Noah Jordan '23
Hometown: Calabasas, California
High School: Calabasas High School
Major: Media Analytics
Minors: Sport Management and American Studies
Why Elon: Elon was the best fit for me. I love how small the class sizes are and the amazing campus set up. Everything about the school worked, from dorms to dining halls and activities.
Best Elon Experience: I had a weekly radio show on WSOE that I created and developed called “Artists of the Week.” I wrote and hosted my own music radio show. It was a great learning experience that taught me a lot about the music industry. It was so much fun.
"Don’t be nervous. Everyone is in the same boat. You made the right decision! I promise you that."
Sadie Traylor '21
Hometown: San Diego, California
High School: The Bishop’s School
Majors: Policy Studies and International and Global Studies
Minor: Spanish
Why Elon: I chose Elon for the heavy emphasis on experiential learning, where learning happens in an outside of the classroom. This creates a community of collaboration, of passion, of curiosity, of forward momentum. It’s this kind of community that I believe makes students thrive and that was immediately evident to me when I first came to campus.
Best Elon Experience: My best Elon experiences aren’t any moments in particular but rather the relationships I’ve made with people – friends, professors and mentors – who have pushed me to be my best and apply my all. These are the people who’ve defined my experience as they’ve made me confident in my abilities and urged me to continue to reach further and strive for better.
"Choose Elon! Reach outside of your comfort zone and try something new - you won’t regret it."
Jack Johnson '20
Hometown: Manhattan Beach, California
High School: Chadwick School
Majors: Finance and Policy Studies
Minor: Statistics
After Graduation: Staff consultant with EY
Why Elon: I wanted a school with strong and diverse academics, flexibility to explore my passions and warmth. A lot of schools fit the bill but Elon offered more. What differentiated it was my tour. Not only did I fall in love with the beautiful campus, but everyone I met at Elon truly loved being there. These students didn’t see Elon as a school; they saw it as a home they adored.
Best Elon Experience: I work at the Challenge Course, Elon’s ropes course. I’m consistently awed by the level of support every single member receives, and its benefit on their overall chemistry. Witnessing this growth while surrounded by beautiful trees and warm sun is a sublime experience.
"Engage in all the programs and activities Elon offers. The people, the places, the culture—all of it is so unique. Invest your time exploring these differences in order to reap the biggest rewards from your time at Elon."
Allie Forsterer '22
Hometown: Wilsonville, California
High School: Wilsonville High School
Major: Elementary Education
Minor: Mathematics
Why Elon: I chose Elon because of the sense of community I felt when I was on campus. I was also accepted into the Teaching Fellows Program that provides me with connections with other students who are passionate about being future educators.
Best Elon Experience: My best experience at Elon has been study abroad. I left for Dunedin, New Zealand, during February of 2020 and stayed until July 2020. I traveled with my Teaching Fellows cohort and grew closer to my fellow students and I forged a unique bond with my director who also traveled with us.
"As I transitioned from life in Oregon to life in North Carolina, I learned more about my identity and how the West Coast is a part of who I am and provides me with a unique perspective. The most important part of my successful transition to Elon was finding my community of people at Elon, and I promise there is a space for everyone on Elon’s campus."
Max Herrera '18
Hometown: San Mateo, California
High School: Aragon High School
Major: Sport Management
Minors: Spanish and Business Administration
After Graduation: Business Development Representative at Oracle + Netsuite in Denver, Colorado
Why Elon: When my college counselor asked what I was looking for in a school, I told her the quality of the people was important to me. The first school she mentioned was Elon. After taking a tour, I felt an overwhelming sense of community in a school that still had 6,000 students.
Best Elon Experience: Some of my best memories at Elon were made during my four months studying abroad in Spain. I made lasting friendships, including one with the person who is now my roommate in Denver.
"I look back grateful that I explored colleges outside the Bay Area bubble and experienced life on the East Coast. Now, moving to Denver feels like a piece of cake. My advice to those starting their Elon experience is to, well, experience it. The real world is a whole lot less scary when you’re ready for it. Elon has world-class resources. Go take advantage of them."
Katie Sturtevant '23
Hometown: Sunnyvale, California
High School: Saint Francis High School
Major: Business Analytics
Minors: Economics and Computer Science
Why Elon: I really wanted a medium-size school with strong academics, study abroad, and campus life. The first time I visited Elon reminded me of the community I loved at my high school. Students are so involved on campus in multiple organizations. My friends and I are all in different majors and involved with different clubs on campus. It broadens our community on campus and there is always overlap. The campus is large enough there are always new people to meet, but I still run into friends walking to class.
Best Elon Experience: I attended the Phoenix Leaders program in September of my first year. It was a short weekend away with other student leaders on campus. It was a great way to spark deeper friendships so early in the year. I learned new leadership techniques and met driven students involved in all aspects of campus. I actually met one of my sophomore roommates there.
"Take advantage of the East Coast! During shorter breaks, I have visited friends and family in New York, Washington D.C. and at other North Carolina schools."
Paige Pietrofesa ’20
Hometown: Palo Alto, California
High School: Menlo High School
Major: Human Service Studies
Minors: Psychology and Spanish
After Graduation: Pursuing a Masters in school counseling from the University of San Francisco
Why Elon: I chose Elon because I could see myself here. I loved the size, the strong study abroad program, and all the friendly people I met. I love that every time I walk somewhere on campus, I see at least one person I know but always see new faces, too. All of my professors know me by name. There are seemingly endless opportunities to travel the world, and they make it as easy as possible to do so.
Best Elon Experience: Dancing for 24 hours at ElonTHON is the best Elon experience I have had so far. It was when I have most tangibly experienced the amazing community of Elon. ElonTHON is a time when everyone comes together filled with joy to rally for a great cause, to raise money for Duke Children’s Hospital.
"Push outside your comfort zone. This was the perfect opportunity to live in a new part of the country while still having a great community that provides support. Plus, you will always have the opportunity to go back to the West Coast
after college."
Sarah Lapedis '23
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
High School: Campbell Hall
Why Elon: I knew that I wanted to move away from home for college. I wanted to choose a university where there was a strong sense of community because I knew that it would help me not only adjust to living away from home but that I would truly enjoy the experience. I chose Elon because I was looking not just for a college where I could earn a four-year degree, but for a community where professors genuinely cared about their students and would provide me with unique opportunities to learn.
Best Elon Experience: Before classes even started I participated in an Adventures in Leadership experience where we went camping, rock climbing, white water rafting and repelling down a waterfall. I really enjoyed this experience because I was able to meet a handful of my peers before school started, and I actually met one of my best friends.
"I have learned that it is important to become involved on campus because once I joined clubs and organizations, I didn’t feel like I was far away from home anymore."