Eric Townsend

The Piedmont Triad economy is primed for growth in the coming years as the economy rebounds, a panel of top business executives shared Wednesday, but problems remain to be addressed. A discussion on campus sponsored by an award-winning state business magazine shed light on those issues as executives offered ideas to move the area forward.

The weather was perfect, right down to the light breeze that stirred the balloon entryway. Hundreds of Elon seniors gathered for one last informal event Wednesday afternoon during the annual “Salute Your Seniors” Senior Class Picnic with faculty and staff on the Green outside of Moseley Center.

Linda Wilmshurst, an associate professor of psychology, provided expert commentary for Fox 8 News on May 6 in "The Buckley Report" feature segment that is distributed to Fox affiliates nationwide.

The College Board has awarded Elon University and the Alamance-Burlington School System a 2009 College Board Greenhouse Program Award to fund their new “Go 4 College” program, which will assist Cummings High School students who plan to visit campus in the coming months for college-access programs and experiences.

Commencement exercises begin May 22 and continue through Sunday as Elon prepares to graduate its 119th undergraduate class, its MBA class and its inaugural Elon Law class. Activities for seniors begin even earlier in the week with a class picnic, an evening gala, receptions and dinners.

Research by three Elon University professors will be presented this month at a European conference that brings together the world’s leading experts on the way creativity affects economic growth. Tom Tiemann travels to Brussels to share work done with Tina Das and Casey DiRienzo on the role of diversity in fueling innovation.

Three student workers in the Center for Environmental Studies worked this spring to not only plant 1,500 trees in local parks, but to share with the local community ways to reduce their environmental impact on the earth.

Four Elon University employees were recognized for superior scholarship, teaching, mentoring and service at the annual faculty-staff awards luncheon on May 13, 2009. Laura Roselle, Connie Book, Glenda Crawford and Keith Dimont were each selected for one of the highest accolades bestowed each year on faculty and staff.

Tripp York, an instructor in religious studies, published a satirical prayer titled "A Prayer to the All-Powerful, All-Knowing and Beneficent God Who Really Loves Sports (but not the Orioles and Some South Asians)" in the Spring 2009 edition of Christian Ethics Today.

Still have a couch and desk that you won't need in two weeks? If you're having no luck on E-net's want ads, instead of visiting the nearest Dumpster, consider a donation to Habitat for Humanity ReStore. A collection truck will be parked at the Elon Community Church until May 25 in coordination with the Truitt Center for Religious & Spiritual Life. Receipts will be offered for gifts to the local nonprofit agency.