Page 4 / Wednesday, Jxine 25, 2008
NEWS
The Pendulut
Durr named Elon’s first sustainability coordinator
Get to know Elaine Durr:
• Went to Monmouth College in Illinois
• Attended the University of South Carolina, where she
wrote her thesis on the Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design’s water efficiency credits
• Worked as a graduate assistant for the Sustainable
Universities Initiative
• Earned a master’s degree in Earth and Environmental
Resources Management
Alexa Milan
Summer News Editor
Elon welcomed a new staff member on May 27
when Elaine Durr became the university's first
sustainability coordinator.
Durr's job involves making the goals laid out in
the university’s sustainability master plan a reality.
This year she will create new ideas for sustainability,
and work with and promote the programs Elon
already has in place, like the Zipcar program.
She will work on generating more information
about sustainability issues and increasing awareness
on campus. She will also create a new Web site for
sustainability at Elon and will represent Elon at
sustainability conferences and meetings.
“The ultimate goal is for Elon to be looked at as a
leader in sustainability,” Durr said.
Durr found out about the position through the
Association for the Advancement of Sustainability
in Higher Education’s weekly newsletter and said
she was excited when she landed the job. She wanted
this type of position when she finished graduate
school but had not been able to find the right one
until now.
“I could tell that the commitment to
sustainability was strong here,” Durr said.
Durr said she was attracted to Elon because of its
small, supportive environment. She also went to a
small private school, Monmouth College in Illinois,
before attending the University of South Carolina
School of the Environment for graduate school.
Growing up in the small town of Glasford, 111.,
contributed to
Durr's interest in
the environment.
She was always
outside in rural
Glasford and
said she has been
interested in the
environment for
as long as she
can remember.
As she reached
her teens, she
began hearing
more and more about environmental I
problems and wondered why people were I
not doing something to prevent them.
This frustration is one of the
reasons why Durr chose to focus her studies
on environmental and sustainability issues.
She initially studied water conservation and
management and later worked with the green
building rating system. Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design (LEED).
At the University of South Carolina, Durr
combined her two interests and wrote a thesis on
LEED’s water efficiency credits. The purpose of the
thesis was to get people to pay more attention to
water efficiency credits - something Durr said she
feels doesn't get enough focus.
“The idea of green building just made so much
sense to me,” Durr said.
She also worked as a graduate assistant for the
Sustainable Universities Initiative. This assistantsli
is what sparked Durr's interest in campus
sustainability.
After earning her master’s degree in earth and
environmental resources management, Durr wanttt^
to stay in the southeast but couldn’t find a campus
sustainability job. She worked as a sustainability
consultant at Energy Ace Inc., a firm in Decatur, Gi
specializing in creating environmentally sustainab
buildings. Durr served as a LEED consultant on
various construction projects and managed theLEt
certification process.
Now that Durr has secured the campus
sustainability position she has always wanted, she
said she is looking forward to helping Elon become
more sustainable campus.
Elaine Durr
NEWS IN BRIEF
Eatiag at Moe’s to Support Blood Cancer Research
Eat at Moe's Southwest Grill in Burlington on Monday, July 7 from
5-8 p.m. and some of the proceeds from your meal will go toward the
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Elon senior Larissa Ferretti is working
to raise money for blood cancer research and support of those with the
disease. Her goal is to raise $3,300.
Hostage Situation on Campus to Test Alerts
On July 17, there will be police training on campus that will involve
a hostage situation and an active shooter. Two SWAT teams, the fire
department and an EMS t^am will be on campus. Mooney lot will be
closed. The training will most likely take place in Smith dorm. As a
result of the training, sirens and e-alerts will be going off. Check out The
Pendulum online for multimedia coverage of the training event.
New $570 million terminal at RDU
Raleigh-Durham International Airport has begun construction on
Terminal 2, set to open in late October. The terminal will be replacing
Terminal C and will house American Airlines, American Eagle, Delta,
United, Midwest Connect and Air Canada. The first phase of construction
will have 19 gates, seven security checkpoint lanes and 26 shops and
restaurants. The second phase will open an additional 13 gates, seven
security checkpoint lanes and 17 shops and restaurants. Terminal A will
be renamed Terminal 1.
Portrait Funds Law School Scholarship
Former U.S. president and hero of the War of 1812, Andrew Jackson
will help fund an endowed scholarship at Elon University’s School of
Law - through &e sales commissions of reproductions of his portrait.
Greensboro artist, Tony Forrest, is donating proceeds from sales of inkjet
prmts of the portrait to fund law school scholarships. The awarding
of a scholarship in Jackson’s name is hoped to begin in the 2009-2010
academic year. The law school will temporarily house the original paintina
starting in October. ° i- e
Elon Hits Fundraising Landmark for 2007-2008
This year, $16.5 million was fundraised for Elon University, breaking
the previous record of $13.6 million during 2005-2006. Another record
was made when donors gave $8.9 million to the endowment, a number
that IS nearly three times the money raised for the endowment last year.
Piano Gala to Feature Solos, Duets and Eight Hand
Eastern Music Festival's Steinway Piano Gala is coming to Elon on July
2 in honor of Esther C. Kernodle. The concert begins at 8 p.m. in McCrary
Theatre. Ticke s are now on sale in the Center for the Arts Box Office.
Students, faculty and staff receive a free ticket with a Phoenix card.
Interns enjoy summer experience
O’KELLY from Page 1
the aesthetic improvements,” Moore said.
Moore also said it should not impact
students returning to school or other
roadways around the school.
Elon administration is hoping this will
be the new main entrance into the school.
Visitors would then pass immediately by the
newest buildings on campus, the Colonnades
and the Koury Business Cemer, before arriving
at Moseley Center. A brand new welcome sign
will be placed at the entrance.
The project was proposed by Elon
University ar)d is proceeding with cooperation
from the Town of Elon. - , p iiuon
AREAOF CONSTWXTKW
Alison Hydrick
Reporter
While most college students
soak up sunshine during the
summer months, more than 200
Elon University students are gaining
practical work experience by
completing internships in locations
across the country.
Tristan Milder, a junior from
New Jersey, is interning at Voice of
America in Washington, D.C. Milder
works with several VOA Web shows
including “The Daily Download,”
“Election USA” and “Going Green.”
Milder contributed to the recently
canceled news magazine “The World
Today,” which airs in India.
For each of these shows. Milder
researches story ideas, writes
scripts, finds and edits video and
sometimes films and conducts
interviews.
“Probably one of the most
rewarding experiences was watching
pieces that 1 wrote and edited go out
to millions of viewers in India for
the last of our shows sent there,”
Milder said. “Sure, what 1 write and
edit has to be approved, but 1 play
a significant role in how a story is
framed - what the narration is and
what images people see.”
Also in Washington, D.C., Bobby
Chamberlain is currently interning
with the United States Department of
Defense in the Speechwriters Group.
He helps edit speeches the Secretary
of Defense will use for public and
private appearances.
Chamberlain said one of the
biggest challenges of his internship
is that the Secretary of Defense
reads some of his work.
“The most rewarding thing about
my internship is the fact that 1 have
a chance to, in some small way, serve
both my country and the brave men
and women in the armed forces,”
Chamberlain said. “Granted, it is a
very small part, but I’m honored all
the same to be working alongside
them.”
Several other Elon students are
also interning in the governmental
arena. Nine students from Elon
University and Elon School of Law
were selected to complete a ten-
week internship through the N.C.
Government Internship Program.
Only 100 students were selected
for the program from a pool of 586
applicants. The students are working
on projects in 22 departments and
50 divisions of the North Carolina
state government.
“This outstanding group of
students will gain hands-on
experience in dozens of diverse
jobs across state government this
summer," said Gov. Mike Easley.
“These opportunities help to prepare
our students for the challenges
of the global marketplace and
encourages public service.”
For the past two years, 70
percent of graduating seniors
completed an internship at some
point during their time at Elon.
Completing an internship is one
of the most popular ways students
complete their experiential learning
requirement.
Jordan Gym gets makeover
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