Elon alumni reflect on mentorship during Homecoming & Reunion Weekend

In between concerts and tailgating and a tough-fought football match, Elon alumni who returned to their alma mater for 2025 Homecoming shared some of the best advice they received from mentors in college that still helps guide them today.

Homecoming & Reunion Weekend 2025 Photo Gallery

Elon University’s 2025 Homecoming & Reunion Weekend welcomed alumni, students, faculty and staff onto campus for a dynamic slate of weekend events.

From open houses and an evening step show through a Saturday football game against Villanova University, highlights included the return of the Rock the Block Homecoming concert featuring “The Plain White Ts”, the Golden Alumni Luncheon, campus and academic department receptions, oral history booths, affinity group award celebrations, leadership and networking conversations across schools, themed tailgates, tours, and wellness events.

Against that backdrop, alumni were asked to share stories of mentorship from their Elon years. Voices reflected how encouraging guidance — from professors, staff or fellow students — helped launch careers, build confidence and shape leadership styles.

Homecoming & Reunion Weekend 2025 included the return of the Homecoming concert, featuring “The Plain White Ts” on Oct. 10.

What follows is a curated series of reflections that capture those moments.

“Melissa Jordan was an incredible mentor. My first year here, I had a difficult class and she helped me process my emotions, think through solutions, and gave me the confidence to approach my professor. Now that I work in higher education, I try to give my students that same support and encouragement that she gave me.”
— Alicia Carter ’15, Strategic Communications

“Mary Kate Brogan in the Class of 2014 mentored me through The Pendulum. She showed me what it means to be there for others coming up behind you. I was introverted and hesitant to reach out, but she pulled me out of my shell and taught me the importance of being that person for someone else — giving them the little push that can change their life.”
— Kaitlin Dunn ’16, Journalism

“Tom Nelson taught me that it’s important to be yourself and to find environments where you can thrive. You spend 40 hours a week with the people you work with — you have to be happy being yourself around them. Learning to understand who you are helps you build those environments where everyone can be authentic and successful.”
— Mary Kate Brogan ’14, Journalism

“At Elon, I learned from professors like Jeffrey Carpenter and Bernard Curry that education is about being comfortable in all sorts of environments. I try to teach my high school students that same lesson: you can be academic, creative, athletic, and belong to many different communities. Learning to be comfortable in different settings helps us live together as a society.”
— Will Frauenfelder ’15, History and Education

From left to right: Alicia Carter ’15, Mary Kate Brogan ’14, Will Frauenfelder ’15 and Kaitlin Dunn ’16

“Evan Small in the Kernodle Center for Service Learning was always motivating me to do things outside my comfort zone, whether that was a service trip or an adventure class like the ropes course. That encouragement to try new things stuck with me. I started out teaching, moved into human resources, and I’m still pushing myself to keep life exciting.”
— Rachel Gilman Yahyapoor ‘15, Education

“Dr. Gronowski in the psychology department was an outstanding professor — very engaged and always keeping students involved in the learning process. As I went on to earn my Ph.D. and teach at the university level, I’ve seen how involving students actively in their education really improves their experience.”
— Jack LoCicero ’81, Psychology

“When I was an RA, my supervisor Sylvia Wade noticed I was struggling in the winter and introduced me to sunlamps. I still use one today when I’m feeling low — it helps so much. I never would have known to do that without her.”
— Aileen Bell ’20, Political Science

“My mock trial coach, Kristen Delforge, told me, ‘Don’t do something just to do it — do it because you love it.’ I think about that all the time. Life’s too short to spend it doing things you don’t enjoy.”
— Jacob Hayward ’20, Sociology and Policy Studies

A family sits on a picnic blanket wearing Elon University gear — Elon University held Homecoming & Reunion Weekend on Oct. 10-11, 2025.

“My orientation leader told me not to spread myself too thin — to go all in on a few things that matter most. That advice helped me focus my energy on entrepreneurship and innovation. I helped found the AI Club and became lead intern at the Doherty Center. Even now in my QA job and running my own business, I focus on doing a few things well and serving our core clients with excellence.”
— Joshua Mason ’25, Financial Technology

“From Dan Reis in the Maker Hub, I learned that failure is part of learning. You shouldn’t give up when something doesn’t work. You should learn from it. Now, as an elementary school teacher, I tell my students every day that struggling is part of the process and makes you a better learner.”
— Joshua Donald ’19, Human Service Studies

Homecoming & Reunion Weekend 2025 included the return of the Homecoming concert, featuring "The Plain White Ts" on Oct. 10.