From production, post-production, content creation, producing, writing, directing and performing, the panel offered a wide range of information to students of diverse majors who are in Los Angeles this summer for a unique core capstone course, experiential learning, alumni engagement and community service.

Zaman, who works at the post-production house Picture Shop, shared the excitement of being in the middle of the artistry of post-production. Among Picture Shop’s most recent projects was providing color correction work on Steven Spielberg’s current film “Disclosure Day.” She is also a first-time site supervisor, mentoring summer student Hammond Sherouse at a first-time Elon Los Angeles Picture Shop internship.

Campisano, who served as a selection committee member for the first ����app�ٷ���վ�� Los Angeles Alumni Short Film Grant Competition last fall, spoke about the wide range of professional creative opportunities that await students who return to Los Angeles after graduation. Campisano is an award-winning filmmaker who often turns to the Elon Los Angeles alumni community when staffing and casting projects.

Kestlinger is a Physical Production Manager for television and feature films at SK Global Entertainment. Seawright, an actor, model, and entertainment and brand marketing specialist, currently performs at Disneyland Resort.

����app�ٷ���վ�� Los Angeles offers an exciting, immersive spring semester and summer program experience in the heart of historic Hollywood through ����app�ٷ���վ�� and National Campus Programs. Applications are now being accepted for the spring 2027 semester.

Tickets are now on sale for the inaugural ����app�ٷ���վ�� Los Angeles Alumni Short Film Festival on Wednesday evening, July 22, at 6:30 p.m., at the historic Sony Pictures Studios lot, in Culver City, California.

The festival will feature the world premieres of short films from three Elon Los Angeles area alumna who were recipients of last fall’s ����app�ٷ���վ�� Los Angeles Alumni Short Film Grant Competition funds.

Julia Boyd ’15, Bex Evans ’16 and Mirai ‘07 each received grants of $3,000 for the production of their original short films. Their projects were selected for funding from among numerous submissions received. A selection committee comprised of industry professionals and Elon alumni reviewed, ranked and voted on all of the submissions received; Boyd, Evans and Mirai’s projects were the three top selections from this process.

The short film festival will also feature a conversation with Elon alumni Lindsey Emerson, vice president of streaming, global strategy & operations at Paramount Skydance and Alex Stevenson, account lead at Creative Artists Agency, about the current state of the entertainment industry and the impact these shifts are having on students transitioning from college to the professional world, as well as how current working professionals might navigate the new landscape for new opportunities.

A reception will follow the festival presentation with the opportunity for current Elon Los Angeles summer students to connect with Elon alumni and other industry professionals.

Limited availability tickets for the film festival are $25 each, with 100% of all ticket revenue designated to support next year’s grant competition.

For information and ticket purchases, and for contributions to the grant competition fund, please visit the .

When arrived at ����app�ٷ���վ�� as a first-year student, she envisioned a future in physical therapy.

Four years later, the graduating senior leaves Elon not only with two majors, but with published scholarship, national conference presentations, and a growing passion for research that ultimately reshaped her career ambitions.

This winter, the native of Walnut Creek, California, served as lead author on a research publication in the , collaborating with Elon faculty members Alex Traugutt, Caroline Ketcham and Eric Hall. The publication represents the latest milestone in a research journey that began during her sophomore year, when she approached Ketcham about becoming involved with Elon BrainCARE.

“At the time, I was an exercise science major planning to apply to physical therapy school, so while I was genuinely interested in concussions and brain health, I also saw research as a way to deepen my involvement at Elon and strengthen my future applications,” McAfee said.

As she became more involved with research, McAfee’s interests evolved beyond concussions and brain injuries. While reviewing existing scholarship, she became increasingly interested in the ways athletics influence student-athletes off the playing field.

“One article in particular sparked my curiosity about how sports shape athletes beyond their playing careers,” McAfee said. “This led me to explore whether competitive sports help develop career readiness and how athlete identity may influence academic performance.”

Those experiences ultimately inspired McAfee to add sport management as a second major, where she met Traugutt during her first course in the department.

“Lucy is an intellectually driven student researcher who, over nearly three years of collaboration, led data collection, identified research topics and conducted analyses that resulted in two first-author peer-reviewed publications before completing her undergraduate degree,” said Traugutt, assistant professor of sport management.

Traugutt explained that McAfee distinguished herself through both her intellectual curiosity and her ability to connect research with practical application.

“What sets Lucy apart is her ability to bridge scholarship and practice,” Traugutt said, noting that she has presented research twice at the Applied Sport Management Conference and participated in multiple SURF and SURE programs.

McAfee said that working closely with Traugutt, Ketcham and Hall helped strengthen both her confidence and critical-thinking skills.

“When I first started doing research, I felt uncertain about my future and my own abilities,” McAfee said. “Dr. Alex Traugutt, Dr. Caroline Ketcham and Dr. Eric Hall each played a key role in guiding me, giving me direction, and helping me build confidence in my research skills.”

She especially valued the collaborative nature of the work.

“I particularly enjoyed our meetings – especially the ones at The Oak House – where we would dissect the data together,” McAfee said. “Consistently learning and discussing research with such knowledgeable professors pushed me to think more critically and challenged me to contribute insights of my own.”

McAfee’s recent publication is not expected to be her last contribution to the field. In addition to a forthcoming publication in Case Studies in Sport Management examining career readiness programming for student-athletes, she and Traugutt recently submitted a third research paper examining the NCAA transfer portal and high school recruiting opportunities in college football to the Journal of Applied Sport Management.

That research grew out of McAfee’s desire to better understand the rapidly changing dynamics of college athletics.

“My interest in the transfer portal stemmed from conversations during my time at the ACC, where its impact on various stakeholders was frequently discussed,” said McAfee, who completed an internship with the Power 4 conference last summer. “However, I noticed there was limited research regarding its effects on high school athletes. I saw that as an opportunity to contribute meaningful new knowledge to the field of sport management.”

Traugutt said McAfee’s work stands out for both its academic rigor and its broader relevance within athletics and higher education.

“Her work examining athletic identity, career readiness and student-athlete development is not only carefully designed and executed, but deeply meaningful, directly addressing questions that matter to practitioners and institutions alike,” Traugutt said.

McAfee also served as an executive intern with Elon Athletics, an experience Traugutt said complemented the practical focus of her research.

After graduation, McAfee will pursue a master’s degree in higher education at Boston College, where she will hold two graduate assistantships – one as a student-athlete academic adviser within Boston College Athletics and another with Tufts Medical School’s graduate student services department.

Traugutt said those opportunities speak to both McAfee’s academic growth and the practical focus she brought to her research throughout her time at Elon.

“These achievements reflect a student who takes her work seriously and understands its real-world implications,” Traugutt said. “I have no doubt she will carry that same curiosity, independence and commitment into her graduate studies at Boston College and beyond.”

As Commencement approaches, McAfee said her undergraduate research experiences transformed her Elon journey in ways she never anticipated.

“When I received my acorn at convocation, I never imagined I would be doing research at this level,” McAfee said. “Now, as I prepare to receive my sapling at Baccalaureate, I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunities and support that made that possible.”

On Dec. 6, 2025, day started not in Elon, but Charlotte.

By 8 a.m., the ����app�ٷ���վ�� senior was already at the Spectrum Center, one of the Queen City’s marquee entertainment venues, helping with operations for a neutral-site college basketball matchup between Dayton and Virginia. Hours later, she was darting through the tunnels of Bank of America Stadium as part of the Atlantic Coast Conference Football Championship Game staff, helping coordinate pregame activities, managing an on-field photo experience for youth teams, and assisting with postgame celebrations after Duke’s dramatic victory over Virginia.

In between, there were meetings, setup responsibilities, logistics and constant communication. The football championship game eventually stretched beyond regulation, adding even more chaos to an already packed day.

For Selikoff, though, the day never felt overwhelming.

“It doesn’t really feel like work because I love what I’m doing,” she said. “It’s rewarding because you ultimately get to see the experience that it brings at the end of the day.”

That whirlwind Saturday last fall captured much of Selikoff’s Elon experience – ambitious, hands-on and deeply connected to the sport industry she hopes to build a career in after graduation.

A double major in cinema and television arts and sport management, Selikoff arrived at Elon from northern New Jersey already knowing she wanted a university where relationships with professors and classmates grew naturally. After visiting campus during her senior year of high school, the decision came quickly.

“The second we drove through campus, I told my parents, ‘I’m done,’” she said. “I knew this was where I wanted to be.”

Once at Elon, she wasted little time getting involved.

Selikoff joined Elon Sports Vision during her first semester and directed her first broadcast before fall break. She also became involved with the Sport Management Society, an organization that shaped much of her college experience, and Women Influencers in Sports. After serving in various leadership roles, she now leads the society as president, helping connect students with industry professionals through networking events, facility tours and guest speakers.

“What stands out most about Abby is her ability to pair intellectual curiosity with real-world execution,” said Shaina Dabbs, associate professor and chair in the Department of Sport Management. “She is someone who doesn’t just show up, she fully invests in every opportunity in front of her. Simply put, she says ‘yes.’ Whether in the classroom, in research, or in the industry, Abby consistently demonstrates a strong work ethic, attention to detail, and a genuine desire to learn.”

Selikoff’s willingness to embrace opportunity eventually led her to participate in The Sport Experience in Charlotte during fall 2024, where she balanced 18 credit hours with internships at both NASCAR and the ACC.

At NASCAR, she worked with digital products, supporting the organization’s website, app, fantasy platform and fan rewards program. Simultaneously, she served as a Football Game Day Operations Center intern with the ACC, monitoring games and helping ensure smooth coordination between on-site officials and conference staff in Charlotte.

By the end of the semester, Selikoff had completed more than 500 internship hours.

The experience – and her work ethic – opened the door to additional opportunities with the ACC. Over the next two years, Selikoff worked more than 25 football games while also supporting conference championships and events in basketball, gymnastics, baseball and tennis.

One of her favorite experiences came when the ACC sent her on-site to shadow replay officials during football games at North Carolina and N.C. State, attending pre- and post-game meetings in the process.

“Being part of those big-game environments was incredible,” Selikoff said. “I got to see firsthand the communication between the game officials and Charlotte, and then bring what I learned back into the office.”

Dabbs said Selikoff fully embraced ����app�ٷ���վ�� experiential learning model.

“Abby is a great example of a student who maximized the Elon experience by intentionally connecting academics with industry opportunities,” Dabbs said. “What is particularly impressive is how she did not treat these as isolated experiences – she built a cohesive skillset across operations, media and fan engagement.”

Alongside her internships and leadership roles, Selikoff also immersed herself in undergraduate research under the mentorship of Young Do Kim, associate professor of sport management, and Tony Weaver, associate dean in the School of Communications.

Since fall 2023, she has investigated how professional sports organizations market sustainability initiatives and how those efforts shape consumer perceptions, gaining valuable insights into sustainability, marketing and environmental communications. The research led her to complete IRB approval and CITI certification, present at ����app�ٷ���վ�� Summer Undergraduate Research Experience and Spring Undergraduate Research Forum, and share her findings at the Sport Marketing Association Conference in Arizona. Additionally, she is currently working on a manuscript based on her results.

“I never thought I would be doing undergraduate research,” Selikoff admitted. “But I’ve loved it throughout the entire process.”

Beyond academics and internships, Selikoff credits ����app�ٷ���վ�� faculty mentors with helping her grow personally and professionally.

She points to Kim, Dabbs, Weaver and Staci Saltz, chair of the Department of Cinema and Television Arts, as key influences throughout her four years on campus.

“The Sport Management Department is incredibly close-knit,” Selikoff said. “It feels kind of like a family. I can go to professors for anything – whether it’s personal or academic – and they’ve all had a strong impact on me.”

Fittingly, Selikoff’s Elon experience actually became a family affair when her younger sister, Emily, enrolled at the university two years ago. The two regularly meet for meals, cross paths in the School of Communications, and share many of the same academic interests.

“It’s honestly been really great having her here,” Selikoff said. “It’s like having an extra piece of home.”

After graduation, Selikoff hopes to return to Charlotte and continue building a career in sports media, communications or event operations. Whatever path she ultimately takes, she leaves Elon with the kind of hands-on experience many young professionals spend years trying to find.

For Mirai, her short film shoot was an opportunity to both produce her original script and bring together several Elon alumni for a Hollywood reunion. Serving in various production capacities on her “#StopAsianKate” were Lauren Gadd ’06, who worked camera, Katie Laurence ’24, who worked as assistant camera, Alicia Reynolds ’07, who acted in the film, Stevie Kloeber ’07, who traveled to Los Angeles from Minnesota to serve as script supervisor, and Dean Karasinski ’06, who worked in production design, art department, craft services and as producer.

All three short films, Boyd’s “The Life and Time of …,” Evans’s “Shadow Dusk” and Mirai’s “#StopAsianKate,” will have their world premieres at the first ����app�ٷ���վ�� Los Angeles Alumni Short Film Festival, in late July.

This new, customized workshop also presented an opportunity for Elon LA students to learn from and share the creative process with a group of students from other study-away LA colleges and universities, who, along with ����app�ٷ���վ�� Los Angeles, are members of a coalition of nearly 20 schools that offer semester-in-LA programs. Each semester, Elon LA and these other schools share professional development opportunities for students, allowing them to mix, mingle, network and learn together.

Each semester, ����app�ٷ���վ�� students explore and discover Los Angeles and the diversity of professional career opportunities that await them through academic classes with professors who work in the industries that align with their courses, immersive, site-based experiential learning, alumni engagement and community service.

Applications for the Study USA Los Angeles spring 2027 Creative Industries & Community Experience open on April 1. Students can visit the  to learn more and to begin the application process.

The gathering, held at The Belmont in West Hollywood, brought together an enthusiastic group of alumni, many of whom had participated in the Elon LA semester experience during their Elon academic journeys.

Current students shared internship and academic class experiences with their new Elon connections. Many took advantage of the opportunity to request meetings later this semester with individual alumni as a part of the Elon Los Angeles “Coffee with an Alumnus” program.

The immersive Study USA Los Angeles semester and summer experiences offer students opportunities for alumni engagement, community service, unique academic classes with industry professionals, and site-based experiential learning.  for Spring 2027 open April 1.

In accordance with the terms of their grants, alumna Bex Evans ’16, Julie Boyd ’15 and Mirai ’07 have each created opportunities for spring students to participate in and/or observe both their pre-production process and on-set work.

Pre-production of all three short films is slated to begin this week, with production to start shortly thereafter. Production of all three films will be completed by the end of the Los Angeles spring semester in April. The three short films will have their world premiere this July at the first ����app�ٷ���վ�� Los Angeles Alumni Short Film Festival.

Through Study USA�����Ի���National Campus Programs, ����app�ٷ���վ�� Los Angeles offers an immersive spring and summer semester of academic classes, experiential learning, professional development and community service opportunities for students with a variety of majors. For information about the Los Angeles experience and 2027 opportunities, please visit the �����Ի���National Campus Programs���ɱ�������ٱ��.

A Saturday morning orientation introduced students to the Elon Los Angeles home base at The Preserve, in Hollywood, and included presentations by all of this semester’s faculty about their courses and the content of their classes.

Returning instructors include director and long-time Elon LA professor Boris Schaarschmidt, who is once again teaching a directing masterclass. Entertainment attorney Daniel Spitz has returned to teach Media Law and Ethics, and writer and longtime Elon LA professor Matthew Antonelli has returned to teach a unique, one-evening master seminar in March, called Inside the Writer’s Room.

New to the Elon Los Angeles faculty team this semester are art historian and educator Charles Peterson, who is teaching a course in Los Angeles art and architecture history, and award-winning global strategist, thought leader and educator Brandon Shamim, who is teaching “Principles of Management,” with a Los Angeles focus.

����app�ٷ���վ�� Los Angeles director and long time industry professional Brad Lemack is once again teaching the experiential learning course this spring, which focuses student internship experiences on work culture, industry shifts and transitions, and professional development.

Elon Los Angeles program assistant and Elon alumna Macy Mills ‘23 led students on their first excursion this semester after orientation, with an immersive day of LA experiences at the world class Getty Center, followed by a visit to the historic Los Angeles Farmer’s Market and The Grove, at Third and Fairfax.

In addition to unique academic classes and internships, this spring semester experience for students will also include a day of community service at the Hollywood Food Coalition, alumni engagement gatherings and the opportunity to participate in and/or observe the production of the three short films being produced by the Elon LA-based alumni recipients of the 2025-26 ����app�ٷ���վ�� Los Angeles Alumni Short Film Competition.

Through and National Campus Programs, ����app�ٷ���վ�� Los Angeles offers immersive spring and summer semester programs for students with a variety of majors. For information about the Los Angeles experience and 2027 opportunities, please visit the and National Campus Programs websites.

The 2025-26 Los Angeles Alumni Short Film Grant competition was open to all Los Angeles-based Elon alumni to submit proposals this past fall for consideration for production funding. A selection committee comprised of both industry professionals and Elon alumni was assembled to read, review and rank all proposals received. From those rankings, the top three highest-ranked projects were selected to receive grants. Grant funding was made possible, in part, by the financial support from members of the Elon Los Angeles alumni community and others.

The three grant recipients are Julia Boyd ’15, for her short film “The Life and Times of …”, Mirai ’07, for her short film “#StopAsianKate” and Bex Evans ’16, for their short film “Shadow Dusk.”

Production of these funded projects will commence in early 2026. As a component of the grant requirements, filmmakers will make opportunities available to ����app�ٷ���վ�� Los Angeles Spring 2026 students to participate in their projects through direct set experience and/or production observation. Elon Los Angeles program assistant and alumna Macy Mills ’23 and alumnus Jordan Roman ’15 were co-chairs of this year’s grant competition.

The selection committee members included Emmy Award-winning writer, producer and showrunner (“Lost,” House,” “The Good Wife”) Elon parent Leonard Dick P’20 (father of Julie Dick ’20), Emmy Award-winning producer Marsha Posner Williams (“The Golden Girls”), actor Eric Rollins, and LA-based alumni Frankie Campisano ’16, Mia Ginae Watkins ’16, Lauren Duncan ’18 and Alyssa Needham ’19.

The three short films funded will have their world premieres at the first ����app�ٷ���վ�� Los Angeles Alumni Short Film Festival in late July 2026.