By Lindsey Luker
Published on October 24, 2007
Fridays at PJC are not as quiet as the typical, Monday-Thursday student would expect. After visiting the Pensacola campus on a Friday, one soon realizes that many students come here on Friday to either attend class or catch up on assignments.
Who exactly attends class on Friday at PJC? Many are working individuals who cannot attend class any other time during the week. Friday classes usually run as long as a night class (three to four hours).
One student, Sara Morrison, comes to PJC on Fridays for an African-American Literature class. Morrison said she likes having class on Friday.
“It’s nice because it’s a lot less busy,” she said.
“I don’t have to fight for a parking spot.”
Some of the classes offered on Friday are classes that meet three times per week instead of two.
Dr. Ron Atchison, instructor in the history, languages and philosophy department, teaches a Latin class that meets Monday, Wednesday and has an extra-long session on Friday. Atchison said the three-day-per-week exposure is more beneficial to his students.
Dr. Kenith Exum, geology professor, allows his students to come into the lab on Fridays to study minerals for an upcoming test.
One of Exum’s students, Silvia Mokbel, takes advantage of not having any classes on Friday.
“I come [to PJC] to study and catch up because it’s so nice and quiet,” she said.
At the Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts, many students come in on Fridays to work on their art portfolios.
“With 347 art majors this semester, the building stays packed, so Friday is really the only time [for students] to come in outside of class,” said District Academic Department Head for Visual Arts, Krist Lien.
“Our classes are primarily on a Monday/Wednesday, Tuesday/Thursday schedule. Friday is mostly open with the exception of Portfolio class.”
Unlike many of the labs and classrooms, academic advising and financial aid, are not quite so busy on Friday-at least during this time of year.
“October is a slow month because most students are settled into their schedules,” Academic Advisor Carrie Sizemore said.
Academic advising, financial aid and student support services hours are shortened on Fridays, closing at 4 p.m. instead of 6 p.m. However, at the testing and assessment department at student support services, it’s business as usual until 4 p.m. All testing is conducted on Fridays, including placement tests, distance learning and G.E.D.
The student support services’ Trio lab also stays busy on Friday. The Trio lab exclusively tutors students who are registered with student support services.
Tutor Stephen Dudley teaches from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays. Currently, Stephen is helping Vietnamese student, Than Pham, to better learn English.
“I like to study with [Stephen]; he has good character and excellent personality,” Pham said.
Around 4 p.m. on Friday afternoon, the campus starts to wind down and the hard-working, Friday-goers of PJC finally take a break from their academics–just in time for the weekend.