Elon University
Responses from the Student Interview
From a student who identifies as Major: Journalism
Minors: Philosophy and Political Science
Student Self Identifies as: Caucasian Straight Male
Summary
I’m in a fraternity and I participate in intramural sports
Background
Gender Identity: Male
Race/Ethnicity: Caucasian
Sexual Orientation: Straight
High School Experience: I went to an all-boys private Catholic school in northern New Jersey with a graduating class of about 100. There was a culture of going to college.
Major: Journalism
Minors: Philosophy and Political Science
Extracurricular Activities: I’m in a fraternity and I participate in intramural sports
Academic Experience
Can you describe the weekly coursework for your majors?
At this point in college, it’s not necessarily a lot of reading and writing, it’s more going out and interviewing people and writing stories. It’s engaged learning in that you’re going out in the world and doing something, rather than sitting in a classroom.
What are you major graded assignments?
They are either videos that I have to create or large articles that I have to write.
Is there anything that you feel your either of your majors’ departments do especially well or especially poorly?
I think they do a very good job of forcing you to immerse yourself within journalism. Rather than sitting in a classroom, reading a textbook, and talking about it, you’re actually doing it. While you’re doing it, your skills are improving and you’re getting a taste of what it’s really like to potentially pursue that career. I don’t have any real criticisms of it.
Can you describe the learning environment? Do you think it’s particularly competitive or collaborative?
I don’t think its competitiveness is different than that of any other colleges. In terms of collaboration, I would say I have more collaboration in my non-Journalism classes. In my other classes, there’s more group work, but within my Journalism classes, I’m doing stuff myself.
What has been your favorite class you’ve taken for your major?
Reporting for Public Good
What has been your least favorite class you’ve taken for your major?
Multimedia News Production
Why did you choose your major? Are you happy with your choice?
No, I’m not happy with my choice. What made me choose it in the first place was I was good at writing in high school and I did not enjoy math and science. I took a journalism course in high school and I enjoyed it. Once I got to college and started doing more of it, I realized that I did not enjoy it as much as I thought I did. But that is more my fault, I don’t blame the school for that.
Reasons to Attend
1) Relative to other private schools in the United States, Elon is inexpensive
2) You don’t experience a long winter, it’s warm for most of the year.
3) Elon is always looking to improve itself and get bigger and nicer facilities.
Reasons Not to Attend
1) There’s not really anything to do in the town or in the surrounding area unless you’re a very outdoorsy person because it’s a rural area.
2) People don’t really care about sports. If you’re passionate about sports and want an environment where people are going to all the basketball games and football games you’re not going to find that.
3) If you are someone who does not have interest in joining a Greek organization and you don’t like that sort of thing, I would not recommend you coming because that is a huge part of what goes on.
Around Campus
Where have you lived on campus?
Freshman: Global E [part of the Global Neighborhood]. I had one roommate and two other suitemates. We lived in one large room separated by a bathroom.
Sophomore: Oaks F, I had one roommate and there were another two people who lived on the other side of the apartment.
Junior: Oaks C, I didn’t have a roommate but there were three other people living in the apartment.
Senior: Millpoint, I won’t have any roommates but there will be three other people in that apartment.
What was your favorite living situation?
Probably the one I haven’t had yet, [Millpoint]. It’s the largest, has the nicest interior, and the most amenities.
Can you describe the level of safety you’ve experienced on and around campus?
I’ve never felt unsafe. I think it is a pretty safe place.
What is your favorite off-campus restaurant?
Cancun
What is your favorite place to get away from campus?
Eno River
Social Opportunities
What kind of weekend activities or nightlife do you participate in at Elon?
The main nightlife at Elon is Greek organizations having parties. Even the non-Greek organizations do as well. If you don’t go to that, there are a few bars that people can go to. I usually go out Friday, Saturday, and sometimes Thursday.
Can you describe a typical night going out freshman year?
At the beginning of the year, you will try to go to a party hosted by a Greek organization and you might get in and you might not. If you get in and you meet some people that are in there and exchange phone numbers with them, they will invite you to things in the future. Or, maybe you have a class with someone in one of those organizations, and they invite you to come. For some people, they will continue to go out, and for other people, it gets more difficult to go out as the year goes on and those places allow fewer freshmen in. Once you get to the point where you can’t get in anywhere anymore then, I don’t know, find alternatives.
How happy are you with the nightlife? Is there anything you would change?
I think things start very late at night. I wish things began earlier.
Campus Culture
How did you meet your closest friends?
Some of them were from where I lived freshman year. Then the other part of it was the Greek organization.
How would you describe the social scene?
I think all the athletes, regardless of the sport, are friends with each other. I think people are friends with the people that are in their Greek organizations. Outside of those two groups of people, I’d say people that are involved in the same clubs and organizations are friend groups.
To what extent do people of different races and sexual orientations mix socially?
In terms of sexual orientations, I’m not sure because that’s not as obvious to me as race. In terms of people of different races interacting with each other, I think it leans more towards people staying amongst people of the same racial identity. It’s slowly becoming a more diverse place, but it’s not there yet. I think the people that are minorities on campus tend to stick with one another.
Do you think people are happy with their choice of Elon by senior year? Do you think people leave loving Elon?
Yeah, I think most people are very happy they made the choice because Elon offers a great combination of things. Maybe other schools only have one aspect of what Elon has to offer, and Elon combines all of it. I think people are generally happy with their choice.
Careers
Has the alumni network helped you find internships or jobs?
No. For me, I have found my internships on my own through my own relationships with people. However, I know that other people have a different opinion about the job network and they have used it and it has been very successful for them.
Have you used the career office? If so, how helpful was it?
I have used the career office. I don’t find it helpful. I never had to lean on them for anything. When I did have to, I didn’t find what they were doing helpful because my visits to them never amounted to anything significant.