Five alumni shared notes of gratitude, appreciation and respect for the university, as they received the highest accolades conferred by the Office of Alumni Engagement at the Distinguished Alumni Awards Ceremony.
The 2026 Distinguished Alumni Awards, held on May 1 in the Snow Family Grand Atrium, honored five standout alumni for their professional accomplishments, steadfast service to the community and loyal support to their alma mater.
Since 1941, Elon has celebrated alumni whose achievements, leadership and service bring honor to the university. At the 2026 Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony, five more names were added to that list: Kent Strosnider ’91 P’25; Joyel Crawford ’97; David Rich ’87 and Sue Hoggard Rich ’85; and Stephen M. Ross ’73.
President Connie Ledoux Book was delighted to celebrate the alumni and their families, saying, “How grateful are we that you all are out there representing Elon. You have done us a privilege by letting us celebrate and honor you.”
See a photo gallery from the ceremony.
Kent Strosnider ’91 P’25 – Distinguished Alumnus of the Year
Kent Strosnider has had a successful career in helping people define and meet their financial goals. With more than 30 years of investment management experience, the bulk of Strosnider’s work has been with Morgan Stanley since 1994.
Now serving as the Managing Director of The Strosnider Dudderar Wealth Management Group, Strosnider wears many hats through directing and advising various spheres of the organization, including alternative investments, family wealth, global sports and entertainment, and equity compensation.
Strosnider and his family have supported Elon through the naming of the Strosnider Family Meeting Room within the Golf Training Facility on South Campus, and the naming of a room at The Inn at Elon. He has also continued his involvement through the Elon Alumni Board and Parents Council. One of Strosnider’s daughters, Sophie ’25, is an Elon alum. He is also a proud parent to daughter Brinkley, and two stepsons, Chris and Brandon.
Though the Strosniders are one of many families creating an Elon Legacy, during his remarks Strosnider noted, “Elon really took a chance on me, and I am super proud to be a part of the Elon family. Elon keeps winning, and it is exciting to be alongside the school while it wins.”
Joyel Crawford ’97 – Distinguished Alumna of the Year
After graduating cum laude from Elon in 1997, Joyel Crawford went on to earn an MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 2004. Currently the founder and CEO of the consulting firm, Crawford Leadership Strategies, Crawford works to help others reach their full potential in their careers and lives. Her clients have ranged from the U.S. Senate and NASA to The New York Times and ESPN, and she continues to connect as the host of the hit podcast “Career View Mirror,” and as an Amazon bestselling author of “Show Your Ask!”
Crawford’s insight and advice have been cherished at Elon and beyond. She was a guest on “Good Morning America,” and in 2025, she joined President Book on the “Elon Beyond the Bricks” podcast. Crawford’s previous engagements with the university include serving as a guest lecturer, promoting the university and its initiatives as a social media ambassador, as well as serving as an Elon Alumni Board member, Philadelphia Alumni Board member and Elon Black Alumni Network (EBAN) mentor. In 2022, she received the Elon Black Alumni Gail Fonville Parker Distinguished Alumna Award.
During her remarks, Crawford offered some of the insights she shared with President Book on the “Elon Beyond the Bricks” podcast, sharing that as a Leadership Fellow she got “a scholarship to be a leader” and Elon was her “leadership lab.” “I will continue to do you proud, Elon,” she said.
David Rich ’87 and Sue Hoggard Rich ’85 – Distinguished Service to Elon
David and Sue Hoggard Rich have been present for some of Elon’s biggest traditions and moments. Committed to Elon Athletics, David has served as a Phoenix Club Advisory Board member and created the “Elon 7 a.m. Tailgate” with friends, a tradition hosted before every home football game. Sue led the procession at President Book’s inauguration as a member of the “Long Maroon Line” of alumni.
In 2022, David retired as global director – workplace technology support at Atos, a global European IT services and consulting firm, and in 2023, Sue retired as vice president of human resources at Glen Raven. The couple lives in Burlington, where they continue to support various local organizations, including Alamance County Meals on Wheels, Alamance Community College Foundation, Piedmont Health Coalition and more.
During their remarks, the couple went back and forth, listing the things that Elon gave them.
“Elon gave me the perspective of a world so much broader than I had ever known,” shared Sue, while David emphasized that “Elon gave me the understanding that I am part of something bigger and the knowledge to know what to do with that understanding.”
On behalf of them both, Sue emphasized, “David and I are both humbled and delighted with this honor.”
Stephen M. Ross ’73 – Distinguished Alumni Service Award
The Honorable Stephen M. Ross has helped create opportunities in his local community and throughout the state of North Carolina. He previously served as city mayor for two terms and on the city council for four terms in his hometown of Burlington, North Carolina. Currently in his sixth term in the North Carolina House of Representatives, Ross chairs both the Commerce and Economic Development Committee and the Finance Committee.
Ross’s volunteerism to his alma mater and the Piedmont Triad remains vast with previous roles as a member on Elon University’s Board of Visitors and Alumni Board, as well as chairman of the Piedmont Triad Regional Council of Governments, president of the Alamance Division of the American Heart Association, among others. The Triangle Business Journal also recognized Ross as one of the Triad’s “Most Influential People.”
During his remarks, Ross encouraged attendees to “go out and build a better community,” noting that it “all starts right here at Elon.” Like many Elon acorn-to-sapling stories, Ross noted, “Thank you, Elon, for taking that seed and turning it into something I can look back on and say ‘Wow’!”