Elon’s “deep sense of commitment” to student success inspired Trustee Debra Del Vecchio P’22 P’24 to generously contribute to the center that will integrate academics, wellness, campus recreation and fitness programs to ensure students gain the skills they need to thrive on campus and beyond.
Debra Del Vecchio knew there was something special about Elon when she first stepped onto campus in fall 2017, when her son Cristian ’22 enrolled. That affinity only grew stronger when her daughter Angelica ’24 joined the Elon community a few years later.
“What I admire most about Elon is its deep sense of commitment,” said Del Vecchio, of Oyster Bay, New York. “The university is proactive, always thinking ahead to ensure students are supported, not just academically, but emotionally, socially and physically. The new HealthEU facility is a perfect example of this. It will be a state-of-the-art space, but more than that, I’m confident it will be a warm and welcoming hub of well-being at the heart of campus life.”
In recognition of her gift, the main entrance to the HealthEU Center will be named Del Vecchio Commons, a spacious area that will welcome all visitors to the center and serve as an inviting gathering spot for students, faculty and staff. Scheduled to open in fall 2026, the center will be located within Elon’s Innovation Quad, home to the university’s engineering and other STEM programs.
The gift will also endow the Del Vecchio Family Internship as part of the Women of Elon (WE) initiative. This initiative seeks to inspire alumnae, parents and friends to increase philanthropic support for students by raising $2.5 million by 2026 to make internships possible for students with financial need. Del Vecchio is a member of the Women of Elon Advisory Council. Finally, the gift will provide additional funding for the Odyssey Scholarships previously endowed by the Del Vecchio family, in honor of Cristian and Angelica, to make an Elon education possible for talented students with significant financial need.
“The Elon community is grateful to Debra Del Vecchio for her inspired leadership and engagement as a trustee and for generously supporting scholarships, health and wellness and other top university priorities,” said James B. Piatt, Jr., senior vice president for university advancement and external affairs. “We are a stronger institution because of devoted partners like Debra Del Vecchio.”
The HealthEU Center is a central component to the university’s broader HealthEU initiative that focuses on six dimensions of health and wellness: community, emotional, purpose, financial, physical and social. The three-story center will feature new classrooms, student-faculty research spaces, multiple floors for wellness and fitness activities, and the Mark and Kim Tyson Counseling Center, which will provide individual and group therapy, as well as workshops and outreach programs.
Through coursework as well as workshops and training programs focused on health and wellness, the HealthEU Center will impact all students as they progress through their education and learn essential skills and practices to flourish on campus and throughout each stage of their lives. The center is a key priority of the Boldly Elon strategic plan that will guide the university to 2030.
Elon has set a $25 million fundraising goal to make the HealthEU Center a reality. To date, donors have contributed $22.4 million to the project.
Del Vecchio is one of Elon’s most generous donors, making gifts to support scholarships, Elon’s Greatest Needs, Catholic Campus Ministry and, along with Cristian, expansion of the university’s golf training facilities on South Campus.
“I know firsthand the difference this community can make in a student’s life,” Del Vecchio said. “And I know that countless others will graduate from Elon carrying that same sense of gratitude, confidence and care that my own children did. That’s why I’m proud to support Elon and why I believe in what the HealthEU Center represents for this generation and those to come.”
How to make an impact
Many naming opportunities remain in the HealthEU Center, beginning at $50,000. Gift commitments may be made in full or with a pledge over five years. To find out how you can make an impact with your gift, contact Brian Baker, associate vice president for university advancement, at 336.278.7453 or bbaker7@elon.edu.
To support the Women of Elon initiative, contact Emily Majmudar, director of development, at emajmudar@elon.edu or 336.520.5395.