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HE Pendulum
ELON, NORTH CAROLINA | SATURDAY, MAY 23, 2009
www.elon.edu/pendulum
VOLUME 35, EDITION 17
Jumping for joy
Elon’s 30,000th
graduate to walk
the stage this year
DAVID WELLS I Photo Editor
Swiiofs Danielle Durst, left, and Stacy Laue, two senior class officers, jump through the commeniorative balloon archvi^y at the
swior picnic Wednesday afternoon. Seniors were able to reminisce on their past four years with faculty, staff and friends.
Picnic kicks off senior week
Susan Fetch
Music Education
^htey Barnas
Online Editor-In-Chief
Walking under the arch of maroon and gold
balloons topped with “2009” was one way to
roark the beginning of senior events leading
up to today’s commencement. The “Salute
lOur Seniors" senior class picnic Wednesday
was a way to reconnect with friends, faculty
and staff that the seniors may not have seen
lithe past few years.
Blowing in the light breeze were paper
graduation caps with names scrawled in silver
nat lined the food tents to mark the seniors
"no donated to the class gift, endowed
scholarships for study abroad.
“1 thought it was a good way to contribute
back to the school,” senior Dan Sembler said.
“And I wanted to make sure I could do that
in some way and this seemed the best way to
do it."
The feelings were bittersweet as hugs were
passed out, hands were shaken and words
of congratulations and sentiments were
exchanged in the sunshine.
“I think one of the best parts about today
is everyone getting to celebrate in a relaxed
environment," said Lindsay Hege, assistant
director of alumni relations for young alumni.
“It allows them a chance to get together, talk
about what the year has meant to them and
talk about their plans for the future.”
Laura Smith
News Editor
Today, 1,179 Elon University
students, both undergraduate
and graduate, will receive
their diplomas signifying their
graduation and the finale to
the accomplishments they have
achieved during their
time at Elon.
“It's a
commencement
that every senior
remembers,” said
Susan Patton,
associate registrar. “It
is very well thought
out ... it’s done for the
student.”
In addition to
having the honor of
handing the diplomas
to registrar Mark
Albertson during the
ceremony, Patton will hand
over the 30,000th diploma in
Elon history this year.
Senior Susan Fetch from
Cary, N.C. will be the one to
accept this significant diploma.
This of course can change
depending on students being
dropped from graduation in
light of failed grades or other
reasons.
Fetch is a music education
major and is also a member of
the North Carolina Teaching
Fellows program. She is hoping
to teach high school chorus.
Fetch calls her years at Elon
“an amazing journey.”
“It’s just been a dynamic
experience I never thought 1
would have when I came to
college,” she said.
In addition to the Teaching
Fellows program. Fetch has
studied abroad for a semester
in London and has completed
multiple education practicums
at elementary, middle and high
school levels.
She is also a member of
CMENC, which is the collegiate
version of the music education
conference, and of Mu Phi
Epsilon, Elon’s music fraternity.
Like many of the other 1,179
students. Fetch is anticipating
the future that awaits her after
Elon.
“I’m looking forward to
being able to start
the new part of my
life and the new
chapter,” she said.
The milestone
of the 30,000th
diploma is just
one of the many
significant awards
given throughout
the ages as more
students continue
to walk across the
stage Under the
Oaks.
The graduating
class of 1910 marked the 200th
diploma given, having only
17 graduates in the class that
year.
The first graduating class in
1891 had three graduates and
in 1986, when many of today’s
graduating seniors were born,
there were only 451.
Last year, there were 1,216
graduating seniors.
Patton said she hopes the
number of graduates will
remain around the same
number as today.
“I’d like to see it stay about
the same because we have a
nice commencement,” she said.
“We want it to be as personal as
possible.”
Elon’s graduation ceremony
is in its 118th year.
“I truly believe Elon students
are fully prepared when they
graduate,” Patton said. “The
ceremony itself gives the senior
and the parent the honor
they have of crossing this
milestone."
School of Law celebrates charter class
^^hool of Law will graduate Its
®>>igural
class of 107 students this
•lie sfh David Gergen delivering
nools first ever commencement
•n downtown Greensboro on
^iinday.
Gergen
tducjtfo
. ation, serving unct-nji
President Reagan,
Pohtlcal anaylyst for CNN
p°''®^'nment at Harvard.
Elnn c chair of
School of Law Advisory
is world-renowned for his
of politics and
as director of
““■‘•cations for Preslt
•Od anaylysi lor
Center for Public
. , *P at the John F. Kennedy
Board. His address will be followed
by a processional to the graduating
classes’ reception in Center City Park
in Greensboro. , , e ,
Elon University’s School of Law
opened in 2006, two years after
the university board of trustees
launched the law school
with Greensboro community leaders.
The school was formally dedicated
by former U.S. Supreme Court Chief
Justice Sandra Day O Connor m
^^^“U^^quite clear that Elon Law
is already a force with ^hich to be
reckoned ” O'Connor said at tne
SSer 19. 2006 dedication
ceremony. “You have created
marTelous law school facility here.
It’s equipped to meet the demands of
contemporary legal education.’
Although the class has only spent
three years at Elon Law, these third-
year law students have contributed
more than 21,000 hours of community
service to the Triad, established the
Law School Alumni Association and
have been featured in Greensboro
News and Record columns.
"You have shaped the character
of the law school and established
a tradition of excellence that will
benefit future classes for years to
come" Lambert told charter class
members at the President’s Reception
for third year students last week.
“Largely as a result of what you have
done in creating a culture of engaged
learning, community service, and
public leadership, I can already see
that Elon University School of Law is
going to make significant impacts on
legal education across the country."
SERVICE HOURS COMPLETED
BY CLASS OF 2009 HONOR
• 760 houfs providing free legal assistance in
partnership with Legal AkI o( North Carolina
• 500 hours mentoring higti school students
about the intricacies of practicing law
• 280 IxxjfS investigating iorxjcence d^ms
made tiy prisoners through the uniwerstty's
Innocence Project
• 160 hours offering free wite clinic for low-
irxxyne residents to assist with estate planning
and wiH drafting
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