Incoming students get head start on life at Elon

Fifteen first-year students spent a week earlier this summer exploring campus and the surrounding area as they prepared for the transition to their collegiate studies.

Fifteen first-year students came to campus early this summer to participate in Live the Maroon Life, a program that introduces participants to life as an Elon student with sustainability serving as a key theme to the recent program.

“The students not only took away a familiarity with Elon’s campus, but also an understanding and appreciation of Elon’s emphasis on experiential learning,” said Katie Hight, director of New Student and Transition Programs.

Students learned about campus programs and resources by visiting and engaging with representatives of Health Services, Campus Kitchen, Multi-Cultural Center and the Gender and LGTBQIA Center. 

The program teamed up with the Office of Sustainability to arrange for experiences that would help participants consider what it takes to support Elon students socially, economically and ecologically. To learn about these three components of sustainability and to become more familiar with the region, participants visited local businesses, downtown Burlington, the International Civil Rights Museum in Greensboro, N.C., and the Alamance County Landfill.

The students spent a few hours working at Loy Farm located on Elon’s South Campus, hiked along the Haw River and toured the restored Glencoe Mill buildings.

After the week of team building and activities, students reported feeling better prepared and less nervous about the fall. They also indicated having a greater understanding of sustainability encompassing more than environmental friendliness.

“Sustainability is a global issue that relates to everyone,” said Jessica Bilecki, education and outreach coordinator in the Office of Sustainability. “This program gives students, no matter their major, the opportunity to better understand not only this place, Elon, but also their own personal role in what it takes to support the activities and people here.”

– Information submitted by Jessica Bilecki in the Office of Sustainability