Eric Townsend

From participating in family talent shows to working at Flat Rock Playhouse in North Carolina, Elon senior Christopher Staskel has always bled theatre, whether acting, dancing or singing. The North Carolina native, the fourth student to be featured in a monthly series of E-net profiles on the inaugural class of the university's Lumen Scholars, is now at it again – this time as the mastermind behind an original stage production.

Luminarias bathed the Elon University campus in a soft yellow glow Thursday evening as students, faculty, staff and community members filled Scott Plaza for the annual Holiday Celebration and lighting ceremony, which featured Christmas carols and a visit from – who else? – Mr. and Mrs. Kris Kringle.

Elon University junior Kayla Hicken received a North Carolina Campus Compact Community Impact Student Award last month during the Compact’s student conference at Western Carolina University.

Leisure and Sport Management students, faculty and a local professional from the RBC Center spoke recently at the NCAAHPERD conference in Winston-Salem, N.C., held Nov. 12-14, 2009.

Three faculty members in the School of Education have been awarded Re-Assigned Time for 2010-11 to pursue professional activities.

Two teams of Elon students have advanced to the final round of Stanford University’s Global Innovation Tournament, a contest where students around the world were challenged to make an impact on a global issue.

When independent college adviser and Charlotte Observer columnist Lee Bierer received a reader email with a delicate question on the admissions process, she turned to Greg Zaiser, dean of admissions at Elon, who provided a lengthy answer quoted in full in a story posted Nov. 30 on the newspaper's web site.

A new BioBus route to help students volunteer at local agencies will begin operations at the start of the spring semester, with trips leaving campus every hour Monday through Thursday from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. to stops in Burlington near community partners that work with the Kernodle Center for Service Learning.

Elon University senior receiver Terrell Hudgins has been named as one of three finalists for the 2009 Walter Payton Award, presented annually to the top offensive player in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision. Hudgins is joined as a finalist by 2008 winner Armanti Edwards of Appalachian State and Southern Illinois’ Deji Karim.