Kathryn Knaus
Student Coordinator
Class of 2013
Hometown: Dayton, MD
Major: Biochemistry
Favorite thing about Elon University: The incredible support network of faculty, staff, and students that help each individual in our community thrive and grow.
Advice to New Students: Keep in touch with your family and friends from home, but live your Elon experience to the fullest!
Favorite thing about Orientation: The camaraderie between the Orientation staff and their passion for working with new Elon students.
Jill Padfield
Head Team Captain
Class of 2013
Hometown: Marvin, NC
Major: Math with a Teaching Licensure
Favorite thing about Elon University: The feeling of community between the faculty and students. It is a unique connection of respect that is hard to find at other campuses.
Advice to New Students: Don't get stuck with people or activities just because they are convenient. Really try and find your passions and immerse yourself in all of the opportunities that Elon offers.
Favorite thing about Orientation: The Orientation Leaders! We always have an amazing team full of people so passionate about Elon and what they are doing for new students.
Dana Hedman
Coordinator-in-Training
Class of 2014
Hometown: Evanston, IL
Major: Public Health
Favorite thing about Elon University: I really love the acorn tradition and how it bookends your time at Elon.
Advice to New Students: Have a open mind and be willing to try new things! Usually people regret the things they didn't do, not the ones they did.
Favorite thing about Orientation: Getting to make so many new friends!
Maggie Achey
Elon Files Liaison
Class of 2014
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
Major: English Professional Writing and Rhetoric
Favorite thing about Elon University: The wide range of clubs and activities to get involved in.
Advice to New Students: Try out every dining hall on campus, while everyone may have their favorite all of them have good food.
Favorite thing about Orientation: Move in day when all the new students and their parents are arriving.
Katherine Bain
Family Relations Liaison
Class of 2014
Hometown: Alpharetta, Georgia
Major: English with a Teaching Licensure Concentration
Favorite thing about Elon University: The bubble. Not because Elon is in it's own little world, but because Elon has some unique quality that everyone here understands it, but no one can explain it. I guess it's another way of saying Elon's community. There is no way to fully understand it until you experience it yourself!
Advice to New Students: Put yourself out there! You don't have to be the most outgoing person, but just try new things! Be open to opportunities you wouldn't have thought about before.
Favorite thing about Orientation: The people! From staff to orientation leaders to the first years there is something unique about this specific Elon community that is hard not to love. Everyone just wants to make Elon his/her home & everyone else's too!
Melissa Bing
Community on the Commons Liaison
Class of 2013
Hometown: Arlington, TX
Major: Public Administration w/ minors in Political Science and Spanish
Favorite thing about Elon University: College coffee and how it continues to bring the
Advice to New Students: Don't envision college as a perfect place, because
it isn't. But it is a fabulous place with amazing opportunities that are
waiting to be taken advantage of.
Favorite thing about Orientation: The people you meet and the relationships I have formed through orientation.
Genevieve D’Cruz
Faculty Assisting New Students (F.A.N.S.) Liaison
Class of 2013
Hometown: Chapel Hill, NC
Major: Double Major in Spanish and Religious Studies
Favorite thing about Elon University: There are so many different ways to get involved with the student body and the campus!
Advice to New Students: Make the most of every moment at Elon, and when you find a professor you love; take as many classes with them as you can.
Favorite thing about Orientation: All the cheers and the excitement of beginning a new year and welcoming a new class to Elon!
Lauren Kepke
Alumni Relations and Banquet Liaison
Class of 2014
Hometown: Raleigh, NC
Major: Special and Elementary Education
Favorite thing about Elon: The opportunities that are available to every student, whether that is studying abroad or joining a new organization or having a personal relationships with professors. Elon is an incredible place that provides students with the option of having once in a lifetime experiences!
Advice to New Students: The first few weeks of college can be hard, but take time to meet new people and remember that everyone is experiencing the same things that you are.
Favorite thing about Orientation: Meeting the new students and their parents throughout move in weekend. I love helping answer questions and being a reference that the families can trust.
Kim Lilienthal
Catch the Fire Liaison
Class of 2014
Hometown: Bel Air, MD
Major: Double Major in English Professional Writing & Rhetoric and Literature
Favorite thing about Elon: Winter Term is the best. It's a great time to relax and hang out with friends, as well as to take a class that you wouldn't get a chance to take during the semester. Also, I love avoiding the freezing Maryland winters!
Advice to New Students: Embrace everything that happens to you and don't be afraid to grow. Every new experience serves to help you find out who you are, where you came from, and where you are going. Change is good!
Favorite thing about Orientation: Move in day! It's so nice to give each family individual attention and advice. I can't count the number of times I told northeastern families how to stay away from I-95 and bypass D.C. traffic.
Patrick Lynn
bELONg T-Shirt Liaison
Class of 2013
Hometown: Raynham, MA
Major: Public Administration
Favorite thing about Elon University: The people at Elon are great; there is really a strong sense of camaraderie among the student body.
Advice to New Students: Meet as many people as you can because you never
know who will be your next best friend!
Favorite thing about Orientation: I really like the sense of community between everyone that works as a part of Orientation, and the dedication we all have for the program.
Bobby Rawlings
Transfer Liaison
Class of 2013
Major: Double Major in Biology and Biochemistry
Hometown: Cumming, Georgia
Favorite thing about Elon University: The magnolia trees and the garden area behind Alamance.
Advice to New Students: Don’t be afraid to be yourself. It’s better to form a group of close friends that really understand you than pretending to be someone you’re not in order to impress others.
Favorite thing about Orientation: I really enjoy helping new students get excited about being an Elon student.
Chelsea Saggese
Live the Maroon Life Liaison
Class of 2013
Hometown: New Canaan, Connecticut
Major: Environmental Studies
Favorite thing about Elon University: The amazing people! Everyone is so friendly and welcoming. When you walk across campus you will see so many people smiling.
Advice to New Students: Time management is essential. There are so many wonderful opportunities here at Elon, it is difficult not to become overly involved. However, you must find a balance between your academics and extracurricular activities because that will help you be successful.
Favorite thing about Orientation: Meeting the new students and seeing how Orientation Leaders really help them feel comfortable and transition to life at Elon smoothly.
Jessica Simmermeyer
O-Team Liaison
Class of 2013
Hometown: Finksburg, MD
Major: Exercise Science
Favorite thing about Elon University: The drive to become the best version of yourself; everyone is truly invested in learning in the classroom, developing their interests in organizations, and becoming an informed individual through experiences like study abroad, internships, and research.
Advice to New Students: Take the time to find your niche; Elon has so many different things to offer, so try a few different organizations out to find something you are truly passionate about!
Favorite thing about Orientation: The people. I have loved getting to know people through Orientation, as a new student meeting other members of my class, as an OL meeting the other leaders and bonding with my new students, and as a member of Head Staff getting to know all the OLs and become to close with my fellow Head Staffers. Orientation has truly introduced me to so many amazing people!
Michael Soucy
Technology & Marketing Liaison
Class of 2013
Hometown: St. Louis, MO
Major: Media Arts and Entertainment: Broadcast and New Media
Favorite Thing about Elon University: All of the people. The students here are all awesome people and incredibly driven. Also, the faculty and staff on this campus are all rockstars! They are always willing to put in the extra time to help you out with a problem or even just to go get coffee and chat.
Advice to New Students: Get involved with things that interest you, but also be open to different opportunities. Elon has so many wonderful opportunities. Some you will know from the start you want to be a part of and others that you will discover during your time at Elon.
Favorite Thing about Orientation: My favorite thing about orientation was all of the people I met as a new student, an Orientation Leader, and now as a Head Staff member. I have so many amazing friendships because of the orientation process, and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to meet and work with these people.
Janice Spearbeck
Evaluation & Assessment Liaison
Class of 2013
Hometown: La Plata, MD
Major: Double Major in Environmental Studies and Management
Favorite thing about Elon University: The relationships that you build between the faculty and staff throughout your time at Elon.
Advice to New Students: Try something new! You never know what you might find.
Favorite thing about Orientation: Meeting and interacting with other students who are as passionate, invovled, and willing to help aid in the transition of new students and their families.
Alexa Sykes
Pep Rally and Extravaganza Liaison
Class of 2013
Hometown: Shaker Heights, OH
Major: Strategic Communications
Favorite thing about Elon University: The level of involvement of all the students here - I don't know a single person that just goes to class ends their day there. Regardless of what your major or concentration is, there is some way for you to gain experience in that field in some capacity both on and off campus. Also, as someone who is currently studying abroad, I love the fact that so many Elon students study abroad, and it is so accessible for people who may know nothing about it.
Advice to New Students: There are going to be so many exciting opportunities coming your way in the first couple of weeks, but these opportunities will continue over the rest of your four years at Elon, so don't feel pressured to do everything during your first year! I have enjoyed slowly building up my pallet of activities and skills over the past three years, and I wouldn't have the leadership skills and experience that I have now if I would have put too much on my plate from the get go.
Favorite thing about Orientation: Obviously meeting all of the new students and making new friends! Between my first-years and my fellow OLs last year and now my Head Staffers, I have met so many amazing people and built some lasting friendships that have truly defined my Elon experience.
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