“Rising to the Challenge” : What to Expect from Elon Day 2023

Tuesday, March 7th will mark the 10th annual Elon Day, which is a “day of giving” where Elon asks its alumni, parents, seniors and other donors to make gifts to the school. Since 2014, Elon Day donors have contributed more than 40,000 gifts and $16 million to Elon students.

This year’s Elon Day theme is “Rising to the Challenge.” This has been chosen to reflect not just how Elon students are rising to the different challenges we’re facing globally, but also how donors will be rising to the challenge of supporting students. 

Representatives from Elon Advancement and Communications reached out to The Edge to give a run-down of all the vibes and events of this upcoming Elon Day. We listed all the ways that you can get the most out of Elon Day this year. 

What events can I look forward to?   

Even if you can’t make a donation, you should definitely take advantage of all the cool events that Elon Day has to offer. Here’s the schedule for the big day! 

9:40 AM - 10:20 AM – College Coffee in Alumni Gym 

Head to Alumni Gym before your morning classes or after your 8 AM for some classic Elon fun. Bring your friends for coffee, food, and even fun giveaways. Make sure to wear your Elon gear! 

12:00 PM - 2:00 PM – Let’s Taco ‘Bout Philanthropy at Medallion Plaza 

Take a detour between classes and make your way over to Medallion Plaza to play a round of “Let's Taco 'Bout Philanthropy” and have the chance to win a free taco! A fun free snack isn’t all Medallion Plaza will be offering though. SUB will also be hosting a student celebration with plenty of booths. You can look forward to a make-your-own-sticker table, caricature artist, photo booth, and Pelican's Snoballs! And of course, there will be music too. 

12:00 PM - 4:30 PM – Pop-Up Student Lounge at Young Commons 

Hit up the Student Lounge at Young Commons to spread some Elon cheer with friends and fellow students. The Student Lounge will be such a vibe, with students DJ-ing all afternoon and snacks galore. If you like to support small, fresh, local businesses, you’re in luck. Oak Originals (a community of current and former Elon entrepreneurs) will have some pop-up shops to check out as well. Don’t forget to take pictures! 

7:30 PM - 9:00 PM – Elon Day Senior Toast in Global Commons Great Hall

Calling all seniors! The Class of 2023 is invited to toast to Elon and to their upcoming graduation. While all seniors are welcome and able to attend, you must be over the age of 21 to receive a free glass of champagne. But wait, that’s not all! Senior donors will get to take home a commemorative Elon champagne flute. You can Venmo @ElonGiving to make a gift to the area of campus that has had the greatest impact on your student experience.

What else can I do to participate in Elon Day? 

There are many ways you can participate in Elon Day. Wear your gear! Go all out and throw on some Elon maroon and gold and show your school pride around campus. Spread the word! Use #ElonDay on social media, post pictures, and tell your friends. Make an event of it– hit every event and document it on your story. Make a gift! We know being a broke college kid is a pretty typical experience, but if you somehow have a few pennies to spare, you can donate to Elon. It’s all about giving back and paying it forward.

Where does the money go? 

Representatives from Elon Advancement and Communications say that the money collected from Elon Day goes back to the students. This includes things like scholarships and support for students to participate in opportunities like study abroad or internships. Gifts can also be used to get extra resources for different schools like Elon Comm or LSB. That’s not all. Gifts also help fund varsity sports, Campus Rec and club sports, or other student organizations. Some money may also go to special initiatives like the CREDE and the Black Alumni Scholarship. 

You can read more about Elon Day at www.elon.edu/elonday