Through her Kerrii Brown Anders Odyssey Scholarship, Madeline Mitchener '26 is making valuable changes on Elon’s campus and throughout Burlington through her passion for advocacy and policy making.
Since she can remember, Madeline Mitchener ’26 has expressed an interest in helping others. Originally from Pfafftown, North Carolina, her passion has now evolved to combine with her public health studies and public policy, leading her to a career of helping others through advocacy and policy change.
Mitchener’s connection to Elon began through an unexpected source: her mother’s nursing practice. Her mother was treating a patient who was attending Elon, which gave Mitchener access to explore the campus.
She recalls the day she visited for the first time: “While my mom was seeing her patient, she left me downtown. I went to Oak House and walked around the campus. And after the tour, I fell in love with Elon. I knew that this was my campus, and this was my home,” she said.
After this newfound love, Mitchener explored ways to begin her Elon journey through financial aid programs. She discovered and applied to both the Odyssey Program and Public Health Scholars.
She remembers the night her academic potential was recognized; it was the night of her final senior year dance concert. As the show wrapped up, she received a call from Elon’s Odyssey Program delivering good news of her acceptance into the program through the Kerrii Brown Anders Odyssey Scholarship.
Now a senior double major in public health and policy studies, Mitchener is actively involved in creating solutions for the community’s public health problems.
“Growing up, I always thought the way to help others was just being a doctor,” she said. “I really love how public health is grounded in not only finding the root issue, but understanding the community that you’re working with.”
While Mitchener was in a public health course that was required for the Public Health Scholars Program, she recalls her professor, Associate Professor of Public Health Studies Stephanie Baker, stating: “If you’re going to be a healthcare professional and be upset at the systems that don’t allow you to help your patients to the full extent that you want to, being a healthcare professional might not be for you.”
“That stuck with me, because I think of insurance and how much medicines can cost, making it very difficult for people to access healthcare. I want to be a piece of the healthcare solution,” said Mitchener.
Now, Mitchener and her course group are currently working to revise the Public Art & Honorary Policy for the city of Burlington. This includes making an application form for any community member who wants to donate a piece of art or get a memorial plaque. Additionally, she created a resource for community members to connect with local and statewide art collectives.
“We share all of our deliverables with the city in hopes that they will implement the policy. They can make any edits they see fit, and it was a collaborative process where we were constantly in contact with the city,” said Mitchener.
Also involved with Periclean Scholars, Mitchener was able to mentor the sophomore class and go to their global partner in Sri Lanka.
“The Periclean cohort has honestly just been such a light in my Elon experience and not only given me community but also purpose,” she said.
Her initiative for change doesn’t stop there; Micthener is also a HealthEU Senator with Elon Student Government Association.
“A big piece of Student Government is writing legislation and advocating for the student body and what they need,” she said.
Through the SGA, she has already taken noticeable action to improve the Elon community through HealthEU policy. She identified a lack of seating accessibility at the bus stop near the Dalton L. McMichael Sr. Science Center. Now, there is now a covered seating area that sits beautifully outside the McMichael Science Center.
Mitchener also took the initiative to further amplify student voices at a dinner with Elon President Connie Ledoux Book. Through her connection to the community and the students in it, she identified a common problem among Elon students having access to transportation to the airport during breaks. After she represented and stood up for community needs, changes were made. Students now have wider access to airport transportation through Elon-provided shuttles.
“It taught me how important having connections is,” she said. “If I didn’t have a connection with those students, if I didn’t take my time to ask and understand their needs and why they have them, the problem wouldn’t have been addressed or been on the radar.”
Remembering the help she received along the way, Mitchener states her Odyssey scholarship acted as a “launching pad” for her success in her public health and policy studies.
“The Odyssey Program doesn’t just keep you stagnant,” she said. “It empowers you to branch out and pursue whatever you want on campus. It’s allowed me to fully embrace the college experience.”
Mitchener describes a recent “melt your heart moment” she experienced with another student. While leading a tour of Elon to prospective students, one girl spoke up and said, “I love this school. I want to go here so badly. But I don’t know if I can afford it.” It was then that she offered to share the Odyssey and scholarship resources with the prospective student to help her achieve her dream Elon experience. Just a year later, the prospective student had committed to Elon on an Odyssey scholarship and is now Mitchener’s mentee.
“Donors get to empower a student,” said Mitchener. “I don’t think about it like you just give a student money and walk away. Instead, you’re empowering them and giving them the tools to pursue whatever it is that they want.”