Elon University - Phi Psi Cli Yearbook (Elon, NC)

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STEP BY STEP . . . Computer assistant Darrin Eaton, left, explains the finer points ot programming to an amused Tami Glenn. WHAT’S YOUR TOPIC . . . Writing tutors Rob Tripp and Melissa Allen, below, help David Kuehl, who’s encountering problems with his history paper. HELPING WITH EXPERIMENTS is just one of her many duties. Julie Cozart explains lab procedure to freshmen Ron Willard and Steven Davis. Academics and the Arts 25

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LEARNING BY TEACHING Student Tutors Have Class Face it . . . there are times when even the best professor can’t help students. Whether due to conflicting schedules, time restrictions, or communication problems, students cannot always count on their professor. That’s when student tutors and assistants come in handy. Perhaps the most visible and diverse group of “student teachers is the tutors in the LRC. Supervised by Priscilla Haworth, these students are required to have both a high GPA in their field of study and faculty references. They also must complete a tutor workshop. After the workshop, these “helpers” are prepared to assist other students in one of about 30 subjects. For the students seeking assistance, the benefits are great — hut what’s in it for the tutors? In addition to a little pocket money, (tutors are paid by the college), the scholars report earning a strong sense of satisfaction. “It is very rewarding to see somebody be able to do something after you’ve helped them, says math tutor Brad Cokendolpher. A more specialized group of tutors are those who work in the new Writing Center. These students are enrolled in a special English class in which they are trained to coach other writers. Writing Center Director Barbara Gordon says writing tutors are trained to encourage troubled writers through a series of questions. In addition to attending the training class, each tutor works three hours per week in the Writing Center. In return, the tutor receives three hours of credit. Once writing tutors have completed the course, they have the opportunity to work in the center for payment by the college. But in addition to academic credit and monetary rewards, writing tutors also learn to improve their own writing, according to Melissa Allen, a junior. Once those papers are written, they probably need to be typed. Many students opt to use word processors, but find the terminals in the computer labs are confusing or threatening to novices. That’s when the computer assistants step in. These students, thoroughly trained in the field of computer sciences, also are available to help students enrolled in CIS classes. If an assignment calls for video communication, student assistants in the communications editing rooms are on hand to assist with an editing machine or help incorporate audio into a video presentation. And most students enrolled in a science class with a lab quickly learn the lab assistant can he their best friend. Science lab assistants are student who have completed the course and have been selected tor the positions. Their duties range from supervision of lab groups to setting up equipment — sometimes even grading papers and teaching portions of the lab. Whether they work in the LRC, the Writing Center, computer center, editing facilities, labs or elsewhere on campus, student teachers are an essential part of the learning process. They shoulder the responsibility of helping other students achieve a level of perfection — and they find the experience can he both academically and socially rewarding. SEARCHING FOR THE RIGHT SPOT . . . Video lab assistant Rick Lashley, above, pinpoints the perfect edit. In addition to helping communications professors with various projects, Rick is available to assist students who are having trouble with their video work. MAKING GOOD USE OF A SPARE MOMENT . . . LCR tutor Stephanie Galvagna, right, a foreign languages major, works on her own homework while she waits for a student who needs help in French courses. 24 Academics and the Arts

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OVER THERE Learning in London Just imagine . . . for the price of regular tu- ition, room and a seven-day meal plan, you could spend the entire semester in England’s capital city. The offer is a tempting one, and this year almost 70 students found the deal too good to refuse. This fall marked the fourth year that Elon students has the option of spending the entire fall semester in London, and second-semester travellers were the second group to see the city in the springtime. Participants enrolled in three or four classes and could earn either 12 or 16 credit hours for attending classes in economics, English, fine arts, history or other disciplines. Internships could even he arranged for students who pos- sessed a specific interest in some facet of British life. Dr. Herbert House led the group of 31 students who participated in the fall program. In addition to fulfilling his role as “link to Elon, the instructor taught an upper-level biology class. Professor Joyce Speas accompanied the springtime travelers and conducted a class en- titled “Topics and Issues in Mathematics.” But the semester wasn’t all work and no play . . . plenty of time was left for weekend trips to Scotland, Ireland, and elsewhere on the conti- nent. A ten-day break at mid-semester was also provided for travelling and relaxation. Students were responsible for their own air- fare and personal expenses, but for the most part, the entire semester was not nearly as big a financial burden as one might expect. The Studies Abroad program is flourishing at Elon, and student participation is at an all-time high. While Dr. Bill Rich, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and coordinator of Studies Abroad, is happy with the program’s success, he has a big goal for the future. Dean Rich would like to see if one day soon, every Elon graduate could say that he or she had spent a term in an- other culture. While some students feel that the program will interfere with their planed course of studies at the college, most participants find the semes- ter abroad a perfect time to fulfill their General Studies requirements. And according to Dr. Rich, possibilities are endless as tar as the future of Studies Abroad is concerned. Elon currently offers a full semester study only in London, but plans are in the making for an exchange program with Japan. Additionally, outgoing students have been known in find their own means of studying overseas. Last year, Lynn Bregler accompanied a group from the Uni- versity of Virginia on their tour of Spain. And this spring, Leah Bowen studied in Australia. The Studies Abroad office has a wealth of op- portunities for interested parties, and anyone with a strong enough interest in earning credit tor their educational travels has a chance of par- ticipating in one of the programs. HOOFING IT OR TUBING IT? ... A big adjustment to living in London is not having a car handy. Students found themselves walking more than they were used to. Jen Taylor, Laura Linantud, Meredith Dickerson and Rebecca Shaw, bottom, learn that the underground is sometimes the only way to travel. 26 Academics and the Arts