The generous gift from Elon parents Gregory and Shelley Bausch P’16 and P’18 endows scholarships to provide exercise science majors with access to the Elon Experience.
A new endowment from a gift from Arizona’s Gregory and Shelley Bausch P’16 and P’18 will ensure that exercise science majors have access to Elon Experiences in undergraduate internships and research.
The Joyce Davis Foundation for Exercise Science was established to recognize the life-changing mentorship that Exercise Science Professor Joyce Davis provided to their daughter, Megan Bausch ’18.
Shelley Bausch announced the donation Monday, Aug. 15 during the annual faculty meeting for Elon College, College of Arts and Sciences, surprising Davis and colleagues with the news.
“The impact you as faculty have on the lives of students is incredible,” Bausch said. “As a family, we sit down and talk about the people who make a difference in our lives, and some of you in this room are often guests at our dinner table, even if you don’t know it.
“When we discussed doing this as a family, we looked at Elon’s academic mission: ‘to build supportive and collaborative human relationships that foster personal growth’ and the faculty’s role ‘to provide challenge and encouragement to help students discover their ambitions.’ for seek greatness and develop in them the courage to achieve it.’ This is Joyce Davis.”
The $50,000 endowment funds scholarships for students with financial need to complete internships and pursue undergraduate research opportunities within exercise science. Ensuring that all students have access to those experiences — among the five Elon Experiences that also include global engagement, service learning and leadership — is among the priorities of the Boldly Elon strategic plan.
“It is an incredible honor that the Bausch family will help future students reach and accomplish important goals as their two children did,” Davis said. “It will give more students more opportunities, and that’s what I’ve tried to do in my career. My whole purpose of being a faculty member is to push students to set and achieve goals as their authentic selves.”
Davis was Megan Bausch’s advisor during her four years at Elon and taught her several courses. She remembers Megan Bausch as an enthusiastic, energetic student who was meticulously prepared, had concrete goals and was unwavering in her commitment to achieving them. In 2021, Megan Bausch graduated at the top of her class from AT Still University of Health Sciences with a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies – an accomplishment the Bausch family attributes in part to Davis’ guidance and the faith she instilled. Davis and Bausch, now a physician assistant with OrthoArizona, remain in frequent contact.
“Joyce never doubted Megan’s abilities,” said Shelley Bausch. “She set high expectations for my daughter and she was there to help her when it was difficult, but she never cut her off. Megan needed someone who would study hard and love hard, and that’s what Joyce did.
“She, Matthew, Greg and I are very grateful to you, and that is why we are happy to award this Joyce Davis Exercise Science Endowment in her name.”
Davis, whose expertise is in biomechanics, has taught at Elon for 26 years. The 2022-23 academic year will be her last as a full-time faculty member before she retires.
The Bausches have been steadfast supporters of Elon, its faculty and programs since their son, Matthew Bausch ’16, was an undergraduate double major in physics and finance. He is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration at Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business.