It was during an undergraduate Global Health class at Elon when I first learned about the complexity of the global mental health crisis. Class discussions included the increasing prevalence of mental illness globally and the combination of biological, psychological and societal factors that contribute to it.

One focus in particular that caught my interest and stuck with me throughout the years was this question of how much of the increasing prevalence of mental illness is linked to the deterioration of our general well-being in society, and how much of it is linked to our improved ability to better capture these rates as a result of decreasing stigma, better understanding of the human brain and improvement of the methodologies and technologies used for diagnosis. Although there is currently no definitive answer to this question, there is no doubt that technological progress has contributed to our ability to better understand the human brain and mental health and will continue to do so.

The current relationship between technology and mental health is, understandably, mainly portrayed pejoratively. The word 鈥渢echnology鈥� is often associated with personal devices, media and the internet and criticized for its direct impact on attention span, addiction and self-esteem as it provides an aperture on others鈥� lives enabling for constant comparison. While these criticisms are valid, I believe we are slowly entering a new and exciting era that will showcase an unprecedented positive, productive and progressive relationship between technology usage and mental health. The bridge for this relationship is artificial intelligence (AI).

When leveraged in a rigorous, ethical and creative way, machine learning has the great potential of addressing many of the most complex problems involving human behavior and emotions.

The effective diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental illness is a burgeoning global health challenge ripe for the promising potential of AI. Like other medical fields, mental health care is plagued by subjectivity and human error, often due to reliance on self-reporting and interview-based approaches. Such methods put the burden on patients to proactively report and describe their own symptoms accurately, despite their critical conditions. Many of the unique challenges of mental illness diagnosis and treatment are related to the lack of objective monitoring and evaluation of symptoms that are difficult to achieve given the unpredictability and complexity of human behavior and emotions.

Fortunately, we are entering a new age of mental illness diagnosis. Machine learning technology has demonstrated unprecedented capabilities to process and learn from complex data patterns to drive highly reliable inferences. On the other hand, our relentless use of everyday technologies has yielded an abundance of data that captures our most detailed and precise behavioral patterns 鈥� a perfect data source for a data-hungry technology. These are the exact tools needed to build a powerful solution capable of automating mental illness diagnosis and monitoring, which minimizes the burden on patients and their health care providers.

When leveraged in a rigorous, ethical and creative way, machine learning has the great potential of addressing many of the most complex problems involving human behavior and emotions. The next few years will be defining for this revolutionary AI application that will enable the monitoring and forecasting of mental health fluctuations to provide help to those who need it the most at an early stage and before it is too late. The question then becomes, how can we ensure the safe and ethical application of such powerful AI technologies?

A 2019 public health studies graduate, Sarra Eddahiri鈥檚 career in the tech industry combines human-centered problem-solving, product safety and research.

Nailah was always drawn to rhythms and found herself writing lyrics in her diary. Even though she had trouble focusing for long periods of time, she never grew tired of music. After playing a few instruments, she settled on alto saxophone. She loved the sound of it. Her talent led her to a magnet school for performing and visual arts just outside her hometown of Crofton, Maryland. Through her love of music, she learned how beats were produced.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know what music production was,鈥� says Nailah, 鈥渂ut as I read books and watched documentaries on Dr. Dre and Eminem, I knew that鈥檚 what I wanted to do.鈥�

At Elon, Nailah majors in music production and recording arts and minors in business administration. She wants to use her record label to create equity in the music industry. 鈥淚 love creating music and I want to help increase artists鈥� understanding of the business side,鈥� she says.

She鈥檚 already putting her mission into practice. As a first-year student, Nailah started a hip-hop performance group, Limitless Productions. The group hosted its first show in McKinnon Hall in March 2023, performing original music in front of an audience of about 170 people. Nailah says there were challenges, but the group was determined because it was more than just showcasing music. 鈥淟imitless provides a place for diversity and equity for expression, and all are welcomed,鈥� she says.

Nailah also participated in Elon鈥檚 Campus Alamance, interning with United Way last summer. She gained critical knowledge about business tax filings and has been able to share what she learned with community organizations. Growing up, Nailah says, she wasn鈥檛 involved in her community, something she is changing now.

鈥淚鈥檓 not the only person who doesn鈥檛 know the ins and outs of taxes, and how filing companies and software take advantage of that,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 have to share this knowledge with my community.鈥�

Like two of Elon鈥檚 inclusive excellence pillars, paradigm and praxis, knowledge acquisition and intentional action are Nailah鈥檚 foundation to creating a more equitable community. 鈥淚 want people to know they aren鈥檛 alone, while generating peace and equity,鈥� says Nailah.

Nailah is part of Huemanity of People, a series by the Division of Inclusive Excellence that celebrates the diversity of Elon鈥檚 community. Nominate a member of the Elon community for this series.

Sandoh was born and raised in Washington, D.C., with his Sierra Leonean father and German mother. Being fluent in multiple languages and traveling the world to visit his grandparents in Germany or his father while he worked in Africa afforded him certain privilege, but he still faced trials. 鈥淏eing biracial makes it hard sometimes,鈥� he says. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e too white for this group or too Black for this group.鈥�

Not having his dad at home growing up was hard, too. Meditation became a staple for Sandoh during high school as he battled with mental health, grappling with depression and expressing aggression. He felt angry and blamed himself for things out of his control. 鈥淚 tried different types of treatment and I stumbled upon meditation,鈥� he says, adding he started reading about Buddhist meditation practices more intentionally. 鈥淧airing mediation with therapy worked wonders for me.鈥�

When he arrived at Elon, Sandoh decided to major in psychology and minor in neuroscience and interreligious studies. Looking for a community to belong to, he moved into the first-year African Diaspora program, which he describes as 鈥渢he best community I could鈥檝e lived in.鈥� But he was looking for something more. 鈥淭here鈥檚 the other, more spiritual side of me that I knew needed to be fulfilled,鈥� he adds.

This led Sandoh to the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life, where he found a community that encouraged him to explore and practice different forms of spirituality and faith. He joined Iron Tree Blooming, a campus mediation group, and regularly attends its weekly meetings. He even served as the club鈥檚 president for a year.

He also worked as a multifaith intern at the center his sophomore year, which allowed him to meaningfully engage the Elon community with the diversity of religious, spiritual and ethical identities on campus while deepening his own understanding. This past spring, he was selected as a Multifaith Scholar. As part of that work, he is researching the complementary resources of Western- and Eastern-cultural practices of emotional self-regulation.

Sandoh鈥檚 journey models Elon鈥檚 ongoing work to experience well-being and the shared responsibility to cultivate it for others. Ultimately, he wants to be a therapist, incorporating meditation as a way to reduce negative emotional expressions into the many facets of psychotherapy and psychiatry. 鈥淚鈥檝e always been interested in including meditation and practices deriving from Buddhism, to treat anger, sadness and hatred,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he best way to combat anger and hate is compassion.鈥�

Sandoh is part of Huemanity of People, a series by the Division of Inclusive Excellence that celebrates the diversity of Elon鈥檚 community. Nominate a member of the Elon community for this series.

Tapping into the connections between personal finances, farming and authentic relationships, he emphasizes the commonality of financial challenges among participants in his courses.

Harris鈥檚 journey at Elon began with teaching personal finance workshops for the Odyssey Program. As other people began to hear about his work with the Odyssey scholars, the demand for his approach to teaching personal finance grew. This led him to engage with faculty, staff and the larger community. Part of his innovative approach sparked from his commitment to providing information without the usual sales pitch.

鈥淥ne of the things I recognize is almost everybody who wants to offer insight or answers about finance is trying to sell you something,鈥� says Harris, who also chairs Elon鈥檚 Department of Finance. 鈥淎nd it鈥檚 hard to find someone who will just tell you, 鈥楬ere鈥檚 how the industry works. Here鈥檚 what you need to focus on,鈥� without trying to ask for money.鈥�

But Harris adopts a unique perspective that breaks down the intimidating exterior of finance by making the topic relatable. He achieves this by incorporating personal touches, such as photos from his farm.

鈥淚 try to show some pictures of other things in my life, showing what I care about. Everybody there has something else that they care about,鈥� Harris says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we even talk about personal finances, because we want to know how to manage what we have for the things that we really care about.鈥�

Harris鈥� unique perspective is not limited to the classroom but extends to his life as a farmer. Drawing parallels between managing a farm and personal finance, he highlights the importance of perseverance, sacrifice, consistency and recognizing that positive changes take time. He and his wife wanted to own a farm to teach their children how to work hard and make sacrifices.

Like a farmer who carefully cultivates crops and nurtures them to fruition, individuals must sow the seeds that will enhance their personal finances with diligence and care. Just as a farmer must adapt to changing seasons and unforeseen challenges, individuals must navigate financial fluctuations and unexpected expenses, weathering storms and embracing opportunities for growth. Individuals seeking to improve their personal finances may wonder when their hard work will finally yield noticeable results, but perseverance and sticking to one鈥檚 goal can yield a bountiful harvest.

鈥淎ll of us that want to reach financial goals recognize we鈥檙e going to have to make some sacrifices,鈥� Harris says.

Acknowledging this commonality, he helps individuals identify their personal connection to the importance of financial literacy and fosters a sense of community among participants. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to have to work hard and be consistent so that eventually we can harvest what we鈥檝e been working for,鈥� he says.

***

The impact of these lessons and Harris鈥� innovative approach have allowed him to become a guiding light to those who are tending their financial fields. Among many memorable experiences involving his students, Harris shared how one student used what he learned to negotiate a car purchase. Harris says the negotiation process is similar to a dance, highlighting dealerships鈥� systematic approach and emphasizing the importance of understanding their tactics.

In a heartfelt card, the student proudly shared that, following Harris鈥� guidance, they saved $3,500 on the purchase of their car. While the duration of the negotiation may have exceeded the professor鈥檚 suggested time frame, the sense of accomplishment and financial empowerment prevailed. 鈥淚t was fun to get a card from a student and find out that he successfully negotiated buying a car. It shouldn鈥檛 have taken him that long, but he got the car,鈥� Harris says. 鈥淏ut I get a lot of cards and letters like that that are a lot of fun.鈥�

Similar success stories reflect the tangible impact of Harris鈥� approach, as individuals apply the lessons learned from his classes and workshops to real-world scenarios. These anecdotes further underscore his commitment to teaching and empowering individuals to navigate the fertile grounds of personal finance successfully, nurturing them to become diligent stewards of their finances.

Harris鈥� distinct approach to personal finance also extends to those in the greater Elon and Alamance County communities, reaching organizations like Elon Academy, Jack and Jill, Boys & Girls Club, Rotary Club and King Academy. Addressing families鈥� concerns about student loans, Harris has provided guidance on strategies to minimize debt and find effective ways to fund education. The impact of his efforts is evident in the tangible benefits that these families enjoy, as they embark on their academic journeys with improved financial plans and reduced reliance on loans.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 a blessing to their life,鈥� Harris says. 鈥淎nd they weren鈥檛 students or employees at Elon. They鈥檙e just people who are my neighbors. They live here in Alamance County, the same as me. And so I鈥檝e always appreciated being able to provide finance education to them.鈥�

Ultimately, Harris recognizes financial wellness鈥� profound impact on overall well-being and aims to contribute to Elon鈥檚 HealthEU initiative by providing education to alleviate financial stress. 鈥淎ccording to the American Psychology Association, finances are a leading source of stress for Americans. When you feel that level of stress, it impacts your thoughts, sleep, health and relationships,鈥� Harris says. 鈥淏ut when people feel that they have a plan and understand their finances better, they feel better. And that鈥檚 a real thing. It鈥檚 not just that their finances are better, but they feel better. We want people to feel healthier and happier.鈥�

Looking ahead, Harris envisions leveraging technology to reach a broader audience. With the assistance of a student advisory board, he plans to create videos and establish a peer mentoring program, ensuring the Center for Financial Literacy continues to evolve and cater to diverse audiences.

鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to find ways that we can reach more people where they are, in a way that people will respond to,鈥� Harris says. 鈥淚 believe in engaging people who know the audience really well, which are the students. Having the students be more involved in reaching students will be extremely beneficial.鈥�

Throughout the 鈥淔amily Feud鈥�-themed soiree that attracted more than 300 attendees, the affiliate鈥檚 associate director had sprinkled in short video vignettes produced by members of elondocs, a yearlong program for School of Communications students interested in documentary film production. The objective of the videos was simple and two-fold: celebrate the nonprofit鈥檚 impact and highlight the housing needs in Alamance County. The fifth and final testimonial was the most powerful.

is emotionally raw right from its introduction. As the Habitat home recipient appears on screen, she immediately chokes up as she searches for the right words. 鈥淚鈥檝e never, never said 鈥榟omeowner,鈥欌�� she explained as tears welled in her eyes. 鈥淚鈥檝e never owned a home. I鈥檝e never owned anything.鈥�

McDonald then explained what homeownership has meant to her and her daughter, providing their family stability, security and peace of mind. The videos had the intended effect.

鈥淲e used these student-produced videos at our fundraiser to remind people of the impact of the work we do, and Donna was the closer,鈥� Williams says. 鈥淪he was so open with her story 鈥� and she was the one that brought out the Kleenex if you watched it. That video is the one that really pulls on the emotions.鈥�

A 鈥榗ollaborative brainstorm鈥�

As she sat last spring at one of the wooden picnic tables outside of Pandora鈥檚 Pies in downtown Elon, Williams did not know what to expect. But as her initial meeting with Nicole Triche, associate professor of cinema and television arts, and the elondocs cohort stretched on, her optimism grew.

There was a cooperative nature to the conversation between Williams, Triche and Elon students Brendan Antrosiglio 鈥�23, Keiarra Bray 鈥�23, Joey Gentile 鈥�23, Leah Schultz 鈥�23 and Ryan Gibbons 鈥�25. 鈥淚t felt like a collaborative brainstorm between all of us,鈥� Williams says.

The early 2023 sit-down came on the heels of an out-of-the-blue email from Triche, offering Habitat what all nonprofits need: support. According to Triche, who has served since 2009 as elondocs鈥� faculty director, this was the first time an elondocs cohort decided to conduct a public service project. In years past, students usually spent the spring semester completing independent projects of their choice.

But Triche wanted to change course 鈥� and do some good. She brought forward the idea of a group project serving the community, and the students elected to take on the task together.

One nonprofit immediately came to Gibbons鈥� mind. His father serves as an executive director for a Tennessee affiliate in the suburbs of Knoxville, and he was familiar with the challenges many families face securing affordable housing.

鈥淲hen I suggested that we work with the local Habitat affiliate, everyone was in full agreement,鈥� says Gibbons, a double major in cinema and television arts and environmental and ecological science. 鈥淗abitat is just one of those organizations that I feel aims to accomplish a much-needed goal 鈥� affordable housing.鈥�

Having previously worked in the university鈥檚 Kernodle Center for Civic Life, Williams is familiar with Elon, but she wasn鈥檛 aware of elondocs. And initially she had some trepidation. 鈥淚 was intrigued when I heard that these were students who were not 鈥榲oluntold鈥� to do it for an assignment,鈥� she says. 鈥淚nstead, they were interested in their own growth and service to the community.鈥�

From that first brainstorming session, a semester-long partnership developed, resulting in detailing the affiliate鈥檚 history, the organization鈥檚 volunteers and, most importantly, the families impacted by the actions of their fellow Alamance County residents. The videos, which run one to two minutes in length, were first publicly shared at the affiliate鈥檚 June fundraiser, then distributed with end-of-year donation campaigns, and are now available on the organization鈥檚 YouTube channel.

The final videos have drawn rave reviews.

鈥淭he quality of the students鈥� work was beyond my wildest expectations,鈥� Williams says. 鈥淚 consider us really lucky because if we had to go out and hire someone to do this, it would have been thousands of dollars to get this quality of work.鈥�

Supporting Elon鈥檚 community

With Williams鈥� support, the students conducted a series of interviews in the affiliate鈥檚 ReStore location in Burlington. The students鈥� professionalism, timeliness and pleasant nature stood out as they recorded homeowners and volunteers impacted by the organization鈥檚 mission.

Williams credits the students for eliciting emotional responses from the interviewees, asking questions with care, sensitivity and thought. Gibbons, then a sophomore, says the recording, interviewing and editing process was educational, and the mentorship he received from fellow students played a large role in his development.

The stories that we featured all depict the impact that affordable housing can have on everyone, whether it be a family, a community or the volunteers that make organizations like Habitat possible.

As for the final results, Gibbons says he sees real value from his cohort鈥檚 work, noting that media attention about poverty and helping those less fortunate often focuses on food, not shelter.

鈥淚 feel that these videos demonstrate the importance of providing housing opportunities,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he stories that we featured all depict the impact that affordable housing can have on everyone, whether it be a family, a community or the volunteers that make organizations like Habitat possible.鈥�

Triche, too, sees the importance of Elon students becoming active community members in Alamance County, a place they call home for four years. 鈥淚鈥檓 so pleased we could partner with Habitat for Humanity because they do so much good for families in need,鈥� she says. 鈥淎nd I am also glad that students are giving back to the community they are living in. The videos they produced are powerful and highlight the impact that Habitat is making on families with each home they build.鈥�

This year鈥檚 elondocs cohort is expanding on the organization鈥檚 community outreach efforts, partnering with Benevolence Farm, a transitional living program for up to 10 women leaving North Carolina prisons. In collaboration with a Strategic Campaigns class led by Assistant Professor of Strategic Communications Sydney Nicolla, elondocs will provide video content promoting the program.

As a researcher and a student, he admits to being the one to pepper his professors and mentors with questions, trying to get at what he calls 鈥渢he whys and the deep parts of doing important things.鈥� But it wasn鈥檛 until he undertook the extensive and strenuous application process to become a Rhodes Scholar with the assistance of Elon鈥檚 National and International Fellowships Office that he gained a truer understanding of all the different pieces of himself that together make him Ayesh Awad.

Selected as a Rhodes finalist and then narrowly missing selection for the prestigious award, Awad emerged from the process with a clearer picture of how he has grown at Elon and how he can leverage his knowledge, skills and drive to make an impact on lives in the decades ahead. He envisions a career that allows him to use his passion for mathematical modeling to identify and address the root causes of economic disparities around the globe.

鈥淚鈥檓 interested in economics, and I鈥檓 interested in social justice. I鈥檓 interested in people,鈥� Awad says. 鈥淲hy do poor countries stay poor and why do rich countries stay rich? Is it true that someone can actually climb the social ladder? Mathematical modeling is a perfect way to answer a lot of these questions we have.鈥�

Immersion in research Awad was drawn to Elon through the university鈥檚 King Hussein Scholarship, which was established by Queen Noor of Jordan during her 2000 visit to campus and is awarded once every four years to a student from that country. He learned about Elon during a visit by an international student admissions counselor to his high school and chose it because he felt 鈥淓lon cared the most about me coming and I felt like I could do the most positive work there.鈥�

Initially, engineering held his interest because the field is centered on solving problems. 鈥淚 was interested in the thinking part of it,鈥� Awad says. 鈥淵ou have a question, you have a limited amount of information, and you need to use that little bit of information to predict, to find a value, to get something out of it.鈥�

It was during his sophomore year that he first connected with Assistant Professor of Engineering Jonathan Su, who would become his mentor for research supported by the Lumen Prize, Elon鈥檚 top undergraduate research award. Awad tapped into Su鈥檚 expertise with engineering drug delivery mechanisms with a focus on the mechanical performance of biodegradable stents and was selected as a Lumen Scholar in spring 2022.

Su offered guidance on research methods and expertise within the field of biomedical engineering, and supported Awad鈥檚 development outside the lab. 鈥淚 have had a lot of amazing professors teaching me a lot of wonderful things, but Dr. Su taught me things about life beyond engineering,鈥� Awad says.

For instance, Su purchased Awad a book about career development to coincide with Awad鈥檚 trip to a conference that included a career fair.. 鈥淗e鈥檚 not just always helping me in terms of the research,鈥� he says of his mentor. 鈥淗e鈥檚 helping me develop as a researcher, and he鈥檚 helping me develop as a person, pushing me forward to achieve the goals that I have.鈥�

Most students pursue one large-scale undergraduate research project, with the Lumen Prize the most prestigious award in support of undergraduate research. But when Awad took a course with Assistant Professor of Mathematics Hwayeon Ryu, he found a passion for mathematical modeling after realizing the power it contained for solving a wide range of problems. As its name suggests, mathematical modeling uses mathematical formulas and equations to describe real-world systems, phenomena or conditions. The goal is to use the models to produce insights leading to solutions. It was Ryu鈥檚 differential equations course in spring 2023 that changed Awad鈥檚 path at Elon and expanded his focus and horizons as a researcher. 鈥淚 said to myself, 鈥楾his is it,鈥欌�� Awad recalls. 鈥淚 can do a lot of good work here because I have the technical aptitude to do this, and I can apply this to really impact people.鈥�

Even though he was already pursuing research as a Lumen Scholar and had an internship lined up his junior year, Awad doggedly pursued a spot on Ryu鈥檚 research team that summer. Ryu received a $300,000 grant from the National Science Foundation in 2022 to develop a mathematical model that could facilitate new COVID-19 treatment options in the future and was leading a team of students engaged in the effort.

Ryu allowed Awad to join the research team, and he soon became a main contributor. More importantly, the experience fueled his interest in mathematical modeling as a powerful tool that can be used to address broader societal issues. 鈥淢ath is a language,鈥� Awad says. 鈥淭he strength of math is its ability to actually translate what鈥檚 happening in the world into something that is very concrete that you can use to solve or predict things.鈥�

The Rhodes experience Immersed in two intensive undergraduate research experiences, Awad began looking ahead to opportunities after he graduated with the assistance of the National and International Fellowships Office led by Professor Ann Cahill, its director, and Assistant Director Nicole Galante. With a strong academic record and a wealth of diverse experiences as a researcher, Awad was well-positioned to apply for a variety of post-graduate opportunities.

鈥淭he application process was actually enlightening. It helped me reflect on who I am as a person, who I am as a scholar, how I came to this point in my life.鈥�

Cahill recognized that with his r茅sum茅 and future goals, Awad could be a good candidate for the Rhodes Scholarship. Awad committed to the intense process. Along with the main application, he had to gather six recommendations (four academic and two character-focused), a personal statement, an academic statement and more. 鈥淚 have never worked harder toward something,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I鈥檝e ever wanted to do something or achieve something as much as I wanted the Rhodes.鈥�

Awad approached the challenge by taking a deeper dive into who he was, what he wanted to achieve and into the arc of his personal story. 鈥淭he application process was actually enlightening. It helped me reflect on who I am as a person, who I am as a scholar, how I came to this point in my life,鈥� Awad says. 鈥淲hen I submitted it, I thought, regardless of the outcome, I did a great thing.鈥�

Awad worked closely with Cahill throughout the application process, except for on his personal statement, which Awad was required to complete without assistance. He credits that support with helping him successfully navigate any challenges while also better understand himself. Cahill says Awad鈥檚 energy, work ethic and enthusiasm throughout the process was palpable. 鈥淎yesh embodies the values of the Rhodes Trust exceedingly well,鈥� Cahill says. 鈥淣ot only does he have an unimpeachable record of academic excellence, but he is motivated by a long-standing desire to foster strong cross-cultural relationships and, more importantly, to improve the lives of his fellow Jordanians.鈥�

Awad says he is not the type of person who takes advice easily, but working closely with Cahill was an incredible experience. 鈥淪he has a very strong influence on people, just in the way she speaks and the advice she gives,鈥� Awad says. 鈥淪he鈥檚 able to offer guidance and criticism in a way that makes you feel supported and helps you push forward.鈥�

In October, word came that Awad had been selected as a finalist for the Rhodes. As a Jordanian citizen, he applied for the Rhodes within a cohort of countries in the Middle East, and traveled back to his home country that month for two days of networking and interviews that are part of the final selection process. The final decision drew from his participation in a social engagement with other finalists and the selection committee on the first day followed by a 30-minute interview the following day.

Awad was impressed when he first met his fellow finalists, whose areas of interest were broad and deep. 鈥淚 looked around and realized that I鈥檓 in the company of probably one of the smartest groups of people I鈥檝e ever met in my life,鈥� Awad says. 鈥淚 just enjoyed being there because I felt like we could all be great friends together because we鈥檙e bright in a lot of different areas.鈥�

The next day鈥檚 interview focused on getting to know him more as a person, going beyond his academic interests and accomplishments. He got the sense the interviewers were impressed by his academic accolades, but perhaps were looking for a candidate with a broader array of experiences. He learned he was not selected for the scholarship the same day but was still encouraged to apply to the University of Oxford.

Cahill is confident Awad will use what he learned from this process to position himself to have an even greater impact in the future. 鈥淏eing named a finalist in the Rhodes Scholar selection process, one of the most competitive fellowships in the world, is surely only the first of many honors that Ayesh will receive,鈥� Cahill says.

Missing out on the Rhodes was a big disappointment for Awad, but the process provided an opportunity to learn more about who he is and where he sees himself in the future. Looking ahead, he鈥檚 seeking an experience that similarly puts him in the company of people who challenge him and whose collaborations help him improve himself. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 wait to go be part of a great institution, a great company, a great team,鈥� he says.

Throughout the course of World War II, many universities enacted changes in their curriculum to meet the country鈥檚 pressing needs. In 1939, Elon College received approval from the Civil Aeronautics Authority to offer a Civilian Pilot Training Program. Amid the ongoing war in Europe and the Pacific, the course appealed to students looking to enroll in Army or Navy flight-training programs.

The program was directed by Alonzo Hook, Class of 1913, who was the chair of the college鈥檚 physics department from 1922 to 1957. Many of Hook鈥檚 courses had pragmatic appeal and served the physical needs of the college, and the Civilian Pilot Program positioned Elon College as a key player in meeting the escalating demand for trained pilots during wartime.

Up to 20 students were enrolled each semester, and the selection process was thorough. The Board of Selection for the program consisted of representatives from the Civil Aeronautics Authority, the flight contractor and the college. The applicants had to be between the ages of 19 and 26, and among the 20 pilot candidates chosen each year, three were women. The future pilots also had to pass a vision test and pledge to continue military service, if qualified.

The enrollment cost for the course was $25 and the students received four hours of credit for the one-semester class. The program covered topics such as civil air regulations, meteorology, navigation and airplane operation. During the final phase of the program, students would undergo 18 hours of hands-on flight training to learn how to operate different types of aircraft. This phase included mastering take-offs, landings, aerial maneuvers and emergency procedures. Hook instructed the required ground phase of the Civil Aeronautics course on Elon鈥檚 campus. Additionally, he coordinated with licensed instructors to conduct the flying phase at the privately operated Huffman Field in Burlington.

By utilizing educational institutions for pilot training, the military could efficiently and rapidly produce a large number of aviators. This collaboration between Elon College and the military was a vital component in meeting the wartime aviation requirements and contributed significantly to the overall success of the United States during World War II.

Approximately 75 students completed the course before it was discontinued after the United States entered the war. Following the war, Hook reinstated the aeronautics course for students and residents who wished to obtain a private pilot鈥檚 license. The Civilian Pilot Training Program not only addressed the demand for trained pilots, but also reflected the institution鈥檚 commitment to a hands-on education with practical appeal.

Being on a campus full of young adults brimming with energy, potential and optimism is exciting. In this uplifting environment, it can be easy to overlook some key underlying needs. At this stage in a college student鈥檚 development, they must learn how to care for their minds and bodies and understand how to lead balanced, purposeful lives. These are skills that will sustain and nurture them through the challenges of the decades ahead.

This is why our holistic HealthEU initiative is so essential. Elon is implementing a wide range of programs to promote six dimensions of well-being: community, emotional, financial, physical, purpose and social. The university鈥檚 aim is to prepare students to thrive in all aspects of their lives and we have made great progress since HealthEU was formally launched in fall 2022.

I鈥檓 most excited about the way the entire Elon community has embraced these dimensions with great passion, incorporating well-being concepts in classes and workshops, events and activities, and all aspects of campus life. HealthEU has become our community鈥檚 mantra.

We must never let Elon students forget who they are: the 鈥榖eautiful people鈥� that I see every year at Commencement 鈥� the smart, happy and healthy individuals our world needs.

This year, the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education is offering 11 HealthEU courses, ranging from recreation and sports classes to meditation, joyful living and balancing the use of technology in daily life. Alexis Franzese, chair of the sociology and anthropology department, teaches a popular course on the science of happiness.

Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences, has launched a food studies minor to help students study the essential role of nutrition in their lives. The Martha and Spencer Love School of Business has established the Center for Financial Literacy to help students gain personal finance skills and understand budgeting, debt and retirement planning.

A cornerstone of our efforts is the future construction of the HealthEU Center, a campus hub that will integrate campus recreation and fitness, counseling services, academic and student life programs. Design and fundraising for the facility in the Innovation Quad are in progress and the concepts are exciting (learn more about it here). I can already imagine the spirit of a place where our community comes together for wellness classes, workouts at the fitness center, personal development and training sessions, exercise science research, a healthy snack and a jog on the indoor track or a swim in the new aquatics center. Our community will soar with this new resource.

As I plan my calendar, I always schedule time to have fun and relax with students. We go on fitness walks, play table tennis, have fireside chats and play late night bingo. Making those activities a priority builds community at Elon and also provides a model of creating balance in life. Elon students are driven to succeed, and learning to attend to their health and well-being, alongside their disciplines of study, will ensure a life of contentment.

We must never let Elon students forget who they are: the 鈥渂eautiful people鈥� that I see every year at Commencement 鈥� the smart, happy and healthy individuals our world needs.

Slated to open in 2026, the 135,000-square-foot facility will become the second-largest building on campus behind Schar Center and will combine academics with recreation, health and wellness offerings along with support for the well-being of members of the university community. The design of the building prioritizes collaboration, connection and innovation.

The three-story building is planned within the Innovation Quad that now includes Sankey Hall, Founders Hall and Innovation Hall and will be built south of the Colonnades Neighborhood on land that is now vacant. The multifunctional facility is rooted in the six dimensions of the HealthEU initiative 鈥� community, emotional, financial, physical, purpose and social.

鈥淲e understand that wellness and well-being are critical to the success not just of our students but also our faculty and staff,鈥� President Connie Ledoux Book says. 鈥淭his multifaceted facility will provide a wide range of support to our community and offer opportunities to connect with each other and with resources that support their growth and development.鈥�

A comprehensive commitment

The new HealthEU Center is the latest step in Elon鈥檚 endeavor to build a national model for collegiate health and wellness initiatives. The university launched HealthEU, a comprehensive effort to support the health and well-being of students, faculty and staff, in fall 2022. The initiative is guided by the HealthEU Council and the new director of HealthEU initiatives, Anu R盲is盲nen, who starts at Elon in August.

Elon believes health and well-being are central to a modern life and must be core to the experience of every person on campus. Personal well-being is directly tied to academic achievement, employability, community wellness, happiness and overall success. It鈥檚 a multi-dimensional, holistic process leading to positive change and growth over a lifetime. With this approach in mind, HealthEU provides access to resources, educational tools and support for all members of the university community while cultivating personal wellness values they can rely on throughout their lives.

HealthEU is rooted in Elon鈥檚 Boldly Elon 10-year strategic plan, which was launched in spring 2020. Included within the plan鈥檚 Thrive theme, Elon developed the HealthEU initiative to elevate programs, research and dialogues promoting resilience, belonging and all aspects of lifelong personal wellness. HealthEU empowers every individual at Elon to actively implement and integrate wellness values in their daily lives, with their peers and in their greater purpose through six dimensions of well-being:

• Community 鈥� Creating a sense of engagement, connection, safety and pride in the people and campus of 王中王六合彩资料.
• Emotional 鈥� Building resilience, grit and the mental capacity to both thrive and contribute to your own personal growth.
• Purpose 鈥� Developing a deep sense of fulfillment, spiritual meaning, personal identity and vocation.
• Financial 鈥� Understanding the opportunities, limitations and responsibilities of personal finances.
• Physical 鈥� Practicing regular personal habits related to health, physical ability, exercise, sleep and nutrition.
• Social 鈥� Forming authentic, deep and supportive interpersonal relationships.

鈥淧ersonal and community health and well-being are increasingly important to all members of the university community, and Elon can be a leader in ensuring people have what they need to be safe, healthy and fulfilled,鈥� Vice President for Student Life Jon Dooley said when HealthEU was announced in 2022. 鈥淗ealthEU is designed to connect students, faculty and staff with the broad range of resources that Elon has now and will continue to build out in the coming years. It鈥檚 a comprehensive effort that will foster education, relationships and engagement.鈥�

A synergistic approach

The HealthEU Center will provide a central location for a broad spectrum of programs and resources related to wellness and well-being at Elon. The building will include offices and space for academic departments including exercise science, education and wellness, and other faculty focused on health and wellness. Labs and spaces for interdisciplinary research on health and wellness will be included as will rooms designed for one-on-one and group fitness assessments, personal training, health and nutrition coaching, and financial literacy.

An expanded Mark and Kim Tyson Counseling Center will relocate to the new building in support of individual and group therapy with offerings including workshops and outreach programs. A HealthEU vending area and demonstration kitchen will provide healthy dining options and support nutrition education efforts.

The HealthEU building will offer new campus recreation and fitness facilities including:

• A gymnasium with team and individual recreation spaces.
• An aquatics center with a collegiate competition-sized pool.
• Fitness, weight training and exercise space for groups and individuals.
• An indoor track.
• A climbing center with climbing and bouldering walls.
• An outdoor fitness center.

A physical therapy and athletic training clinic will be included as well as studios for individual and group meditation, mindfulness and yoga. Space will also be provided to support employee wellness programs.

鈥淚 think this facility will do for wellness and well-being what other centers on campus have done for initiatives like design thinking, civic engagement, global study, excellence in teaching and learning, and engaged learning,鈥� Dooley says. 鈥淭hose integrated spaces have brought together faculty from different disciplines and students that are doing research and practice together, so I think this will be a similar type of space where that will be fostered.鈥�

Early conceptual renderings of the building depict architecture that complements Elon鈥檚 traditional collegiate aesthetic with a modern flourish, boasting swaths of large windows to create an open, welcoming space and showcase the activity within the building from the exterior. An expansive entry plaza, outdoor fitness areas and ample green space surround the building, while inside areas for fitness and athletics, nutrition, mental well-being, research, classrooms and offices can be found throughout the three floors. A significant portion of the second and third floors are open, so visitors can easily view the activity below at the pool, gymnasium courts and climbing areas.

Elon has been intentional in fully integrating academic components into the facility to underscore the emphasis on collaboration and to help leverage the spaces within the facility for research purposes. Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Rebecca Kohn explains the building was designed so that users move through different types of spaces on their way to their destination. For instance, the classrooms will be interspersed throughout the three floors of the building rather than placed in one area. 鈥淭here鈥檚 exercise equipment spread throughout the building,鈥� Kohn says. 鈥淔aculty offices won鈥檛 necessarily be next to classrooms, and faculty and staff offices related to wellness will be intermixed.鈥�

A person heading to the third floor for a financial literacy class may pass the gym, the offices for counseling services and an exercise science lab. The goal is to help people see the connection between these different elements and how they impact a person鈥檚 overall wellness and well-being.

鈥淲e鈥檇 like this to be a space that draws all faculty, staff and students into it so that everyone can see something about this building that they want and need to be part of,鈥� Kohn says.

A natural evolution

The plans for the HealthEU Center follow years of work at Elon, including a 2016 report by the Presidential Task Force on Social Climate and Out-of-Class Engagement as well as a 2018 report by the Task Force on Student Wellness and Well-Being. The university appointed a group tasked with creating a vision for a new wellness and well-being center on campus, and in 2022, the institution launched the HealthEU initiative.

The HealthEU Council鈥檚 charge includes collaboratively advancing wellness and well-being as a strategic priority for Elon; coordinating services, programs and resources that address the six dimensions of wellness; and providing vision for the integration of initiatives to address holistic wellness. From that work, the need for a new, centralized facility dedicated to the comprehensive well-being of the Elon community became clear.

Many of Elon鈥檚 current fitness resources such as Jordan Gym, Beck Pool and Stewart Fitness Center are currently housed in Koury Athletic Center, which was built in the 1970s to support an enrollment that was one-third of today鈥檚 7,000 students. Under the HealthEU initiative, the university sought to integrate the myriad wellness resources already happening across campus with new experiences and determined the aging existing facilities were not well suited to amplifying those efforts.

鈥淭he genesis of the idea [for a new wellness center] goes back probably four or five years ago,鈥� says Brad Moore, associate vice president for facilities and chief facilities officer. 鈥淲e could see the national emphasis on mental health and well-being across the country, and just looking at our facility, we knew it was an older building that needed to be addressed, and we were thinking about synergies that we could potentially enhance and improve upon. In Koury, we have Campus Recreation and Wellness, the Department of Exercise Science, and the Department of Education and Wellness all sharing a facility, so there鈥檚 a little bit of overlap, but not as much as we would prefer.鈥�

There will be teaching and research focused on well-being taking place in the same facility where the practice of holistic wellness is happening every day.

The task force creating the vision for the new HealthEU Center completed multiple visits to other university facilities. The visits included new buildings and renovated buildings, and while some tried to integrate multiple components into the facility, none went as far as what Elon was seeking to do.

鈥淲hat we found was that no one was doing exactly what we were planning on doing, which was not only the practice of wellness and well-being, but the research and study and education around wellness and well-being,鈥� Moore says.

According to Dooley, many of the facilities on other college campuses are very student-focused, and Elon wanted to take a more expansive approach. It鈥檚 difficult to elevate student wellness without also supporting faculty and staff in modeling essential well-being skills and practices for students, he says. A commitment to wellness should permeate the whole campus community.

鈥淚n our case we鈥檙e thinking about this as a community of well-being that is supported by this facility,鈥� Dooley says. 鈥淭he goal is for this to be a resource to the entire university community 鈥� students, faculty and staff.鈥�

A philanthropic opportunity

Elon has set a $25 million fundraising goal to help make the HealthEU Center a reality. To date, donors have contributed more than $6.5 million to the project, says James B. Piatt Jr., senior vice president for university advancement and external affairs. Alumni Mark 鈥�98 and Kim 鈥�99 Tyson and Elon parent Preston Cain P鈥�24 are among the donors who have made generous gifts to the project. Many naming opportunities are available throughout the center, beginning at $50,000.

鈥淲e are actively engaged in a fundraising campaign to support the HealthEU Center in partnership with inspired donors who believe in the vision for the center and are committed to ensuring students have the skills they need to lead lives of meaning and purpose,鈥� Piatt says.

Construction of the HealthEU Center will begin in summer or fall of this year, with Samet Corp. serving as construction manager for the project. Plans call for the building to open in summer 2026.

Dooley emphasizes that the HealthEU Center fits naturally into Elon鈥檚 distinctive model for engaged learning, in which experiences inside and outside the classroom are closely integrated. 鈥淭hat philosophy is central to this facility. There will be teaching and research focused on well-being taking place in the same facility where the practice of holistic wellness is happening every day,鈥� Dooley says. 鈥淲e鈥檝e really challenged the designers on this, because we鈥檙e going to do something that no other university is doing at the level we can.鈥�

It was the third game of his senior season and the Phoenix were on the road at Presbyterian College in South Carolina. On the heels of Harrison鈥檚 strong play, NFL scouts were starting to pay attention. 鈥淧eople had been telling me, 鈥楾his is your year,鈥� and I believed it,鈥� Harrison recalls.

The NFL aspirations meant a tremendous amount to Harrison, an under-recruited high school lineman from Charlotte, North Carolina, who turned one transformative year at Louisburg College into four standout seasons as an Elon starter. His future appeared to be revealing itself. The guard played much of the Presbyterian game with blurred vision, but he thought little of it. It just felt like something was in his eye. And he had a history of vision issues stemming from keratoconus, an eye condition that can affect one鈥檚 sight. 鈥淎fter the game, I looked in the mirror and my left eye was actually gray,鈥� the leisure and sport management major says. 鈥淚t looked like a cloud was in my eye.鈥�

Doctors informed Harrison that he had ruptured his cornea, and they later cast doubt about his future playing career. 鈥淚 put so much into this dream. I had been playing football since I was 7 years old,鈥� Harrison says. 鈥淚 told them right then, 鈥楴o way. This is my senior year.鈥� I told them to put a visor on my helmet and I鈥檇 play the rest of the season like that. 鈥淪o, I played the rest of my senior year with one eye.鈥�

That spring Harrison received an invitation to a St. Louis Rams rookie camp, and he felt he played well at the three-day workout. 鈥淚 really thought I performed at a level where they would bring me back,鈥� he says. But the franchise chose a player who could play tackle, not guard. A tryout with the United Football League had the same outcome.

With his playing career over, Harrison felt lost. 鈥淲hen you play as long as I did, football becomes your identity. And you can struggle to know who you are outside of the game,鈥� he says. Harrison went through what he called a 鈥渄epressed period鈥� that only lifted when he found purpose back on the field. A former high school coach invited Harrison to join the staff of Hough High School in Charlotte, and the Elon standout found fulfillment mentoring young players in his hometown.

A few years later, Harrison鈥檚 career transitioned into personal training, and in 2017 he established , an elite offensive line development program.

His tutelage, training regimen and motivation have resulted in 18 current Division I and Division II student-athletes, several with NFL potential. Who was Harrison鈥檚 first trainee? Ahmarion McLeod 鈥�26, a redshirt freshman on the Elon football team.

鈥淲hat makes Coach Harrison a good coach, mentor and trainer is that he pushes his players to dig deep to reach their maximum potential,鈥� says McLeod, who began training with Harrison as a seventh grader. 鈥淗e understands the fundamentals of the game and knows how to convey it in a way that is receptive to each individual player.鈥�

H.O.L.D. offers private and group instruction, in-person and virtually, to support athletes with college aspirations. Harrison is currently working on a mobile app to train athletes nationally. His ability to lead and motivate has resonated with Tony Trisciani, Elon head football coach, since their first encounter 15 years ago. In years since, Trisciani has invited Harrison to speak to his program.

鈥淚 have watched David make the people around him better since the day I met him,鈥� Trisciani says. 鈥淗e is the hardest worker in any room he walks into. Having winning habits, encouraging others and his ability to build meaningful and lasting relationships have led to his success.鈥�

And Harrison still seeks victories 鈥� now in the business world.

A year and a half ago, he formally released his patented H.O.L.D Wheel, a detachable strength training device designed for offensive linemen. The octagon-shaped tool improves a player鈥檚 strike, teaching them to keep their elbows tight, balance their weight and hit with power. The University of Florida, the University of South Carolina, UNC-Charlotte and Elon have all purchased sets.

鈥淭o think back to my initial drawing of the wheel, and to now walk into Division I programs and see that same product in use, it means the world,鈥� Harrison says.