This summer, Professor of Political Science and Public Policy Safia Swimelar teaches New York City: Living in the Global Community using the city as a microcosm to help students understand the diversity and complexity of global humanity. The course explores the meaning of NYC as a global city and how cultural, political and economic aspects of globalization are reflected and visualized there.

鈥淓ven though I teach political science, we鈥檙e talking about the globalization of hip-hop, food, 9/11, identity and culture,鈥� Swimelar says. 鈥淭hey all fit the idea of New York as a global city.鈥�

Students spend Monday through Thursday interning in industries ranging from finance and marketing to communications and graphic design. On Fridays, everyone comes together for weekly seminars, encouraging students to connect their workplace experiences with broader discussions around globalization, identity and culture.

In true Elon fashion, learning extends beyond the classroom. 鈥淲e try to match the academic topic with some kind of hands-on experience, whether that鈥檚 a museum, a tour or meeting people in the community,鈥� Swimelar says. This summer鈥檚 experiential learning opportunities included a visit to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, a World Cup watch party, a Juneteenth celebration in Central Park, a performance of 鈥淩agtime鈥� on Broadway, the Pride Parade, a tour of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, an international food tour in Queens and a private tour of the New York Stock Exchange, to name a few.

At its core, the course is about helping students understand the world from a new perspective. 鈥淚 really want them to understand that the United States 鈥� and every city in it 鈥� is inherently connected to the rest of the world,鈥� Swimelar says. 鈥淭he global is everywhere.鈥�

By the end of the summer, students bring home much more than academic knowledge and internship experience. Living in Brooklyn, navigating the subway and working full-time internships provide a realistic glimpse into life in one of the world鈥檚 largest cities.

鈥淔or many of them, this is the first time they feel like they鈥檙e actually living here instead of just visiting,鈥� Swimelar says. 鈥淲hen I read their journals each week, many are saying, 鈥業 think I really do want to move to New York.鈥欌��

Whether students pursue careers in business, the arts, communications, finance or public policy, Swimelar hopes they leave New York with a deeper appreciation for the people, cultures and ideas that shape communities both locally and globally.

福利亚洲国产精品 the Professor

Professor Safia Swimelar has taught political science and policy studies at Elon since 2008. Her teaching and research focus on international relations, human rights, European politics, global studies and film and politics. As a former Fulbright Scholar, Swimelar draws on her international experience to help students better understand global politics and contemporary issues.

Recommended Materials

• 鈥淭he Colossus of New York,鈥� by Colson Whitehead
• 鈥淗ip hop鈥檚 Enduring Echo: From New York鈥檚 Streets to Global Beats,鈥� The Elephant, 2023
• 鈥淎merica After 9/11,鈥� PBS Frontline documentary

A new chapter in 福利亚洲国产精品鈥檚 global sport education programming officially began Sept. 7 in Pistoia, Italy.

Five Elon students arrived in the Tuscan city as the inaugural cohort participating in the university鈥檚 partnership with Lumos Pistoia Basket 2000, a professional basketball organization, and the Accademia Europea di Firenze (AEF). Their arrival was marked by a from the club as the students prepare to begin a semester combining study abroad with hands-on experience in the professional sport industry.

As part of their initial visit, the students explored Pistoia鈥檚 historic center before making their way to LumoSquare, the 3,835-seat home of Pistoia Basket and a growing community hub. Accompanied by Professor Marco Bracci and Elisabetta Santanni, academic director of AEF/福利亚洲国产精品 in Florence, the group toured the facility, met members of the club staff, and received a personal welcome from Pistoia Basket President Joseph Mark David.

The visit offered the students their first look at the organization, where they will soon become part of the day-to-day operations. Beginning in mid-September, they will work alongside Pistoia Basket staff on projects involving sport management, marketing and social media.

鈥淭his experience is over a year in the making and couldn’t have come together without the amazing work of our partners at AEF, especially Elisabetta Santanni and Marco Bracci,鈥� said David Bockino, professor of sport management. 鈥淎s we launch the partnership this semester, we’re already discussing how to make it accessible to more students moving forward. The reception on campus has been great 鈥� we have students lining up to participate in the future.鈥�

A global professional experience

Announced last fall, Elon鈥檚 partnership with AEF and Pistoia Basket was developed in collaboration with the Department of Sport Management to expand experiential learning opportunities for students studying in Florence. It combines two hallmarks of an Elon education 鈥� global engagement and professional experience 鈥� placing students inside a European professional sport organization while they study abroad.

鈥淭his experience was the logical next step as Elon grows its sport-related experiences,鈥� Bockino said. 鈥淎s a university, we’re great at study abroad and at helping our students get internships. Why not put those two together? When these students eventually hit the job market, they’ll arrive with a true resume differentiator: an internship with a professional Italian basketball club that allows them to better understand sport from a global perspective.鈥�

As part of a mentored, two-credit internship with Pistoia Basket, students will spend approximately 10 hours each week gaining practical experience in event operations, fan engagement, marketing, communications and social media. Their responsibilities will be tailored to their academic backgrounds and professional interests.

For example, students interested in media analytics may evaluate the club鈥檚 social media performance, while students studying sport management or strategic communications will work to increase Pistoia Basket鈥檚 visibility among college students studying abroad in Florence. Participants will also meet regularly with accompanying professors and complete applied and reflection-based assignments.

The cohort will also contribute to a video storytelling project designed to introduce Pistoia Basket to new audiences in the United States. Funded by the Elon Innovation Council and coordinated through Elon鈥檚 Sports Media Lab and Elon Sports Vision, the project will use footage captured by the students to tell the story of Pistoia鈥檚 2026-27 season. According to Bockino, the resulting videos are expected to appear on Elon social media channels and during Elon Athletics broadcasts.

This fall鈥檚 inaugural cohort includes Robbie Pataky ’28, a strategic communications major; Amelia Weaver ’28, a sport management and media analytics double major; Riley Greenwald ’28, a sport management major; Olivia Tichnor ’28, a marketing major; and Max Edelstein ’28, a sport management major.

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.聽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.

鈥淟iving in a city is something that I have never experienced before, so I wanted to take聽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.鈥�

Aidan Sweeney ’28聽also understands聽the many benefits of this program. 鈥淚 wanted to experience living in a big city while also working and furthering my career. I came in knowing very few聽people, but I’ve already became friends with everyone by exploring the city together or finding a room to chat in with people.鈥�

Five classes are offered this fall: Sport Sales and Promotion, College Athletics Administration, Sports and Media,聽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聽Experience program because 鈥渋t’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.鈥�

Griffin Conway ’28聽is聽excited about the聽program because it gives him the聽鈥渙pportunity to get an early start on my professional career, while balancing academic courses and living in a city.鈥�

鈥淚’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!鈥�

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.

The daylong workshop, co-sponsored by the聽Isabella Cannon Global Education Center聽and the聽Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning, was designed for faculty and staff who teach or lead study away programs, though it was open to anyone interested in strengthening global learning.

This year鈥檚 workshop centered on 鈥淓mbracing Ambiguity: Multiple Ways of Knowing, Reflection and Preparing Students for Cultural Curiosity.鈥� The theme invited participants to consider how students encounter different knowledge systems, histories, identities and relationships to place through global education.

Following welcome remarks from Dean of Global Education Nick Gozik and Provost and Executive Vice President Rebecca Kohn, the workshop began with a keynote by Laura M. Pipe, director of the University Teaching and Learning Commons at UNC Greensboro.

Pipe, an Indigenous educator of 厂办补谤霉:谤臋 (Tuscarora) and 贬辞诲颈苍枚丑蝉枚:苍颈鈥� (Haudenosaunee) descent, explored how global learning can move beyond a single tradition of knowledge. Drawing on Indigenous and decolonial pedagogies, the Toward a Liberated Learning Spirit model and reflective practice, she encouraged participants to cultivate curiosity, humility and reciprocal learning relationships.

The workshop continued with three breakout sessions:

• In 鈥淓xploring History and Identity through Elon鈥檚 Campus,鈥� Amanda Laury Kleintop, assistant professor of history and coordinator of the museum studies and public history minor, used Elon鈥檚 campus history as a model for place-based learning. Participants considered how monuments, historical sites and museums can help students critically examine history and identity in both local and study away contexts.
• 鈥淪tory Circles for Intercultural Learning,鈥� led by Maureen Vandermaas-Peeler, director of the Center for Research on Global Engagement, and Sandy Marshall, associate professor of geography, introduced participants to the UNESCO Story Circles model. Through a facilitated experience and debrief, participants explored how storytelling can foster intercultural learning and dialogue.
• Corey Roberts, assistant professor of Native American and Indigenous Studies, led 鈥淟ayers of an Abroad Experience.鈥� The session encouraged participants to consider travel in relation to land, history and personal identity. Participants developed activities to help students reflect on their relationship with the places they visit and the histories those places hold.

The day concluded with reflections from Gozik, associate dean of global education Jessica Gisclair and assistant director of the Center for the Advancement of Teaching Jill McSweeney, followed by a wrap-up session.

鈥淭he Global Pedagogy Workshop gives us an opportunity to think carefully about how we prepare students to learn across difference,鈥� said Gozik. 鈥淕lobal education asks students to encounter new places, perspectives and ways of knowing. Our role as educators is to help them remain curious, reflective and open when those encounters do not fit neatly into what they already understand.鈥�

“The workshop was a success and continues to be an important and valued partnership between the GEC and CATL,” said McSweeney. “Faculty are able to dedicate time to thinking deeply about the pedagogy they actively practice in country, while also learning in community from their colleagues. Dr. Pipe offered a range of theoretical frameworks to ground that deep thinking, emphasizing the connecting into Elon鈥檚 goals of evidence-based practices across learning experiences.”

The event will introduce students and families to Elon鈥檚 study abroad and Study USA opportunities and provide information about programs in more than 30 countries. Attendees can explore options connected to students鈥� academic interests, compare program locations and formats and learn more about the process of planning a study away experience.

The fair is open to all students and will be especially helpful for those beginning to consider studying away or ready to explore potential programs. GEC staff, program representatives and colleagues from other campus offices will be available to help students and families identify next steps.

More information about Family Weekend is available on the聽Family Weekend website.

The Study Away Fair is part of the GEC鈥檚 ongoing efforts to connect Elon students with opportunities to learn across cultures and engage with communities around the world.

The event will celebrate the unity of the Elon community through an afternoon of free food, music, activities and opportunities to connect with others. Students can also learn more about study abroad and Study USA programs, whether they have already participated in a GEC program or are just beginning to explore global engagement opportunities.

鈥淐ommUnity on the Lawn is an opportunity to bring students together and celebrate the many experiences, backgrounds and perspectives that make up the Elon community,鈥� said Rose Danthon, program coordinator. 鈥淲e want all students to feel welcome, connected and encouraged to explore how study abroad, Study USA and other global opportunities might fit into their interests and goals.鈥�

CommUnity on the Lawn reflects the GEC鈥檚 ongoing commitment to making global education accessible, welcoming, and inclusive. This event supports the broad participation that has helped Elon earn top national ranking for study abroad according to the Institute for International Education’s Open Doors Report.

The event is free and open to all Elon students. Faculty and staff are also welcome to attend.

鈥淚 just spontaneously decided to do it. I was like, ‘You know what? I’m not doing anything this summer. Why not?’ And it was super spontaneous,鈥� Moorhead said.聽 鈥淚t didn’t really kick in untill halfway through the second semester in my seminar class, and I was like, ‘Oh, I’m really going to LA.’鈥�

Moorhead is an intern for Smart Entertainment, where she gets to provide feedback and read scripts for movies.

鈥淲e also get to make our own hypothetical cast list and director list that we can then give to our producer. So we’ve really been doing some awesome work,鈥� Moorhead said, 鈥淚 actually feel like my work has meaning and that I am making a difference by helping out the assistant, who’s helping out our producer.鈥欌��

Moorhead credits Elon for helping her get an internship in LA

鈥淚 honestly don’t think I would have gotten this internship if it weren’t for the help of the program and the professional development office,鈥� Moorhead said.

Moorhead was deciding between going to the LA program and the DC program, but ended up going to LA because class excursions to Warner Brothers to see filming for the third season of HBO’s The Pitt appealed more to her interest in the film industry.

鈥淚 ultimately decided to go to LA because it felt like the perfect place to start in the film industry.鈥� Moorhead said. 鈥淵ou get the best experience in the entire world of how the industry operates, and that is mainly where the film industry takes place.鈥�

Zoey Hayes 鈥�29 is interning with the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) as a Student-Athlete Development intern. She heard about the program in Charlotte through her work at Elon’s Isabella Cannon Global Education Center, but didn’t apply until after she got her internship. Hayes said that through her internship, she gets to travel and interact with people, which is something she loves to do.

鈥淚 feel like an intern is just the whole ‘nine to five life,’ kind of getting used to being in an office.鈥� Hayes said. 鈥淵es, I get to travel, which is amazing, and I get to have these days where I’m not in the office, and I’m dealing with people, which I love people.鈥�

Hayes also credits the program with introducing her to new people while also knowing and having friends in the program.

鈥淭hat was great to already have friends here, but it’s been great getting to know other people that I probably would have never talked to at Elon,鈥� Hayes said.

Through her internship, Hayes traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend panels on sports, where she toured the National Archives and visited the United States Supreme Court.

鈥淥ne-hundred percent, go do it.鈥� Hayes said, of encouraging other Elon students to apply for the program. 鈥淏ecause it’s not only that you get an internship out of this, you also get the foundation of living in a whole new city.鈥�

Finn Wilkinson 鈥�27, who is studying in New York City this summer, says the energy of the city and the growing film scene is part of the reason she applied.

鈥淚t just made sense for me to come up here,鈥� Wilkinson said, 鈥淎lso, I just really love the city. It’s so vibrant, so full of life. There’s always something going on, something to do. So it’s just a great place to also study away.

Wilkinson interns at Mad Realities in New York and said the highlight of the internship is the hands-on experience it offers.

鈥淚 got to help out on one of their pilot sets and get to see how shows come together on a higher professional level.鈥� Wilkinson said,聽 鈥淚’ve also gotten to help brainstorm and help develop the upcoming shows that they’re also pitching.鈥�

Outside of the classroom and internship, Wilkinson said the community in New York was something that stood out, especially during the NBA finals when the New York Knicks played the San Antonio Spurs. After the Game 3 loss in New York, Wilkinson felt the energy of the city.

鈥淚mmediately, the next day: new slogan,聽 t-shirts, hats, everything,鈥� Wilkinson said, 鈥淭hat’s the sense of community that you just feel being in New York, and it’s really cool to get to be a part of that during a summer where so much is happening.鈥�

Through her internship, Wilkinson said she has learned new skills through conversations.

鈥淚t’s been really cool to be able to be a part of these conversations that are defining how the industry is moving and getting to be in the room for those conversations. I’ve learned a lot from it.鈥�

Wilkson said she hopes people don’t feel intimidated by New York if they are considering applying, and that the city has something for everyone.

鈥淚 would say, don’t be afraid to jump in. I think a lot of the time people think of New York as this big, scary thing that is so massive and so unconquerable,鈥� Wilkinson said. 鈥淏ut it’s really not; you quickly find your rhythm, and you find the places that you are supposed to be鈥�

Three Elon Los Angeles area alumnae attended the world premiere of their grant-funded films at the sold-out inaugural 福利亚洲国产精品 Los Angeles Alumni Short Film Festival at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California.

Julie Boyd 鈥�15, Bex Evans 鈥�16 and Mirai 鈥�07 were recipients of $3,000 each through the 2025-26 福利亚洲国产精品 Los Angeles Alumni Short Film Grant Competition last fall.

Grant recipients were selected through a review and ranking process by a selection committee comprised of industry leaders, including several Elon alumni. The selection committee was co-chaired by Jordan Roman 鈥�15.

To view photos from the festival, .

Production of the three short films 鈥� Boyd鈥檚 鈥淭he Life and Times of,鈥� Evans鈥檚 鈥淪hadow Dusk鈥� and Mirai鈥檚 鈥�#StopAsianKate鈥� 鈥� took place in the spring and included opportunities for spring 2026 福利亚洲国产精品 Los Angeles students to participate in and observe the production process.

In addition to the screenings of the three films, the festival included a panel discussion with Elon alumni Lindsey Emerson, vice president of streaming, global strategy & operations at Paramount Skydance and Alex Stevenson, account lead at Creative Artists Agency. They each offered perspective and advice to both current students and alumni about creating job opportunities and career growth in a shifting industry landscape.

A meet-and–connect reception on one of the studio鈥檚 back lot streets followed the festival screening program.

Unique alumni engagement opportunities for Elon Los Angeles students are at the core of the 福利亚洲国产精品 Los Angeles experience. Based in the heart of historic Hollywood, applications are now being accepted for students to participate in the spring 2027 and National Campus Programs Los Angeles experience that also features specific LA-focused academic courses, site-based internships and community service.

Students and alumni in Washington, D.C., visited American University’s School of Public Affairs, where they learned about graduate education, careers in public service, and the many opportunities available through advanced study in law, business, and public and international service.

In New York City, students and alums were welcomed by Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business for an evening exploring graduate programs across multiple disciplines, including social service and the humanities. A highlight of both programs was the meaningful engagement with Elon alumni living and working in the city, who shared candid reflections about the transition from college to career, pursuing graduate education, and building fulfilling professional lives. Together, the university partners and alumni provided students with both practical information and authentic perspectives that encouraged them to imagine new possibilities for life after Elon.

The experiences reflect Elon’s commitment to preparing students for lives of purpose through intentional collaboration across campus. By bringing together the career expertise of the Student Professional Development Center, the immersive learning opportunities offered through Study USA and National Campus Programs, and the lifelong connections fostered by Alumni Engagement, students were able to explore graduate education while strengthening their professional networks and broadening their vision for the future.

The 鈥淣ever Be at a Loss for Words鈥� workshop idea was created through a partnership between 福利亚洲国产精品 and The Groundlings, an industry improv training leader in Los Angeles. The workshop was led by actor, improv performer and The Groundlings improv coach Andres Parada. Parada has spent many years teaching actors critical communication skills that prepare them for anything that comes up in an audition, in a live performance or on a film set. Actors Will Ferrell, Melissa McCarthy, Maya Rudolph and Lisa Kudrow are among the many well-known alumni of The Groundlings.

Now, Elon LA students have learned how to apply those techniques to benefit them along both their career and personal journeys ahead.

福利亚洲国产精品 Los Angeles, offered by Elon鈥檚聽听补苍诲听National Campus Programs, offers spring and summer immersive experiences for students that feature academic courses taught by instructors who are working professionals in their fields and on-site experiential learning at internship sites across the city. The Elon LA experience also includes alumni engagement, community service and unique professional development opportunities.

Based in historic Hollywood, applications are now being accepted for the spring 2027 semester.