More than 1,300 students have enrolled in courses at Elon University for the first of two sessions this summer, a time many say they use to complete graduation requirements in advance of studying abroad or to explore topics they otherwise wouldn’t be able to fit into their regular semester schedules.
Classes started June 2 and conclude with final exams on July 2. Enrollment held relatively steady this summer with 1,343 students taking at least one course in the first session, a figure just short of last year’s total. Approximately 500 students are enrolled for the second session beginning July 9.
“I like summer classes better [than the regular academic year] because I only have to focus on one class,” said junior Rachel Roshfeld, a student in the online course The History of the Modern Olympics. “For this class, we get all the work ahead of time, so I can get it done and have it ready before it’s due.”
Summer courses are accelerated programs similar to Winter Term offerings. Programs are held in classroom settings or, in some instances, online. It allows professors to develop curriculum that closely examines a particular topic, like The Aspects of Laughter, Kennedy Assassination in Film and Baseball Statistics.
“I’m here this summer because I’m graduating a year early,” said Daniel Harwell, a junior enrolled in Political Theater for Social Activism and Utopian Literature.
Whether on vacation or interning out of state, students can satisfy a course need while away from campus, and many of them enroll in upper-level GST courses. “The general consensus among students is that [summer school] is convenient,” said Matt Buckmaster, an assistant professor of music now teaching the online course Music in Contemporary America.
Harlen Makemson, an associate professor of communications leading the online course Media History, said many students enroll because they plan to or have recently studied abroad. Summer classes enable them to ease back into the Elon atmosphere.
“Students who have taken a Winter Term course have an advantage [in the summer],” Makemson said, noting that Winter Term have those students experience in an accelerated course. Makemson said he also has had students pay for Web access aboard cruises and currently teaches a student in India enrolled in his online class.
Junior Jenna Farley is enrolled in Intro to Managing and American Politics Through Film for session one and plans to take a third course during the second session next month.
“Summer school is good because I’m able to do everything I wanted to do while being here as well,” said Farley, who is also employed as a campus tour guide and holds an internship with performing arts. “Being here this summer, I’ll be able to complete several credits.”
– Sarah Costello ‘11
