A Good Game Plan

As an Elon football player, Jim Buie '63 learned how to push through obstacles. The former halfback never let sore muscles or a sprained ankle keep him off the field. Jim brought the same tenacity to his studies and later to his nearly 40-year career in education. He credits Elon with much of his success.

"Elon made me think a whole lot deeper than I ever had in my life," Jim says. "The wonderful faculty challenged and pushed you every day and then you pushed yourself."

After graduating from Elon, Jim continued to do just that. He earned a master's degree at Western Carolina University and a doctorate at Duke University, both in education administration. He served as a teacher, high school principal and district superintendent in North Carolina and South Carolina public schools. Jim decided to give back to Elon by endowing a scholarship to assist student-athletes majoring in education. He funded the scholarship with IRA assets that are tax-free.

"Without my football scholarship, I wouldn't have been able to attend Elon," Jim says. "I'm happy to give to Elon and help students the way others helped me."

As an educator, Jim focused on developing the whole student, a lesson he learned from Elon, which is committed to supporting the growth of the mind, body and spirit of each student. "I loved working with kids," Jim says. "The last five years of my career I spent as a high school principal, and I think those were some of the most rewarding years because I was able to help students."

Jim is still helping students and his alma mater.

"Elon helped me grow, prepared me for a career and made me a better person," he says. "We need more people to support the university and help Elon become even stronger. I'm proud to be an Elon graduate and doubly proud that Elon is getting better and better."