Elon University: A Thriving Campus in the Heart of North Carolina
Elon University, a private institution rooted in the liberal arts tradition, stands as a nationally recognized leader in engaged, experiential learning. Located in central North Carolina, adjacent to Burlington, a city of 50,000, Elon's historic campus is ideally situated on 656 acres (265 ha) in the Piedmont region, between the cities of Greensboro and Raleigh. The university prepares graduates to be creative, resilient, ambitious and ethical citizens of our global culture.
A Picturesque and Convenient Location
Elon's campus is renowned for its beauty, featuring brick sidewalks, Georgian architecture, and state-of-the-art facilities, all surrounded by majestic oak trees and lovely gardens. The university is a 40-minute drive from UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke University, and 30 minutes from Greensboro, a city that regularly offers major concerts and sporting events. Airline services are conveniently located at the Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro and at the Raleigh-Durham International Airport.
The university is located in the Town of Elon, which has a downtown filled with locally owned businesses, conveniently located parks and is the 3rd safest city in North Carolina. Greensboro is located 20 minutes west of the university. This city’s eco-friendly innovations and outdoor amenities are often covered by state and national media. Winston-Salem, Durham, Chapel Hill and Raleigh, all centers for entertainment, sports, the arts, museums and many other attractions, are within an hour’s drive. The nearest major airport is Piedmont Triad International, located in Greensboro, just 30 minutes from campus.
A Campus Divided into Distinct Neighborhoods
Elon's 656-acre campus is divided into seven major neighborhoods: Historic Campus, Central Campus, Global Neighborhood, The Oaks, The Station at Mill Point, Danieley Center, East Neighborhood, The Colonnades, and South Campus.
A Rich History and Tradition
Founded in 1889 as Elon College by the Christian Connection, which later became a part of the United Church of Christ, the charter for Elon College was issued by the North Carolina legislature in 1889. William S. Long was the first president, and the original student body consisted of 76 students.
Read also: Explore Clemson University
In 1923, a fire destroyed most of the campus, including school records, classrooms, the library, and the chapel. The board of trustees voted to rebuild immediately. On October 9, 2017, the university's board of trustees elected Constance "Connie" Ledoux Book as the ninth president of the university. On September 16, 2025, Elon University announced its merger with Queens University of Charlotte.
Up until 2000, the mascot of Elon was the Fighting Christian. Early Elon athletic teams were known as the "Christians" with the name "Fighting Christians" gaining popularity by 1923. The nickname was chosen due to Elon's proximity to the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, Guilford Quakers, and the Duke Blue Devils. As Elon committed itself to diversity, and the number of non-Christian students increased, the decision was made to change Elon's mascot. In 2000, a new mascot was adopted, the Phoenix.
At the start of each school year, Elon University holds a New Student Convocation ceremony for first year and transfer students. It is held "Under the Oaks" behind the West Dormitory. Each new student receives their own acorn at the close of the ceremony to symbolize their beginning at Elon.
Academic Divisions and Programs
The university includes Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences; the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business; the School of Communications; the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education; the School of Law; and the School of Health Sciences.
Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences, offers 51 undergraduate majors within three divisions: the Arts and Humanities, the Social and Behavioral Sciences, and the Natural, Mathematical and Computational Sciences. The Elon School of Communications is one of 18 accredited communications programs for private universities in the US by the Accrediting Council for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC). The Elon University School of Law opened on August 10, 2006. The school is located in downtown Greensboro, North Carolina in the former city library. Former United States Supreme Court Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor delivered the Dedication Address on September 19, 2006. Established in April 2011, Elon's School of Health Sciences offers a doctor of physical therapy (DPT) program and a physician assistant (PA) studies master's program. The university also offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) for students.
Read also: Hofstra: A Detailed Look
Master's programs are offered in business administration, business analytics, accounting, interactive media, education, physician assistant studies, and doctoral programs include physical therapy and law.
More than 80 undergraduate academic majors are complemented by professional and graduate programs in law, business, education and health care.
Student Life and Activities
Elon has a student body of 6,291 undergraduate students and 826 graduate students as of 2019. Approximately 60% of students are female. Numerous student government, special interest, and service organizations are represented on campus, including Elon Volunteers, Habitat for Humanity, Model UN, Epsilon Sigma Alpha, Omega Psi Phi, Alpha Phi Omega, the Inter-Residence Council, the Elon University Student Government Association, and the Student Union Board. Elon is home to the Fire of the Carolinas Marching Band (FOTC).
Some of the student media on campus includes The Pendulum, Elon's undergraduate weekly newspaper published Wednesdays, and WSOE, the university's student-run non-commercial campus radio station, airing since 1977. ESTV (Elon Student Television) is the Student television station featuring numerous student-created and -run programs. In 2016, with advice of their faculty advisers, the two largest student media organizations on campus; Elon Local News (ELN) and The Pendulum newspaper, merged to form the new Elon News Network (ENN). ENN now operates out of the newly constructed newsroom in the McEwen Building of the School of Communications.
Athletics
Elon's 17 varsity sports teams, known as the Phoenix, joined the NCAA's Division I Coastal Athletic Association on July 1, 2014, after a decade in the Southern Conference. Intercollegiate sports include baseball, basketball, cross-country, football, golf, soccer, and tennis for men, and basketball, cross-country, golf, indoor track, outdoor track, soccer, softball, tennis, lacrosse, and volleyball for women. Campus Recreation offers intramural and club sports programs, such as baseball, cycling, lacrosse, flag football, equestrian, swimming, rugby union, triathlon, water skiing, ice hockey and Ultimate Frisbee.
Read also: Annapolis Naval Academy
Elon's sports facilities include two gymnasiums, Schar Center, Walter C. The 30,000-square-foot (2,800 m2) facility at the north end of Rhodes Stadium in the North Athletics Complex is the headquarters for Phoenix athletics. Construction was completed on the 5,100-seat Schar Center in 2018.
A Commitment to Engaged Learning
Elon is a member of the Coastal Athletic Association. As a pioneer and leader in engaged learning, Elon has refined a scholarly model that built upon collaboration, mentorship and innovation. Central to this model are five signature programs that comprise the Elon Experiences - study abroad, internships, undergraduate research, service and leadership. The Elon Experiences provide a natural extension to the work students do in the classroom and ensure that Elon graduates are prepared for both graduate school and careers.
Study Abroad
When students study abroad, their perspectives change forever. From studying in South Africa for a semester, to learning about business in Vietnam during Winter Term, to exploring liberal arts, music and performing arts in Italy during the summer, the 150+ international programs offered through the Isabella Cannon Global Education Center prepare students for a lifetime of global understanding and exploration.
Internships
Elon’s nationally recognized Student Professional Development Center counselors work with undergraduates from their first year to create personal development plans, résumés and strong networking skills. Through internships, students earn academic credit, gain firsthand knowledge of the workplace and obtain professional skills that put them ahead of other college graduates.
Research
Working alongside faculty mentors, many Elon students undertake sophisticated research that is usually reserved for graduate students at other universities. This intensive undergraduate research experience challenges students to formulate complex questions, review the work of other scholars and conduct serious inquiry to uncover new knowledge and understanding.
Leadership
At Elon, students work collaboratively within diverse communities, gaining the confidence and competence to put innovative ideas into action for positive change. Elon’s Center for Leadership offers initiatives to all students, such as the LeaderShop workshop series for individual leadership development and student organization development programs. The center helps students advance their leadership knowledge and skills and learn how social identities and lived experiences inform and shape their ideas around leadership.
Service
Students participate in academic service-learning that connects classroom work with needs in the community. They immerse themselves in service through alternative breaks, address food insecurity through Campus Kitchen initiatives and participate in Elon Volunteers!, the student-run hub for volunteerism at Elon.
A Welcoming and Inclusive Community
Since 2010, Elon has invested robustly in the interdisciplinary study of religion. Those commitments are articulated through a series of Multifaith Strategic Plans, including the current plan running from 2022-2030. Elon is home to a nine-member Religious Studies department with faculty expertise in religion represented in many other departments. Elon’s Center for the Study of Religion, Culture, and Society works across campus and beyond to develop programming and support interdisciplinary research on the role of religion in society.
Christianity remains the most populous religious tradition at Elon, and among students that disclose their religious affiliation, Catholicism is the largest religious group on campus. Elon University recognizes 26 social Greek organizations.
tags: #elon #university #location
