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August marked the end of summer break at Elon University, and with the close of one chapter came several exciting new beginnings. The month brought the opening of Roberts Academy at Elon University, the arrival of the Class of 2030 and the introduction of a new university mascot.
Take a look back at some of the memorable moments from August through the lenses of staff in the Office of University Communications.
Roberts Academy opens doors
The Roberts Academy at Elon University, North Carolina’s first and only university-based private school for children with dyslexia, opened its doors to its inaugural class on Tuesday, Aug. 18, marking a milestone in Elon’s efforts to transform literacy education.
The school, established through the philanthropic vision of Marjorie and Hal Roberts, will serve as a statewide and national model for structured literacy education. The Robertses have witnessed firsthand the transformative power a multisensory approach to reading education can have for children with dyslexia.
Welcome the Class of 2030
The university welcomed the Class of 2030 with Move-In Day on Aug. 21, 2026. The students arriving on campus bring a wide range of backgrounds, experiences and academic interests. Members of the incoming class come from 40 states and Washington, D.C., as well as 19 countries, including Singapore, Spain, Norway, Canada, Serbia, South Korea, China and New Zealand.
Planting roots
Surrounded by family members, faculty and staff Under the Oaks, members of the Class of 2030 and new transfer students heard messages about resilience, community and the responsibility that comes with an Elon education during New Student Convocation on Aug. 22, 2026.
At the conclusion of Convocation, students received an acorn, an Elon tradition symbolizing the beginning of their growth at the university. In four years, the Class of 2030 will be Under the Oaks again for Senior Baccalaureate, where they will receive an oak sapling.
“This enormous opportunity of an Elon education requires action on your part, a commitment to taking full advantage of all we have here,” said Elon President Connie Ledoux Book. “We invite you to a powerful journey of questions and curiosity that will shine new light and new understanding.”
“Honor Matters”
Students were reminded of the importance of the university’s Honor Code during the Call to Honor ceremony on Aug. 24. where the Class of 2030 committed to uphold the university’s core values of honesty, integrity, responsibility and respect.
“Honor matters,” said Emily Elrod, assistant teaching professor of mathematics and statistics, who spoke during the ceremony. “To me, honor is reflected through honesty, integrity, responsibility, and respect. It matters in the classroom, in our professional relationships, and in the trust that others place in us as individuals and leaders.”
A new Phoenix rises
Elon Athletics unviled a new visual identity and, with that new identity, comes a new physical mascot for the university.
