Commencement

Family members and friends of Elon Law's Class of 2010 came together to celebrate the achievements of the class on May 22, together with the faculty and administration of Elon Law and the leadership of Elon University. Members of the class also presented their class gift to the law school at the event, a donation of more than $10,000 toward the establishment of an endowed scholarship at the law school. Commencement ceremonies for the class are scheduled for May 23 at 3 p.m.

Through scholarship, student-sponsored forums, and general excellence, members of the Class of 2010 have enriched the academic life of Elon University School of Law, while contributing more than 20,000 hours of community service over their three years of law study. Individual members of the class have also been recognized for high academic achievement and significant pro bono service.

Delivering Elon University School of Law's 2010 Commencement address on May 23, United States Senator Kay Hagan encouraged graduates to become fearless and dedicated advocates, working to ensure the proper implementation of the law, righting injustices, and building better opportunities for society.

David Gergen, adviser to four United States presidents, Director of the Center for Public Leadership and Professor of Public Service at the Harvard Kennedy School, one of the country's preeminent political commentators, and chair of Elon University's Law School Advisory Board, described Elon Law's founding principles of engaged learning, service, and leadership, and underscored their importance to the legal profession and to the nation's well-being, in the inaugural commencement address before the charter class of the law school on May 24.

The Sunday, May 17 edition of the News and Record features editorial columns by George R. Johnson, Jr., Dean of the Elon University School of Law, and Sean M. Olson, a member of the law school's charter class, both celebrating the achievements of the class as it prepares for graduation, May 24.

At the inaugural commencement exercises of the Elon University School of Law, 107 members of the charter class received their Juris Doctor degrees, marking a major milestone for the school founded on the principle that a legal education should prepare students to be not only excellent lawyers but also leaders in their communities.

News and Record columnist Jeri Rowe writes in a May 21 article titled, "Elon Law graduates out to make a difference," that charter class students all sound like Atticus Finch, the legal advocate from the novel "To Kill a Mockingbird," in that they all, "want to make a difference."

George R. Johnson, Jr., Dean of Elon University School of Law, and Luke Spencer, a member of the charter class, spoke with WFMY News 2 reporter Justin Quesinberry on May 22 about the impacts that the law school is having on the economic and social well-being of Greensboro.

On the eve of their graduation, members of the charter class presented their gift to the Elon University School of Law, a contribution toward a scholarship for future law students and an original commissioned painting by Greensboro artist William Mangum, depicting iconic elements of the law school facility and historic experiences of the Elon Law community.

Charter class members Jason Aycoth, Melissa Duncan, Nichelle Harrison, and Eleftherios Xixis, as well as Assstant Dean for Admissions Sharon Gaskin, were featured in a May 19 news story about the contributions of the class to the law school and to Greensboro, on WGHP-TV Fox 8 News.