California's warm sunshine and a semester of discovery ahead greet a new LA student cohort.
The spring 2026 semester at Elon University Los Angeles kicked off in January bringing together an enthusiastic cohort of students and a dedicated industry-experienced faculty team that includes two new instructors.
A Saturday morning orientation introduced students to the Elon Los Angeles home base at The Preserve, in Hollywood, and included presentations by all of this semester’s faculty about their courses and the content of their classes.
Returning instructors include director and long-time Elon LA professor Boris Schaarschmidt, who is once again teaching a directing masterclass. Entertainment attorney Daniel Spitz has returned to teach Media Law and Ethics, and writer and longtime Elon LA professor Matthew Antonelli has returned to teach a unique, one-evening master seminar in March, called Inside the Writer’s Room.
New to the Elon Los Angeles faculty team this semester are art historian and educator Charles Peterson, who is teaching a course in Los Angeles art and architecture history, and award-winning global strategist, thought leader and educator Brandon Shamim, who is teaching “Principles of Management,” with a Los Angeles focus.
Elon University Los Angeles director and long time industry professional Brad Lemack is once again teaching the experiential learning course this spring, which focuses student internship experiences on work culture, industry shifts and transitions, and professional development.
Elon Los Angeles program assistant and Elon alumna Macy Mills ‘23 led students on their first excursion this semester after orientation, with an immersive day of LA experiences at the world class Getty Center, followed by a visit to the historic Los Angeles Farmer’s Market and The Grove, at Third and Fairfax.
In addition to unique academic classes and internships, this spring semester experience for students will also include a day of community service at the Hollywood Food Coalition, alumni engagement gatherings and the opportunity to participate in and/or observe the production of the three short films being produced by the Elon LA-based alumni recipients of the 2025-26 Elon University Los Angeles Alumni Short Film Competition.
Through Study USA and National Campus Programs, Elon University Los Angeles offers immersive spring and summer semester programs for students with a variety of majors. For information about the Los Angeles experience and 2027 opportunities, please visit the Study USA and National Campus Programs websites.
