The Month in Photos: January 2026

Elon University is featuring a variety of photos every month to highlight the exceptional learning, work and activities of students, faculty and staff.

January 2026 was an exciting (and cold) month for Elon University. Winter Term kicked off with new HealthEU courses and Burst the Bubble sessions, while the university announced a new full-time law program in Charlotte. The month was capped off by a snowstorm that closed the university for two days, but brought the community out for some winter fun.

View some of the most impactful moments of the past month through the eyes of staff in the Office of University Communications.

The man mythologized

Scholar and ethicist Kwame Anthony Appiah delivered the Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Address on Jan. 8, offering a look at the civil rights leader’s life examining “the ultimate moral truth about the man in the pulpit.”

A man with glasses, red turtleneck and grey blazer speaks in front of an Elon University podium
Kwame Anthony Appiah delivers the Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Address in McCrary Theatre at Elon University on Jan. 8.

Dorm room gourmet

Elon University students faced their fears and try new recipes through Winter Term Burst the Bubble courses: free, student-led, non-credit sessions where students with a talent, interest or skill share their knowledge with their peers.

Two students sit at a classroom table during a lab activity, with one student holding a small container near the other’s face as if conducting a scent or observation test. Several labeled jars and supplies are arranged on the table between them.
Elon University students participate in the Burst the Bubble session, Dorm Room Gourmet: Flavors on a Dime, during Elon University’s Winter Term.

Law in Charlotte

Elon University has announced plans to further expand its legal education presence in Charlotte and has applied to the American Bar Association for approval to launch an additional full-time law program, with classes planned to begin in Fall 2027.

School of Law Dean Zak Kramer speaks to media after Elon University announced plans to further expand its legal education presence in Charlotte by applying to the American Bar Association for approval to launch an additional full-time Elon Law program, with classes planned to begin in Fall 2027. January 13, 2026

Love and Information

Elon University’s Department of Performing Arts staged “Love and Information,” British play with a series of short scenes that examines the challenges people encounter in forming and maintaining strong relationships.

Love and Information (directed by Kirby Wahl) dress rehearsal at Scott Studios on January 17, 2026

The Winter Symposium

Elon University’s Division of Student Life welcomed nearly 250 higher education professionals from across the state for a day of professional development, knowledge sharing, and connection at its annual Winter Symposium.

Elon Winter Symposium in Alumni Gym. January 14, 2026

A snowy day one

Elon University students returned for the first day of the Spring 2026 semester to a snow and ice-covered campus.

Students walk through campus on Jan. 29, the first day of the 2026 Spring Semester at Elon University.