Deborah Long has been recognized by the North Carolina College Personnel Association (NCCPA) with its Outstanding Service in Support of the Student Affairs Profession Award. Long is a professor of education, director of the Elon Academy and coordinator of civic engagement.
The award recognizes an individual who has made a significant contribution in support of the student personnel/student development field. Long has been an instrumental player in continuing to bridge the gap between the local school system and Elon University.
Long earned her master’s in education from Virginia State University and her doctorate in education with a concentration in curriculum, instruction, and educational leadership from the University of Memphis. She has been a faculty member at Elon University since 1996.
In 2006, Cummings High School, a school less than 10 miles away from Elon University, was threatened with closure due to low-performance on standardized tests. Elon University President Leo M. Lambert appointed Long that same year to serve as the Faculty Fellow to the President to lead the charge to bridge the gap between the local school system and Elon University.
During her tenure as the Faculty Fellow, she began the Elon Academy.
The Elon Academy is a three-year college access program for academically-talented, Alamance County students who would be the first in their families to attend college or who show a financial need. The students are selected for the academy during their freshman year in high school and spend part of the next three summers engaging in academic and enrichment activities on campus.
Long was recognized at the NCCPA annual conference on Nov. 5 in Winston-Salem, N.C.