The High Library

Although one must climb flights of formidable-looking steps to enter the library, it is actually a comfortable place. The first floor houses a computer lab and other computers for research and printing. It also offers reference materials, periodicals, and a copier. The lower level (yes, more steps!) includes journal articles and videos. The best feature of the second floor is study rooms where groups can meet to quiz each other or finalize a project without disturbing others. The children's books are placed in between two sets of group study rooms, and these add to lesson plans or act as lighter reading during stressful times. If one is feeling especially adventurous, the highest level is lined with even more books and desks for studying. During finals week, it is difficult to find an open area on any floor because it is one of the best places to concentrate and finish work!

Education for Educators

Elizabethtown offers bachelor degrees in elementary education, secondary education, and music education. Students pursuing elementary education certification often concentrate in one of the following areas: early childhood, special needs, urban, or middle level. Many elementary education majors take nearly all of their classes in Nicarry Hall. The first floor contains classrooms and offices for professors and the administrative staff. Their doors are often open, and they are willing to answer questions and discuss issues.

As an elementary and special education major, I have benefited from field experiences each year. My second semester, Etown sent me to a preschool. I have also worked in an urban kindergarten class, elementary and high school learning support classes, and a fourth grade class in an affluent district. The variety, length, and depth of the placements Etown provides prepares its graduates for whatever location and level we choose to pursue.

Writing Services

Writing Services, which was once a part of the English department, is just one of the wonderful services that Learning Services has for the students of Elizabethtown College. This semester, the spring of 2008, we have writing consultants working for Writing Services. All of these consultants are students representing various majors who have gone through a rigorous process involving recommendations, and an interview, followed by training sessions each semester.

The mission of Writing Services is to make better writers, not better papers. Writing consultants can help a student at any point in the writing process, from brainstorming to editing drafts. Writing Services is open Sunday through Thursday from 7pm until 9pm for walk-in sessions. Of course, appointments can be made for any time by emailing, calling, or visiting Learning Services. Students who use Writing Services frequently tend to request a specific consultant to work with. Relationships like these both allow the student and consultant to develop a bond and to see more clearly where the student excels or requires extra help.

A student does not need to set up an appointment or come in during walk-in hours to benefit from Writing Services. Two writing consulting rooms are open and available as long as Learning Services is open, unless a session is taking place in one of the rooms. Both inside and outside of the rooms are handouts and books that students can use to better their writing. The computers in the writing consulting rooms have programs such as Inspiration, an electronic graphic organizer, and Dragon Naturally Speaking, which types as you speak, that can be used by students whenever the rooms are available.

Professors of first year students, especially EN100 professors, sometimes require their students to visit Writing Services at least once. I recommend that every student visit our services at least once in their college career. The best thing about Writing Services is that it is free for full-time students! What more could you ask for from a college?

Disability Services

Disability Services is the place to go for students who require special accommodations. In Disability Services, students with documented disabilities can find the forms necessary for getting housing accommodations, such as a single room or a double room that has a fire alarm with a strobe light. If a student requires academic accommodations, they may be spending a good deal of time in Disability Services.

Disability Services offers students the option of having a note taker and of using a program called Kurzweil. Students who have disabilities or for whom English is not a first language can request note takers for each of their classes. In confidentiality, these note takers copy notes they take in class and drop them off in Disability Services for students to pick up. For students who have trouble reading, Disability Services offers the use of a program called Kurzweil, which can read the text aloud for a student. Staff from Learning and Disability Services scan the students’ textbooks into the program and put them in a file that can be accessed by any computer on the school network that has the Kurzweil program. Instead of buying this expensive program, students can simply use the computers in Disability Services that already have Kurzweil installed.

Because Disability Services is currently housed in Learning Services, there is no stigma place upon students who walk through the doors. Even students without disabilities can benefit from some of the services offered. Tests can be proctored in Learning Services for students who require extra time or specific environments, as well as for students taking online courses. Students can also be screened by Shirley Deichert to use Irlen color overlays, which can help students with and without disabilities to read more easily. Because Disability Services and Learning Services have joined under one director, students seldom think of the two as separate entities. Together, Learning and Disabilities Services have plenty of resources for all students to use and benefit from. What more could you ask for from a college?

Learning Services

When a student mentions Learning Services, they are typically referring to the part of the Center of Student Success that houses Learning Services, Disability Services, and Writing Services. These three services, which were once separate, were united by the current and soon to retire Director of Learning and Disability Services, Shirley Deichert. I will go into more detail about Disability Services and Writing Services in other blogs.

The first thing students think of when they say Learning Services is their great tutoring service. The Learning Services website says that there, “More than 150 peer tutors are registered to help with more than 200 courses. Tutors are students who have earned an A or A- in a course, who have been recommended by their professors, and who attend on-going training.” Not every course has a tutor, but the courses that do tend to reflect student needs. On the rare occasion that a student requests a tutor for a course that doesn’t have one, Learning Services contacts professors who have taught that course in order to find possible tutors.

Learning Services offers more than just tutors though. There are a plethora of resources to help students learn effective study strategies, reading skills, and time management skills. Students especially love the free calendars that can be picked up from Learning Services. Once a week, massage therapist Matt Watson offers massages to students in Learning Services for $10 per fifteen minutes. On top of all that, Learning Services even has its own small computer lab. Of course, all of the computers in the Learning Services tutoring rooms are open for students to use as long as no one else is using the room for a session. There are plenty of students who go to Learning Services just to use a computer or even nap on a couch. What more could you ask for from a college?

Learning and Disability Services Hours

Monday – Thursday 8:30am-10:00pm

Friday 8:30am-5pm

Sunday 6pm-10pm

Studying Abroad at Elizabethtown College

I am an international student from Germany studying in Elizabethtown for two semesters. My exchange was made possible with the BCA program, which offers a lot of different opportunities for studying abroad. My experiences with Elizabethtown College are mostly positive. The small college provides opportunities to get to know students, so it is easy to adjust. Ideas between other international students can be exchanged so there is a great opportunity for new experiences and ideas. College teachers are mainly open towards excepting foreign students in their classes, so we can profit from that and improve our English skills. As Elizabethtown College makes it possible to interact with each other it is a place to feel comfortable even as a foreigner.

The Marketplace

The Marketplace is the cafeteria at Elizabethtown College. It is possible to eat there Monday through Sundays from 7.00 am to 7.00 pm. A variety of food is offered there. Besides the changing menus, there are some special options like an omelette bar, a salad bar, a sandwich bar and a grill. In addition to this, pasta and a special dish of the day is served. A variety of desserts are also offered. Free drinks are included in the meal.

The atmosphere of the marketplace is positive. Both small and large tables are arranged in two parts of the cafeteria. There it is possible to enjoy food and socialize with other students.

Studying Abroad

Elizabethtown College gives a lot of opportunities to study in foreign countries. The BCA program is one choice. With the knowledge of a second language it is possible to study one or two semesters in France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Spain, and Ecuador. Other universities even make it possible without knowing a second language; these countries include China, England, Greece, Japan, Belgium, Australia, Hungary, Ireland, India, New Zealand, and Wales. This gives students the chance to experience other countries, but still take classes in English. However, other programs are offered, like the Australearn program.

Elizabethtown College makes it also possible to take part in shorter summer programs abroad.

Emotion

Emotion is a student designed club which allows students of all abilities to perform and express themselves through dance. Currently, Emotion is one of the largest clubs on campus, with approximately 300 male and female dancers, ranging in abilities from novice to advance. The wide range in student ability creates a unique dance environment.

Over the past two years, Emotion has worked hard to gain artistic respect from faculty, peers, and the community. Dancers hoping to choreograph for the semester performances are now required to perform their dances in front of the Emotion cabinet, comprised of several dedicated students, and the faculty advisors. Student choreographers whose vision matches the Emotion criteria are chosen for the semester showcase…and then the fun begins!

Students practice long and hard all semester to learn and polish their dances. At the end of each semester, Emotion showcases its dancers in a professional performance. The show includes a broad mix of dance styles including ballet, modern, lyrical, jazz, hip-hop, Irish (hard and soft shoe), all male dances, and more recently, Broadway styles and couples dances. The two night performances draw in a large audience of students, family, friends, and community members who come to see the dancers perform.

Emotion also provides fun opportunities to grow technically and artistically as a dancer. Throughout the year, the club brings local and famous professionals to Etown to teach master classes. Benji, winner of the 2006 So You Think You Can Dance? competition, and cousin Heidi were among the professionals that have taught master classes in the past. These unique opportunities allow dancers to have fun, but also allow the dancers to be part of something professional.

Emotion is more than just a dancing. The club also strives on community service and sharing the talents of the young dancers with the community. Over the past three years, Emotion dancers have participated in various service projects and benefit events, including Into the Street, the Ataxia-Telangiectasia benefit, ETHON, and Relay for Life, just to name a few.

It may seem difficult to coordinate the schedules, organize the program and show order, sell merchandise, perform service projects, and contact professional dancers to teach master classes… and it is; however, Emotion has a wonderful cabinet of dedicated students and faculty advisors that go “the extra mile” to make sure that the club functions at a professional level. The student cabinet/position and faculty advisors are listed below:

Kristen Toscano- President
Caitlin Lenoir- Vice President
Angeline Alessandri- Secretary
Jillian Roberts- Treasurer
Kristy Wilson- Historian
Caitlin Cocchi- Fundraiser
Amy Huttenstine- Fundraiser
Samantha Quisgard- Webmaster
Andrea Beard- Public Relations
Courtney Lang- Costumer
Steve Roussel- Student Rep.

Advisors: Kristin Pontz and Michael Swanson

For more information about Emotion contact: EMOTION@etown.edu.

Admissions

Admissions is the first building you'll see as you come onto campus. This is where you would schedule any tours with campus, overnight visits, visits with professors, or gather information on how to apply to campus.

The tour guides (Jay Walkers) that are on campus are students themselves, who are employed by admissions. Students give guided tours of campus and the main areas of interest including, but not limited to: the High Library, bookstore, dining halls, dormitories, sporting facilities and classrooms. This allows for prospective students to get a glance at campus before they decide on committing to come to our wonderful institution.

For any overnight visit you would stay with an actual student here at Elizabethtown College. This student will be your roommate for the night, take you to classes one day and show you what it is like in the typical day of a college student. I highly suggest taking an overnight at any institution you are thinking about going to as it gives you a better look into the everyday activities, rather than just reading or being told about them.

Admissions is also the place where you can schedule to meet with professors or coaches when you come for a visit. Granted, this meeting must be made ahead of time to give them some warning and pencil you into the schedule, but it is never an issue. Admissions always makes sure you get to see who you need to see.

Lastly, make sure to grab all of the information and forms that you would need to apply from our Admissions Office. They can tell you what you would need in your GPA and SAT scores to be considered for admission. Also, they would be able to get you in contact with the Financial Aid Office in order to see what financial aid package you would be eligible for. In the process of applying to college, the Admissions Office should be your best friend.

The Admissions Office can even be your place of employment should you decide to come here and join our happy family. Students are employed to help with sending out papers, organizing Open Houses, giving tours and answering phone calls. This job really is great because you get to help out other people who are in the same position you were only a few years prior.

Overall, Admissions is the main place to get your information and set up everything from tours to meetings. They will help you with whatever you need and make sure that you are happy. Be sure to stop by at some point!

Masters Center

The New Master's Center here at Elizabethtown College is the newest building on Campus. It is actually home to three different buildings. The three buildings are Musser, Lyet and Esbenshade. Each building is a part of different departments which is nice because each building is more like a wing of the Master's Center.

The first thing you'll notice when you walk into the Master's Center is the spacious lounge. this lounge is for students to be able to have a large work space to use. There are TVs there that have the news, as well as other channels, to keep students engaged with the world around them. There is also a rock collection on display donated by the individual who gave the grant for the building itself. There is also an atrium in the middle of the three building as a middle ground for all three.

Musser is home to the science departments. It is mainly for chemistry, however, there is still some biology courses that take place in there. Lyet, the newest of the three is a big part of the Master's Center, but is mainly to give the Biology Department their own wing. Now that the Biology Department has moved there, it gave the Chemistry Department more room to flourish. Esbenshade is home to the Math, Physics, and Occupational Therapy Departments here on campus. The newly renovated Esbenshade Hall now has a new third floor computer room and new offices for professors.

Overall the Master's Center is a grand new addition to the beautiful campus of Elizabethtown College. If you don't believe us, schedule a tour and come check it out for yourself!

Intramural Sports

Not only are there Division III sports here at Elizabethtown College, but there are also intramural sports! Each season has different sports.

During the fall the intramural season is started off with Soccer. This is a co-ed league and is more for fun rather than the harder spring version. Fields and teams are shorten and rules regulate how many people (boys and girls) must be on the field at all times. These games normally take place on the turf field later in the evening under the lights.

Later in the season comes intramural volleyball. This, again is a co-ed sport. These games consists of 6 team members, 2 of which must be girls, on the floor. You can play with less than that, but you must have 2 girls.

The next sport down the list is Flag Football. This is the fall sport that everyone waits for. The rules and regulations were renovated in the Fall '07 to make a more competitive atmosphere. There are now 8 people on the field, 2 of which must be girls. the new addition to this year's rules are that there must be 3 down lineman when the play starts. Another new rule is the no kick return rule. This makes the game based merely upon marching down the field to score rather than seeing who can ran the fastest on a kick-off. Overall, this is the most played sport and can become very competitive. It normally lasts from October all the way until finals week for playoffs. Be careful out there in the cold!

The next sports is intramural basketball. This is the first spring sport and starts about 3 weeks into the new year. This is a non-co-ed sport here at Etown. Boys and Girls leagues are separate. This makes for some entertaining games on both sides of the ball. There are scoreboards for each team and everything! Games are played on weekends, and late nights because scheduling gym time can be tough with guys and girls varsity basketball as well as varsity baseball and the varsity softball teams all trying to practice.

The next spring sport is soccer. This is the same as the fall sport only a little bit harder because the soccer players can play in the league this time. Watch out!

The last sport in the spring is Softball. This is a co-ed league with a minimum of 3 girls on the field at all times. It is played like softball with 10 people on the field. It is very fun and played in the afternoon and late evenings on the fields next to the turf.

Overall, Elizabethtown offers a wide variety of intramural sports to keep you active and healthy. It is a good way to make some new friends and play some sports that you love, but might not have enough skill to make the school team.

Mail Services

Another service available to students, faculty, and staff is Mail Services. Mail services is located in the Brossman Commons and offers most services of a standard post office. Each student has a personal mailbox where all mail sent to them on-campus will be delivered. Mail can be sent to on-campus addresses as well as off-campus addresses. Packages can be sent and received as well. Mail services offers stamps, envelopes, and all packaging needs. Mail can be retrieved from mailboxes at any time of day, however, the service window is open Monday-Friday:10 am-4:30 pm, and Saturday 11 am-2 pm.

The Body Shop

The Body Shop is the on-campus fitness center for Elizabethtown College students, faculty, and staff. It is located in the basement of the Brossman Commons. Available equipment includes treadmills, stationary bikes, ellipticals, a stepper, free weights and machines for lifting. Locker rooms are also available for students, faculty, and staff to shower, and change before and/or after a workout. The Body Shop is open for use 7 days a week during the school year and operates on adjusted hours during academic breaks. The hours of operation are Monday-Thursday:7 am-11 pm, Friday:7 am-7pm , Saturday:12 pm-6pm, and Sunday:1 pm-10 pm.

Elizabethtown College Athletics

Elizabethtown College competes in 19 NCAA sanctioned sports at the Division III level. Nancy Latimore is the athletic director at Elizabethtown. The teams' colors are blue and grey and the the nickname is the Bluejays. Etown College is a member of the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) for all sports expect for wrestling which is a part of the Metropolitan Intercollegiate Wrestling Association. The Bluejays compete in baseball, basketball (men's & women's), cross country (men's & women's), field hockey, golf, lacrosse (men's & women's), soccer (men's & women's), softball, swimming (men's & women's), tennis (men's & women's), track & field (men's & women's), volleyball, and wrestling. Within the MAC, baseball, basketball, field hockey, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, and volleyball play in the Commonwealth Division.

Get Some Fresh Air

Interested in the outdoors?

The Outdoors Club of Elizabethtown College is doing some exciting new things. With some new leadership they have a lot of activities planned for the spring of 2008. From rock climbing, kayaking, rafting and skydiving, they have a little bit of everything for everyone. Many of their activities are fairly local, places like Chiques Rock, The Climbnasium, the Susquahana River and many more. For more information on dates and activites visit the website below.

http://www2.etown.edu/clubs_orgs/outdoors/

Sweet

You now know some things that you can do off campus, but I'm sure you want to know what there is to do on campus. Here at E-town we have a student group that plans a variety of activities throughout the semester known as Sweet, short for students working to entertain E-town. Throughout the semester they have 5 or 6 week-ends called Super Sweet week-ends with different activities planned from Thursday to Sunday. A sampling of activities include comedians, movies, off campus trips, bingo, and dances just to name a few. Sweet is always looking for new people to help plan events so it's also a great way to get involved on campus. At the present time their website is under construction, but feel free to check back a later date to get more information http://www2.etown.edu/clubs_orgs/SWEET/

Career Services

Not sure you chose the correct career path or where your life is headed? Career Services has the answers and the help you are looking for!

Career Services at Elizabethtown College is an excellent resource for major exploration and career planning. Career counselors are available to help students choose a major that matches their interests. Also, counselors can assist students who have decided that their current area of study is no longer the path they want to follow. The focus is on helping students make positive career choices that will bring joy, success, and prosperity in the future.

In addition to major exploration, Career Services also assists upperclassmen with career choices. They have a range job, job fair, internship, and graduate school information. Career counselors are also available to review résumés and cover letters, in order to ensure that “all the hard work will pay off.” Opportunities are also available for mock interviews and making alumni connections.

For more information visit http://www2.etown.edu/career/or contact Jane Nini (director of Career Services) at NINIJ@etown.edu

Off Campus Excursions

Every once in a while it's great to get off and campus and do something with your friends. Here are just a few suggestions of what E-town and the surrounding area have to offer. If you're interested in seeing one of the newly released movies you have some choices as to what theatre you would like to go to. MoviEtown is the local theatre, which is about a 3 minute drive from campus. Another option is the Cocoaplex, which is located in Hershey, about a 15 minutes drive. I would suggest checking the theatres' websites as not all movies are offered at both location. To check out more about the theatres visit their websites at http://movie-town.com/ and http://www.cocoaplex.com/.

You also might be wondering where you can go to eat if you just get tired of cafe food or your family comes and visits. The most popular choice is a restaurant called Rockwell's. It is a casual bar and grill atmosphere with great food,such as a variety of appetizers burgers, steaks, salads, and a variety of desserts. If you plan on visiting on a week-end I would recommend using their call ahead seating option(no reservations are excepted) as it gets very crowded. Here is their website at http://www.tjrockwells.com/ to see a copy of their menu.

Another dining option is the E-town diner, it is a great place to go if you get hungry for a midnight snack or just to hang out with your friends. The diner is about 3 blocks from campus. On week-ends it is open 24 hours a day and serves the normal diner fare.

There are also a variety of options if you decide to go shopping. Park City Mall, is the largest indoor shopping center in south central Pennsylvania. It is located in Lancaster and is about a 20 minute drive from E-town. It has stores to suite every body's taste. To check an entire list of stores their website is http://www.parkcitycenter.com/html/index20.asp. Lancaster is also home to 2 outlet center and are about a 25 minute drive from E-town. Tanger Outlets has more upscale outlets such as, Banana Republic, J.Crew, and Coach. Rockvale Outlets has stores such as, Eagle's End Zone, Pepperidge Farm, and Vanity Fair. Websites to further check out these outlets are http://www.rockvalesquareoutlets.com/store_list.asp?icat=1 and http://www.tangeroutlet.com/lancaster.

E-town is also near a very unique area to visit, Hershey, which is only about 15 minutes from the campus. Hershey has a variety of activities to do. First is their outlets, some stores include Ralph Lauren, White House Black Market, and Danskin. Hershey also is home to Hershey Chocolate World and Hershey Park. Chocolate World is open year round and is famous for their ride that simulates going through their chocolate factory. It also has gift shops, food, and a 3-D show. Hershey Park is great for people that love amusement park, but it is only fully open in spring and summer. At Christmas time they have Christmas Candylane, which is when the park is decked out for the holidays and a few rides are open. Hershey is also a stop for many musicians on tour. Here are websites to learn more about Hershey and what it has to offer. http://www.theoutletsathershey.com/,http://www.hersheys.com/chocolateworld/http://www.hersheys.com/chocolateworld/,http://www.hersheypark.com/index.php
For sports fans there are a number of minor league teams that call south central Pennsylvania home. Minor league baseball include Harrisburg Senators( AA affiliates of the Washington Nationals) http://www.senatorsbaseball.com/, Lancaster Barnstormers http://lancasterbarnstormers.com/index.cfm, and the York Revolution http://www.yorkrevolution.com/. The Hershey Bears, a minor league ice hockey team play at the Giant Center next to Hershey Park http://www.hersheypa.com/events/hershey_bears/.
These are just a few of the activities that are located in and around E-town, so take some time to explore!

Introducing the Jay's Nest...

Let's tour one of the three places to buy food on campus!








Come for breakfast or a late snack.

To your left, you'll find a mini grocery store including staple candies and snacks as well as healthier choices.

One of the latest additions to the Jay's is a deluxe salad bar. Each day features one or two soups including Manhattan Clam Chowder, Cream of Potato, Italian Wedding, Creamy Garden Vegetable, Homemade Chicken Corn, Tomato, and many others!

The Jay's features a lunch special--anything from chicken broccoli alfredo to beef and veggie skewers, to a beer battered cod sandwich!

Choose your own sandwich or wrap, and the Jay's staff will be happy to create it for you any time of day! They offer a variety of meats, cheeses, salads, breads, and condiments.

Not in the mood for salad, the special, or a cold sandwich? Not a problem. Look over the menu and select from an extensive list: hamburgers, pizza, curly fries, BLTs, quesadillas, grilled or crispy chicken, french toast sticks, turkey on a pretzel roll, onion rings, etc!
Something for everyone!

After you've bought something, relax in the tables or booths located to your right. If you ordered something from the menu, friendly students will be calling the last two digits on your receipt shortly. Enjoy your meal and come again!

Roomate Issues!

For many of you people, this will be the first time in your lives that you are required to share a room, so it’s not wonder why first year students come to campus full of anxiety about their roommate. As an R.A., you may think I’m a bit biased, I’m given my own room after all, but I too was a first year once, and I’ve witnessed this issue from both sides. Experiencing the event is one thing. I recall being sent a letter giving me the name and telephone number of my new roommate. How was I expected to call a complete stranger and discuss living with her in only a few short weeks? Learn from my mistakes, DO NOT put off calling your roommate. Now I did have a unique situation where I was away from a phone line during hurricane Ivan, but not being able to answer her messages put a slight strain on our relationship to start. Take the time to talk. Don’t make assumptions about your roommate based on their Facebook page! Facebook is no reason to get a new roommate! Maybe just introduce yourself the first time you call them, get to know each other as people before any discussion about the room. If you’re comfortable, decide who will bring what (the TV, phone, furniture not provided like futons, etc). There is limited room in some of the dorms and you don’t want to show up at school, carry a very heavy refrigerator up to the third floor, and walk into your room to already find a refrigerator (Microfridges offered by the school save both roommates hassle in this case!) Next you may want to plan on the room décor. Come to a peaceful solution that both of you can agree upon, after all, no one wants to live in a room with so many stuffed animals or posters that you feel watched at any given moment. Find a common theme and discuss personal space. You will find that to maximize your personal space organizers and under-bed storage are lifesavers! Consider what height you want your bed at, if you have it set high you have more space for storage underneath, but if you tend to roll out of bed in the mornings it may not be a very good idea and you’ll want to consider more shelving or desk organizing options. Check out this website for more dorm decorating tips!

By just discussing these common room issues, you are well on your way to having a better relationship with your roommate. Now do not get me wrong, we do not expect you and your roommate to be best friends who never separate the instant you meet, we just expect that you’ll be able to live together and share a space. If for some reason all of the above is done and you still cannot stand to live with the person you were put with, you have options. As a R.A. this is what my advice would be. Talk to your roommate first. If it is something small bothering you, like lights on after you go to sleep, or too many visitors, you may be able to resolve the issue quiet easily, perhaps your roommate didn’t even realize it was an issue to begin with! If you try that and it still does not work, do not complain to the housing coordinator! Getting on the housing coordinator’s bad side will do you no good if you have to move later! Talk to your R.A. Believe it or not, we are trained to handle this type of thing. We will try to mediate the situation and if nothing else can be done we will take your concern to Residence Life and start the procedure for having you moved. It’s all very simple, right?

Student Involvement at Etown

Student involvement is an important part of Elizabethtown College. The Office of Student Activities (OSA) serves as the primary resource for involvement. In addition to the annual traditions of Elizabethtown, including homecoming festivities and T.G.I.S. weekend, OSA is an excellent resource for becoming involved in over eighty clubs on campus.

The clubs and groups at Elizabethtown encompass a wide array of interests. Some include: department clubs specific to major/minor interests, religious organizations, honors societies, cultural awareness groups, musical and performing arts clubs, and even athletics. Each semester, OSA sponsors a student involvement fair to showcase the 80+ clubs and groups that Etown has to offer. Here, students have the opportunity to sign-up and become members of clubs that fit their interests.

Still can’t find a club to match your interests?...Create your own! Students have the ability to create new clubs and organization, where they can share their passion with others. New groups are forming all the time at Elizabethtown to adapt to the students’ diverse talents and interests.

For more information about clubs and other groups at Elizabethtown, check out the student group index at http://www.etown.edu/osa.aspx?topic=Club%20Index.

Where Will I Live?!

Where will I live?! Perhaps that’s the statement I heard the most when I worked in the Office of Residence Life last year. Being a second year Resident Assistant, I hear it even more among my residents. My answer to my residents is simple, find a dorm that fits you and your roommate’s personality, a place that is functional for both of you. If you play a sport, you may want a building closer to the sports fields. I f you seem to house a shoe collection to marvel the rich and famous and have to bring them all with you, perhaps one of the dorms with the built in large closets. Of course then there is the big question if you are a girl, “do we want co-ed or all female?”

Check out the housing offered on our campus…see which fits you best.

Founders Hall

Founders (my own personal home away from home for three out of four years) is the largest residence hall on campus and houses upwards of 318 students. Founders is divided into four wings (A, B, C, D) with B Wing and C Wing being connected by a large lounge. Each floor is a unique square shape with 3 study lounges and 4 bathrooms. Founders is a carpeted, co-ed building with each floor housing both males and females. Lounges separate the male side of the floor from the female side of the floor. The building is home to first year through senior students and is located near the sporting fields, not too far from the Brossman Commons. Each wing has its own laundry facility.

Brinser Hall

Brinser Hall, a carpeted, co-ed dorm, is located directly next to the Brossman Commons and only a short walk from the High Library. This unique dorm typically houses upperclassmen. It offers 4 suites, which contain a bathroom and kitchen, and 14 single rooms. With a capacity of around 109 residents, there are typically 20 students per floor. Each room has a unique “L” shape and each floor has a study lounge. There is one laundry facility in the building.

Ober Residence Hall

Ober Hall lies parallel to Brinser Hall and is also within a short walking distance of the High Library and Brossman Commons. Divided into two wings, Ober houses around 209 residents. The floor communities typically have 12 double occupancy rooms, one suite, a lounge, and a single room. There is also a kitchenette, and laundry facility. This carpeted dorm is co-ed and typically appeals to first year through junior students, though seniors have the opportunity to live here if they like.

Myer Residence Hall

Myer Residence Hall is one of two all female dorms on campus. Overlooking the Dell, Myer houses around 136 female residents. Residents of this dorm are not far from the High Library and Wenger Hall. The Hall appeals to first year through junior students, though seniors may also choose to reside here as well. The dorm is not carpeted but has tile floors, a kitchenette on each floor, and a laundry room.

Royer Residence Hall

Royer Residence Hall, like Myer, overlooks the Dell and runs parallel to Mount Joy Street (and therefore offers street parking). Security and Health Services are located right next door. This co-ed by floor dorm typically houses first year through junior students, though seniors may choose to live here too. Around 202 students reside in this dorm. The floors are tile and the large closets and rooms appeal to the 125 students who live here. Each floor has two bathrooms, and a kitchenette. Laundry facilities are located in the basement and there is a study lounge located on the first floor. Again first year through senior students call this dorm home.

Schlosser Residence Hall

Schlosser Residence Hall, the second all female residence on campus, faces Myer on the opposite side of the Dell, and is next door to Royer. Very near Wenger and Nicarry academic buildings, the dorm is home to around 206 female residents. The carpeted dorm has large built in closets. Each floor has a kitchenette, and two lounges. There is a large main lounge (recently remodeled) located on the first floor of this dorm and contains a game room, TVs, and RA office.


Independent Living Facilities

The Vera Hackman Apartments are located near Founders Residence Hall and between the baseball and lacrosse fields. The three-story building houses 23 apartments, each typically containing 4 students each. The building has a laundry facility. Two double occupancy bedrooms, a full kitchen, bathroom, and common living room appeal greatly to the residents of this building. Residents of the Apartments are typically of junior or senior status. Apartments must be applied for and are part of the housing lottery.

The Schrieber Quadrangle (or Quads) are located at the edge of campus on campus drive and right next to the soccer and softball fields, and are not far from the track. These townhouse style buildings house around 128 males and females with each townhouse having quad occupancy. The townhouses are situated around an open courtyard and provide a commons area for quiet study or group meetings. Full kitchens, living rooms, bathrooms and bedrooms are what appeals to the junior and seniors who choose to live here. Like the Apartments, residents must apply for the opportunity to live here and the Quads fall under the lottery system as well.


All of these are things to consider in housing, especially when you are a returning student, but what if you are a first year student? Believe me when I say that our Housing Coordinator Darlene Sommers does look at the form you fill out on housing preference, so take it seriously. You may not get your first choice, but she and the rest of the Residence Life staff will do their best to make your transition to college a comfortable one, and that includes placing you in a dorm that will suit you. Please feel free to check out the Residence Life website to learn more.

Elizabethtown

The town of Elizabethtown is located in northwestern Lancaster County, which is in South Central Pennsylvania. This region also is referred to as the Susquehanna Valley or Amish Country. About 20,000 people call Elizabethtown home. The town may be in a very rural setting, but it is fairly close to other major cities and towns. The closet big city is Baltimore at an hour and a half drive and Philadelphia is about a 2 hour drive. More local cities include, Harrisburg and York to the West of E-town and Lancaster to the East all which are about 20 miles away. Another town of interest is Hershey which is only about 10 miles from E-town.
Elizabethtown is home to a M&M, Mars Factory,(when the wind the blowing the right way it actually smells like chocolate) and one of the largest Masonic Homes in the country. E-town also has a K-mart, Giant, and Weis grocery stores within 2 minutes of the campus. Market Street is the main street in the town and it features many small specialty stores and the public library. If you would like to learn more about Elizabethtown visit the town's website at http://www.etownonline.net/.

Introduction

Elizabethtown College is a small private college in Elizabethtown, PA. We are a comprehensive college with about 1900 students. This blog is being created as a project for my ED 262 class. Each of the students will take turns writing about various aspects of the college. They will try to give you a feel for both the academic and social life at Etown College.