This year, an international teaching team from England and Ireland designed and taught a course called Your Place in the World: Exploring Identity, Sustainability, and AI. This interactive course engaged Scholars in several central questions: Who are you? How does the world around you work? And where do you belong in it?

Engaging pedagogical approaches like photovoice, campus mapping and reflective journals allowed scholars to engage deeply with course content. Scholars participated in activities to learn about the environmental landscape, the ethical use of AI, and navigating belonging in different spaces. One member of the teaching team, Aoife Prendergast from the Technical University of the Shannon in Ireland, said that a highlight of the course was

“Diving into the rich, lived experiences shared through the narratives of the group. The most powerful moments came from hearing the scholars weave their personal life stories into their visions for the future,” said聽Aoife Prendergast from the Technical University of the Shannon in Ireland, one of the members of the teaching team. “Watching everyone reflect on what ‘belonging’ truly means both personally and professionally created a deeply collaborative and resonant atmosphere in the room. It is clear that these narratives are shaping some truly inspiring and thoughtful pathways for the future!”

This international teaching team and transatlantic approach to this course allowed scholars to engage with a different set of cultures and a different concept of what education can be. Scholars were able to form deep connections with each other, their teaching team and the course content in ways that encouraged them to apply it to their futures.

鈥淭hroughout the three weeks, this class really opened my eyes and drew me to a new perspective of the world,” one scholar said. “We learned about perspectives of the world and how we all see the world differently, and we connected it to AI and how AI picks up on our culture and creates its own perspectives through patterns. The instructors always made me feel like I belong and they allowed me to open my mind and curiosity.鈥�

Another Scholar shared how the course inspired them to see community in a different light.

鈥淭his class gave me the opportunity to meet people outside of the country where I live and to see how community can be built in different environments,” another scholar reflected. “Every day was engaging and we were always doing something hands-on that made the course exciting. The instructors all came from different backgrounds, which felt so diverse, and I loved hearing about their cultures. I felt both academically and intellectually challenged in the course, which made me critically think about who I am in this world and how we can connect that to AI.鈥�

Tom Ritchie from the University of Warwick in the UK served as the lead instructor and designed the course in partnership with Evan Small, the 黑料不打烊 Academy faculty scholar. As a Fulbright Scholar, Ritchie was able to provide 黑料不打烊 Academy students with an exposure to additional post-graduate international education opportunities.

“This course exemplifies what makes 黑料不打烊 Academy so special – the willingness of our faculty, partners and supporters to create transformative learning experiences that expand our Scholars’ perspectives and help them see themselves as part of a much larger world,” said Emily Wiersma, director of the 黑料不打烊 Academy. “Through this collaborative course, our scholars were challenged to think critically, embrace new perspectives, build meaningful connections across cultures, and develop the confidence, curiosity, and global mindset that will serve them well in college, their careers, and their communities.”

黑料不打烊 Academy, housed in 黑料不打烊’s聽Center for Access and Success, is a multi-phase program for academically promising high school students in Alamance County with a financial need and/or no family history of college.聽The Summer Academy, happening now, includes three consecutive summer residential experiences before the sophomore, junior and senior years of high school, as well as year-round Saturday programs for students and families.

The program is now entering its 20th year and welcoming the largest cohort in its history: the Phi cohort.聽

As students mingled with 黑料不打烊 faculty, staff and friends of the university, they reflected on their experiences on campus and in the 黑料不打烊 Academy program.

Jeffrey Johnson

North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics / 黑料不打烊 Academy Upsilon cohort

鈥淚f I wasn鈥檛 here, I would not be talking to this many people. (The program) forces you to, in the best way possible, foster relationships with people and get to know one another,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淚 think my favorite part is the support systems that it offers you because when I applied, I knew I wanted to go to college, but I didn鈥檛 know if it would be as easy as it would be. Even though it鈥檒l probably still be hard, working with 黑料不打烊 Academy makes it feel possible.鈥�

Jean Carlos

Western High School / 黑料不打烊 Academy Phi Cohort

鈥淢y favorite part is definitely the community. I鈥檝e made so many friends just in the first week here, and everyone is so supportive. I have so many resources here, so I feel like that鈥檚 definitely the best part of being in 黑料不打烊 Academy,鈥� Carlos said. 鈥淢y favorite part of the programming is all the collaborative activities they have us doing. They usually have us do something that involves all of us together, and that really helps with involvement. No one gets left out.鈥�

Dylan Giordano

River Mill Academy / 黑料不打烊 Academy Phi Cohort

鈥淢y cohort is full of really great people. They鈥檙e all here for a reason, and everybody I interact with makes it a really good experience,鈥� Giordano said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of collaboration between different cohorts, staff and mentors. It feels like everybody is equal and we鈥檙e all working toward preparing us for college. It doesn鈥檛 feel like the teachers are above us. They鈥檙e supportive instead of authoritative.鈥�

Xavier Chavez

River Mill Academy / 黑料不打烊 Academy Phi cohort

鈥淓veryone here is amazing. It鈥檚 not just our cohort. It鈥檚 the staff, the mentors 鈥� they do an amazing job, and it鈥檚 truly amazing. We all work together. We鈥檙e all in this together,鈥� Chavez said. 鈥淢y favorite part of the programming is the EA 101 class. It鈥檚 not just about preparing us for college. It鈥檚 helping us find ourselves 鈥� our values, our purpose, our likes and dislikes. I like how they help us find ourselves before they put us out into the real world.鈥�

Alexa DeAlto

Clover Garden School / 黑料不打烊 Academy Upsilon cohort

鈥淢y favorite part is the opportunities, both with school and meeting people. I wouldn鈥檛 have met the people I鈥檝e met if it wasn鈥檛 for 黑料不打烊,鈥� DeAlton said. 鈥淢y favorite part of 黑料不打烊 Academy is how much we鈥檙e able to give back to the community through community service and the resources we have. It shows people that we鈥檙e thankful for what they do for us.鈥�

Zipporah Freeman

Southeast Alamance High School / 黑料不打烊 Academy Tau cohort

鈥淢y favorite part of 黑料不打烊 Academy right now is seeing our cohort come together. We struggled with that during the first two years, but this year everybody is communicating and working together,鈥� Freeman said. 鈥淚鈥檓 a very extroverted person, so I love talking to people and meeting new people in the community.鈥�

Ruby Elgin

Clover Garden Charter School / 黑料不打烊 Academy Tau cohort

鈥淏eing here on campus is great because it鈥檚 such a beautiful campus. I love getting the opportunity to explore all the amenities and see what the campus has to offer. Every year feels like a new tour because I get to see different buildings and learn something new,鈥� said Elgin. 鈥淢y favorite part of 黑料不打烊 Academy is being able to expand socially and academically at the same time. We get to do community service, network with people and get a jump start on the college process. Not everybody gets an opportunity like this, so I鈥檓 really thankful to be able to take advantage of a program like this.鈥�

For 黑料不打烊 student Berenice Sanchez Rosaldo, the event marked a full-circle moment.

Berenice Sanchez Rosaldo 鈥�29, a political science major who is in the 黑料不打烊 Academy and The Mac Mahon Family Scholar in the聽Odyssey Program, participated as a first-time presenter. She presented alongside Danielle Lake, director of the Center for Design Thinking, and Shannice Sellars, executive director of the African American Cultural Arts and History Center.

Their presentation, 鈥淧articipatory Place-shaping: How Community-led Counter Storying Encourages Civic Engagement,鈥� highlighted Sanchez Rosaldo鈥檚 work with the Center for Design Thinking. It focused on developing counter-stories that reflect participants鈥� communities and environments as a form of civic engagement.

Sanchez Rosaldo drew from personal experiences, including her high school, her father鈥檚 workplace, and the Dream Center 鈥� spaces she identified as influential in her development as a student, athlete and individual.

鈥淪eeing Berenice present her story was such a proud moment,鈥� said Melissa Chacon Villalobos, coordinator for well-being with 黑料不打烊 Academy. 鈥淲atching her grow from a high school freshman to a first-year student at 黑料不打烊, and seeing the impact she is already making in Alamance County, is incredibly meaningful.鈥�

Sanchez Rosaldo began this work before enrolling at 黑料不打烊, first connecting with Danielle Lake while attending Alamance Burlington Early College at ACC, where she completed a summer internship with local summer camps across Alamance County, creating lesson plans for kids ages 6-12 during her junior year of High School.

She also credits 黑料不打烊 Academy as instrumental in shaping her college journey.
鈥満诹喜淮蜢� Academy opened my eyes to the idea of college and created many opportunities for me,鈥� Sanchez Rosaldo said.

Now an Odyssey Scholar, Sanchez Rosaldo continues her work with the Center for Design Thinking through the Power + Place Collaborative and by leading design thinking workshops across campus.

The Center for Design Thinking focuses on creative, structured approaches to problem-solving. Its Power + Place Collaborative works with Alamance County leaders and community members to document and share stories that reflect the county鈥檚 diverse communities.

黑料不打烊 Academy supports academically promising, limited-income, and first-generation students, while the Odyssey Program provides merit-based scholarships and enrichment opportunities for students with demonstrated financial need.

鈥淲hat Berenice represents is exactly why 黑料不打烊 Academy exists – talented students who, with the right support and opportunities, go on to lead, contribute, and create change in their communities,鈥� said Emily Wiersma, director of the 黑料不打烊 Academy.

Together, the 黑料不打烊 Academy and Odyssey Scholars Program reflect 黑料不打烊鈥檚 commitment to civic engagement and to supporting students and communities in Alamance County.

For Sanchez Rosaldo, the experience also carried personal and generational significance. Her mother attended the presentation, marking a milestone as she watched her daughter present at her first conference.

Her story reflects the broader impact of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 programs on students, their families, and their communities.

It also mirrors a larger, statewide commitment to civic engagement, as institutions across North Carolina continue this work through initiatives like the , which will take place in June 2026 and is hosted by North Carolina Campus Engagement. Together, these efforts highlight how experiences like the PACE conference are not just singular moments, but part of an ongoing cycle of learning, leadership and community impact.

This spring, members of the 黑料不打烊 Academy team traveled to schools across Alamance County to celebrate the milestone moment with 30 ninth-grade students: their admission into 黑料不打烊 Academy’s newest cohort. Gathered alongside family members, teachers, counselors, and school advocates who had supported them throughout their educational journeys, students learned they had been selected to join the largest incoming class in 黑料不打烊 Academy’s聽nearly 20-year聽history.

The celebrations marked the culmination of a redesigned recruitment and selection process that emphasized accessibility, family engagement, collaboration, and student-centered experiences. As 黑料不打烊 Academy enters its twentieth year, the expanded cohort reflects both the program’s continued growth and its enduring commitment to creating pathways to college access and success for students across Alamance County.

Led by Assistant Director Briston Whitt, 黑料不打烊 Academy’s revised聽recruitment聽and selection model introduced several significant enhancements, including a streamlined application process, redesigned group interview experiences, expanded family engagement opportunities, and increased collaboration with school, university, and community partners.

“Every aspect of the process was designed to create a more meaningful experience for students and families while ensuring we were able to identify Scholars who would聽really benefit from and聽thrive in the 黑料不打烊聽Academy community,” said Whitt. “We wanted students聽and their families聽to feel seen, supported, and connected to the program from their very first interaction with us.”

The recruitment cycle began with intentional collaboration between 黑料不打烊 Academy and its network of school-based advocates. Serving as liaisons between the聽黑料不打烊 Academy聽program and local schools, advocates聽provided聽valuable insight into the unique needs of their school communities and helped connect prospective students and families with information, resources and opportunities to learn more about the program.

Building on those partnerships, 黑料不打烊 Academy launched an extensive outreach effort that included school presentations, family information sessions, community events, social media campaigns and direct outreach to students throughout the Alamance-Burlington School System. The team also聽participated聽in events such as the ABSS Options Fair and school-based orientation programs, helping students and families begin exploring college access opportunities early in their high school careers.

The result was a strong and diverse applicant pool聽representing聽schools from across Alamance County.

Students advancing in the selection process聽submitted聽an essay and teacher recommendation, before聽participating聽in a redesigned group interview experience hosted聽for the first time ever聽on 黑料不打烊’s campus. Over three days, prospective scholars engaged in collaborative activities designed to assess communication, critical thinking, teamwork, problem-solving, and leadership skills while giving students an opportunity to experience 黑料不打烊 firsthand.

The campus-based format also created new opportunities for family engagement. While students聽participated聽in interviews and activities, family members were invited to remain on campus for programming focused on student success, wellbeing, and navigating the college preparation journey. Families learned more about the program’s expectations and connected with 黑料不打烊 Academy staff in a welcoming and supportive environment.

The redesigned model also expanded participation from university and community partners. Faculty and staff members, 黑料不打烊 Academy student leaders, College Scholars,聽and supporters joined the process as evaluators, providing prospective Scholars with meaningful interactions while gaining a firsthand understanding of the intentionality behind the selection process.聽Following the group interview phase, finalists聽participated聽in individual interviews conducted at their schools聽to complete the selection process.

The result was the selection of 30 exceptional students who will聽comprise聽the Phi Cohort, officially making it the largest incoming class in 黑料不打烊 Academy history.

“Expanding to聽30 Scholars represents more than a larger cohort size,” said Director Emily Wiersma. “It represents more students, more families, and more futures that will be impacted through the power of education, mentorship and opportunity. As we approach our twentieth year, it is exciting to see 黑料不打烊 Academy continuing to grow while remaining deeply committed to the mission that has guided us from the beginning.”

In early May, the newest scholars and their families returned to campus for New Scholar Orientation, an immersive introduction to 黑料不打烊 Academy and 黑料不打烊. Throughout the day, students聽participated聽in community-building activities, learned about program expectations, explored campus, connected with peers, and began building relationships that will support them throughout their 黑料不打烊 Academy journey.

Families聽participated聽in their own programming focused on building connections, learning about available resources and hearing directly from current Scholars and families about their experiences in the program. The orientation concluded with 黑料不打烊 Academy’s traditional Honors Ceremony, during which聽current 黑料不打烊 Academy College Scholars led聽students聽in聽formally committing themselves to the values and expectations of the program and received honor coins commemorating their official welcome into the 黑料不打烊 Academy family.

While orientation marked an important milestone, the Phi Cohort’s journey is just beginning.

Next week, scholars will return to campus for Summer Academy, one of 黑料不打烊 Academy’s signature experiences. During the program, students will live in residence halls,聽participate聽in academic enrichment opportunities, build relationships with mentors and peers and gain firsthand experience navigating a college environment. For many scholars, Summer Academy serves as the moment when 黑料不打烊 Academy truly comes to life聽–聽transforming a group of newly admitted students into a supportive community united by shared goals, aspirations, and opportunity.

Members of the 黑料不打烊 community will have several opportunities to engage with the newest cohort throughout the summer, including the annual 黑料不打烊 Academy Ice Cream Social. This beloved tradition brings together scholars, families, alumni, faculty, staff, donors and community supporters to celebrate the beginning of a new chapter and welcome the Phi Cohort into the broader 黑料不打烊 Academy community.聽Interested guests can .

As 黑料不打烊 Academy enters its twentieth year, the Phi Cohort聽represents聽more than a record-breaking class size. These 30 students embody the promise, potential, and perseverance that have defined 黑料不打烊 Academy since its founding. Their journey is just beginning, and the 黑料不打烊 community is invited to join in celebrating, supporting, and welcoming the newest generation of 黑料不打烊 Academy Scholars.

• 136 college acceptances from 38 different universities
• $2.5 million in merit scholarships and grants awarded to scholars
• Seven will join the Class of 2030 this fall at 黑料不打烊, three are headed to UNC Chapel Hill, and three more to UNC Charlotte, among other top schools
• Several earned some of the most competitive and prestigious scholarships North Carolina offers, including a Carolina Covenant Scholar at UNC Chapel Hill, an 黑料不打烊 Teaching Fellow, and a North Carolina Teaching Fellow

And for 黑料不打烊 President Connie Book, who addressed the 17th class of the 黑料不打烊 Academy at a recent dinner reception to recognize graduates of the university鈥檚 college access and success program, scholarships and college acceptances are more than a reflection of academic achievement. They鈥檙e a harbinger of future success.

鈥淭hese accomplishments, impressive as they are, are only a glimpse of the bright path that lies ahead of you,鈥� Book said. 鈥淭he 黑料不打烊 Academy was founded on a simple and powerful belief 鈥� that talent and potential exist in every community, and when that talent is matched with opportunity and support, there is no limit to what a young person can achieve. Each of you is living proof of that belief.鈥�

Book was joined by family members, mentors, program alumni and other university leaders on May 28, 2026, in celebration of the Sigma Class during the 黑料不打烊 Academy鈥檚 annual President鈥檚 Reception.

The 黑料不打烊 Academy is an intensive, comprehensive opportunity for academically promising high school students in Alamance County with a financial need and/or no family history of college. The 黑料不打烊 Academy Summer Academy program includes three consecutive summer residential experiences prior to the sophomore, junior and senior years, as well as year-round Saturday Academy programs for students and families.

As part of the ceremony in the Lakeside Meeting Rooms, Shawn Means, a member of the Alamance Burlington Early College Class of 2026, delivered the Sigma Scholar Speech to his 24 classmates. Means reflected at length on the ways 黑料不打烊 Academy shaped their development beyond academics.

鈥淲hen people talk about 黑料不打烊 Academy, they鈥檇 most likely give you a polished answer,鈥� Means said. 鈥淭hey talk about college preparation, leadership, and academic growth. All the things you can put on paper. And they wouldn鈥檛 be wrong. But they wouldn鈥檛 be telling the whole story.鈥�

Means emphasized how the program transformed participants not only as students but as people. 鈥淣ow we understand responsibility. Now we understand balance,鈥� he said. 鈥淣ow we understand that freedom isn鈥檛 just given, it鈥檚 something you learn how to handle.鈥�

The reception was also the first in the 黑料不打烊 Academy鈥檚 nearly two decades of operation where alumni returned to be honored for their own graduations from college. Four 黑料不打烊 Academy College Scholars were applauded and presented with certificates commemorating their own recent college graduations.

Reception guests heard from Shiv Patel, a member of the Xi Class that graduated from high school in 2022. Now a graduate of UNC Chapel Hill, Patel encouraged members of the Sigma Class to stay true to themselves as they head to college.

鈥淪omeone told me that I did college right, and while I appreciated the notion, it鈥檚 not that I did college right, it鈥檚 that I led with my values,鈥� Patel said. 鈥淚 wanted the choices I made in college to be choices that reflected who I was and the background I came from. I never wanted to pretend to be someone I was not or do things that went against who I was.鈥�

The program concluded with another first for the 黑料不打烊 Academy – a presentation of scholarships to four Sigma Class graduates made possible through the philanthropy of those who recognized the power of the academy to change lives.

Mariam Rosales 鈥�17, a member of the Delta Class and an 黑料不打烊 graduate who today works in real estate, joined with Julio Santiago to create the awards. Honored in 2026 were:

• Lexie Bennett, River Mill Academy
• Jaime Carranza-Navarrete, Graham High School
• Shawn Means, Alamance Burlington Early College
• Naje Gray, Walter M. Williams High School

The reception was a final opportunity for scholars before leaving high school to be encouraged with support from mentors who have been with them over the past three years.

鈥淎s you step into this next chapter, know this: you are ready,鈥� said 黑料不打烊 Academy Director Emily Wiersma. 鈥淵ou have the tools, the resilience, and the heart to thrive. Life will bring challenges, yes, but it will also bring new mentors, new questions, and new opportunities to grow. Embrace it all. Stay curious. Stay connected to this community. Support from the 黑料不打烊 Academy does not end here today 鈥� most of all, continue to believe in yourself as fiercely as we believe in you.鈥�

黑料不打烊 Academy Assistant Director of College Success Manny Campos emphasized the same point in closing the program.

鈥淏elieve in yourself. Believe that all the struggles you鈥檝e faced prepared you and taught you what you need to succeed,鈥� he said. 鈥淵our college acceptances and your college degrees were no mistakes, you did that. Now let鈥檚 be real. It may get difficult. Life won鈥檛 always be rainbows and butterflies.

“On those days that feel heavy and you feel like giving up, because those days will come, remember everyone here, remember the journey, and remember why you stayed. You did the work and you are more than capable of succeeding.鈥�

黑料不打烊 Academy is a comprehensive college access and success program that partners with students and families beginning in high school and continues through college graduation. Serving academically promising students who are first-generation college-bound and/or from limited-income backgrounds and who attend school in or聽reside聽in Alamance County, this program is offered at no cost to participating students and their families.

Designed to address systemic barriers to higher education, 黑料不打烊 Academy provides students with academic enrichment, college advising, mentoring and sustained support during critical transition points from high school to college and through degree completion. Students聽participate聽in programming that strengthens academic skills, builds college knowledge and fosters a sense of belonging and confidence in higher education spaces.

黑料不打烊 Academy聽is a long-term investment in students who聽demonstrate聽talent and motivation but may not have access to the resources or guidance that make college feel possible. Recruitment is a critical first step in ensuring those students聽are聽seen, supported, and invited into this opportunity.

The current recruitment cycle focuses on聽identifying聽ninth-grade聽students who show academic potential, leadership, and perseverance, and who would聽benefit聽from a comprehensive college preparation program. Faculty and staff are uniquely positioned to support this effort through their professional and community networks, including relationships with local schools, community organizations, faith-based groups, and families across Alamance County.
Faculty and staff involvement聽helps聽us reach students who may not otherwise have access to information about college preparation programs. Personal encouragement and referrals can have a meaningful impact on whether a student applies. For a student to hear that they were nominated and that someone believes in them can make all the difference.

By helping to share information about 黑料不打烊 Academy, faculty and staff can play a direct role in expanding access to college-preparatory opportunities and strengthening 黑料不打烊鈥檚 longstanding commitment to equity, access, and community partnership.

黑料不打烊 Academy聽Scholars engage in a range of experiences that prepare them for college success, including academic skill-building,聽advising聽and mentoring, family engagement, and exposure to college and career pathways. The program鈥檚 impact extends beyond individual students, contributing to college-going cultures within families and聽communities聽and creating pathways to long-term educational and economic mobility.

Faculty and staff can support聽recruitment and applications by:

• who聽demonstrate聽academic promise and commitment to their education
• Sharing 黑料不打烊 Academy information聽with students, families, educators, and community partners in Alamance County
• before the Feb. 1 deadline

The application deadline for the聽2026聽cohort is Feb. 1.聽Additional聽information about eligibility requirements, program structure and the application process is available on the 黑料不打烊 Academy website.聽For聽additional聽insight, marketing materials,聽and further聽questions, please reach out to Emily Wiersma, director of the 黑料不打烊 Academy, at ewiersma@elon.edu.

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• Anna Matawaran 鈥�25 takes the 黑料不打烊 鈥榖uilding blocks鈥� to Year of Service Fellows program
• Sam Hinton 鈥�25 continues community commitment through Year of Service Fellows Program
• Abby Lee 鈥�25 combines knowledge in public health and political science as an 黑料不打烊 Year of Service Fellow
• Jasmine Walker 鈥�25 gives back to the community that shaped her through Year of Service Fellows Program

As an 黑料不打烊 Year of Service Fellow, Jasmine Walker 鈥�25 was excited to have the opportunity to give back to the community that helped her grow, currently partnering with , an organization focused on education from 鈥渃radle to career.鈥�

鈥淲hen I found out it was through ABSS (Alamance Burlington School System), which I鈥檓 a product of, I wanted to help the school system since they helped me become who I am,鈥� said Walker, who earned a degree in human service studies with a minor in poverty and social justice.

罢丑别听Year of Service Fellows Program聽is an opportunity through the university鈥檚 Student Professional Development Center that allows recent graduates to work at local organizations to improve health, education and economic development in the Alamance County community.

Going macro

A native of 黑料不打烊, Walker was a scholar in the 黑料不打烊 Academy in high school, and a scholar in the Odyssey Program. Now, she鈥檚 a Year of Service Fellow, an opportunity that allows recent graduates to work at local organizations to improve health, education and economic development in the Alamance County community.

鈥淚 wanted to do macro-work,鈥� she said of her choice to do the fellows program. 鈥淚 was doing a lot of micro work in my undergrad, and I wanted to try something different. I really appreciate the experience because I鈥檝e never done anything like this before, and it鈥檚 building my knowledge.鈥�

Walker started with Alamance Achieves in June 2025 and says she was immediately thrown in,鈥� working on 鈥淩eady Freddy,鈥� a three-week program preparing students for kindergarten.

鈥淚 have a lot of experience working with kids, and that鈥檚 something I鈥檓 passionate about,鈥� said Walker.

She also assists with the Teachers Leadership Academy, a program for ABSS teachers focusing on leadership skills and opportunities, and 鈥淭he Basics Alamance,鈥� a community-wide initiative that uses evidence-based principles and a text-message platform to support caregivers in promoting healthy brain development from birth to age 5.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a misconception that people don鈥檛 need to work with kids until they鈥檙e in kindergarten, and that鈥檚 when they鈥檒l start learning. But it鈥檚 very prevalent for children to start learning from the ages of 0 to 5, before they go to kindergarten,鈥� said Walker.

A desire to help

Her desire to help others was a key factor in her decision to major in human services studies.

“I wanted to help people, and I鈥檝e always been passionate about supporting others,鈥� said Walker. “I grew up volunteering and doing different things with my church. When I was a freshman, I met a senior in the program, and I took the intro course and really liked it. I liked how personable the department was.鈥�

Walker credits several faculty members with being her biggest cheerleaders, including Sandra Reid, Vanessa Drew Branch and Jessica Navarro. The Odyssey Program, along with 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Periclean Scholars Program also advanced her education and global understanding.

鈥淭he Odyssey Program really changed my life,鈥� said Walker. 鈥淚 was able to study abroad in Florence, Italy, my junior year and I was there for three and a half months. That was cool, I never thought I was going to be able to leave the country because of finances.鈥�

Healthier, smarter, stronger

Through the Periclean Scholars Program, a three-year, cohort-based learning experience that focuses on forming mutually-beneficial partnerships locally and abroad, Walker was also able to travel to Costa Rica for the Winter Term. It was an opportunity to practice the Spanish-speaking skills she learned through the ABSS Spanish-immersion program from kindergarten through 11^th grade.

鈥淲e studied Costa Rica as a whole and looked at what the specific community that we were going to travel to needed,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was interesting, and I think it helped me because now I鈥檓 thinking, after the fellowship, either continuing to work in Alamance County, or pursuing a master鈥檚 degree in social work.鈥�

Even though she鈥檚 from Alamance County and was educated in ABSS, Walker says she鈥檚 continuing to learn about her hometown.

鈥淚t鈥檚 cool to be able to meet different leaders and partners in the community, and hear what they do,鈥� Walker said. 鈥淚 don’t think I realized how many organizations and partnerships there are to make Alamance County continue to thrive. I can see the efforts being made to support Impact Alamance鈥檚 mission of making Alamance County healthier, smarter and stronger. Growing up and seeing the difference between what it was when I was a kid and what it is now in my 20s, it gives me hope.鈥�

This story is part of a series of features on the 2025-26 Year of Service Fellows, highlighting the work they are doing in the Alamance County community.

The project aimed to support individuals and families experiencing homelessness during the winter months and holiday season. Scholars designed handmade cards for encouragement and stuffed care packages for community members that included a toboggan and glove set, hand warmers, chapstick and a non-perishable food item.

This initiative aligns with one of the goals set by the new 黑料不打烊 Academy team: a renewed commitment to integrating community service into the 黑料不打烊 Academy experience. Using 黑料不打烊’s HealthEU Dimensions of Wellbeing to guide her efforts, Melissa Chacon Villalobos partners with members of the 黑料不打烊 Academy team to integrate intentional well-being into their programming with scholars as a key part of her role as the coordinator for well-being.

鈥淚ntegrating service into our overall framework reflects our commitment to holistic Scholar development and their well-being,” said Emily Wiersma, director of the 黑料不打烊 Academy. “As the coordinator for well-being, Melissa plays a key role in supporting intentional service experiences that help Scholars connect community engagement with their own well-being skills they can carry with them well beyond 黑料不打烊 Academy.鈥�

Chacon Villalobos was also a part of the fourth cohort of 黑料不打烊 Academy when she was in high school, bringing firsthand knowledge of the impact service had on her career journey/trajectory.

鈥淧articipating in service during summers at 黑料不打烊 Academy ingrained service as a part of my core values early on,” said Chacon Villalobos.

Assistant Director Briston Whitt, also has a rich history with the program. As an 黑料不打烊 alum, Whitt worked with the 黑料不打烊 Academy as a mentor throughout her entire collegiate career. During her first year as a Summer Mentor, Whitt recalls supporting the Scholars as they volunteered with Twin Lakes Retirement Home and held a food drive outside of Walmart for families.

“Now as a leader in the program in a different capacity, I want to ensure our scholars are exposed to the valuable benefits of community service as well,” Whitt said.

It was this collective understanding of how service can shape identity, leadership and belonging that led Whitt and Chacon Villalobos to coordinate the opportunity for sophomore scholars.聽 In reflections following the project, Scholars emphasized the value of helping others not for recognition, but because service, no matter how small, can positively impact someone鈥檚 day, week or even year. Others described it as meaningful, enjoyable experience and a reminder that supporting their community plays an important role in emotional, community and purpose well-being.

The 黑料不打烊 Academy is a college access program supporting local first-generation and/or Scholars from limited-income backgrounds as they prepare for and persist through higher education. The program begins working with scholars at the end of their freshman year of high school and continues support and programming until college graduation. Housed within 黑料不打烊’s Center for Access and Success, 黑料不打烊 Academy advances the Center鈥檚 broader strategies of equipping scholars and their families with tools, relationships and opportunities to support success throughout their education and beyond.

This project builds off a pilot service project scholars participated in during the Summer Academy as part of their well-being activities and community service experiences. Their summer project included a park cleanup experience with Burlington Parks and Recreation.

General feedback from scholars indicated that 79% were satisfied with their community service experience.

鈥淚 found community service at the park to be very fun, but it also helped out the community,” shared one scholar.

These examples marked the beginning of a renewed, ongoing commitment to community service, with more opportunities planned for scholars. Chacon Villalobos is working to establish a student-led community service club to support sustained involvement and further integrate well-being into 黑料不打烊 Academy programming starting in 2026. The goal is to equip Scholars with skills to maintain and advocate for their well-being and the well-being of others throughout their academic journeys and beyond.

Key benefits of community service include connection and belonging, general mental health and happiness, career exploration and advancement, and fulfillment. Program leaders hope that scholars will experience long-term benefits from service participation and carry a commitment to well-being into their future academic, professional and personal lives.

To learn more about 黑料不打烊 Academy鈥檚 key programs, visit their website: /u/academics/access-and-success/elon-academy/

The multi-month fellowship offers growth and collective healing for Latine educators and organizers committed to equity. It equips Latine advocates across North Carolina with tools to remove barriers and build a thriving future, honoring identity and lived experience.

Manny Campos, assistant director of college success for the 黑料不打烊 Academy, said he entered the fellowship looking to stay connected to the community that shaped him.

鈥淚 wanted to participate in the LatinxEd Fellowship because I wanted to stay rooted in my community. Especially in a space where there aren鈥檛 many people who look like me鈥� Campos said. 鈥淚n turn, I wanted to make my mark and show the work that I am doing. I also wanted to see the work people are doing throughout North Carolina that supports Latine students.鈥�

Through the 黑料不打烊 Academy, Campos supports first-generation and low-income students on their college journey. He shared that the fellowship retreat offered a powerful reminder of his purpose.

鈥淭he Fellowship retreat was very grounding and energizing,” he said. “It was so nice to be surrounded by people who care about the Latine community and advocate for those who don鈥檛 always have a voice. It served as a reminder of why I do the work that I do.鈥�

Similarly, Stephanie Hern谩ndez Rivera, assistant professor in the Master of Arts in Higher Education program and Emerging Professor in the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education, also completed the fellowship. She learned about it from a colleague and former fellow, Luis Garay, who encouraged her to apply.

Her research focuses on the experiences of students of color in higher education. She saw the fellowship as an opportunity to enhance her advocacy for Latine students in North Carolina.

鈥淔or me, it鈥檚 important that my work continues to speak back to the communities I am trying to serve,鈥� Hern谩ndez Rivera said. 鈥淎dvocating for Latine students is central to this work.鈥�

She added that the retreat emphasized a shared commitment to collective progress.

鈥淏ringing together Latine people from across the state to consider how we facilitate educational access was a powerful demonstration of community and solidarity. Even as Latine people, we have varied experiences. Our willingness to learn from and with one another is a testament to our desire to understand each other to best serve our students.鈥�

For both fellows, graduation marked more than just a ceremony鈥攊t brought pride and momentum. Campos was selected as one of two fellows to speak during the event, where he shared his experiences, key accomplishments, and the impact the Fellowship had on his growth.

鈥淚 felt so empowered getting to share my thoughts and my story with others,” Campos said. “This set the stage for what was a successful Fellowship journey. It marked the end of an emotional and thought-provoking adventure I’ll never forget.鈥�

For Hern谩ndez Rivera, the moment was deeply meaningful both personally and professionally.

鈥淚t was beautiful and moving to be recognized for the work I have already done to support students as a Puerto Rican woman. I am inspired to continue on that road,” she said.

LatinxEd’s mission is to dismantle barriers to educational access for Latine communities. The group partners with advocates across the state to launch mentorship programs, organize workshops, and host networking events for students. Campos and Hern谩ndez Rivera return to campus with renewed purpose and strengthened skills from the fellowship.

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鈥淚鈥檝e made my own family here at 黑料不打烊.鈥�

As president of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Latinx Hispanic Union (LHU), Edward Hernandez 鈥�27 can easily describe the purpose he鈥檚 discovered in fostering community across campus and in the surrounding communities where he was raised.

鈥淲hether it鈥檚 my LHU family, my El Centro team, or my Odyssey cohort, those connections feel like home,鈥� said the double major in marketing and business analytics from Burlington, N.C. They鈥檙e also the foundation of a legacy he hopes to leave for future Hispanic and Latinx students.

Roots of Legacy

Hernandez鈥檚 legacy begins with the blending of two identities. As the son of a Mexican mother and Salvadoran father, he grew up surrounded by traditions that emphasized the value of family and community.

His most cherished memories are Christmas Eve gatherings with more than 60 relatives, opening presents at midnight and celebrating until morning.

鈥淓very year, we鈥檇 drive down to Florida to see my grandparents. Christmas Eve was always the biggest gathering,鈥� Hernandez said. 鈥淭hose are some of my favorite memories, just being surrounded by family and celebrating together.鈥�

These traditions shaped Hernandez鈥檚 understanding of belonging, a value he now carries with him through his college experience.

Cultivating Community at 黑料不打烊

Hernandez was first introduced to 黑料不打烊 through the 鈥淚t Takes a Village鈥� Project, but it was 黑料不打烊 Academy, the university鈥檚 college access and success program for academically promising high school students from families with little or no history of college, that truly showed him college was within reach.

鈥満诹喜淮蜢� Academy was the biggest help for me,鈥� he said, 鈥淚t showed me what college could be and [that it] was attainable.鈥�

After choosing to attend 黑料不打烊, the recipient of the Douglas and Edna Truitt Noiles 鈥�44 Scholarship in the Odyssey Program found spaces like El Centro and LHU to celebrate his heritage. He progressed from visitor to student coordinator at El Centro, helping to host programs such as Perspectivas, where the Hispanic and Latinx community shared their experiences.

鈥淟ast year, my department hosted a panel on machismo,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was powerful to hear how different people grew up with those cultural norms and how our generation is pushing to move away from them.鈥�

His involvement with LHU grew just as quickly. By the spring of his first year, he was on the executive board, later serving as treasurer, vice president, and now president.

Inspiring the next generation

Mentorship has become one of the most meaningful ways Hernandez carries his values forward. Hernandez is both a College Access Success Team (CAT) mentor and summer mentor with 黑料不打烊 Academy, where he offers the same encouragement he once received as a scholar.

鈥淭he mentors I had there made such a difference in my life, and that鈥檚 why I now give back as a CAT mentor and summer mentor because the program gave me so much,鈥� he said.

He also volunteers weekly with the Dream Center in Burlington, supporting primarily Hispanic and Latinx students through its SPIN program, which provides academic assistance, mentorship and community engagement.

鈥淲e act as mentors, but also as older siblings, playing games and helping out,鈥� Hernandez said.

Together, these experiences reflect the core of his impact: inspiring younger students to lead, give back and see themselves as part of a thriving community.

Shaping the future

Hernandez sees his legacy not in recognition but in impact, a truth underscored when students he mentored through 黑料不打烊 Academy enrolled at 黑料不打烊.

鈥淚t was really a full circle moment. The scholars that I mentored during the summer going into my sophomore year are now here at 黑料不打烊,鈥� he said. 鈥淪eeing them join and even ask me about LHU or El Centro shows me that my work is making a difference.鈥�

Looking ahead, Hernandez hopes to carry his values of family and community into a career in marketing and business analytics, advocating for more inclusive practices and challenging stereotypes.

鈥淎 lot of the time, marketing uses very harsh stereotypes of people,鈥� Hernandez said. 鈥淚 think there can definitely be changes. Whenever people market or design campaigns, the voices of different cultures need to be in the room so communities aren鈥檛 stereotyped.鈥�

More than a story

In the end, Hernandez鈥檚 vision of legacy is simple: giving back, community and family 鈥� both the one he was born into and the one he created at 黑料不打烊. His story also reflects this year鈥檚 Hispanic Heritage Month theme, 鈥淢谩s Que Una Historia: Living Our Legacy,鈥� as he honors the traditions that shaped him while inspiring future generations.

鈥淚t really feels good to see that I am making a difference,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y hope is that the students I鈥檝e helped will do even more than I did at 黑料不打烊 and continue to make a difference here.鈥�

黑料不打烊 honors Hispanic Heritage Month

As part of Hispanic Heritage Month, 黑料不打烊 is sharing stories that celebrate the contributions, identities and experiences of students, faculty and staff. This month recognizes the rich histories and cultures of Hispanic and Latinx communities, while also honoring the ways these traditions connect with and inspire people of all backgrounds. This month provides a special opportunity to honor Hispanic and Latinx heritage, but it also serves as an invitation for all members of the university to engage, learn and celebrate together.