Elon celebrates first day of classes at semester's first College Coffee

Hundreds of Elon students, faculty and staff converged on Phi Beta Kappa Commons on Tuesday for the first College Coffee of the 2019-20 academic year. 

​Hosted each Tuesday morning during the semester, College Coffee is one of Elon's most appreciated traditions. The weekly campus-wide gathering brings Elon students, faculty and staff together to build community and develop friendships over a cup of coffee and an assortment of breakfast treats. 

For senior Ashley Pritchard from Philadelphia and first-year student Victoria Duenkel of Leesburg, Virginia, it was an immediate opportunity to start a new friendship. 

"It's just such a casual atmosphere," Pritchard said. "I mean, we just walked up to each other two minutes ago and started talking and didn't know each other before. So, it's awesome to be able to have that setting to connect with people you wouldn't normally see." 

Duenkel also sees College Coffee as a chance to get to know faculty outside the classroom. 

"I can talk to my professors in a more casual setting, and I'm not afraid to talk to them about anything now," she said. 

​College Coffee also gives students the opportunity to interact with executive staff each week. On Tuesday, Elon President Connie Ledoux Book greeted new students and spent time catching up with students making their return to Elon. 

Several campus groups set up tables at Phi Beta Kappa Commons to promote events, programs or new initiatives on campus. One of those groups was Well Connected, a program that helps Elon's first-year students make the transition to college. The group has designed the Well Connected Challenge to engage first-year students in positive interactions and events to help build connections to the community during their first six weeks at Elon. 

Prizes will be raffled every week of participation and all first-year students who complete the Challenge will be invited to an exclusive reception with President Book to celebrate.

Organizers say College Coffee is another great way for first-year students to feel more connected to campus. 

​"College Coffee is actually incredibly important for first-year students," said Joe Strid, graduate apprentice for student organizations and involvement. "The first six weeks of a first-year student's transition period into college is so important, whether that be those initial friends they make, meeting their roommate or meeting their professors. Getting involved is just one way that they can experience the whole Elon experience in general."

As Elon students, faculty and staff concluded the academic year's first College Coffee Tuesday, they left with excitement for the journey ahead. 

"I am thrilled, I can't wait to see what happens in the next four years and beyond," Duenkel said.