This fall marks the fourth year of the Study USA Charlotte program.
The Elon Charlotte South End campus welcomed its fourth fall Study USA cohort on Aug. 20. Thirty students are living in the Queen City from August through December.
The students have already been immersed in their new city, where they met alumni at the Queen City Connections ice cream social and heard from local alumni about living and working in Charlotte. Several former Study USA Charlotte participants attended, some of whom now work full-time for the organizations where they interned as students in the program.
Students completed a scavenger hunt to familiarize themselves with the Queen City, public transit and major landmarks. They also conducted test runs to their internship sites, many of which are located along the light rail, which provides easy access from South End, to Uptown and into the University-area. Students did a scavenger hunt around the city to learn the neighborhoods and major landmarks. They learned how to use the light rail and did test runs to their internships, which are mostly on the light rail. Since many students are living in an apartment without a meal plan for the first time, they participated in a cooking class to learn meal preparation basics.
Cara Picariello ’28 sees this fall as an opportunity to grow both personally and professionally.
“Living in a city is something that I have never experienced before, so I wanted to take full advantage of the opportunity to step outside my comfort zone and experience a different lifestyle,” said Picariello. “In addition, Charlotte is a rapidly growing sports hub with many career opportunities, and I wanted to build connections and gain experience in the area before graduating.”
Aidan Sweeney ’28 also understands the many benefits of this program. “I wanted to experience living in a big city while also working and furthering my career. I came in knowing very few people, but I’ve already became friends with everyone by exploring the city together or finding a room to chat in with people.”
Five classes are offered this fall: Sport Sales and Promotion, College Athletics Administration, Sports and Media, Event and Venue Management, and an internship course. Students are required to complete 320 hours at their internship.
Students are interning with a variety of organizations including the Big South Conference, NASCAR, Sports Business Journal, Charlotte Knights, Charlotte Checkers, the National Junior College Athletic Association, the Atlantic Coast Conference and more.
Daniel Towery ’28 signed up for the Study USA Charlotte Sport and Community Experience program because “it’s the perfect way to combine classroom learning and real-world experience in the sports industry. I am especially excited to intern with both the Charlotte Knights and the ACC Football Game Day Operations Center to continue to develop my hands-on professional skills. Exploring the city and making memories with my cohort has already made this semester unforgettable.”
Griffin Conway ’28 is excited about the program because it gives him the “opportunity to get an early start on my professional career, while balancing academic courses and living in a city.”
“I’m looking forward to my internship with ACC’s Student-Athlete Programs and getting to learn the ins and outs of how a big organization works,” Conway said. “Over the past week since I started, I have met and networked with so many wonderful people through events that Elon has provided, and I’m very excited for the rest of the semester!”
Components of a fall Study USA experience include housing, academic courses, internship, enrichment activities and networking opportunities with alumni and industry professionals. Contact Study USA with any questions at global@elon.edu, 336-278-6700 or www.elon.edu/studyusa. Applications for the inaugural spring Study USA Charlotte program are currently open, while applications for fall 2027 are accepted Sept. 1-Dec. 1. Enrollment is limited. Non-Elon students are invited to apply.