2025 Schedule

Day 1

2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Arrive on campus

3 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Check-in
Get access to your residence hall, unpack and meet your workshop staff. Once everyone is settled, we will walk as a group to the communications school.

4 p.m.
Welcome
We will use this time to do more formal introductions and provide an orientation to the workshop.

5 p.m.
Dinner

6:30 p.m.
Instruction | Story assignments
Receive the assignment(s) you will be working on throughout the workshop.

8 p.m.
Floor meeting
Meet with camp counselors to get oriented with the residence hall and living on campus.

9 p.m.
Curfew
Students should be in the residence hall and checked in with camp counselors.

Day 2

8 a.m.
Breakfast

9 a.m.
Instruction | Reporting
Learn the basics of story development, from background research to interviewing subjects.

10:30 a.m.
Lab work | Background research
Begin researching your story assignment, developing questions and contacting sources. Headshots for press passes will also be taken at this time.

Noon
Lunch

1 p.m.
Instruction | Camera operation
Learn the basics of shooting video and get introduced to equipment you will be using throughout the workshop.

5:30 p.m.
Dinner

6:30 p.m.
Instruction | Video review
Return with your afternoon footage to get feedback on your videography techniques.

8 p.m.
Activity | Trivia night
Put your pop culture, current events and journalistic knowledge to the test. (Yes, there will be prizes.)

10 p.m.
Curfew
Students should be in the residence hall and checked in with camp counselors.

Day 3

8 a.m.
Breakfast

8:30 a.m.
Board the Elon Express

9:30 a.m.
Tour | North Carolina Legislative Building
Meet with members of the Capital Press Corps to learn more about covering politics.

10:30 a.m.
Press conference | Rep. Renée Price
Rep. Renée Price represents Caswell and Orange counties in the North Carolina General Assembly. Prepare to ask her questions about current issues before the legislature.

11:30 a.m.
Board the Elon Express

12:15 p.m.
Lunch and Tour | Trailblazer Studios
Trailblazer Studios is an Emmy-winning entertainment, production, post and sound facility, boasting a soundstage, production offices, edit suites, picture finishing and sound mixing. We’ll meet with the staff and have a networking lunch.

1:45 p.m.
Board the Elon Express

2:30 p.m.
Tour | WTVD-TV
WTVD is the owned and operated ABC station in a top-25 television market. Learn about the job of broadcast journalists as we tour the studios.

4 p.m.
Board the Elon Express

5:30 p.m.
Dinner

6:30 p.m.
Instruction | Photography
While many of the compositional techniques used in video are the same as photography, learn some tricks for capturing strong still images with this DSL workshop.

9 p.m.
Curfew
Students should be in the residence hall and checked in with camp counselors.

Day 4

8 a.m.
Breakfast

9 a.m.
Lab work | Story assignments
Use this time to work on your story assignments, providing peer review of your questions and setting up and/or conducting interviews with sources.

Noon
Lunch

1 p.m.
Lab work | Story assignments
Use this time to work on your story assignments, conducting interviews with sources or gathering b-roll and photography.

3:30 p.m.
Instruction | Journalistic writing
Unlike your English classes, journalistic writing demands an audience-first mentality and concise delivery. We’ll walk through the basics.

5:30 p.m.
Dinner

6:30 p.m.
Recreation | Movie night

9 p.m.
Curfew
Students should be in the residence hall and checked in with camp counselors.

Day 5

8 a.m.
Breakfast

9 a.m.
Lab work | Story assignments
Use this time to work on your story assignments, including any field work for interviews, shooting video or taking photographs.

Noon
Lunch

1 p.m.
Lab work | Story assignments
Use this time to work on your story assignments, including any field work for interviews, shooting video or taking photographs.

5:30 p.m.
Dinner

6:30 p.m.
Instruction | The power of positive mentorship
You are going to leave EJP with a mentor to help you along your academic and storytelling journeys. Learn how to make the most of those relationships.

8 p.m.
Recreation
Meet outside the residence hall and get ready to have some fun.

10 p.m.
Curfew
Students should be in the residence hall and checked in with camp counselors.

Day 6

8 a.m.
Breakfast

9 a.m.
Lab work | Story assignments
Use this time to work on your story assignments, sharing drafts with your peers and instructors.

Noon
Lunch

2:15 p.m.
Board the Elon Express

3 p.m.
Tour | International Civil Rights Museum
Greensboro was at the center of the Civil Rights Movement when the 1960 Sit-In Movement began Feb. 1. In this tour we will examine the complex tapestry of American history through the struggle for justice and equality.

5:15 p.m.
Board the Elon Express

6:30 p.m.
Activity | Winston-Salem Dash Baseball Game
Enjoy a night at the ballpark as we watch White Sox minor league affiliate Winston-Salem Dash take on the Rome Emperors. The game will include a buffet dinner.

10:30 p.m.
Curfew
Students should be in the residence hall and checked in with camp counselors.

Day 7

8 a.m.
Breakfast

9 a.m.
Instruction | Broadcast script writing
Writing for the ear comes with its own set of style and structural considerations. We’ll walk through the highlights. We’ll also use this time to get a sense for what positions students want to take in our broadcast production.

10:30 a.m.
Recreation
Meet outside of McEwen Hall and get ready to have some fun.

Noon
Lunch

1 p.m.
Instruction | Adobe Premiere
Get a crash course in using the industry standard for video editing.

5:30 p.m.
Dinner

6:30 p.m.
Activity | Design thinking
Design thinking provides a solution-based approach to solving problems in a creative and collaborative way. This activity will introduce the process.

9:30 p.m.
Curfew
Students should be in the residence hall and checked in with camp counselors.

Day 8

8 a.m.
Breakfast

9 a.m.
Lab work | Story assignments
Use this time to work on your story assignments, sharing drafts with your peers and instructors.

Noon
Lunch

1 p.m.
Instruction | Adobe InDesign
Get a crash course in using the industry standard for page design.

4 p.m.
Lab work | Story assignments
Use this time to work on your story assignments, putting the finishing touches on your written stories and photographs.

5 p.m.
Deadline | Written stories and photographs
Turn in your photographs and written versions of your stories for newspaper production.

5 p.m.
Lab work | Production night
Work as a team to design pages, write headlines, copy edit stories and put the newspaper to bed. Pizza will be served.

10 p.m.
Curfew
Students should be in the residence hall and checked in with camp counselors.

Day 9

8 a.m.
Breakfast

9 a.m.
Instruction | Story idea generation
Where do great story ideas come from? Anywhere and everywhere. Take part in this interactive session to hone your powers of observation and curiosity.

10:30 a.m.
Lab work | Creating pitches
As part of the Emerging Journalists Program, you will take on a storytelling assignment back in your hometown. Work on crafting your pitch for that story at this time.

Noon
Lunch

1 p.m.
Lab work | Story assignments
Use this time to work on your story assignments, putting the finishing touches on your video packages for Wednesday’s show.

5 p.m.
Deadline | Video packages
Turn in your video packages and scripts.

5:30 p.m.
Dinner

6:30 p.m.
Instruction | Studio operations
Get an introduction to studio operations and the different positions required for a news broadcast.

8 p.m.
Recreation | Ice cream social

10 p.m.
Curfew
Students should be in the residence hall and checked in with camp counselors.

Day 10

8 a.m.
Breakfast

9 a.m.
Deadline | Story pitches
Turn in your pitches for your future story assignment.

9 a.m.
Instruction | Navigating college applications
How do you make your college applications stand out in a competitive admissions landscape? Learn what to include (and exclude) in your application, and get tips on how to craft a great application essay.

10:30 a.m.
Instruction | Getting linked in on LinkedIn
It’s never too early to start growing your professional network, and one of the most important tools for your professional career is LinkedIn. Learn how to create a profile and maximize your online presence for the career you want.

Noon
Lunch
Enjoy a picnic lunch at Elon University’s annual summer concert.

1 p.m.
Lab work | EJP News
It’s showtime. Come prepared with your energy and attention to detail as we record our EJP News broadcast.

5:30 p.m.
Dinner

7:30 p.m.
Recreation | Movie night

10 p.m.
Curfew
Students should be in the residence hall and checked in with camp counselors.

Day 11

8 a.m.
Breakfast

9 a.m.
Welcome
Elon University President Connie Ledoux Book will visit the classroom to thank you for your participation in the Emerging Journalists Program.

9:30 a.m.
Instruction | Navigating financial aid
As the cost of higher education continues to climb, it’s important to navigate the different ways of paying for college, from scholarships to student loans.

11 a.m.
Lab work | Web production
Use this time to post your stories, photos and videos to the website.

Noon
Lunch

1:30 p.m.
Activity | Story pitches
Break into groups as you pitch your future story assignments to journalists from The New York Times.

3:30 p.m.
Instruction | Lessons learned and next steps
As EJP draws to a close, we reflect on the work you accomplished and the next chapter in your journey as a storyteller.

5:30 p.m.
Dinner and closing ceremony
We celebrate our achievements from the past week and recognize the graduates of the Emerging Journalists Program at Elon University.

9:30 p.m.
Curfew
Students should be in the residence hall and checked in with camp counselors.

Day 12

8 a.m.
Breakfast

8:30 a.m.
Depart campus
Please make sure you’ve packed up your belongings, thrown away your trash and deposited your linens.

Code of Conduct

  • The Emerging Journalists Program relies on students’ active participation. The workshop has a series of tasks and assignments that students will be expected to complete.
  • Alcohol, smoking, any illegal drug use or drug possession is strictly forbidden.
  • Workshop participants must follow all local, state and federal laws. All participants must also follow all Elon University policies, including the university honor code.
  • Students are welcome to use the Koury Athletic Center, which has gyms and fitness equipment, during non-instruction times. Check the center’s website for its summer hours.
  • Students may not enter residence halls other than the one assigned for housing.
  • Students are not allowed to operate vehicles during the workshop.
  • Students must attend all program activities unless ill. Illnesses must immediately be reported to the camp director.
  • Students should act as ambassadors of their schools and communities, and they should follow all school rules and policies while at EJP.
  • Failure to abide by EJP policies or directions from EJP staff/instructors is grounds for immediate dismissal from the workshop.
  • Elon University Police is available to respond to emergency matters, suspected violations of the law, or other related concerns. EUPD can be reached at (336) 278-5555 or by dialing 911.

Health and Safety

Our priority is to maintain a safe environment for our students and staff. The protocols below have been established in accordance with Elon University recommendations.

  • Students will live together on one floor of an Elon University residence hall, but students will have their own rooms. Some students may share a bathroom.
  • Students are encouraged to wash their sheets, towels and clothes as needed. Money will be provided for students to use the laundry facilities on the hall.
  • Students are responsible for keeping their rooms clean. Classroom spaces will be cleaned by university staff.
  • Students will eat most of their meals in a dining hall, and Elon’s dining staff will be aware of any food allergies and restrictions.
  • Students should bring any and all medications they may need — including prescription and over-the counter medication — to take while on campus. Staff members are not permitted to purchase or administer any kind of medication to students.