The successful conclusion of the most ambitious strategic plan in Elon’s history was a major focus of the celebration at Spring Convocation for Honors, held April 10. The 17-point Elon Vision strategic plan, launched in 1994, provided a blueprint for Elon’s development as one of the premier undergraduate institutions on the Eastern Seaboard. The Campaign for the Elon Vision, which had a goal of $40 million, raised a total of $46,708,468 to help fund the strategic plan.
Click here to watch a video celebrating the accomplishments of the Elon Vision.
The Elon Vision addressed four main components: academics, students, faculty and staff, and resources. Premier academic programs have been developed, including the addition of the College of Arts and Sciences and Schools of Education and Communications. Faculty salaries have been increased and more than 60 full-time faculty positions have been added. Elon is able to attract top students with increased scholarship funds, while SAT scores of entering freshmen have increased about 100 points to an average of 1,116. Enrollment has increased from 3,500 to more than 4,100.
The $13.5 million Dalton L. McMichael, Sr. Science Center and the $14 million Carol Grotnes Belk Library have been completed, and Rhodes Stadium, an on-campus athletics facility, will open this fall. Elon has also completed the transition to NCAA Division I athletics and gained extensive national recognition in numerous college guides and other publications.
As a capstone to the Elon Vision plan, Elon College will become Elon University on June 1. A new $116 million strategic plan, NewCentury@Elon, was launched in 2000 and will position Elon as a distinctive national model of academic excellence. The plan calls for continued dramatic improvements in academic programs, personnel and facilities.
Among the specific NewCentury@Elon objectives are the following:
- Develop a new program of information science and technology
- Develop the Isabella Cannon Centre for International Studies as a premier national model
- Establish centers for innovation in teaching and learning, public policy and public affairs and environmental studies
- Construct a new arts building, a new building for the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business, a new student health center and additional on-campus residence halls
- Determine the feasibility of building a convocation center and support development of the surrounding community
- Increase the endowment, expanding scholarship programs to support outstanding students
- Endow the College of Arts and Sciences and schools of education and communications
- Improve stature of Elon’s NCAA Division I athletics program
- Plan for slow and targeted enrollment growth while improving the academic credentials of entering freshmen.
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