Home Care In Elon, NC

Elon University is making a major move into Mecklenburg County, merging with smaller Queens University.

Elon, located in Alamance County about 20 miles east of Greensboro, has about 7,300 students and 3,000-plus alumni in the Charlotte area. Its 2024 annual report shows assets of $1.2 billion, revenue of $329 million and an endowment of $366 million as of May 2025, according to its annual report. Queens has about 1,800 students and assets of $327 million, and is centered in Charlotte’s affluent Myers Park neighborhood.

Elon will operate Queens with a shared purpose to “serve Charlotte’s evolving needs and prepare students to lead,” according to a release. Details about leadership structure and programming will be made in early 2026 after university officials hold listening sessions with students, faculty and staff, alumni and local leaders.

The Queens Board of Trustees will continue for the next four years, the Charlotte Observer reported. After that, 10 members of the Queens board will join Elon’s current Board of Trustees, which now has 37 members.

University officials noted the Charlotte region faces annual growing shortages of nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and lawyers. Combined programs will address those shortages, they said.

The merger combines two small North Carolina universities founded in the 1800s. Presbyterian leaders helped start what became Queens in 1857. It was a women’s college for much of its history. Elon opened in 1889.

Elon has been led by Connie Book since 2018. She had previously been the first female provost at The Citadel, following a 16-year career as an Elon communications professor and administrator. She is credited with helping build Elon’s reputation nationally. Its board chair is Burney Jennings, the former CEO of his family’s Biscuitville restaurant company.

Queens has struggled to expand despite support from Charlotte business leaders, including former Ally CEO Jeff Brown and civic leader Hugh McColl Jr. Enrollment has been flat in recent years, reflecting the challenges of many smaller U.S. private colleges.

The Charlotte university has reported $34 million in cumulative losses since 2020. That was a year after the school hired Daniel Lugo to succeed Pamela Davies, who was president from 2002-19. During that period, the university invested more than $150 million in its infrastructure and expanded its endowment. Lugo left earlier this year to become president of Trinity College in Connecticut.

At the end of its 2024 fiscal year, Queens had $108.4 million in debt, according to an S&P Global report.

Elon has reported cumulative net gains of about $148 million between 2020 and 2024.

“By joining with Elon, we are reinvesting in the students, faculty and community that make Queens special,” Davies said in a release. “This is not about replacing Queens, but about elevating its mission and preserving what matters most while creating bold new opportunities for Charlotte’s future.”

Meanwhile, Elon University launched a part-time law school program in Charlotte in 2024 and is adding additional graduate and undergraduate programs.

Various Triad-based organizations have expanded in the faster-growing Charlotte market in recent decades, including Wake Forest University. The Winston-Salem institution opened the Queen City’s first medical school this year in a partnership with Atrium Health, after establishing several other academic programs. Previously, Atrium Health had merged with the smaller Wake Forest Baptist Health organization.

GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. —

Project Titan is shaping up to be a big economic win for North Carolina and the Triad, with $860 million and hundreds of jobs expected to give our local economy a major boost. An economist from Elon University said this is a major moment for the Triad, but she’s not surprised. She told WXII that North Carolina is a prime spot for any major company looking to put down roots.

"I love the fact that commercial real estate developers are beginning to realize here is the golden land," said Devon Hawkins of Elon University,

WXII asked her, based on her background in economics, what makes North Carolina and the Triad hot spots for businesses to invest?

She said some of the reasons are financial, including government incentives, for suppliers to come to the Triad and create economic activity. There's also a matter of plentiful real estate.

"There's so much land that can be developed, it's shovel-ready," she said. "We can get the permits going. We have space. We have the real estate for these large firms."

She also told WXII that North Carolina’s highway system means easy access to transport goods to other regions, an important factor when you’re building a distribution center, as laid out in Project Titan.

Hawkins also explained how this $860 million investment will have long-term and far-reaching effects for Guilford and Alamance counties, a potential domino effect of economic growth.

" All the new income jobs that are being created are now going to explicitly become income for companies all throughout the community," she explained. "We're not just buying groceries. We're buying gas. Our kids are going to schools. It multiplies throughout the economy. That's really a fascinating part of fiscal policy and economics in general, how income, for one, turns into income and continues to create GDP and economic activity."

With hundreds of jobs that will be created from Project Titan, Hawkins expects there to be opportunities for people over a range of skill levels, that companies will be ready to tap into.

The announcement of the merger between two North Carolina private colleges, Elon University and Queens University of Charlotte, both of which possess a long and storied presence in the Old North State, has sent shockwaves through the higher education community over recent weeks.

As other independent colleges in the region have faced accreditation battles and financial struggles, could this historic move be a blueprint for those eager to keep more doors from closing?

While it’s set to take effect ahead of the 2026 school year, some specifics of this particular merger remain unclear for both university leaders and interested parties. A website dedicated to sharing news about the merger includes a Q&A section that promises more information in the coming months as the institutions gather input from stakeholders and the broader community.

“Representatives from both universities will launch a citywide listening tour this fall to hear directly from students, faculty and staff, alumni and local civic leaders,” an Elon press release read.

“The input from these sessions will inform ongoing decisions and help shape a shared future grounded in Charlotte’s unique needs and aspirations as a vibrant city where education, equity and economic opportunity go hand in hand.”

Beyond the present uncertainty, the site also acknowledges the potentially influential long-term effects of the merger, calling the decision “a model for the future of higher education.”

University mergers and acquisitions aren’t particularly new — some date back as far as the late 1800s — but new challenges have spurred an increase in the trend. Higher education research site BestColleges.com recently found that 39 U.S. schools have announced mergers and 45 have closed or plan to close their doors since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Scott Novak, a founding partner at the Small Colleges Consulting agency, told Carolina Public Press the higher ed landscape has changed significantly in the last five years, particularly with what sorts of things prospective students want out of their experience. That means most small colleges need to reassess how they operate, he said.

Increasing interest in online degree programs is less than ideal for small colleges that tend to have a traditional brick-and-mortar approach and lean into the small college “feel” they offer on-campus students. Among those who are seeking an on-campus environment, social media often drives a desire for a large state school experience with competitive athletic teams, a sizable student body and an abundance of resources. Small colleges are finding it hard to keep up, Novak said.

North Carolina is no stranger to the pressure facing independent colleges. St. Andrews University in Laurinburg announced in April that its doors would close just 10 days later, citing financial difficulties. St. Andrews had a history of mergers itself. When the university lost its accreditation due to financial strain in 2007, it merged with Webber International University, based in Florida, in 2011. While that kept St. Andrews afloat for a few more years, it proved to be unsustainable.

Raleigh-based HBCU Saint Augustine’s University had been on the brink of losing its accreditation for several years after the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges voted to terminate its accredited status in 2023. Losing accreditation doesn’t formally result in closure, but it can often be the nail in the coffin for already-struggling institutions.

After several appeals and a lawsuit against the SACSCOC, a preliminary court injunction issued in August restored the university’s accreditation once more, though it still faces challenges like debt and low enrollment.

Limestone University in Gaffney, South Carolina, about 55 miles from Charlotte, also announced its closure this year after a sharp enrollment decline and garnering $30 million in debt.

When it comes to Elon and Queens, Novak said it’s a smart decision for both parties. As someone who is familiar with college mergers and acquisitions, some of which aren’t always good moves, this one doesn’t raise eyebrows for him.

“This makes a ton of sense,” Novak said. “There’s mergers that have happened in higher ed that I sometimes question. This one makes all the sense in the world.”

With Elon’s shining reputation as a powerhouse in higher education and a history of smart financial decisions and Queens’ prime location and standout academic programs such as its business school, Novak said the merger creates a dynamic duo.

“This is an opportunity for both to do what they’re looking to do — for Queens to expand their academic programs, make the student experience better, leverage the resources of Elon and their know-how, and at the same time for Elon to expand into Charlotte,” he said.

“It’s a good move for both. This isn’t always the case, though. There have been mergers in higher ed of late where it is a ‘This is our last ditch effort to survive,’ and I don’t believe that’s the case here.”

Even so, the merger has spurred speculation of distress at one or both of the universities. ProPublica data shows that Queens’ expenses have consistently outweighed its revenue from the years 2020 through 2023, the most recent data available. At Elon, the latest freshman enrollment fell by 11.6%. But the universities and education leaders across the state have maintained that this merger is a sign of life, not decay.

Due to Queens’ finances there has been speculation that Elon has the upper hand in the deal. Novak said while Elon might be in the better financial position, Queens offers an invaluable position in the Charlotte market — which Elon has shown interest in and recently broken into with the opening of its part-time law school program just last year.

“When you merge like this, sure one institution is going to be the one that maybe has more of the decision-making abilities based on where they are and they’ve grown and what their plans are for the future,” he said.

“So probably, yeah, I would say that Elon probably has a little bit of an upper hand. But I also know Elon is very smart, and they are not going to jeopardize the growth of Queens in the Charlotte market unless they have data and the right research done to support their decisions.”

President of the North Carolina Association of Independent Colleges and Universities Hope Williams said the merger is brilliant, particularly because the universities feel equally yoked.

Finding that perfect partnership will be the key if other institutions are looking to follow Elon and Queens’ lead, which could be difficult to do. So while Williams and others feel confident this merger will be a success, she doesn’t necessarily expect to see the same elsewhere.

“If there are (other mergers), then I think that the due diligence that Elon and Queens obviously did would be extremely important to do — to be able to determine what each is bringing to the merger and how the combination will make them both stronger,” she said.

“That’s exactly the case with Elon and Queens. Certainly we’ve seen mergers take place in other states among public and private colleges and universities, and sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t, just like mergers in the private for-profit sector. So I think it has to be the right combination, and I think we’re very fortunate.”

It’s the abundance of positives that Elon and Queens each bring to the table that makes this merger so great — but it’s also why we may not see more of them.

Williams sees few downsides in this case given how significantly each university is benefitting, though she foresees some apprehension among the broader university communities, as there would be for any other big change.

“In anything new that takes place, change is hard, so there will certainly be, I’m sure, some anxiety among some faculty and staff, wondering how this is all going to work,” she said.

“Other than that — which is a natural thing in any organizational change, whether it’s a merger or just a change in leadership or any other kind of change that takes place in an organization — I am not aware of any negatives.”

Anxiety, there is. Elon’s chapter of the American Association for University Professors issued a statement Wednesday calling for transparency and faculty representation in decision-making. Alumni opposition groups sprung up quickly after the announcement, largely composed of alumni concerned to see the integrity of their alma maters compromised.

A “No Elon Merger” group purchased a full-page ad in The Pendulum, the weekly newspaper of Elon’s award-winning student newsroom, Elon News Network, that proclaimed the merger was “The Worst Idea in Elon’s History.” The Charlotte Observer reported “No Elon Merger” has between 20 and 30 members, and a similar group of Queens alumni has about 300.

Alex Nettles is a senior at Elon and an opinion columnist at The Pendulum. In his column on the merger, he questioned Elon’s voracious appetite for growth and expansion despite challenges like a looming enrollment cliff across higher education due to declining birth rates and Elon’s stagnant endowment.

“It’s pretty easy to see how this is bad timing,” Nettles wrote. “Universities face an enrollment cliff and dwindling populations. In response to this, we go out of our way to merge with a financially failing university over a hundred miles away from us.”

But while faculty and alumni are taking action on their concerns, Nettles said the general student body is largely in the dark about the details, though he views that as a sign of apathy rather than a lack of information.

“We should be asking more questions because it’s probably, I would say, close to one of the most monumental points ever (for Elon),” he told CPP.

It’s a difficult time for higher education all around, Nettles said. While the merger is undoubtedly innovative, he questions whether now is the right time for his own university, or others looking to follow suit, to take such a leap.

“When we are facing an enrollment cliff, rising anti-intellectualism and the threat of AI on higher education, the wise thing to do would be to focus on our endowment, as opposed to run against the current amidst college closures,” he said.

“It just felt like a jerk at the steering wheel.”

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Kate Denning is a Carolina Public Press intern whose reporting focuses on education issues. She is a 2025 graduate of North Carolina State University. Email [email protected] to contact her.

Adjunct Instructor Jiwon Ha will choreograph a performance at the Mainstage concert on Saturday, Oct. 18. Associate Professor of Dance Jen Guy Metcalf and Elon students will perform a piece on Nov. 7.

Adjunct Instructor Jiwon Ha and Associate Professor of Dance Jen Guy Metcalf are two of six choreographers featured at the North Carolina Dance Festival’s Mainstage concert in downtown Greensboro.

The Mainstage concert — “In Conversation” — kicks off the annual festival’s 35th year showcasing how movement can serve as a powerful meeting place for ideas and expression.

The Mainstage concert is Saturday, Oct. 18, at 7:30 p.m. in the Van Dyke Performance Space at 200 N. Davie St., Greensboro. Tickets are $10 and are available at the NCDF’s website.

Ha will present “Mun ? (Gateway),” a group work blending influences of her Korean heritage with contemporary dance in a performance that opens a door into time and space. The performance explores the idea of transition, moving through thresholds of identity, culture and connection.

“In Korean, ‘mun’ means gateway which symbolizes passage, openness and the spaces we move through in life,” Ha said. “The work blends modern dance with influences from Korean movement traditions, using ideas of support and weight. This piece feels very personal to me because it reflects my own experience of living between two worlds and how we all continue to grow by stepping through new gateways.”

Ha has previously performed at the NCDF in 2024, but creating an NCDF-commissioned work for the main stage is a first.

“The North Carolina Dance Festival has always been such an inspiring space that celebrates creativity and a diverse community, and I am truly grateful to return this year to share this new piece,” Ha said.

At Elon, Ha’s research interests focus on exploring how traditional Korean and contemporary dance connect, using movement to bridge cultures. She is also interested in blending Korean dance fundamentals with modern forms to inspire cultural exchange and inclusivity in the arts.

Alongside Ha’s work will be performances choreographed by Stewart/Owen Dance from Asheville, Eric Mullis and Alyah Baker from Charlotte and Chania Wilson and Tara Mullins from Raleigh.

“These works ask us to witness dance as a living conversation — between past and present, between technology and the body, between personal stories and collective experience,” said Anne Morris, the festival’s director. “It’s an evening that will resonate deeply with audiences and open space for reflection, connection and imagination, whether you have lots of experience with dance or none at all.”

Metcalf will present her peer-reviewed work “The Light We Cannot See” with performances by Elon students on Nov. 7 at the Van Dyke Performance Space. This piece will also be presented at the Elon Fall Dance concert on Nov. 14-15 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 15-16 at 2 p.m. in Roberts Studio Theatre.

Inspiration for the piece comes from Anthony Doerr’s book “All the Light We Cannot See,” a title that is a metaphorical suggestion of countless invisible stories still buried within World War II. The sound and musical score for this piece incorporates radio broadcasts from the 1940s during World War II.

“When I first created the piece in 2019, I met with Associate Professor of French Sophie Adamson, and she provided some spoken word in French which I recorded and incorporated in the audio,” Metcalf said.

Metcalf has worn many hats with the NCDF. She has presented concert dance work in 2011 and 2013. In 2015, she presented a dance film. Throughout the years, she has served as a teacher with other choreographers, teaching dance classes as part of the NCDF’s outreach program and the festivals photographer.

“It is an honor to have work selected for the North Carolina Dance Festival,” Metcalf said. “The festival was founded by one of my graduate school professors, Jan Van Dyke, and I’m grateful to be a part of the legacy she created.”

At Elon, Metcalf’s research interests include ballet pedagogy, dance technology and dance for individuals living with Parkinson’s Disease. Her creative research focuses on producing innovative choreography and dance film work.

The festival is produced by the Dance Project, a Greensboro non-profit focused on making dance accessible. It tours statewide shows featuring modern and contemporary choreography by North Carolinian artists, as well as workshops and discussions.

The festival is supported by the NC Arts Council, Andrew Bowen Studios, Lincoln Financial Foundation, Ecolab Foundation, Downtown Greensboro, Inc., and individual donors and sponsors.

Elon and Queens, which sit about 115 miles apart, framed their intent to merge as complementary for each institution and a way to help meet the educational needs of the Charlotte area in the coming years.

The combination “creates new advantages of scale, bringing together resources, faculty expertise, research capacity and student services across both universities,” they said in the release.

The trustees of both institutions unanimously supported the proposed merger and will hold a joint meeting next month ahead of planning for integrating the institutions’ operations, the universities said. The boards are expected to finalize the partnership details in November.

Students at both universities will be able to continue their programs uninterrupted, according to a merger FAQ.

Elon is by far the larger institution, and the one on a growth trajectory. Between 2018 and 2023, fall enrollment rose 3.1% to 7,207 students.During that same period, Queens’ fall headcount dropped 27.2% to 1,846.

Of the two institutions, Elon also has deeper financial resources, with assets amounting to $1.3 billion in fiscal 2024 compared to $337.8 million for Queens.

Queens’ budget has suffered from falling tuition revenues and a decline in government grants and contracts, in addition to rising expenses.In 2024, it reported a total deficit of $8.7 million. Meanwhile, Elon logged a hefty surplus of $70.4 million during the same year.

But in the FAQ, the universities said their plan to merge did not stem from financial distress and is “not driven by crisis.”

Instead, they pointed to the workforce needs of the Charlotte area, noting growing demand for graduate degrees as well as a growing shortage of nurse practitioners, physician assistants and lawyers in the area.

The merger would “accelerate new programs across vital industries” and expand access to Elon’s law school in Charlotte — the only one in the city today, the institutions said.

Queens has deep roots in Charlotte. It was founded in 1857, initially as a women’s college before becoming fully coed in the 1980s. Elon was founded in the city of the same name in 1889.

“Queens has long been a leader in undergraduate and graduate education, deeply connected to Charlotte’s civic and business community and committed to shaping the region and nation through thought leadership,” Jesse Cureton, who took over as acting president of Queens this summer, said in a statement.

He added that the merger with Elon “ensures continuity for our students and faculty while creating bold new opportunities to expand our impact and strengthen Charlotte’s role as a hub for higher education.”

Elon President Connie Ledoux Book said that the combination “unites two institutions deeply committed to student success, and together, we will expand relevant, high-impact programs that connect academic excellence with real-world opportunity in service to the Charlotte region.”