Elon University

68 percent of Elon's students came from out-of-state and were only accepted if they met high academic standards. Elon became known as a selective university and, by 2013, 82% of incoming students were from out of state. Transforming a College: The Story of a Little Known College's Strategic Climb to National Distinction (2004), an academic study by George Keller of the University of Pennsylvania, chronicles how the school changed from a regional religious college to a selective, nationally recognized university.
Elon is no longer affiliated with the United Church of Christ. Elon University's mission statement states that the school "embraces its founders' vision of an academic community that transforms mind, body, and spirit and encourages freedom of thought and liberty of conscience" and emphasizes its commitment to "nurture a rich intellectual community characterized by student engagement with a faculty dedicated to excellent teaching and scholarly accomplishment".
On October 9, 2017, the university's board …