Taylor Hill is a Professional Writing and Rhetoric major with a minor in Business Administration. She was a member of the Foothills group for the 2013 Travel Writing Highway 64 project and worked on five pieces for the site. She is from Atlanta, GA and is interested in traveling to new places and experiencing new cultures. Her time as a student in Travel Writing has prepared her for her Winter Term Study Abroad trip to Germany, France and Czech Republic set for January 2014, and she is excited to implement the things that she has learned into her time abroad.

I’m Dustin Swope, a c/o 2015 Tampa, FL native that found Elon University on a serendipitous accident, and I’ve loved the school and the community from the very beginning. I’m double-majoring in English and Philosophy, but when I’m not reading or writing, I satisfy my passion for cultural exploration and adventure. I used to think that the only way to do this was by leaving the country. Just recently, though, I’ve learned what distinct cultural identities one can find by simply going town-to-town – I don’t even need to leave the state to find diversity anymore! As for the future, I have dreams of going on to be a personal injury attorney, being the voice of the voiceless and fighting for those in need. I hope to bring these goals together in a life of telling stories and promoting empathy and compassion in the world.

Hillary is an English major with a concentration in Professional Writing and Rhetoric. She is from Wyomissing, Pennsylvania and has spent a semester studying in Florence, Italy. She enjoys traveling, reading, and yoga. Hillary was part of the 2013 Mountain Region Team, and she worked on several pieces, including profiles of a local farmer and the mayor of Murphy.

Brynna Bantley was born and raised in Atlanta, GA, yet, having worn out her time there, hopes to move west after college. She is an International Studies major with minors in French, Italian, and Professional Writing. She is a coffee addict, classic movie junkie, and an avid sushi fan. Her dream is to write for a travel magazine or journal, combining her two true loves: exploring new cultures and writing about them. You can find her work in the Piedmont section of the Highway 64 Project.

Mei Bess is a Media Arts & Entertainment major with a focus in Cinema and a minor in literature. Her interests include traveling, working with under resourced communities, literature, collecting Coca-Cola products, and antique hunting. Mei was on the Coastal team for the 2013 Highway 64 Project and wrote travelogues on cities from Plymouth to Nag’s Head, including Manteo’s Elizabethan Gardens and Columbia’s Maggie Duke’s Antique Shop.

Margaret Bryant is an English major with concentrations in creative writing and professional writing & rhetoric with a minor in psychology. She is from Charlotte, North Carolina, but has traveled abroad on many occasions and has a soft spot for Paris. In addition to her love of writing, she spends time dabbling in music, politics, and has found balance and growth in her practices of meditation and hot yoga. She also loves explorations of all kinds whether she’s bushwacking off-trail, or lost in an unfamiliar neighborhood. Every choice could lead to an adventure. She once read in one of her favorite books that François Rabelais’ last words were “I go to seek the great perhaps.” She believes that is truly how one should choose to navigate through life: simply, passionately, and only able to see a few feet in front of you at a time.

Immanuel Bryant is an English major concentrating in Professional Writing & Rhetoric with a minor in Leadership Studies. As a member of the Foothills group and the PR committee for this website, Immanuel focused on photography as well as the strategic marketing plan for the site.

His admiration of his study abroad experience teaching in Kerala, India and Treasure Beach, Jamaica led him to take ENG313: Travel Writing to study the genre more in-depth. He enjoys traveling, reading, writing and learning. As a member of the Class of 2014, after graduation he hopes to one day attend graduate school to prepare him to enter the fields of training & development and/or information science.

He contributed with the review of the Cyrpress Cellar, the Statesville Balloon Festival and Diane’s Court Cafe.

Grace Elkus is a print and online journalism major from Cincinnati, Ohio. During her time at Elon, she has contributed to The Pendulum, The Edge Magazine, Visions Magazine and The Elon Magazine. She spent two summers in New York City interning at Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine and iVillage.com, and has served as the editorial assistant for a dessert and lifestyle website called Best Friends for Frosting. She also spent a semester studying abroad in Samoa. Her contributions to this website include collaborating on the profiles of Roger Person and the Siler City Farmers Market, the restaurant reviews on the Saxapahaw General Store and Small B&B Cafe, the feature on the International Festival of Raleigh, and a personal travelogue. Follow her food blog, A Graceful Taste!

Nicole Esplin is a Communications major with a concentration in print/online journalism. She has interned with Rodale, Inc. on editorial and marketing teams, and enjoys writing feature and profile articles. Her favorite hobbies include running, cycling and photography, and after college she hopes to work in advertising or PR while freelancing on the side. Nicole was part of the Mountain Region Team, and she contributed to profiles of Joe Deal and the Mayor of Murphy. She also wrote the Buck’s Coffee review.

Casey Brown is an English major with a concentration in Creative Writing with a double minor in Communications and American Studies. In her free time, she is an avid blogger and a pop culture junkie. She hopes to one day write for scripted television, preferably under her idol, Mindy Kaling. She was part of the Mountains group for 2013, and she wrote pieces on Doyle’s Restaurant and Tiki Bar in Murphy, NC, the Boiler Room Steak House in Franklin, NC and Kim Provost, a local store owner in Brevard, NC.