February 1, 2010 by belkarchives
Katie Nash
Feb. 2, 2010

Belk Library, January 2000. Photo courtesy of Belk Library Archives.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the Carol Grotnes Belk Library took place on March 11, 1998 and the 75,000 square-foot facility opened on January 31, 2000—making 2010 the 10 year anniversary of the building. With 158 computers, lots of comfy couches and chairs, and study rooms—Belk Library is almost always full of students and people from various departments on campus.
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January 20, 2010 by belkarchives
Katie Nash
Jan. 20, 2010

Brochure, Winter 1970. Photo courtesy of Belk Library Archives.
Forty-one years ago, professors Jim Elder and Gerard Priestley led a group of Elon students to London, England on the school’s first study abroad trip. At the time, no one envisioned the study abroad program flourishing and holding the number one spot in the nation among master’s-level colleges and universities for the number of students who study abroad (according to the Institute of International Education’s 2008 Open Doors report). Today, 71% of Elon undergraduate students study abroad at least once. Moreover, in 1995 there were 295 students who studied abroad, compared to the 1184 students in 2008. This Winter Term, more than 600 students are studying abroad and 50 faculty and staff are accompanying them.
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Posted in Academics, Faculty and Staff, Student Life | Tagged Elon Experiences, Gerard Priestley, Isabella Cannon Centre for International Studies, Jim Elder, Study Abroad, Winter Term | Leave a Comment »
January 4, 2010 by belkarchives
Eric Townsend-University Relations
Dec. 21, 2009

Page from Phi Psi Cli. Photo courtesy of the Internet Archive.
Elon University’s entire collection of yearbooks, from Phi Psi Cli’s debut in 1913 through its 2009 edition, is now available to view online with search functions that allow users to locate specific names and organizations in a given year.
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Posted in Alumni, Digital collections, Student Publications | Tagged Elon Alumni, Internet Archive, Phi Psi Cli, UNC Chapel Hill, yearbook | 3 Comments »
December 15, 2009 by belkarchives
Katie Nash
Dec. 15, 2009

Page from 1971 WT schedule. Photo courtesy of Belk Library Archives.
January 14, 1969 marked the first day of classes for what was then called the “mini-term”, now referred to as Winter Term. Not only was Winter Term a new initiative at Elon, but it was also when the 4-1-4 academic system was introduced. About 1,300 students were enrolled in the first Winter Term semester, and today over 4500 students are enrolled. The Winter Term semester made it possible for students to get all their exams completed before leaving for the Christmas holiday, and the plan added an extra week of Christmas vacation time. As stated in 1982 by the Academic Dean Chris White, “Winter Term was designed for curricular program needs and to allow the College and faculty to offer a wide variety of special classes not offered during the fall and spring semesters.” (The Pendulum, October 28, 1982)
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Posted in Academics | Tagged Study Abroad, Winter Term | Leave a Comment »
December 3, 2009 by belkarchives
Pam Richter – Class of 2011
Dec. 3, 2009

Toshio Soto was the first Japanese student to graduate from Elon. Photo courtesy of Belk Library Archives.
In about one month, I will be boarding a plane to Japan. Not only will this be my first-ever study abroad experience with Elon, it will be my first time traveling out of the country. It is an exciting moment for me, but also for study abroad at Elon, since it is the first time Elon students and faculty will be traveling to Japan for the winter term class – Japan Media and Culture.
Since I am traveling to Japan shortly, I found it interesting to learn that the first Japanese student graduated from Elon in 1920. Her name was Toshio Soto and came to Elon from Kobe, Japan. In 1920, she earned a Bachelor of Philosophy degree, in addition to receiving a diploma in art in 1919, and a certificate in art in 1918.
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Posted in Alumni | Tagged Elon Alumni, Japan, Japanese students, Study Abroad, Toshio Soto, Winter Term | Leave a Comment »
November 18, 2009 by belkarchives
Katie Nash
Nov. 18, 2009

Class ring from 1899. Photo courtesy of University Relations.
An 1899 class ring worn by Everett Doggett Summers was recently donated to the Archives and Special Collections. Anna Lois Bulla (the niece of E.D. Summers) remembers wearing the small gold ring as a child, with the inscription “99″ on the outside of the ring and her uncle’s initials on the inside. Bulla, 90, of Concord, N.C., said, “I liked to wear it to school because I didn’t have any rings, and the other kids thought it was special.”

Members of the class of 1899. Photo courtesy of University Relations.
The class of 1899 had 12 members, and the class photograph shows the male students wearing the ring on their pinky fingers. The graduating class of 1899 included: Walter Monroe Brown, John Turrentine Cobb, Jennie Pretlow Holland, David Jennings Sipe, Anna Elizabeth Pierce, David Palmer Barrett, Charles Everett Newman, Ada DeWitt Michael, Estelle Walker, Ned Faucette Brannock, and William Allen Harper.
The ring will be on display in Johnston Hall so the Elon community, alumni, and friends of Elon can enjoy this unique piece of Elon’s history.
Posted in Alumni | Tagged Anna Lois Bulla, Class of 1899, Class Rings, Elon Alumni, Everett Doggett Summers | Leave a Comment »
November 5, 2009 by belkarchives
Pam Richter – Class of 2011
Nov. 5, 2009
Sitting in class for an hour and forty minutes on Tuesdays and Thursdays may seem like a daunting task for some students. What many students may not realize is that class times weren’t always this long.

A description from the Elon College Academic Catalog in 1994-1995, which was the first year the curriculum was changed.
In the fall of 1994, Elon College changed from a three-hour credit system to a four-hour credit system after the faculty voted on the change in April 1993. This change was in conjunction with the new General Studies program that was taking place at the time. Some educational departments were forced to rework their entire curriculum, where as others weren’t as drastically impacted by the change.
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Posted in Academics | Tagged 1994, classes, Elon College, Elon University, four credit, three credit | 2 Comments »
September 9, 2009 by belkarchives
Pam Richter – Class of 2011
Sept. 9, 2009
For Elon University seniors, the term “under the oaks” has a special meaning. This is the spot where they will make their way across the stage and will receive their diplomas. This is a long standing tradition at the university beginning in 1923 after the Old Main Administration Building burned down, as graduations were previously held in the auditorium of this building.

The first outdoor commencement at Elon in 1923.
“This commencement promises to be the best of all Elon’s commencements, but the thing which makes it unique is the fact that it will mark the end of an old era and the beginning of a new in the history of the college.” This was written in the Maroon and Gold on May 18, 1923.
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Posted in Campus traditions | Tagged Elon University, commencement, senior oak tree, Old Main Administration building, fires at Elon, "under the oaks", graduation | Leave a Comment »