Hiking to a 3,291-foot summit, canoeing eight miles down a river and removing an invasive plant species to help preserve a park's natural habitat. That is how 18 strangers chose to jumpstart their freshman year at Elon. Thanks to Elon's Discovery program, they are no longer strangers.
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etimage imgid=”11810″>Discovery, a first-year summer program of the Office of New Student Orientation, familiarizes incoming students with Elon’s campus and helps them develop leadership and team-building skills before they begin in the fall. This year, the program was led by Brandon Tankard ’11 and Laura Winkler ’11, advised by Emily Ivey, director of Orientation, and co-advised by Jason Springer, director of Elon 101.
On June 23, the incoming students began their journey at the Elon Challenge Course where they quickly learned to trust and depend on one another. Overcoming the course’s obstacles was necessary preparation for their trip to Luray, Va., in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley.
Accompanied by their student facilitators and advisers, the new students hiked nearly nine miles to the Old Rag Summit where they encountered some of the most beautiful vistas Virginia has to offer. Participants also canoed down the Shenandoah River and descended into the magnificent Luray Caverns.
Beyond adventures through the wilderness, the upperclassmen facilitators guided discussions on life at Elon, involvement opportunities, academic rigor and other aspects of being a student at Elon.
“I was amazed by how open everyone was with one another despite knowing each other for only a few days,” participant Steve Rusterholz said. “It’s great to know people before you get to school.”
By thrusting themselves into the short and challenging program, the students gained trust and formed friendships.
“Our peers led us through a journey testing our limits,” said Ned Dibner, another Discovery participant. “We became closer together and we found amazing friendships that will last.”
Persevering through the program’s obstacles has helped these new students realize they are stronger and more capable than they had thought.
“I learned cooperation, compromise and the power of trust,” participant Wendy Warren said.
For these 18 freshmen, rather than spend the summer worrying about their dorm room’s color scheme or what to switch their “undecided” major to, their summer has been a journey of self discovery, service and new friendships – something that Elon will continue to give them over the next four years.
Participants in the program included the following:
Mike Ayer, Raleigh, N.C.
Sarah Baig, Somerville, N.J.
Alex Brown, Old Greenwich, Conn.
Rhi Clark, Chapel Hill, N.C.
Tim Cook, Moorestown, N.J.
Ned Dibner, Durham, N.C.
Michael Gross, Rockville, Md.
Ellie Jesse, Chapel Hill, N.C.
Joe Kiernan, Statesville, N.C.
Arielle Limage, Teaneck, N.J.
Brendan Lopez, Prairieville, La.
Brittany Moore, Monroe, N.C.
Amy Rajacich, Easton, Md.
Steve Rusterholz, Lewisville, N.C.
Michael Shortall, St. Michaels, Md.
Lora Sigmon, Eden, N.C.
Caroline Walker, Greenville, S.C.
Wendy Warren, Matthews, N.C.