Mount Saint Mary College hosted the first classes of the Fall 2020 semester on Monday, August 24, having welcomed hundreds of students to their residence halls over the weekend.
Just like any other year, several hundred freshmen began their college careers. And just like any other year, the mood on campus was upbeat: students were happy to be back at the Mount.
But it wasn’t just any other year. With students donning face coverings and adhering to social distancing, the first day of classes for the Fall 2020 semester was a milestone for the college. It marked the first time that students had returned to take classes on campus since March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, and students made the transition to online learning for the remainder of the semester.
It was a long journey from those first days of online instruction to living, working, and learning on campus again. But it was also through these hardships that the Mount Saint Mary College community grew, adapted, and became stronger.
Students, faculty, and staff have stepped up to the challenge of keeping each other safe by wearing face coverings and social distancing, while also continuing to enjoy one another’s company. From left: Cyan Scott ’21, Psychology; Meaghan Foster, Nursing ’21; Cullen Roper ’23, Business; and Gianna Roma ’24, Social Sciences and Psychology
Life goes on(line)
With COVID-19 cases increasing all over New York State, the Mount’s transition to online courses in March 2020 needed to be quick. In a matter of days, professors had restructured their courses from the ground up. It often was not an easy process, but the college community banded together to help each other whenever they could.
While professors were getting the hang of online learning, so too were their students. Business major Leonard “LJ” Barone credited Jeffrey Kahana, associate professor of History, with helping him to get used to life in the virtual classroom.
“It was a difficult transition for sure,” said Barone, “but Professor Kahana has really been helpful. He sends positive emails to encourage us to do our best.”
Mount Saint Mary College teacher candidates faced a different issue: How would they continue student teaching in area K-12 classrooms? The answer was simple: They too embraced the virtual classroom.
Alec Durkin, a senior History major on the Adolescent Education track, had only begun the rigorous student teaching process a few weeks before the pandemic shut down New York State, forcing him to adapt to an online environment mid-semester. The change, however, has helped him to build new teaching skills he might not have otherwise.
“This experience has taught me how important it is to be proficient in using online learning materials,” Durkin explained. “Remember, the students come first, and it is our job to do whatever we can to give them the proper education they need, no matter what grade they are in.”
He added, “Just take everything day by day and keep working.”
