Elon University
Connie Ledoux Book began service as Elon’s president on March 1, 2018, bringing more than 20 years of higher education leadership to the university. She was named Elon’s ninth president after serving as provost of The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina, and previously serving 16 years as an Elon faculty member and senior administrator. The granddaughter of Louisiana sharecroppers, Book has a deep belief in the transformative opportunities of higher education and a primary commitment to student growth and development.
In March 2015, she was named the first female provost and dean in The Citadel’s 175-year history. She led creation of new programs in nursing, engineering, cybersecurity, intelligence security and advanced STEM education that were supported by more than $15 million in gifts, grants and state appropriations. She also forged new partnerships with business and government partners, including Boeing, Google and the U.S. Department of Defense. Book embraced her groundbreaking position as The Citadel’s highest-ranking female leader, and with her support, the college reached record enrollment for African-American, female and Latino first-year students.
Book has been a leader in Elon’s development as a prominent national university. As faculty fellow for strategic planning, she coordinated creation of the university’s Elon Commitment strategic plan with input from hundreds of university stakeholders. As associate provost, she spearheaded the establishment of the Student Professional Development Center, creation of the residential campus plan, development of the Study USA program and growth of civic engagement initiatives.
Book joined Elon’s faculty as assistant professor of communications in 1999 and served as department chair and associate dean of the School of Communications. She is the author of “Digital Television: DTV and the Consumer,” the first book dedicated to understanding how the transition from analog to digital television impacted consumers. She has appeared on panels at the Federal Communications Commission and the National Association of Broadcasters, and testified before the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee. An advocate for transparency in government and open public records and meetings, Book conceived, established and served four years as executive director of North Carolina’s Sunshine Center, housed at Elon, and served as a board member for the center’s sponsoring group, the North Carolina Open Government Coalition.
Book has a doctorate from the Grady College of Journalism at the University of Georgia, a master’s degree in education administration and supervision from Northwestern State University (Louisiana), and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Louisiana State University.
Elon University
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Elon University has built a national reputation as the premier student-centered liberal arts university that values strong relationships between students and their faculty and staff mentors. Elon’s 6,600 students prepare to become the resilient, ambitious and ethical leaders the world needs, putting their knowledge into action on campus, in the community and around the globe. Elon is known for academic excellence across the curriculum, and for experiential learning programs in study abroad, internships, undergraduate research, service, leadership and civic engagement. Elon is ranked the nation’s #1 doctoral-level university for study abroad and is a top-producer of Fulbright Student Scholars and Peace Corps volunteers. U.S. News & World Report recognizes Elon more than any other university in the nation for academic programs that “Focus on Student Success.” More than 420 full-time faculty members teach in six academic units: Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences; the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business; the School of Communications; the School of Education; the School of Health Sciences; and the School of Law, which is located in downtown Greensboro, N.C. Elon’s four-year graduation rate of 78 percent ranks in the top 10 percent of U.S. private universities. The student-to-faculty ratio is 12-1, and the average class size is 20. The university's 636-acre residential campus in the Town of Elon, N.C., is consistently recognized as one of the nation's finest environments for learning. The Elon Phoenix NCAA Division I athletic program is a member of the Colonial Athletic Association.