Know of a young alum who's recently enjoyed major professional success, made a big difference in his or her community, or been a loyal supporter of Elon? Nominate that person for our Top 10 Under 10 Awards, which recognize outstanding graduates of Elon's undergraduate programs from 2001 to 2011.
For more information about the Top 10 Under 10 Awards, please contact Kiley Moorefield '07, coordinator of young alumni engagement, at (336) 278-7421 or kmoorefield@elon.edu.
Nominations for the 2012 Top 10 Under 10 Awards are now closed. However, if you have a young alumnus/alumna you'd like to nominate for the 2013 Top 10 Under 10 Awards, please feel free to send us that information. You may submit your nomination using either of the following options:
* online nomination form
* paper nomination form
The nomination deadline for the 2013 awards will be announced in the fall. Recipients will be notified in January and announced on E-Net and the Alumni Association website at that time. They will be invited to campus for a special awards banquet in the spring.
Melissa Will Banta '04 G'06
Inpatient therapy manager, Sheltering Arms Rehabilitation Hospital
Richmond, Va.
A graduate of Elon's undergraduate and graduate programs, Melissa has distinguished herself as a leader not only in her workplace, the Sheltering Arms Physical Rehabilitation Center, but also the greater field of stroke rehabilitation.
A doctor of physical therapy and inpatient therapy manager of the facility, Melissa led Sheltering Arms' efforts to achieve Stroke Center Certification from the Joint Commission. The process included the development of Sheltering Arms' iWALK Recovery Center, which uses state-of-the-art technology to help patients, especially those recovering from stroke, to learn to walk again. The program is regarded as one of the first of its kind in the country, and Melissa was invited to present about the success of iWALK at the National Physical Therapy Conference in Chicago earlier this year. She also wrote an article about the program for Advance for PT Magazine.
Grateful to Elon for helping prepare her for her career, Melissa regularly hosts Elon DPT students for clinical rotations.
Dominic Barrett '06
Executive director, Shalom Farms
Richmond, Va.
From a six-acre organic farm in Goochland, Va., about 40 minutes outside of Richmond, Dominic touches thousands of lives in the city. As executive director of Shalom Farms, he oversees production of more than 35,000 pounds of produce destined for "food deserts" in Richmond each year, including after-school programs, food pantries, soup kitchens and youth-run farm stands.
At Shalom Farms, Dominic leads programs that teach more than 2,000 adults and children sustainable agriculture skills annually and engages more than 1,500 volunteers - all of whom have helped make the project one of Richmond Magazine's "50 Things We Love About Richmond."
Dominic, who worked in a similar capacity for the Palmetto Project in Charleston, S.C., before moving to Richmond in 2010, has been named one of Bread of the World's 75 Hunger Justice Leaders under 30. Last year, the Richmond Times-Dispatch profiled Dominic and Shalom Farms for its "Making a Difference" series. Outside of work, Dominic serves on advisory boards for Richmond Public Schools, and volunteers wiht Big Brothers/Big Sisters and the YWCA.
James Black '09
U.S. Army Specialist, psychological operations
Santee, Calif.
"Not many recently graduated economids majors decide to join the army," wrote a nominator, but James isn't most economics majors. Less than two years after Commencement, he was deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan, as a psychological operations specialist in the U.S. Army. He quickly observed that the substandard level of education made the local population susceptible to manipulation by the insurgency, and that children were the most significantly affected.
In August 2011, James reached out to his Elon network, soliciting more than 800 pounds of school supplies from the university and its surrounding community and an additional 500 pounds of supplies from the U.S. Marine Corps. The items were distributed to more than 200 students throughout the province, prompting a colleague to say James' efforts helped "turn the tables in his area of deployment."
James' project earned him the Army Commendation Medal and consideration for the Navy Achievement Medal. Though he returned to the United States in January, James' efforts live on: the success of the project has been used to promote other outreach efforts in Helmand Province.
Stephen Charles '03
Director of medical education, University of Kansas School of Medicine
Wichita, Kan.
Since graduating from Elon in 2003, Stephen has worked tirelessly to help his students take advantage of their educational opportunities. Early in his teaching career, Steve was recognized as the Guilford County (N.C.) Rookie Science Teacher of the Year and was selected by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction to redesign the state's physical science curriculum and testing instruments. In the latter role, Steve began carving out a nice that would hold his future career.
While pursuing a master's degree in adult education from North Carolina Agricultural & Technical University, Steve served as a curriculum facilitator for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's School of Medicine. Later, he worked in a similar capacity at the University of South Florida's College of Medicine while pursuing a second master's degree and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction.
In July 2011, Steve was hired to be the director of medical education at the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Wichita, where he is tasked with redesigning the medical education program, overseeing the standardized patient center, implementing an expanded four-year medical school and working with faculty at both the graduate and undergraduate levels.
Maria Teresa Interiano '07
Reporter and producer, Telefutura/Univision Network
Miami, Fla.
Maria Teresa has come a long way from her days as a reporter for Phoenix14News and has steadily advanced at Univision Communications and Telefutura, the leading media company serving Hispanic America.
As an entertainment producer and reporter, Maria Teresa has served as the main correspondent for Univision and Telefutura's most prominent live shows, including "Premio Juventud," "Premio lo Nuestro," "Latin Grammy" and the reality show "Nuestra Belleza Latina." She has produced and anchored several popular entertainment segments through which she has interviewed movie stars including Hugh Jackman, Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp. The experience no doubt contributed to her selection as Telefutura's main correspondent for the April 2011 Royal Wedding of Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.
Most recently, Maria Teresa was tapped as a producer and reporter for "Tombola," a quick-hitting entertainment and news show. She also has joined Univision's morning show, "Despierta America" as an entertainment reporter, and some of her assignments have included reporting from the Golden Globe Awards and the Oscars. Outside of work, Maria Teresa is a passionate supporter of Teleton Mexico, which aims to bring together the international community with the goal of enhancing the quality of life for children and young people with disabilities.
Erin Lawless '03
Senior partnerships director, Atlas Service Corps.
Washington, D.C.
Erin was an avid volunteer during her Elon years, and she continued her goodwill pursuits long after Commencement. She completed a master's degree in public health from Boston University and volunteered with the Peace Corps in Uganda, working in a small village to raise awareness about AIDS while helping its residents lead healthier lives. Moved by her experience, Erin founded a nonprofit organizaiton there called Hope of the Generation Uganda, which she continues to lead today.
Erin applied the knowledge she gained from her years in Africa as a program volunteer manager for Rebuilding Together, a national nonprofit organization that works to provide affordable housing and assist in community revitalization efforts. In 2010, Rebuilding Together promoted her to associate director for national service preograms, a role that required Erin to manage the organizatio's nationwide AmeriCorps volunteer program, which included 65 members at 33 host sites in 20 states.
In 2011, Erin was hired by Atlas Service Corps as its senior partnerships director. She serves as the organization's primary recruiter and liaison between its headquarters in Washington, D.C., and more than 30 host organizations nationwide.
Jay Perry '03
Owner, Seal Pros, Inc. and Pothole Pros, Inc.
Waldorf, Md.
Jay purchased Maryland-based Seal Pros, a pavement company in 2001 as an Elon sophomore. He'd previously worked as a foreman in the company, which at the time employed just two people and owned one maintenance truck. Jay paid off his bank loan by scheduling jobs from Elon during the week, then traveling to and from Maryland during the weekends to finish the work. Fast-forward a decade, and Seal Pros is flourishing with more than 20 employees during its peak season to serve residential, commercial and municipal clients.
Last year, Jay and a partner founded Pothole Pros, a company that uses state-of-the-art infrared technology to repair asphalt - a method that's faster, cheaper and more durable and environmentally friendly than traditional methods. Pothole Pros was asked to present on its infrared technology at the National Association of Power Engineers in September, and Jay is working with state and local governments to make infrared technology the preferred method of repairing roadways in Maryland.
Jay adn his wife, Shannon Courtney Perry '03, live with their two children in Brandywine, Md., where Jay serves as head of the youth group at Christ Church Accokeek.
Elizabeth Schrauder-Ermis '04
Instructional technologist, High Point University
High Point, N.C.
Elizabeth's professional accomplishments are impressive; for example, while studying for a master's degree in instructional technology, she entered and won the 2009 Association of Educational Communications and Technology/PacifiCorp Instructional Design and Development Competition, defeating doctoral teams from leading universities in the process. Today, she serves as the only instructional technologist for High Point University, a rapidly growing liberal arts institution just west of Elon.
Yet it's Elizabeth's service pursuits that are especially notable. Last year, Elizabeth received the President's Award from the March of Dimes as a top-100 national individual fundraiser. The March of Dimes' mission to support research about premature birth and birth defects hits home for Elizabeth, whose younger brother died after being born nearly 10 weeks premature and whose own son, Daniel, was born with a major congenital heart defect. She has served on the March of Dimes' Triad steering committee and ranked as the area's top fundraiser for two years running. Elizabeth also participates in the local chapter of Mended Little Hearts, a national support group for families of children with heart defects.
Jamie Sclater '02
U.S. Navy lead petty officer, hospital corpsman and sniper
Twentynine Palms, Calif.
Jamie never intended to dedicate his career to the United States military. Yet admiration for his Navy SEAL roommate's service inspired him to enlist in the Navy in 2003, and he's never looked back.
In his more than eight years of service, Jamie has been deployed to war zones four times: in 2006, as a corpsman in Kunar Province, Afghanistan; in 2007, as an assistant sniper team leader in Haditha, Iraq; in 2009, as a trauma corpsman and anesthesia technician at the Multi-National Role III trauma center in Afghanistan; and last year, as a lead petty officer in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
Before his last deployment, Jamie was promoted to lead petty officer just a day prior to departing with his men, and he was placed in charge of all medical and administrative needs for a battalion of mroe than 1,000 Marines. Under Jamie's leadership, his battalion experienced a killed-in-action ratio of less than half a percent, and more than 30 of his junior sailors earned nominations for awards ranging from the Bronze Star to the Navy and Marine Corps commendation medals.
Jamie has received numerous honors, including the Army Commendation Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps achievement medals and the Navy and Marine Corps commendation medals. He currently is in training to operate in clandestine operations, and the results of this training will determine his future in military service.
Summur Shaikh '03
Producer, ABC's "The View"
New York, N.Y.
In fewer than 10 years, Summur has achieved the kind of career success that takes most people in the entertainment industry decades to accomplish. In April 2011, she was promoted to producer of ABC Television's hit talk show, "The View," which has her working intimately with the show's five household names: Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Sherri Shepherd and Barbara Walters.
Nearly all of Summur's professional life has been spent with "The View," for which she interned as an Elon student in 2001. Hired after her graduation, she moved from temporary receptionist to full-time tape coordinator to associate producer in just two years. Since 2005, she has been writing scripts, editing segments, interviewing celebrity guests and, in short, playing a critical role in the production of one of TV's most popular programs.
A loyal Elon alumna, Summur is a role model for communications students. She makes herself available to speak with students interested in working in broadcasting and in New York City, and her connections have helped open doors to internships at ABC Television and elsewhere for Elon students.
Faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends of the recipients are invited to attend the banquet held in their honor on Saturday, March 31, 2012, at 6:30 p.m. in McKinnon Hall, Moseley Center. Tickets are $30 per person and include admission to the pre-event reception and the awards ceremony dinner. Tickets can be purchased at www.elon.edu/alumrsvp.
Looking to find out something about a past recipient? Click here to view our archive.
elon}
