Elon University / In Elon Today / Elon Family Award Scholarship Honoring Exercise Science Professor Joyce Davis
A generous gift from Elon’s parents, Gregory and Shelley Bausch P’16 and P’18, provides scholarships to ensure exercise science majors have access to Elon Experiences.
A new endowment from Gregory and Shelley Bausch P’16 and P’18 in Arizona ensures exercise science majors access to Elon Experiences for internships and undergraduate studies.
The Joyce Davis Endowment for Exercise Science was founded to recognize the life-changing mentorship Professor Joyce Davis provided to his daughter, Megan Bausch ’18.
Sherry Bausch surprised Davis and colleagues by announcing the donation Monday, August 15, at Elon College, a college of arts and sciences, annual faculty conference.
“The impact that you as a faculty member have on the lives of students is incredible,” said Bausch. “As a family, we sit and talk about the people who make a difference in our lives, and some of you in this room are often at our dinner table, even if you don’t know it. I am a guest.
“When we talked about doing this as a family, we both agreed with Elon’s academic mission: ‘to build supportive and supportive relationships that foster personal growth’ and ‘to help students pursue their own ambitions.’ “Providing both challenge and encouragement to help discover To pursue greatness and develop within them the courage to achieve it. That’s Joyce Davis. ”
A donation of $50,000 will fund scholarships for students with financial need to complete internships and pursue undergraduate research opportunities in the field of exercise science. Ensuring all students have access to five Elon Experiences, including Global Engagement, Service Learning, and Leadership, is one of the priorities of the Boldly Elon Strategic Plan.
“It is an incredible honor for the Bausch family to help future students reach and achieve important goals, just like their two children,” Davis said. “This gives more opportunities to more students, and that’s what I’ve tried to do in my career. It’s about setting and pushing to achieve it.”
Davis was Megan Bausch’s advisor during her four years at Elon and taught her on several courses. She remembers Megan Bausch as an enthusiastic and energetic learner who had meticulously prepared, specific goals and an unwavering determination to achieve them. In 2021, Megan Bausch graduated with honors from AT Still University of Health Sciences with a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies. The Bausch family attributes this to Davis’ guidance and the confidence she instilled. Davis and Bausch are now Physician Assistants at OrthoArizona and are in frequent contact.
“Joyce never questioned Megan’s ability,” said Sherri Bausch. “She had high hopes for my daughter and she came to her aid when things got tough. Megan needed someone to teach and love passionately. And that’s what Joyce did.” That’s it.
“Her, Matthew, Greg, and I are so grateful to you that I am delighted to present the Joyce Davis Exercise Science Foundation in her name.”
A biomechanics expert, Davis has been teaching at Elon University for 26 years. The 2022-23 school year will be her final year as a full-time faculty member before retiring.
The Bausches have been staunch supporters of Elon and his faculty and programs since their son, Matthew Bausch ’16, was an undergraduate majoring in physics and finance. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in business administration from Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business.