“Talking with people in different roles allowed me to learn about their career paths, experiences, and responsibilities,” Reich said.

As a customer experience program specialist intern in Corning’s Optical Communications division, Reich divided her time between project work and meetings. She wanted to apply her studies at the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business while strengthening her communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills.

“Going into the internship, I wanted to gain hands-on experience and develop professional skills that I could not fully learn in a classroom setting,” Reich said.

Corning’s reputation initially drew her to the company. She also saw the internship as an opportunity to understand how business analytics concepts apply to business situations.

Her work week included time in the office Tuesday through Thursday and remote work on Mondays and Fridays, with her routine varying according to the needs of her project.

Alongside her assignments, connections with colleagues gave Reich a closer look at different professional roles and helped her consider possibilities for her own future.

“The internship was a chance to explore different career paths and gain a better understanding of the type of work I may want to pursue in the future,” she said.

Connecting students with employers

Career fairs have been a major part of the Center’s fall programming, bringing students and employers together in one place.

The Fall 2026 Nursing Career Day, held on Sept. 1, welcomed 79 attendees and allowed nursing students to engage with organizations and professionals in their field. Just two days later, the Fall 2026 Student Employment Fair drew over 300 attendees, giving students opportunities to explore and connect with potential employers.

Over 400 students attended the Fall 2026 Job & Internship Fair on Sept. 17. There were numerous opportunities to learn about jobs and internships, which encouraged students to take an active role in exploring their professional interests and building connections that can extend beyond the classroom.

Exploring career possibilities

Career development doesn’t always happen at a career fair. Throughout September, the Student Professional Development Center hosted virtual sessions and employer tabling events, giving students additional ways to learn about different industries and organizations.

Students had the opportunity to participate in virtual sessions with Google on Sept. 15 and Wayfair on Sept. 23. Employer tabling events also brought in representatives from Spot Logistics and AlphaSights to campus on Sept. 16 and were followed by UDC Law on September 22nd.

These smaller-scale opportunities can be a great way for students to ask questions, learn about career paths and discover organizations that they may not have previously considered.

If these virtual events interest you, make sure you register for the event if it is required so you do not miss any important information! 

Building skills for the future 

Career preparation is about more than finding a job. It is also about developing confidence, knowledge and professional skills that students can carry with them throughout their careers.

On Sept. 24, the Love School of Business held its Sophomore Success event with the SPDC. This event brought in over 80 sophomores in the business field to interact with some of our professional advisors, as well as some parents of �鶹��Ƶ Students.

September concluded with a Fidelity Investments networking event on Sept. 29, where over 20 students had the opportunity to engage in a more personal networking environment on campus.

At the Honda Mobility Day on Oct. 1, over 90 students attended and had the opportunity to meet professionals representing areas such as engineering, supply chain and procurement, sustainability and environmental work. They were also able to explore Honda technology and equipment up close, talk with associates about the real-world projects they work on and learn about career paths across the organization.

The next opportunity could be the one that matters

With so many different events taking place throughout the semester, there is an opportunity for everyone, whether you are actively searching for an internship, exploring potential careers, looking for employment or simply trying to figure out what comes next.

You don’t have to wait until you are a senior to start building your professional network. You don’t need to have your career path completely figured out before attending a career event. Sometimes, a conversation with an employer or one question asked at a virtual event can help you discover an opportunity you had not considered.

Don’t hesitate to come into the Student Professional Development Center, located in Moseley 140, and ask for help to prepare for a fair, networking event or virtual session. Get started by booking an appointment through the �鶹��Ƶ Job Network for anything you may need related to your professional development, even if it is just a conversation between you and one of our career advisors.

Keep an eye out for upcoming events, go outside of your comfort zone and take advantage of the opportunities available to you! One of the best ways to stay up to date is by following us on one of our social media accounts:

Instagram: @eloncareers
X: @�鶹��Ƶ_Careers 
TikTok: @elon_careers 
LinkedIn: @eloncareerservices 

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out at careerservices@elon.edu. OR use the live chat box located on the SPDC website.

Organized by the Porter Family Professional Development Center, the Student Professional Development Center and the Office of Parent Engagement, the event gave students the opportunity to develop career-readiness skills, receive individualized feedback and begin building professional relationships.

For the first half of the event, students had the opportunity to rotate through five different professional development stations: resume review, LinkedIn audits, professional headshots, elevator pitch practice and internship course information.

At each station, a career advisor and an industry professional from the �鶹��Ƶ Parents Council were there to offer students guidance and provide valuable feedback.

The event was held before Family Weekend, which Nathalie Perez, assistant director of career services for the Porter Center, said was an intentional decision.

According to Perez, members of the �鶹��Ƶ Parents Council have been looking for opportunities to get more involved with students, and this was the perfect opportunity.

“It was wonderful to see students connect with �鶹��Ƶ parents and learn from their experiences.” Perez said. “The strong sense of community at �鶹��Ƶ is one of our greatest qualities, and Sophomore Success was a great example of how our community comes together to support students and their career development.”

With a wide range of majors represented from the Love School of Business, students were eager to engage with parents and faculty to improve their skills, and lines of students looking for feedback formed at several of the stations.

Leo Landau is a sophomore majoring in finance and entrepreneurship. He decided to attend the event for the professional networking opportunities it provided.

“It was valuable to talk with professionals in wealth management and real estate sectors to learn how they network at a professional level and gain trust with clients,” Landau said.

The second portion of the event opened to students from all class years for an hour of networking with �鶹��Ƶ parents and faculty members.

According to Amanda Traugutt, director of career services for the Porter Center, sophomore year is sometimes overlooked by students, when in reality, it is an important time in their career journey.

For students majoring in finance and accounting, recruiting for internships in the summer after their junior year typically begins in the fall of sophomore year.

“Internships are a critical part of every student’s professional development, and recruiting starts earlier than many students expect,” Traugutt said. “We created Sophomore Success to make sure our students have the resources, support, and connections they need as early as possible. Whether they’re already in the recruiting process or just getting started, the network they build now will support them for years to come.”

The event also featured a mock Superday track for finance and accounting majors.

A Superday usually occurs in the final stages of the hiring process and consists of multiple interviews with employees in various positions across a company. The process can be taxing, so this track was aimed at helping students in finance and accounting practice and prepare for the experience.

The event helped students of all years and majors plan for their future career journeys, and fostered connections between students, staff, faculty and parents at �鶹��Ƶ.

Throughout the afternoon, students had the opportunity to meet directly with employers, learn more about different organizations and career fields, ask questions and make professional connections. The fair welcomed students from a wide range of majors and class years, giving them a chance to explore opportunities related to their current interests and fields they may not have considered previously.

Career fairs can be a valuable way for students to gain experience communicating with employers and practicing professional networking. For students who are actively searching for an internship or job, the event also provided an opportunity to learn about available positions and make connections that could continue beyond the fair.

The Fall Student Job and Internship Fair is one of the opportunities provided by the SPDC to help �鶹��Ƶ students prepare for their futures. Through events like this, the SPDC connects students with employers while helping them develop the skills and confidence needed to navigate the job and internship search.

Questions? Contact careerservices@elon.edu

Fall Student Employment Fair
When: Sept. 3, 2026 | 3 – 5 p.m.
Where: Alumni Gym
What: This event connects campus departments with students seeking meaningful on-campus employment opportunities. We invite hiring supervisors to show available positions, engage with prospective student employees and recruit talented students who can contribute to your team throughout the academic year. This is a great opportunity that students should definitely explore, and to make a great first impression, bring a resume!

Accounting Meet & Greet
When: Sept. 14, 2026 | 5 – 7 p.m.
Where: McKinnon Hall – Moseley Center
What: This networking event offers employers a valuable opportunity to connect with accounting students, share insights about career paths within your organization, and identify candidates for internships and full-time opportunities. Get the chance to chat with Bernard Robinson and Company LLP, Cherry Bekaert, Dean Dorton, dmjps, Elliott Davis, EY, Gilliam Bell Moser and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Job & Internship Fair
When: Sept. 17, 2026 | 2 -5 p.m.
Where: Schar Center
What: As one of �鶹��Ƶ’s premier recruiting events, this fair offers employers the opportunity to connect with talented students and alumni pursuing internships and full-time careers across a broad range of fields and interests. Students should take advantage of this opportunity and bring a friend! Check out the �鶹��Ƶ Job Network to see which employers will be there to connect with!

Contact the Student Professional Development Center for questions!
careerservices@elon.edu.

The students have already been immersed in their new city, where they met alumni at the Queen City Connections ice cream social and heard from local alumni about living and working in Charlotte. Several former Study USA Charlotte participants attended, some of whom now work full-time for the organizations where they interned as students in the program.

Students completed a scavenger hunt to familiarize themselves with the Queen City, public transit and major landmarks. They also conducted test runs to their internship sites, many of which are located along the light rail, which provides easy access from South End to Uptown, and into the university area. Since many students are living in an apartment without a meal plan for the first time, they participated in a cooking class to learn meal preparation basics.

Cara Picariello ’28 sees this fall as an opportunity to grow both personally and professionally.

“Living in a city is something that I have never experienced before, so I wanted to take full advantage of the opportunity to step outside my comfort zone and experience a different lifestyle,” said Picariello. “In addition, Charlotte is a rapidly growing sports hub with many career opportunities, and I wanted to build connections and gain experience in the area before graduating.”

Aidan Sweeney ’28 also understands the many benefits of this program. “I wanted to experience living in a big city while also working and furthering my career. I came in knowing very few people, but I’ve already became friends with everyone by exploring the city together or finding a room to chat in with people.”

Five classes are offered this fall: Sport Sales and Promotion, College Athletics Administration, Sports and Media, Event and Venue Management, and an internship course. Students are required to complete 320 hours at their internship.

Students are interning with a variety of organizations including the Big South Conference, NASCAR, Sports Business Journal, Charlotte Knights, Charlotte Checkers, the National Junior College Athletic Association, the Atlantic Coast Conference and more.

Daniel Towery ’28 signed up for the Study USA Charlotte Sport and Community Experience program because “it’s the perfect way to combine classroom learning and real-world experience in the sports industry. I am especially excited to intern with both the Charlotte Knights and the ACC Football Game Day Operations Center to continue to develop my hands-on professional skills. Exploring the city and making memories with my cohort has already made this semester unforgettable.”

Griffin Conway ’28 is excited about the program because it gives him the “opportunity to get an early start on my professional career, while balancing academic courses and living in a city.”

“I’m looking forward to my internship with ACC’s Student-Athlete Programs and getting to learn the ins and outs of how a big organization works,” Conway said. “Over the past week since I started, I have met and networked with so many wonderful people through events that �鶹��Ƶ has provided, and I’m very excited for the rest of the semester!”

Components of a fall Study USA experience include housing, academic courses, internship, enrichment activities and networking opportunities with alumni and industry professionals. Contact Study USA with any questions at global@elon.edu, 336-278-6700 or www.elon.edu/studyusa. Applications for the inaugural spring Study USA Charlotte program are currently open, while applications for fall 2027 are accepted Sept. 1-Dec. 1. Enrollment is limited. Non-�鶹��Ƶ students are invited to apply.

The Princeton Review has again featured �鶹��Ƶ in a popular college guide that annually recognizes excellence in dozens of categories, with the university placing among the top 25 schools in 15 categories and in the top 10 of eight categories, including #1 Best College Theater.

�鶹��Ƶ’s profile in “” includes more than a dozen recognitions:

• #1 Best College Theater
• #4 Best Classroom Experience
• #6 Best Student Support and Counseling Services
• #6 Best College Dorms
• #8 Happiest Students
• #9 Most Beautiful Campus
• #9 Everyone Plays Intramural Sports
• #10 Their Students Love These Colleges
• #11 Best Campus Food
• #12 Best Career Services
• #12 Best-Run Colleges
• #18 Most Active Student Government
• #23 Professors Get High Marks
• #24 Best Quality of Life
• #25 Green Matters: Everyone Cares �鶹��Ƶ Conservation

The Princeton Review chose the 392 colleges for the book based on its surveys in 2025-26 of 2,000 college administrators about their school’s academic offerings. The company also surveyed students attending the colleges in the book who rated their schools on dozens of topics and reported on their campus experiences at them. Only about 14% of America’s nearly 2,800 four-year colleges are in the book.

“We are delighted to name �鶹��Ƶ one of our Best Colleges for 2027, and we recommend it to students searching for their ‘best-fit’ college,” said Rob Franek, The Princeton Review’s editor-in-chief and lead author of The Best 392 Colleges.  “�鶹��Ƶ has outstanding academic programs; we also took into account the candid feedback we received about it from its very own customers—its enrolled students.”

The rankings are entirely based on the company’s surveys of students attending the schools in the book who reported on their campus experiences at their schools. Surveys of 172,000 students (about 439 per school on average) were tallied for the rankings in The Best 392 Colleges.

Information on the for the rankings and the student is published in the book and on .

Select Responses Cited in “The Best 391 Colleges”

• �鶹��Ƶ provides “meaningful access to professors, research opportunities, internships, and leadership roles early…which allows (students) to explore their interests in practical, hands-on ways.”
• “Everyone from the most esteemed professors to our incredible dining hall workers, to the student life staff, to our groundskeepers” is described as “the most incredible support system.”
• Faculty are “highly experienced and enthusiastic” who do “constant check-ups and meetings with you. They want to make sure that you’re not only succeeding in their class, but also having an amazing, enriching time in college.”
• Students praised the small class sizes, which allow for bonding “with both my professors and my peers, and it gives me more opportunities for success.”
• �鶹��Ƶ’s experiential learning model provides an opportunity “where students can use both classroom learning and real-world experience to understand the information being taught.”
• Students highlighted the university’s “strong culture of involvement” where “students are constantly balancing academics with leadership roles, service organizations, research, athletics, and creative projects, and that energy creates an environment where it feels normal to want to do big things.”

�鶹��Ƶ the Princeton Review

The Princeton Review (), founded in 1981, is an education services company known for its tutoring, test-prep, admission services, school rankings, books, and other resources. Headquartered in New York, NY, it is not affiliated with Princeton University, and it is not a magazine.

The Best 392 Colleges is the 35th annual edition of The Princeton Review’s flagship college guide which debuted in 1992. It is one of more than 150 Princeton Review books in a published by Penguin Random House. The book and its annual student-survey-based college rankings have been featured on NBC TODAY more than two dozen times over the years and referenced by media from NPR to The Wall Street Journal and The Chronicle of Higher Education.

While relatively new to �鶹��Ƶ, Moses-Brownson has been deeply engaged with NAAHP for many years. Moses-Brownson co-chairs the NAAHP Committee on Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, sits on the Regional Board of Directors for SAAHP (the Southeastern Association for Advisors in the Health Professions), is part of the instructional team for the NAAHP Leads: Regional and National Leadership track professional development program, and serves as a liaison between NAAHP and the AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) LASOR (Learner Access, Student Opportunities, & Retention) working group.

Since joining �鶹��Ƶ in 2024, Moses‑Brownson has helped transform Health Professions Advising through new courses, expanded programming and strategic partnerships that support students and alumni pursuing careers in healthcare. Central to this impact has been a new suite of courses co‑developed with Yuko Miyamoto, director of health professions advising and associate professor of biology, and Collier Lumpkin, associate director of career advising for pre-graduate school. Together, Moses‑Brownson and Miyamoto created an application preparation course focused on helping students understand timelines, requirements and competencies for health professions programs.

Moses-Brownson and Lumpkin developed a standardized test preparation course designed to support students preparing for exams such as the MCAT, DAT, OAT, GRE, and LSAT, which focuses on the non-content aspects of test preparation while providing deeply discounted access to high-quality test prep resources. These courses give students structured guidance, peer support and staff expertise as they move from exploring professional careers to actively applying.

Moses‑Brownson has also prioritized outreach to prospective students and the broader community, reflecting �鶹��Ƶ’s commitment to access and engagement. In 2026, Health Professions Advising and the Student Professional Development Center co-hosted Health Professions Exploration Day, welcoming local high school students and Union County Schools to campus to learn about a wide range of healthcare careers and see how �鶹��Ƶ can help them prepare for those futures. The event connected visitors with faculty, advisors, and current students, highlighting both the breadth of health professions and the many academic and co‑curricular paths available at �鶹��Ƶ.

To deepen connections between �鶹��Ƶ students and health professions programs, Moses‑Brownson and the SPDC brought a health professions expo to campus, inviting schools and programs to meet directly with students. The expo gave students the chance to ask questions, compare programs, and build relationships with admissions representatives, all while receiving advising support on how to present their experiences and plan next steps. This kind of face‑to‑face engagement helps students see the full landscape of opportunities, from medicine and dentistry to physician assistant programs, nursing, genetic counseling, nutrition/dietetics, pharmacy and other fields.

Another key initiative has been a partnership with Alamance Community College to offer an EMT course hosted primarily on �鶹��Ƶ’s campus. By making this training more accessible, Health Professions Advising has opened additional pathways for students to gain hands‑on clinical experience and patient contact hours, which are critical components of competitive applications to many health professions programs. The collaboration reflects a shared commitment to preparing students not only academically, but also through meaningful, real‑world exposure to healthcare settings.

On campus, Moses-Brownson has worked to develop new opportunities for students to engage in the transformative experiences that prepare students for the competitive application processes in the health professions. A partnership with Belk Library, specifically with Engineering & Physical Science Librarian and Assistant Librarian Ellen Cline, and Coordinator of Research and Publishing and Associate Librarian Jesse Akman, has provided a pathway for underclassmen who cannot access traditional research opportunities to pursue evidence synthesis research opportunities with mentorship and support from library staff.

Alongside these programs, Moses‑Brownson has worked to deepen individualized advising and application support for both current students and alumni. Health Professions Advising offers one‑on‑one appointments, workshops, and resources to help students design an academic plan, understand professional competencies, and prepare strong, reflective applications. Students can meet with Moses‑Brownson through the �鶹��Ƶ Job Network using the “Pre‑Health Advising” appointment types and can connect with Miyamoto by emailing ymiyamoto@elon.edu to schedule advising focused on academic planning and application processes.

Together, Moses‑Brownson and Miyamoto lead a Health Professions Advising program that supports hundreds of students and alumni as they explore, prepare for, and pursue a wide range of health careers. The NAAHP Outreach/Engagement Award underscores how intentional advising, new courses, campus‑community partnerships, and accessible programming can shape students’ pathways to becoming healthcare professionals, both at �鶹��Ƶ and beyond.

He quickly learned just how many steps that takes.

As a quality engineer co-op, Coughenour is supporting the launch of ALTA Rounds, a new plastic-free coffee pod. Working with the quality team, he has contributed to product trials, data analysis and quality checks on the manufacturing floor.

“Being in the plant has shown me that a product launch is not just one big step, but a lot of smaller steps that all must come together,” Coughenour said.

He was drawn to the opportunity because it paired hands-on manufacturing experience with a product designed to reduce environmental impact.

“No week looked exactly the same as we prepared for the launch,” Coughenour said. “I collected samples and interpreted data during quality and R&D trials, led two associates at the end of the production line, and worked with outside companies to calibrate and test equipment.”

The experience also changed how he thinks about quality in manufacturing.

“Quality is not just about inspecting a final product,” Coughenour said. “It is about understanding the process, identifying opportunities for improvement and helping ensure consistency from start to finish.”

One of his most meaningful responsibilities was helping coordinate, establish and lead end-of-line quality checks. The work gave him a direct role in determining whether the product consistently met quality standards.

“I was trusted with a responsibility that directly tied into the quality of the product,” Coughenour said. “It helped me see how my work fit into the bigger picture of the ALTA Rounds launch.”

Coughenour also worked on improving the calibration process to make it more automated and efficient.

Together, those projects gave him hands-on experience in operations, problem-solving and production while showing him how much coordination goes into maintaining product quality.

The internship also helped clarify the kind of work he wants to pursue.

“I want to do work where I can see the impact of what I am doing,” Coughenour said. “Being at KDP has shown me that I enjoy the hands-on side of supply chain, especially when it involves operations, problem-solving and production.”

He also wants that work to contribute to environmental sustainability. Supporting the development of a plastic-free coffee pod showed him how supply chain and manufacturing roles can connect day-to-day operations with a broader purpose.

“Knowing that my work could contribute, even in a small way, to environmental sustainability gives me a greater sense of purpose and motivation,” he said.

His advice to other students is to stay open to unfamiliar work and bring consistent effort to the experience.

“Be open, persistent and dedicated,” Coughenour said. “Be open to asking questions and taking on new challenges. What you put into this experience is ultimately what you will get out of it.”

“I wanted something that would challenge me even more,” Keicher said. “Something without the training wheels.”

His manager responded by turning over a raw-material sourcing project that had originally been part of his own workload. Keicher researched potential suppliers, analyzed sourcing options and developed a strategy that he later presented to senior leaders in supply chain management and engineering.

The project became one of the most meaningful parts of his internship.

“I asked for another project because I wanted to push myself,” Keicher said. “Being trusted with that level of responsibility gave me the chance to work through the strategy independently and present my recommendation to company leaders.”

The opportunity also connected Keicher with an interest that began years earlier. He took flight lessons throughout high school, developing an early passion for aviation and firsthand familiarity with the industry.

He soon realized, however, that “no one likes a creative pilot who wants to test the conventions of flight mid-air.”

Instead, Keicher found a place for that curiosity in aviation manufacturing.

“I love the aviation industry,” he said. “Nothing is cooler than being able to say you help build jets for a living.”

Keicher, a supply chain management and data analytics major from Sycamore, Ill., worked with Honda Aircraft’s procurement team at Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, N.C.

His internship included production meetings, supplier visits and regular walks through the manufacturing floor. He learned more about sourcing strategy, the purchase-order life cycle and the role procurement plays in keeping aircraft production moving.

One of his first visits to the production floor gave him a closer look at Honda’s “go to the spot” philosophy. When a part had a quality issue, Keicher went directly to where it was being used and spoke with the technician working with it.

“I was able to understand what was wrong, why it was wrong and what information the supplier needed to fix the issue,” Keicher said.

The experience helped him see how procurement decisions connect to the work happening on the production floor and how communication among technicians, buyers and suppliers can help resolve problems.

Throughout the summer, Keicher contributed to projects involving sourcing, workload analysis, process improvement and employee training.

He helped develop a Power BI dashboard for the procurement team, created tools intended to streamline internal approval processes and documented procedures for onboarding new suppliers. He also led training sessions for incoming associates.

Keicher took the initiative to propose several updates to the company’s internship program. His recommendations included resources to help interns set goals with mentors, transfer knowledge to future interns and provide more useful feedback at the end of the experience.

The range of assignments allowed him to work across data analysis, supplier relationships and internal operations while seeing how each area supports a larger manufacturing process.

His coursework at the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business helped prepare him for projects that combined supply chain strategy with data analysis and communication.

In Introduction to Supply Chain Management with Coleman Rich, associate teaching professor of operations and supply chain management, Keicher learned tools including RACI matrices and critical path analysis. A course with Vinayaka Gude, assistant professor of business analytics, helped him strengthen his skills in data visualization, dashboard development and communicating findings clearly.

The internship confirmed Keicher’s interest in building a career in aerospace. It also reinforced the value of asking for the opportunities he wanted rather than waiting for them to appear.

“You have to ask the question,” Keicher said. “Ask for what you want the experience to be. That will define what you get to do.”