through the SGA, she has already taken noticeable action to improve the Elon community through HealthEU policy. She identified a lack of seating accessibility at the bus stop near the Dalton L. McMichael Sr. Science Center. Now, there is now a covered seating area that sits beautifully outside the McMichael Science Center.

Mitchener also took the initiative to further amplify student voices at a dinner with Elon President Connie Ledoux Book. Through her connection to the community and the students in it, she identified a common problem among ĮńĮ«app¹Ł·½ĶųÕ¾Čė students having access to transportation to the airport during breaks. After she represented and stood up for community needs, changes were made. Students now have wider access to airport transportation through Elon-provided shuttles.

ā€œIt taught me how important having connections is,” she said. “If I didn’t have a connection with those students, if I didn’t take my time to ask and understand their needs and why they have them, the problem wouldn’t have been addressed or been on the radar.ā€

Remembering the help she received along the way, Mitchener states her Odyssey scholarship acted as a ā€œlaunching padā€ for her success in her public health and policy studies.

ā€œThe Odyssey Program doesn’t just keep you stagnant,” she said. “It empowers you to branch out and pursue whatever you want on campus. It’s allowed me to fully embrace the college experience.ā€

Mitchener describes a recent ā€œmelt your heart momentā€ she experienced with another student. While leading a tour of Elon to prospective students, one girl spoke up and said, ā€œI love this school. I want to go here so badly. But I don’t know if I can afford it.ā€ It was then that she offered to share the Odyssey and scholarship resources with the prospective student to help her achieve her dream Elon experience. Just a year later, the prospective student had committed to Elon on an Odyssey scholarship and is now Mitchener’s mentee.

ā€œDonors get to empower a student,” said Mitchener. “I don’t think about it like you just give a student money and walk away. Instead, you’re empowering them and giving them the tools to pursue whatever it is that they want.ā€

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• Abby Lee ā€™25 combines knowledge in public health and political science as an Elon Year of Service Fellow
• Jasmine Walker ā€™25 gives back to the community that shaped her through Year of Service Fellows Program

As an ĮńĮ«app¹Ł·½ĶųÕ¾Čė Year of Service Fellow, Jasmine Walker ā€™25 was excited to have the opportunity to give back to the community that helped her grow, currently partnering with , an organization focused on education from ā€œcradle to career.ā€

ā€œWhen I found out it was through ABSS (Alamance Burlington School System), which Iā€™m a product of, I wanted to help the school system since they helped me become who I am,ā€ said Walker, who earned a degree in human service studies with a minor in poverty and social justice.

°Õ³ó±šĢżYear of Service Fellows ProgramĀ is an opportunity through the universityā€™s Student Professional Development Center that allows recent graduates to work at local organizations to improve health, education and economic development in the Alamance County community.

Going macro

A native of Elon, Walker was a scholar in the Elon Academy in high school, and a scholar in the Odyssey Program. Now, sheā€™s a Year of Service Fellow, an opportunity that allows recent graduates to work at local organizations to improve health, education and economic development in the Alamance County community.

ā€œI wanted to do macro-work,ā€ she said of her choice to do the fellows program. ā€œI was doing a lot of micro work in my undergrad, and I wanted to try something different. I really appreciate the experience because Iā€™ve never done anything like this before, and itā€™s building my knowledge.ā€

Walker started with Alamance Achieves in June 2025 and says she was immediately thrown in,ā€ working on ā€œReady Freddy,ā€ a three-week program preparing students for kindergarten.

ā€œI have a lot of experience working with kids, and thatā€™s something Iā€™m passionate about,ā€ said Walker.

She also assists with the Teachers Leadership Academy, a program for ABSS teachers focusing on leadership skills and opportunities, and ā€œThe Basics Alamance,ā€ a community-wide initiative that uses evidence-based principles and a text-message platform to support caregivers in promoting healthy brain development from birth to age 5.

ā€œThereā€™s a misconception that people donā€™t need to work with kids until theyā€™re in kindergarten, and thatā€™s when theyā€™ll start learning. But itā€™s very prevalent for children to start learning from the ages of 0 to 5, before they go to kindergarten,ā€ said Walker.

A desire to help

Her desire to help others was a key factor in her decision to major in human services studies.

“I wanted to help people, and Iā€™ve always been passionate about supporting others,ā€ said Walker. “I grew up volunteering and doing different things with my church. When I was a freshman, I met a senior in the program, and I took the intro course and really liked it. I liked how personable the department was.ā€

Walker credits several faculty members with being her biggest cheerleaders, including Sandra Reid, Vanessa Drew Branch and Jessica Navarro. The Odyssey Program, along with ĮńĮ«app¹Ł·½ĶųÕ¾Čė Periclean Scholars Program also advanced her education and global understanding.

ā€œThe Odyssey Program really changed my life,ā€ said Walker. ā€œI was able to study abroad in Florence, Italy, my junior year and I was there for three and a half months. That was cool, I never thought I was going to be able to leave the country because of finances.ā€

Healthier, smarter, stronger

Through the Periclean Scholars Program, a three-year, cohort-based learning experience that focuses on forming mutually-beneficial partnerships locally and abroad, Walker was also able to travel to Costa Rica for the Winter Term. It was an opportunity to practice the Spanish-speaking skills she learned through the ABSS Spanish-immersion program from kindergarten through 11^th grade.

ā€œWe studied Costa Rica as a whole and looked at what the specific community that we were going to travel to needed,ā€ she said. ā€œIt was interesting, and I think it helped me because now Iā€™m thinking, after the fellowship, either continuing to work in Alamance County, or pursuing a masterā€™s degree in social work.ā€

Even though sheā€™s from Alamance County and was educated in ABSS, Walker says sheā€™s continuing to learn about her hometown.

ā€œItā€™s cool to be able to meet different leaders and partners in the community, and hear what they do,ā€ Walker said. ā€œI don’t think I realized how many organizations and partnerships there are to make Alamance County continue to thrive. I can see the efforts being made to support Impact Alamanceā€™s mission of making Alamance County healthier, smarter and stronger. Growing up and seeing the difference between what it was when I was a kid and what it is now in my 20s, it gives me hope.ā€

This story is part of a series of features on the 2025-26 Year of Service Fellows, highlighting the work they are doing in the Alamance County community.

had never slept on a boat before. By the time she woke up in the middle of the Pacific Ocean ā€“Ā six hours off the coast of Costa Rica ā€“Ā she had already spent the night battling seasickness, clutching her camera, and worrying whether sheā€™d get the images she hoped for. Five minutes after stepping onto the deck at sunrise, a hammerhead shark surfaced beside the boat, confirming months of preparation and giving Molina firsthand access to an endangered species few reporters document alive.

The encounter came during Molinaā€™s three-week reporting trip last summer to Costa Rica as a 2025 Pulitzer Center Reporting Fellow, where the journalism and media analytics double major investigated illegal hammerhead shark fishing and the legal loopholes allowing the endangered species to be caught and sold. For Molina, whose parents immigrated from Costa Rica, the fellowship offered a rare opportunity to report in her familyā€™s home country ā€“Ā placing her not only in government offices and fishing towns, but also aboard a research vessel in international waters alongside marine biologists tagging hammerhead sharks.

ā€œI was really worried about visuals,ā€ Molina said of her investigation. ā€œI was like, ā€˜How am I going to get a visual of a hammerhead shark? Theyā€™re all the way out in the ocean.ā€™ā€

That anxiety followed her offshore. Molina was the only journalist on board, far from land, without cell service and with no easy way out if something went wrong. The physical toll hit quickly.

ā€œI was severely seasick the first night,ā€ Molina said. ā€œLike, Iā€™ve never been that pale in my life.ā€

Despite the discomfort, Molina never questioned why she was there, staying alert with her camera at the ready.

Those hours at sea were just one chapter in a much longer reporting journey ā€“Ā one that began with a phone call to family. The project took shape after a conversation with Molinaā€™s aunt, Sophia Gamboa, who lives in Costa Rica and raised concerns about illegal hammerhead shark fishing that she felt was largely overlooked.

Nearly two years after that conversation, Molina’s reporting culminated in a Pulitzer Centerā€“published investigation titled ā€œā€ an in-depth examination of how enforcement gaps continue to threaten the endangered species. Molina said her connection to the country shaped both the focus and the urgency of the work.

ā€œBeing Costa Rican is a central part of my identity,ā€ Molina said. ā€œIā€™ve returned regularly since I was very young to visit family, and I now hold dual citizenship.ā€

Throughout her three-week trip, Molina relied heavily on her aunt, who served as a translator during interviews with fishermen and local officials, and helped coordinate travel between coastal communities. That support allowed Molina to focus on reporting while gaining access she would not have been able to secure alone.

Molinaā€™s reporting took her from government offices in San JosĆ© to small fishing towns along the Pacific coast, before culminating far offshore with a team led by marine biologist Randall Arauz. ā€œI was on my own reporting for about a week,ā€ Molina said. ā€œAnd then I was invited by Randall, whom I interviewed back in December (2024), to come out on the boat with him.ā€

The plan was to tag thresher sharks. Hammerheads were never guaranteed. When a hammerhead finally appeared one morning, the tagging process unfolded quickly.

ā€œThey make an incision right near the fin,ā€ Molina explained. ā€œThey put in the tag ā€¦ and then it goes with the shark, and it will eventually come off and send all that data back.ā€

As the scientists worked, Molina remained on deck with the fishermen, documenting the moment. ā€œThey were like, ā€˜You have to come here. This is a good angle for a photo,ā€™ā€ she said of the crew. ā€œThey were really nice people.ā€

By the end of the trip, the team had tagged three hammerhead sharks.

For Molina, seeing the sharks alive and released underscored the stakes of her reporting. Hammerhead sharks are elusive and endangered, and encounters outside of fishing contexts are rare. The experience offshore made tangible what had previously existed only in interviews, documents and preparation.

ā€œIā€™ve gone through a lot for this story,ā€ Molina said.

The experience also reshaped how Molina understood the investigation itself. What began as a project focused largely on enforcement failures evolved into something more complex once she began interviewing government officials, scientists and fishing advocates.

ā€œI truly donā€™t think that theyā€™re bad people and donā€™t care about hammerhead sharks,ā€ Molina said of the regulators she interviewed. ā€œI think itā€™s more like there are three people monitoring over 2,000 boats.ā€

That realization shifted the reporting away from individual blame and toward systemic limitations, including understaffing, resource constraints and the challenges of monitoring Costa Ricaā€™s extensive coastline. For Molina, that nuance became central to the final piece.

In the final days of the trip, Molina shifted from reporting to writing. ā€œI actually wrote the entire article before I even left Costa Rica,ā€ she said. She worked from her grandmotherā€™s house ā€“ a familiar place she had visited since childhood ā€“ drafting the investigation at the coffee table. After the intensity of the fieldwork, Molina finished her story as rain fell outside, dampening the orchids lining her grandmother’s backyard.

ĮńĮ«app¹Ł·½ĶųÕ¾Čė Pulitzer Centerā€™s Campus Consortium

ĮńĮ«app¹Ł·½ĶųÕ¾Čė is a partner in the Pulitzer Centerā€™s Campus Consortium, a network of colleges and universities that support the centerā€™s mission to promote journalism on critical global issues. Along with travel funding, the fellowship provides mentorship, journalism resources, and the opportunity to present work at an annual fall conference in Washington, D.C. Student projects are published in major media outlets nationally and internationally, as well as on the .

In fact, Molinaā€™s main report was published by Latina Republic, a U.S.-based nonprofit media and research organization focused on bridging understanding between the U.S. and Latin America.

Related links

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Biggers has been enrolled in a business and legal studies pathway since high school. His consistent hard work throughout his early studies and his passion for change within the business world led him to strive for a rigorous graduation plan.

As a scholar in the Odyssey Program, through the Leon and Lorraine Watson scholarship, and actively pursuing his dual degree, Biggers has the opportunity to achieve his career dreams early.

ā€œI feel like I can do anything,” he said. “Itā€™s amazing because people from Gastonia donā€™t normally get exposed to the opportunities I’ve had here at Elon.”

Biggers has been interested in the intersection of business and legal studies since his high school accounting class, where he learned about the effect of the 2008 market crash and the Enron and WorldCom scandals that shaped corporate accountability.

ā€œStudying those cases made me realize I wanted to be part of the solution,” Biggers said.

He recognizes the unethical practices of some corporations, expressing his sincerity for the real people affected and hurt by these practices.

ā€œIn accounting, they say we ensure the publicā€™s trust,” he said. “I want to make sure that businesses are held accountable and that they are not just seeking to gain profit but also doing good for the world.ā€

This belief system heavily impacted his career aspirations. ā€œI would love to be an attorney who protects consumers from corrupt behavior by businesses. I want to ensure that businesses act ethically and donā€™t harm consumers in small communities,ā€ Biggers adds.

Recognizing his hard work in high school, he was drawn to Elon to continue his rigorous studies in the Odyssey Program and the 3+1 program. After setting foot on Elon’s campus, he knew this was the place for him.

ā€œI fell in love with the campus when I visited for the first time. It was the first college campus that felt doable and I could see myself here, living and going to class, joining clubs and pursuing the opportunities they have here,ā€ explained Biggers.

However, there was a financial barrier he would have to overcome to study here. After he received his dual degree program offer, which solidified his desire to study at Elon, he recalls that ā€œthe Odyssey Scholarship was the icing on the cake because it eliminated the financial barrier.ā€

His first year marked the beginning of his journey to explore opportunities outside of his comfort zone.

Starting with joining the Student Government Association, Biggers experienced firsthand how supportive ĮńĮ«app¹Ł·½ĶųÕ¾Čė faculty and staff were in pushing him towards his goals in SGA and his aspirations beyond the organization. He expresses, ā€œSince that initial push, Iā€™ve continued to go even further, from running for SGA, doing undergraduate research or studying abroad. The faculty pushing me has been my fondest memory at Elon.ā€

His career aspirations are materializing due to his hard work and the extra push from ĮńĮ«app¹Ł·½ĶųÕ¾Čė staff and the Odyssey program. He expresses that Odyssey taught him that he has the potential to achieve great things in his life and that he has to push to reach his goals, study abroad being one example he mentions.

This past August, Biggers studied abroad in London, England, at the London School of Economics and Political Science, taking a course in competition law and policy. He notes that, at first, he was fearful of traveling so far to an unknown place, but ĮńĮ«app¹Ł·½ĶųÕ¾Čė faculty constantly pushed him to reach for and accomplish things heā€™d never done before.

ā€œI was honestly afraid to go because no one in my family had ever traveled outside of the country. But faculty at Elon pushed and inspired me to do something that I’d never done before,ā€ said Biggers.

Martha Lopez Lavias and Kenneth Brown Jr., two staff members in the Center for Access and Success, were instrumental in encouraging him to take advantage of the ā€œonce-in-a-lifetime experienceā€.

ā€œIā€™m glad they pushed me because had I not gone, I would still have the fear of traveling abroad, and now I canā€™t wait to go back,” he said.” Once you go somewhere like that, you can go anywhere.ā€

Now, he is going to do just that. In January, he will be traveling to Portugal to study
environmental social governance reporting, which supports his academic and career aspirations.

Biggers extends his gratitude for his ā€œfamily on campus,ā€ which he fondly calls the people heā€™s met through the Odyssey program.

ā€œNow that Iā€™ve had these experiences, I get to share with other students in the Odyssey program who are also looking to join. Itā€™s like weā€™re all in this together, and my success is your success,” he said.

ā€œGrowing up, I was always making things for people, whether it was for profit or just out of love,ā€ Lee said.

With her passion for creating art and her business-minded approach to expressing intellectual creativity, ĮńĮ«app¹Ł·½ĶųÕ¾Čė entrepreneurship program encourages Lee to pursue both passions while supporting her to make her dreams a reality.

Lee is originally from Waldorf, Maryland, where a friend of her motherā€™s recommended she consider ĮńĮ«app¹Ł·½ĶųÕ¾Čė for soccer. From there, she booked a campus tour, where she immediately fell in love with the campus, the town and the people who lived there. On her campus tour, Lee was introduced to the scholars in the Odyssey Program as well as Honors Fellows. She would later apply to and earn a place in both programs.

ā€œOnce I heard everything the Odyssey Program had to offer, it made me want to be a part of Elon even more.ā€ She notes the strong connection with her future Odyssey mentor, ā€œsealed the dealā€ on her desire to come to Elon.

At Elon, Lee is now pouring her artistic and driven energy into the campus she loves so much. On top of being an Honors Fellow and a scholar in the Odyssey Program, through the Leo M. Lambert Odyssey Program Scholarship, she is a member of Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Honors Society and a member of the President’s Student Leaders Advisory Council. She is the president of her sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and a member of ĮńĮ«app¹Ł·½ĶųÕ¾Čė Track and Field team. In her free time, she enjoys expressing her artistry, turning to drawing and painting as well as listening to music and journaling.

ā€œBoth scholarship programs have awarded me with experiences that helped cultivate me in ways that the classroom canā€™t,” she said.

Through her hard work and numerous opportunities for involvement, Lee was able to continue her studies while still expressing her passion for creativity sheā€™s had since she was a child. Being a scholar in the Odyssey Program allowed her to make the most of the opportunity to study in Florence, Italy, where she has been able to express herself through painting, a dream since she was little.

ā€œI couldnā€™t believe I was there without having the financial burden,” she said. “It was an amazing opportunity for me to continue my passion for art. I made it a mission to tap into that side of myself while I was abroad.ā€

As a result of her experiences abroad, she now works as a part of the Isabella Cannon Global Education Center as a student coordinator and ambassador.

This extracurricular growth continues with her recent research on the enhancement of black Entrepreneurs within Alamance County, and making sure theyā€™re receiving the proper recognition and support they deserve.

ā€œMy research has definitely helped me prepare myself for what I see in the future with my career, as I love helping people,” Lee said.

These extracurricular experiences have led Lee to be a well-rounded student and future employee. As a result of her hard work in optimizing her opportunities at Elon, she was able to develop and maintain a promising relationship with Ernst & Young, one of the four largest and most influential professional services networks globally. She earned two summer internships with Ernst & Young and eventually secured a full-time offer as a Technology Risk Consultant under the Assurance Practice.

During her time with Ernst & Young, Elon alumni Lisa Kelly and Regan Glembocki became her unofficial mentors. This overwhelming amount of success and prosperity Lee worked for at Elon makes her feel unstoppable.

ā€œI feel like I can literally do anything,” said Lee. ā€œI stepped onto this campus, accomplishing my dreams that I genuinely didnā€™t think would happen until years and years later. It makes me emotional.ā€

Lee has been able to see the Odyssey scholarship affect her family in a full-circle way. As she is preparing to graduate at the end of this year, she is hopeful to leave a legacy with her younger brother, who is now enrolled as a freshman.

ā€œAs the years have gone on, Iā€™ve grown in more appreciation of the scholarship and especially seeing the benefits it has on my little brother, even though he just got here, itā€™s been amazing to see.ā€

Her little brother, Carlos Lee Jr., is now enrolled at Elon with the same Odyssey scholarship she is so grateful for.

ā€œWhen I experienced it, I couldnā€™t help but think, I want this for him when he gets to college, and the fact that he has it is more than what I could ever ask for,” Lee said.

Due to this full circle of opportunity for her family, Lee has made it a goal to one day donate in the same way to help another underfunded student achieve their academic and personal goals.

ā€œIā€™ve been set up for so much success that it pours into generational success within my family,” said Lee. “I canā€™t wait to give somebody else an Odyssey Scholarship in the future. Thatā€™s how much this program has impacted me.ā€

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ā€œIā€™ve made my own family here at Elon.ā€

As president of ĮńĮ«app¹Ł·½ĶųÕ¾Čėā€™s Latinx Hispanic Union (LHU), Edward Hernandez ā€™27 can easily describe the purpose heā€™s discovered in fostering community across campus and in the surrounding communities where he was raised.

ā€œWhether itā€™s my LHU family, my El Centro team, or my Odyssey cohort, those connections feel like home,ā€ said the double major in marketing and business analytics from Burlington, N.C. Theyā€™re also the foundation of a legacy he hopes to leave for future Hispanic and Latinx students.

Roots of Legacy

Hernandezā€™s legacy begins with the blending of two identities. As the son of a Mexican mother and Salvadoran father, he grew up surrounded by traditions that emphasized the value of family and community.

His most cherished memories are Christmas Eve gatherings with more than 60 relatives, opening presents at midnight and celebrating until morning.

ā€œEvery year, weā€™d drive down to Florida to see my grandparents. Christmas Eve was always the biggest gathering,ā€ Hernandez said. ā€œThose are some of my favorite memories, just being surrounded by family and celebrating together.ā€

These traditions shaped Hernandezā€™s understanding of belonging, a value he now carries with him through his college experience.

Cultivating Community at Elon

Hernandez was first introduced to Elon through the ā€œIt Takes a Villageā€ Project, but it was Elon Academy, the universityā€™s college access and success program for academically promising high school students from families with little or no history of college, that truly showed him college was within reach.

ā€œElon Academy was the biggest help for me,ā€ he said, ā€œIt showed me what college could be and [that it] was attainable.ā€

After choosing to attend Elon, the recipient of the Douglas and Edna Truitt Noiles ā€™44 Scholarship in the Odyssey Program found spaces like El Centro and LHU to celebrate his heritage. He progressed from visitor to student coordinator at El Centro, helping to host programs such as Perspectivas, where the Hispanic and Latinx community shared their experiences.

ā€œLast year, my department hosted a panel on machismo,ā€ he said. ā€œIt was powerful to hear how different people grew up with those cultural norms and how our generation is pushing to move away from them.ā€

His involvement with LHU grew just as quickly. By the spring of his first year, he was on the executive board, later serving as treasurer, vice president, and now president.

Inspiring the next generation

Mentorship has become one of the most meaningful ways Hernandez carries his values forward. Hernandez is both a College Access Success Team (CAT) mentor and summer mentor with Elon Academy, where he offers the same encouragement he once received as a scholar.

ā€œThe mentors I had there made such a difference in my life, and thatā€™s why I now give back as a CAT mentor and summer mentor because the program gave me so much,ā€ he said.

He also volunteers weekly with the Dream Center in Burlington, supporting primarily Hispanic and Latinx students through its SPIN program, which provides academic assistance, mentorship and community engagement.

ā€œWe act as mentors, but also as older siblings, playing games and helping out,ā€ Hernandez said.

Together, these experiences reflect the core of his impact: inspiring younger students to lead, give back and see themselves as part of a thriving community.

Shaping the future

Hernandez sees his legacy not in recognition but in impact, a truth underscored when students he mentored through Elon Academy enrolled at Elon.

ā€œIt was really a full circle moment. The scholars that I mentored during the summer going into my sophomore year are now here at Elon,ā€ he said. ā€œSeeing them join and even ask me about LHU or El Centro shows me that my work is making a difference.ā€

Looking ahead, Hernandez hopes to carry his values of family and community into a career in marketing and business analytics, advocating for more inclusive practices and challenging stereotypes.

ā€œA lot of the time, marketing uses very harsh stereotypes of people,ā€ Hernandez said. ā€œI think there can definitely be changes. Whenever people market or design campaigns, the voices of different cultures need to be in the room so communities arenā€™t stereotyped.ā€

More than a story

In the end, Hernandezā€™s vision of legacy is simple: giving back, community and family ā€” both the one he was born into and the one he created at Elon. His story also reflects this yearā€™s Hispanic Heritage Month theme, ā€œMĆ”s Que Una Historia: Living Our Legacy,ā€ as he honors the traditions that shaped him while inspiring future generations.

ā€œIt really feels good to see that I am making a difference,ā€ he said. ā€œMy hope is that the students Iā€™ve helped will do even more than I did at Elon and continue to make a difference here.ā€

Elon honors Hispanic Heritage Month

As part of Hispanic Heritage Month, ĮńĮ«app¹Ł·½ĶųÕ¾Čė is sharing stories that celebrate the contributions, identities and experiences of students, faculty and staff. This month recognizes the rich histories and cultures of Hispanic and Latinx communities, while also honoring the ways these traditions connect with and inspire people of all backgrounds. This month provides a special opportunity to honor Hispanic and Latinx heritage, but it also serves as an invitation for all members of the university to engage, learn and celebrate together.

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Like many ĮńĮ«app¹Ł·½ĶųÕ¾Čė students, Lilliana Molina ā€™27 is incredibly involved on campus. She teaches Spanish conversation classes in El Centro, works in the Gear Room in the School of Communications, reports for Elon News Network and mentors students in the Odyssey Program.

This summer, Molina added another accomplishment: she spent three weeks in Costa Rica investigating illegal hammerhead shark fishing as part of the 2025 Pulitzer Center Reporting Fellowship.

While reporting was the highlight, the experience also gave Molina the chance to reconnect with what she calls her ā€œsecond home.ā€ Growing up, she often spent summers in Costa Rica with her grandparents. Returning there to work on a story close to her heart made the fellowship especially meaningful.

ā€œI came up with my pitch during my first-year,ā€ Molina explained.

She spent six months prepping for the story, including three months before knowing she received the fellowship.

ā€œI came up with my pitch my first year,ā€ Molina said. She spent six months preparing, including three months before she officially learned she had received the fellowship.

Her assignment took her far out of her comfort zone as Molina spent three days on the ocean, which challenged her as a self-described ā€œindoorsyā€ person.

ā€œIf I can do that, I can pass this quiz. I can do anything,ā€ she remembered thinking while on the boat. The experience, she said, gave her confidence and perseverance that no classroom lesson could have matched.

Mentorship Matters

After returning from Costa Rica, Molina jumped back into campus life during Odyssey Week. As a scholar in the Odyssey Program, through the Edward W. and Joan K. Doherty Odyssey Scholarship, she served as a mentor for incoming students, helping them prepare for their first year at Elon.

ā€œI wouldnā€™t be here without it, so I want to pay it forward,ā€ she said. ā€œItā€™s my way of saying thank you and dedicating two weeks of my summer.ā€

Mentorship, Molina said, is an essential part of her Elon journey. The university fosters a relationship-rich environment where peer and faculty mentorship are equally valued.

ā€œThereā€™s no point in doing what I doā€”getting the Pulitzer fellowship, writing these articles, all of these accomplishmentsā€”if I canā€™t turn around and extend my hand to the next person, bring them up and give them advice,ā€ Molina said.

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage

When choosing Elon, one of Molinaā€™s biggest deciding factors was El Centro, the universityā€™s center for Latinx and Hispanic communities.

ā€œI go there as much as I can, and I just love being in that space,ā€ she said. While she often teaches Spanish there, El Centro also provides community and connection.

El Centro plays a key role in organizing events during Hispanic Heritage Month, showcasing diverse Hispanic identities throughout September and October. From the kickoff celebration on Medallion Plaza with music, dance and food, to the closing Gala Latina, the month highlights culture and community.

For Molina, the celebration is about more than eventsā€”itā€™s about honoring identity.

ā€œItā€™s about being proud of our identity and showcasing that identity,ā€ she said. ā€œTo have that recognition for many of our students whose parents are immigrants and have given so much for them to be hereā€”that is important.ā€

Elon honors Hispanic Heritage Month

As part of Hispanic Heritage Month, ĮńĮ«app¹Ł·½ĶųÕ¾Čė is sharing stories that celebrate the contributions, identities and experiences of students, faculty and staff. This month recognizes the rich histories and cultures of Hispanic and Latinx communities, while also honoring the ways these traditions connect with and inspire people of all backgrounds. This month provides a special opportunity to honor Hispanic and Latinx heritage, but it also serves as an invitation for all members of the university to engage, learn and celebrate together.

All new students are provided a free digital copy of the book before coming to Elon and are invited to attend the authorā€™s keynote address, but for Campoverdi’s event, part of the ĮńĮ«app¹Ł·½ĶųÕ¾Čė Speaker Series, she wanted to do something different.

ā€œI purposely am not behind a podium,ā€ said Campoverdi. ā€œIā€™m not an expert on being first gen, you all are experts as much as I am an expert on being a first and only. Youā€™re an expert on whatever thresholds youā€™re crossing. So, Iā€™m not here to lecture anyone on this experience, Iā€™m here to have a conversation with you all.ā€

And a conversation was had for more than an hour as several students asked questions of Campoverdi about her experiences as a first-generation college student, her work as an aide in the Obama administration and the process of writing her book.

Between the bullet points

The memoir details Campoverdi’s life as a ā€œchild of welfare,ā€ born to an immigrant single mother in Los Angeles, who went on to be White House aide, Harvard graduate and a candidate for U.S. Congress. In 2024, Campoverdi also founded the First Gen Fund, a non-profit that provides unrestricted hardship grants to first-generation students.

ā€œWhen I would be invited to schools and someone would read my bio, and it would be all the bullet points and it sounded so shiny and glossy and linear, and it made so much sense what I did, and then I did that, I knew that wasn’t the full story,” she said. “I knew that the spaces between those bullet points were actually the real story, and that looked very different.ā€

Omar Illesca Reyes ā€™27, a Labcorp-Alamance Scholar in the Odyssey Program and Elon Academy mentor, sat on stage with Campoverdi, alongside Selma Maric ā€˜27, who introduced Campoverdi; Kenneth Brown, assistant director of First-Generation Student Support Services; and Paula Patch, senior lecturer in English and associate director for in the Elon Core Curriculum. Illesca Reyes asked Campoverdi about feelings of ā€œimposter syndromeā€ as a first-generation student and in her later roles.

ā€œAll of us at some point are going to find ourselves in a space where people might not relate to where we come from and what weā€™ve experienced,ā€ said Campoverdi. ā€œAnd you noticing that and not feeling good about that, doesnā€™t all go into a bucket of feeling like an imposter. She added, ā€œLet yourself clock it and not make that mean something bad about you, because it doesnā€™t.ā€

Illesca Reyes reflected that getting to speak with Campoverdi was personal and emotional.

ā€œThe struggles are real for a first-generation student, and itā€™s nice that a light is being shone on them,ā€ said Illesca Reyes, who is studying engineering. ā€œI felt like I was being heard throughout the book, and I felt myself in her shoes multiple times.ā€

‘Be it all unapologetically’

In her memoir, Campoverdi reflects on the ā€œcontradictory extremesā€ of her life, from being a gang memberā€™s girlfriend to working in the White House, arguing that all of those extremes can exist together.

ā€œSome of us are complicated,ā€ Campoverdi said in response to a student question about finding belonging in multiple spaces. ā€œOwn all of these things together at the same time. I sit on stages all the time, and people ask me, ā€˜What would you say to 16-year-old Alejandra who was dating that guy? What would you tell her now from where you are?ā€™ And I said ā€˜Sheā€™s right here. Iā€™m the same me.ā€™ So stop trying to find the answer. Thereā€™s no answer. Just be it all unapologetically.ā€

Her memoir also works to ā€œshatter the one-dimensional glossy narrativeā€ about what it takes to achieve the American Dream. She notes it was harder to get from her childhood to college than from college to the White House.

ā€œIā€™ve experienced the American dream,ā€ she said, as a student asked her response to the concept. ā€œI believe education is the driver of the American dream for many of us. It isnā€™t the only way, but it is for most of us.ā€

Campoverdi spent the day at Elon, including hosting a storytelling workshop for students and faculty, in collaboration with the Center for Access and Success. Her openness for conversation resonated with students like Daniella Alonzo Lopez ā€™28, a scholar in the Odyssey Program, who received the Leon and Lorraine Watson scholarship.

ā€œSometimes along the journey, you think you’re navigating all of this by yourself, but there’s truly a community of people,ā€ said Alonzo Lopez ā€™28, a marketing and business analytics double major. ā€œIā€™m always looking for mentors and people to encourage me and inspire me to continue. So Iā€™m glad to be here and hear her. Getting to meet her was almost like an older sister.ā€

Redefine success

As Campoverdi heard from students focusing on her success as a first-generation student, she encouraged them to also think about how success can be more than just whatā€™s on paper.

ā€œYou can be the first generation to go to college or the first generation to have a professional job or break a cycle, the first generation to move across the country or the first generation to X,Y, Z,ā€ said Campoverdi. ā€œBut being the first generation to break the cycle of living in survival mode is just as important. Being the first generation to not live in fight or flight is just as important. Being the first generation to allow yourself balance and rest, that’s important, too.ā€

ā€œIā€™ve experienced the American dream. I believe education is the driver of the American dream for many of us. It isnā€™t the only way, but it is for most of us.”

Alejandra Campoverdi, award-winning author of “First Gen”

She ended the event by reminding students about how far theyā€™ve come in their lives and encouraged them to continue being vulnerable as it can serve as a ā€œconnective tissue.ā€

ā€œWhen I look out in this room, I see a lot of people who have a lot in common, and I think thatā€™s more important than ever. So keep telling your stories, keep turning towards that vulnerability. It doesnā€™t make you weak, it makes you strong and it will ultimately make you a better professional,” Campoverdi said.

The first in his family to graduate from college, Reyes Arias also made history as the first ĮńĮ«app¹Ł·½ĶųÕ¾Čė student to complete all three of the universityā€™s signature access programs: the ā€œIt Takes a Villageā€ Project, the Elon Academy and the Odyssey Program. Together, these programs, housed in ĮńĮ«app¹Ł·½ĶųÕ¾Čė Center for Access and Success, create pathways to higher education for students beginning in pre-kindergarten and continuing through college.

And this summer, Reyes Arias was able to add one more chapter to his ĮńĮ«app¹Ł·½ĶųÕ¾Čė story when he returned to the Elon Academy, this time as a graduate intern, mentoring high school students in the same program that changed his life.

ā€œI wanted a final moment with Elon,ā€ he says. ā€œComing back this summer really made it feel full circle.ā€

The experience reminded him of who he once was: a high school student overwhelmed by college decisions, craving guidance. Now, he was the one answering questions and offering advice on balance, purpose and personal growth. ā€œIt was rewarding to share the same advice that once helped me,ā€ he says. ā€œCollege is about achieving, yes, but donā€™t forget the fun. Both can coexist.ā€

A Love of Learning

Born and raised in Burlington, Reyes Arias is the oldest of four children to Jose Reyes and Victorina Arias. He benefited from teachers and mentors in the Alamance-Burlington School System who nurtured his love of learning and inspired him to dream big.

ā€œHaving teachers who believed in you and pushed you to want more was an amazing thing,ā€ he says. ā€œI always had my eye on Elon as a school that I really wanted to go to, and I credit my teachers for helping to guide me there.ā€

His path began to take shape when his mother discovered a flyer for the ā€œIt Takes a Villageā€ Project at May Memorial Library in downtown Burlington. Launched in 2008, the free, donor-supported program serves struggling readers from pre-k through middle school with the help of ĮńĮ«app¹Ł·½ĶųÕ¾Čė students, faculty and staff volunteers as well as families and school system staff. The sessions, held Wednesday nights, quickly became his favorite part of the week. Arias made sure she and her son never missed a session. Eventually, the entire family joined in.

ā€œHe was the kindest, most curious child,ā€ recalls Jean Rattigan-Rohr, vice president and professor of education emerita and former director of the Center for Access and Success, who founded the Village Project. ā€œHe just wanted to know everything and learn as much as he could.ā€

Before long, his reading skills improved, followed by higher grades and test scores. As he approached high school, Rattigan-Rohr encouraged him to apply to the Elon Academy, a multi-phase college access program for academically promising Alamance County students with significant financial need or no family history of college. The program combines three consecutive summer residential experiences on campus with year-round Saturday programs for students. Families are deeply involved, learning how to tackle the college application and financial aid process.

ā€œThe Elon Academy showed me I wanted to pursue higher education,ā€ Reyes Arias says. ā€œI never expected it to be this life-altering experience where I was around other like-minded students. It also gave me that socialization experience that I needed at the time. It forced me out of my bubble.ā€

He still remembers taking a budgeting class taught by an Elon professor as part of the Elon Academy. ā€œIt was such an incredible class,ā€ he says. ā€œWe had to go to Harris Teeter one day with $20 and figure out how to feed a family for a week, which was difficult. I still have the notebook of everything I learned in that class.ā€

All Iā€™ve ever wanted in life was to go to school, especially at Elon, and to be successful as a student. Iā€™m incredibly grateful for the opportunity I had to be
at Elon.

Rattigan-Rohr said the Village Project, together with the Elon Academy and other programs in the Center for Access and Success, demonstrates how higher education institutions can work with their surrounding communities to help create pathways of opportunity for students.

ā€œWhen students like Jose Alex see themselves as capable, and when universities open their doors to them, we see those students can accomplish more than they ever dreamed possible,ā€ she says.

A Moment of Doubt

When it came time to apply to college, Reyes Arias knew Elon was his first choice, but also knew cost would be a barrier. Through the Elon Academy, he learned about the Odyssey Program, a nationally recognized initiative offering some of ĮńĮ«app¹Ł·½ĶųÕ¾Čė largest endowed scholarships to high-achieving students with financial need.

He applied and was selected for the Leon and Lorraine Watson Scholarship, endowed by an estate gift from 1925 graduate Leon ā€œDocā€ Watson and his wife, Lorraine. He also earned a Communications Fellows scholarship and the Maity Interiano Annual Scholarship, established by the 2007 School of Communications graduate.

ā€œMy family and I were so excited because it meant I did not have to worry about my parents trying to pay for my college,ā€ he says.

While Reyes Arias started college on a strong note, the end of his first year brought personal challenges. The transition to college life and the pressure of being a first-generation student took a toll on his mental health.

ā€œI had some very low points during my time at Elon,ā€ he says. ā€œWhen my first year ended, I was not sure if this was my way of life anymore. I felt like I was losing sense of who I was, and a lot of the people around me didnā€™t understand that. I was given so many great opportunities, but I didnā€™t feel like I knew who I was anymore. I guess I had imposter syndrome.ā€

He leaned on his faculty and staff mentors for support and guidance, including his academic adviser, Vanessa Bravo, professor of strategic communications and assistant dean of the School of Communications. ā€œHeā€™s an example of a person who goes through challenging circumstances and doesnā€™t give up,ā€ Bravo says. ā€œBy graduating, heā€™s made his family proud and Elon proud.ā€

Catherine Parsons, former assistant director of the Odyssey Program, has known Reyes Arias since he joined the Elon Academy and says his growth has been remarkable. During his time at Elon, Reyes Arias took full advantage of high-
impact opportunities including undergraduate research, the Periclean Scholars civic engagement initiative and the ĮńĮ«app¹Ł·½ĶųÕ¾Čė in LA program as part of Study USA.

ā€œI donā€™t think he was thinking he would do any of those things when he came to Elon, but he kept saying yes to opportunities he had to apply for,ā€ says Parsons, now director of undergraduate programs in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business. ā€œHeā€™s more courageous and intentional than he thinks.ā€

A Milestone Moment

On Friday, May 23, Reyes Arias entered Schar Center carrying the hopes and dreams of his family. He walked out with a degree in strategic communications and a deep sense of fulfillment, not only for what he had achieved but for the journey that brought him this far. No one was more excited to witness that moment than his parents.

ā€œI never expected for someone in my family to have the chance to go to college,ā€ says his mother, Victorina Arias. ā€œIt makes all the challenges worth it for him.ā€

His father, Jose Reyes, adds, ā€œI felt proud that he was able to graduate from Elon, a place that has been involved with his academic life for a very long time. For him to make his dream a reality, be the first member of our family to finish a high level of education and make a career for himself, I couldnā€™t be prouder.ā€

Now, with a diploma in hand and a final Elon experience that taught him the work ethic needed to lead and sustain meaningful programs, Reyes Arias is writing his next chapter. While heā€™s applying for corporate communications roles in Raleigh and Charlotte, the summer internship reaffirmed his passion for nonprofit and higher education work. Wherever he lands, he says, heā€™s committed to staying grounded in purpose and open to what comes next.

ā€œLife isnā€™t always about the highs. It really is just having to experience it all and learn from it,ā€ he says. ā€œAll Iā€™ve ever wanted in life was to go to school, especially at Elon, and to be successful as a student. Iā€™m incredibly grateful for the opportunity I had to be at Elon.ā€