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Class of 2020: ‘Zoom University’ alumni BY SARA PATTERSON News Editor
The Ouachita student body was expecting a message about Ouachita’s COVID plan on the afternoon of Thursday, March 12. Sitting together in the packed student center, students were still shocked to receive the news that they wouldn’t be returning to campus for two weeks at that point. Ouachita alumna Maisie Ray was prepared for the news because of warnings from her professors earlier that day. “In my 8:30 class that morning, I remember Dr. Duvall saying that us going home was a real possibility and that faculty and staff were supposed to meet about it later that morning,” Ray said. “Then in my 11:00 class that same day, Dr. Pate announced to the class that Ouachita was sending students home that weekend and we probably wouldn’t come back. I remember the whole class was completely silent and hot tears started rolling down my face and as I looked around the room I saw the same reaction from most of the seniors.” For Maggie Donnell, another recent graduate, the news was so unexpected that it felt abnormal. “I was in disbelief. It almost felt like a fever-dream, like this was all some big misunderstanding or something of the sort,” Donnell said. Some reacted to the news with humor, making light of the situation. One of those was senior Makayla Askins, who did not process her emotions until much later. “When they first sent us home, I was fully anticipating to come back to OBU after two weeks,” Askins said. “When I heard we weren’t returning at all for the semester, I was honestly just in shock. I pushed it off and joked about it for a while, but I started
to realize I was more upset about it than I initially thought.” As Ouachita’s senior class worked through the shock, sadness, regret and lack of direction that they now faced, these seniors sought different sources of encouragement and motivation. As quarantine continued, Ray learned to reach out to her community to cope with the abrupt change. “I was really bitter at the beginning of quarantine. I wanted those last six to seven weeks with my friends and professors. I felt entitled to them and I certainly felt entitled to be recognized for graduating college- especially since I did it in three years instead of four,” Ray said. “I was able to work through that by having regular FaceTimes, Houseparty times and Netflix party plans with my friends. Zoom classes did help keep some continuity although it obviously wasn’t the same. I was able to see a few friends during finals and start a summer job right after so that really helped me kind of move on from that.” Reminders of God’s goodness helped Donnell through quarantine. “One truth that I have clung to when working through the disappointment is that God so perfectly ordains and orchestrates our paths,” Donnell said. “His plan is greater and far exceeds anything we could ever hope or imagine. I have found great comfort in these things during this time.” For Askins, a sense of normalcy returned as she moved on to the next chapter of her life. “I felt like I never got the closure or the proper goodbye that I wanted with OBU as a whole,” Askins said. “Now that I’ve started the next level of my education it feels more normal! I’m currently working at Easterseals Arkansas while going to school to get my M.S. in
marriage and family therapy.” Ray, also pursuing a masters degree in marriage and family therapy, has taken some mementos from her time at Ouachita with her into this new season. “I just moved out to Abilene, Texas, to start grad school at ACU for marriage and family therapy. It is kind of weird to say that I never really graduated from college, but I do have my degree,” Ray said. “It’s sitting on my desk along with some other OBU things that make me smile. I’m missing it for sure but excited to see what the future holds.” Donnell opted against going directly to grad school due to COVID restrictions. “I had full intentions of attending law school this fall, but with the almost certain inevitability of online instruction, I decided to defer,” Donnell said. “I am now working as an evening shift supervisor at the Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter as well as interning at the Washington County Public Defender’s Office.” While she wishes she could have enjoyed her final two months at Ouachita, Donnell remembers her four years fondly. “It is definitely a strange feeling to continue on without closure at the place and with the people that mean so much to me, but I am so thankful for the time that I did have at Ouachita, even if it was cut short,” Donnell said. While they have been eagerly waiting for graduation to provide closure for their college career, the senior class now has to wait even longer than anticipated. The overdue graduation ceremony was originally set to take place this October, but unfortuately was recently canceld. Ouachita broke the news to the class of 2020 in an email last week. As of now, updated plans for the graduation ceremony have not been announced.
The graduation regalia hangs from the front of Cone-Bottoms. OBU hung the banners to honor the class of 2020 this spring. (photo courtesy of OBU News Bureau)
