From stepping outside her comfort zone to mentoring others, the senior business major reflects on how community and connections shaped her journey at Elon.
Reagan Wible ’26 compares her four years at Elon to a roller coaster – or, as she puts it, “being afraid to try something, then realizing how much that thrill shaped who I am and helped me find my community.”
As graduation approaches, Wible now looks back on the encounters and experiences that helped her better understand herself and shaped the impact she hopes to leave as she crosses the stage in May.
“Before Elon, I didn’t really have any attachment to my heritage,” Wible said. “I’ve learned so much about myself since being here.”
To fully understand Wible’s journey, you must begin at the start. The daughter of two adoptees — one from Korea and the other a white American — she did not grow up in her small Pennsylvania hometown with a strong connection to her Korean heritage.
“I never had a clear sense of this part of me, since both of my parents are adoptees,” Wible said. “Coming from a predominantly white school and community, there were times when I felt that my Korean heritage was something to be ashamed of.”
Wible said that changed when she was admitted to Elon. She recognized college as an opportunity. “I knew I would have better resources and outlets to put myself out there and learn more about Pan-Asian cultures,” she said.
Looking for those opportunities, Wible first explored her identity through the university’s Center for Race, Ethnicity and Diversity Education’s SMART Mentor Program. She remembers it as a leap outside her comfort zone, but one she knew could open new doors.
That one decision changed the trajectory of her Elon experience. Through the SMART Mentor Program, Wible met Anna Marchesseault ’24.
“She introduced me to all of her friends, and they helped me attend more events and find community early on,” Wible said.
Wible’s exploration of her identity has also taken shape in an unexpected place — her home.
Living with two other Elon students of Asian heritage, she found a space to explore her culture through everyday behaviors.
“It was my roommates decorating for Lunar New Year and teaching me traditions, like cleaning the house before the Lunar New Year holiday,” Wible said. “I just never realized those were things that happened.”
What may have seemed like small moments became meaningful opportunities for connection and growth.
Finding community through connection
With the encouragement of her new friends, Wible began exploring her heritage by attending events, such as Food for Thought and previous API Heritage Month programs
These steps would eventually lead her to deeper campus involvement, including membership in Elon’s Associate Chapter of Kappa Phi Lambda Sorority, Incorporated, a sorority open to anyone interested in Pan-Asian cultures.
“We aim to promote an inclusive sisterhood while giving back to the community and celebrating culture, especially in a space where there aren’t many of us,” Wible said.
This mission is reflected in the sorority’s guiding pillars of service, academic excellence and cultural awareness across university campuses and communities. As the current president of the Associate Chapter at Elon, Wible serves as the organization’s on-campus face and primary contact, as well as a member of the sorority’s national marketing staff.
Beyond her responsibilities as president, she has served as a mentor and demonstrated strong leadership within the sorority.
George Dou, assistant director of the CREDE and advisor to the sorority, praises Wible’s presence and contributions to the university campus.
“Reagan is someone who’s passionate about what she does,” Dou said. “Many student leaders are, but Reagan has always expressed a desire to improve upon what she’s given and to excel rather than being content with simply being satisfactory.”
As Wible has invested in the organization, the sorority has also become a space where she has further discovered herself, explored her identity and developed her leadership.
“I want to build relationships across organizations and show that even if we come from different backgrounds, there are still ways we can connect and learn from each other,” said Wible, who also serves on the executive board of the Multicultural Greek Council.
That vision has taken shape through her efforts to strengthen relationships across chapters.
“Reagan doesn’t just support Elon KPL members, but supports our (members) all over the country,” said Bella Pelini ’27, a member of the Associate Chapter of Kappa Phi Lambda Sorority, Incorporated, who considers Wible a mentor. “She is always the first to ask Elon (memberS) if we want to join her at other North Carolina school cultural events or reveals. She has helped us strengthen our sisterhood throughout all of North Carolina and beyond.”
These actions reflect the legacy Wible hopes to leave on campus and bring her journey full circle, from the moment her mentor invested in her upon arriving at Elon. As she looks ahead, Wible is considering graduate school and pursuing a career on a college campus.
She hopes to leave a lasting impact on the community she has built at Elon by encouraging others to pursue new opportunities. “Don’t be afraid to go out of your comfort zone,” Wible said. “It might be scary, but it can change your life in a really positive way.”
Elon honors Asian Pacific Island Heritage Month
As part of Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Elon University is sharing stories through Today at Elon that highlight Asian and Pacific Islander students, faculty and staff who contribute to a campus environment where cultural identities and experiences are celebrated year-round. Throughout the month, Elon is also recognizing API Heritage Month through a series of events and programming.