By Jake Crouse, Sarah Cape ’26, Abigail Fuentes ’26 and Julie Rodrick ’24
Interim is an immersive, innovative component of a Wofford liberal arts education. During Interim, students find opportunities to deepen their perspectives, build skills, take initiative and push boundaries, collaborate across campus and engage with local and global communities. Interim encourages students to experiment, take academic risks and explore avenues of interest to them.
This year during Interim, we asked students and faculty to describe their Interim experiences in 50 words or less. The photos and reflections continue to show the transformational power of Interim, whether on campus, studying away, doing research or work, interning or engaged in community-based learning.
Chinese in Beijing
The fascination of Chinese people with Americans can sometimes feel unsettling, but it quickly turns into excitement and empathy, creating a sense of security. I cannot speak highly enough about the mutual learning that occurred between my roommate, classmates and even passersby that often derived from a place of discomfort.
— Joe Cahill ’26
Precision medicine internship with Spartanburg Regional Medical Center
During my internship in precision medicine, I rotated with members of the lab team in the oncology department. I was able to see how many people are involved in the care of an oncology patient and see the people I will hopefully work with in the future when I am a health psychologist.
— Kennedy Coggin ’25
Vikings in the conquest of Europe
Studying abroad in Copenhagen was a dream come true, from exploring Viking ships to Renaissance castles in one of the world’s happiest and most sustainable countries. Traveling around Scandinavia and taking a weekend trip to Stockholm made the experience even more unforgettable.
— Anna Marie Gulock ’25
Studying the stars
Scientists first discovered helium in the sun, before finding it on Earth, using the same techniques that Emily Schwendemann ’25 used for this Interim. It’s wonderful when students have a well-researched and clear idea of what they want to do for an independent project.
— Dr. Mackay Salley ’95, professor of physics
Environment, culture and film
Studying abroad in New Zealand was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We visited an active Māori village where they introduced us to their culture and shared parts of it with us. These people made us feel so welcome and worked hard to make us feel a part of their community.
— Kendall Hill ’25
Pulp Theatre
Pulp Theatre is an opportunity to take the reins of my theatrical education and approach a production head-on without a safety net of professors there to catch me. Putting on “A Streetcar Named Desire” was incredibly ambitious, but it taught me so much as a leader, artist and human.
— Mary-Michael O'Hara ’25
Learning to quilt
Most of us in the class had never even used a sewing machine before. Everyone was so creative, and it was so fun to walk around and see what everyone made. My favorite patch that I made is a strawberry.
— Amanda Goldbach Ehmer ’26
Egyptian hieroglyphics: a crash course
I had taken Dr. Jessica Tomkins' ancient Egyptian history class and wanted to better understand that part of history, so I was very grateful for this opportunity. I'm a history major, and I was fortunate to find out from this Interim that ancient history is the area that interests me the most.
— Rachel Dozier ’26
Evolution in action
It blew my mind. I would say to the students on the way there, “I don’t even know exactly what to expect.” You can watch documentaries, but those aren’t shot in the towns where you’re going to be staying.
— Dr. Lori Cruze, associate professor of biology
The chemistry of water
We learned about pollutants in water, the rigorous treatment that drinking water and wastewater go through and the social implications of clean drinking water access. One of my favorite activities was testing Fairforest Creek with the South Carolina Adopt-a-Stream protocol and learning the impacts that nonprofit organizations have on underserved communities.
— Lilly Delatte ’26
Frozen fjords
Tim Brown shared a saying that best embodied the Norwegian way of life: “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.” That was one of my biggest takeaways — no matter how cold, snowy, dark, rainy or dreary it was outside, earth’s beauty is too astounding to be missed.
— Mallory Cass ’25
Capitol Hill internship program
I had an amazing time in D.C. I interned at the law firm Nelson Mullins, Riley & Scarborough. Through the Capitol Hill Internship Program, we were able to see multiple think tanks, government agencies and policy groups that play a role in America in their individual way.
— Dalton Perry ’25
Knit one, purl two
We used the basics of knitting and purling to make dishcloths, scarfs, blankets and hats. We learned about knitting’s health benefits and historical significance. Most importantly, this class taught me to embrace my mistakes as an opportunity for growth.
— Haley Wood ’25
Craft brewing
This Interim allowed me to try new things, travel to nearby cities and gain a new skill. I took this Interim to gain an appreciation for beer, but I also gained an amazing understanding of the brewing process. Let’s just say I will never ungratefully drink a beer again.
— Sophie Galan ’25
Internship with Ruth’s Gleanings
Interning at Ruth's Gleanings during Interim was such a blessing! From meeting incredible people to organizing closets to helping on FoodShare days, I had an enriching experience. I learned about the significance of food waste issues as well as how organizations such as Ruth's Gleanings seek to fix the problem.
— Meredith Welfare ’28