Elon Alumni

Elon University defender Steven Kinney became the first player in program history to be drafted into Major League Soccer when the Chicago Fire selected him on Thursday with the 45th pick of the 2010 MLS SuperDraft.

Elon alumnus and well-known local restaurant entrepreneur Chris Russell will open his newest establishment this spring at the Williamson Avenue location previously occupied by Brown & Company, which has closed. The restaurant will be called "The Town Table, food and drink," and is part of the university's plan to attract more privately owned businesses to the areas surrounding campus, serving Elon's students, faculty and staff and the entire local community.

Jerry Tolley, who retired Dec. 31 after a 31-year career of service to Elon, donated a special clock to the university archives on his last day on the job.

In its annual "Year in Photos" feature, the Office of University Relations has collected some of the best Elon pictures from 2009 in a retrospective slide show.