SOAR Strategic Planning Committee continues work on Elon/Queens merger 

Elon University and Queens University of Charlotte have formed a strategic planning committee with representatives of both campuses working together to explore long-term academic and co-curricular possibilities made possible by the merger of the institutions.

The SOAR Strategic Planning Committee will engage stakeholders in Elon and Charlotte to envision and position a merged institution for a future that expands and enhances the student learning experience at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

“This is an incredibly exciting moment for Elon and Queens as we imagine a future together,” Elon University President Connie Book told the committee when it met via Zoom on Jan. 30, 2026. “The work ahead is empowering because it allows us to envision a new future and then decide, collectively, how we will build it, which was the very impetus for our boards making what is truly a 100-year decision to merge our institutions.

“The strategic planning work before this committee is about ideation and imagination,” Book added, “bringing forward the strengths of our two legacies to amplify student success and create something genuinely new for higher education.”

The committee’s work will be guided by the following principles: 

• Build on genuine distinction.
• Keep students at the center.
• Consider future attainable goals with aspirational potential.
• Let data inform thinking.
• Consider mission alignment.

Co-chaired at Elon University by Senior Vice President Jim Piatt and Professor of English Megan Isaac, and at Queens University of Charlotte by President Emerita Pamela Davies and McColl School of Business Dean Denise Rotondo, the SOAR Strategic Planning Committee will meet online and in person throughout the spring.

Before the institutions develop detailed implementation plans, committee members are charged with imagining what the combined strengths of the two institutions could make possible. The emphasis is on academic programs, student experience and co-curricular opportunities, not operational or administrative integration.

Committee membership was finalized by Book and Queens Acting President Jesse Cureton with input from senior leaders, with an emphasis on broad campus representation and strong faculty participation. Faculty involvement is seen by campus leaders as central to the conversations, particularly as the committee considers curricular opportunities.

The process will also include opportunities for campus stakeholders to share ideas through forums and online submissions, similar to previous university-wide planning efforts.

The SOAR committee plans to present a preliminary list of ideas to the universities’ boards of trustees at their springtime meetings as a midpoint check-in. A final compendium of the best ideas and concepts is expected by July 1. Co-chairs described the list as likely taking the form of a set of curricular and co-curricular themes rather than a comprehensive report.

Members of the SOAR Strategic Planning Committee

• Dixie Abernathy, Associate Professor of Education — Queens University of Charlotte
• LMA Alexander, Executive Director of the Pulliam Center for International Education — Queens University of Charlotte
• Lauren Burke, Instructor of Accounting — Queens University of Charlotte
• Lynda Butler-Storsved, Associate Teaching Professor of Wellness; Chair of Academic Council — Elon University
• Jessica Carew, Associate Professor of Political Science and Public Policy — Elon University
• Siu Challons-Lipton, Carolyn & Sam McMahon Professor of Art — Queens University of Charlotte
• Elle Collins, Executive Director, Center for Access and Success and Instructor — Elon University
• Maggie Commins, Professor of Political Science — Queens University of Charlotte
• Joe Cornelius, Assistant Professor of Film Production — Queens University of Charlotte
• JoAndrea Costner, Assistant Professor of Community Health Nursing — Queens University of Charlotte
• Shaina Dabbs, Associate Professor of Sport Management and Chair of the Department of Sport Management — Elon University
• Pamela Davies, Professor of Strategy, President Emerita and Chief Integration Executive — Queens University of Charlotte
• Eleanor Finger, Assistant Vice President for Student Life, Dean of Campus Life and Assistant Professor — Elon University
• CJ Fleming, Associate Professor of Psychology — Elon University
• Angie Hatley, Associate Professor of Nursing — Queens University of Charlotte
• Erin Hone, Associate Teaching Professor of Education and Director of the Teaching Fellows Program — Elon University
• Megan Isaac, Professor of English — Elon University
• Brandon Johnson, Deputy Athletic Director for External Operations — Queens University of Charlotte
• Nancy Johnson, Charles A. Dana Professor of Psychology — Queens University of Charlotte
• Laurie Judge, Director of Career Services for Elon College, the College of Arts & Sciences — Elon University
• Caroline Ketcham, Associate Dean of Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences and Professor of Exercise Science — Elon University
• Hyunuk Kim, Assistant Professor of Business Analytics & Director of the Center for Organizational Analytics — Elon University
• Patrica Koplas, Z. Smith Reynolds Professor of Biology — Queens University of Charlotte
• Megan Koransky, Director of the Hayworth Center for Digital Learning Director — Queens University of Charlotte
• Brian Kremer, Associate Professor of Music Theater — Elon University
• Mark Kurt, Associate Dean for the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business & Professor of Economics — Elon University
• Lori Lewis, Executive Director of Financial Aid — Elon University
• Veronica Marciano, Associate Professor of Physician Assistant Studies & Founding Chair/Program Director of Physician Assistant Studies – Charlotte — Elon University
• Kelly McKinney, University Controller — Elon University
• Allison Meyer-Tucker, Director of Strategic Programming for University Advancement — Queens University of Charlotte
• Phillip Motley, Professor of Communication Design and Director of Graduate Programs for the School of Communications — Elon University
• Megan Noltemeyer, Assistant to the Vice President for Student Life and Director of Strategic Initiatives — Elon University
• Patrick Noltemeyer, Chief of Staff, Secretary to the Board of Trustees and Associate Vice President — Elon University
• Dawn Norwood, Associate Professor of Sport Management — Queens University of Charlotte
• Katerina Panttser, Assistant Professor of Finance & Economics — Queens University of Charlotte
• Maria Papapietro, Assistant Director, Semester & Exchange Programs — Elon University
• Jim Piatt, Senior Vice President for Advancement and External Affairs — Elon University
• Will Pluer, Assistant Professor of Engineering — Elon University
• Roseann Pluretti-English, Assistant Professor of Communication — Queens University of Charlotte
• Betsy Polk, Senior Director of Jewish Life — Elon University
• Barry Robinson, Professor of History — Queens University of Charlotte
• Denise Rotondo, Dean of the McColl School of Business — Queens University of Charlotte
• Alexa Royden, Chair of Faculty Senate and Associate Professor of Political Science — Queens University of Charlotte
• Kristina Siarzynski-Ferrer, Assistant Vice President of Academics Student Success and Operations — Queens University of Charlotte
• Will Sparks, Dennis Thompson Chair & Professor of Leadership and Executive Director of the Center for Leadership and Executive Education (CLEE) — Queens University of Charlotte
• Jeff Stein, Executive Vice President and Chief Integration Officer — Elon University
• Hani Tadros, Associate Professor of Accounting — Elon University
• Daniel Terry, Associate Provost for Undergraduate Experience — Queens University of Charlotte
• Jeffrey Thomas, Professor of Biology — Queens University of Charlotte
• Stacey Thomas, Assistant Professor of Nursing — Elon University
• Eric Townsend, Assistant Vice President for Strategic Communications and Media Relations — Elon University
• Angela Tsuei-Strause, Executive Director of the Vandiver Center for Career Development — Queens University of Charlotte
• Jen Uno, Associate Professor of Biology and Associate Director of the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning — Elon University
• Christopher Waters, Associate Vice President of Information Technology and Chief Information Officer — Elon University
• Darryl White, Assistant Dean of Diversity, Inclusion & Community Engagement — Queens University of Charlotte
• Randy Williams, Vice President for Inclusive Excellence and Associate Professor of Education — Elon University
• Jay Wills, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences — Queens University of Charlotte
• Alan Woodlief, Vice Dean of Elon University School of Law and Professor of Law — Elon University
• Karen Yokley, Professor of Mathematics — Elon University