students lacked the internet and broadband access needed to receive the virtual assignments by professors. Eventually, after a few trials, the process became smoother and faster. “We really did not have the full capacity of online apparatus to do that with, but we were able to do it and able to manage it,” he said. “It was a dramatic experience.”
Finding support
The pandemic struck the heart of the Hornets’ community like a “wrecking ball,” affecting their fundraising and recruitment process. The pandemic limited college scouters’ interactions with local high school seniors, causing a decline in school engagement. This led to their fall 2020 enrollment decreasing by 20%, according to Staggers. There were some challenges in raising money for the college as well. Fundraisers, such as the annual Fall Harvest Rally held in November, usually bring in crowds of people inside the Garrick-Boykin Human Development Center. The rally also has a parade that draws hundreds and starts on Harvin Street and ends at the gates of Morris College. These events generally raise about $850,000 for the college. They improvised during their financial troubles by receiving grants and donations from the Sumter community and supporters. Because it is a historically Black college, many African-American Baptist churches and organizations donated to support college funding. They donated through letter campaigns and virtual sessions even though some of the same churches were also struggling financially during the pandemic. “The giving was down because churches were also having challenges,” Staggers said. “It did not come to the level that we normally get to.” He was appreciative of the CARES Act, from which the college received more than $740,000 from the federal government. They were able to use this money to give to 92 students who desperately needed the funds for food, housing, health care, course materials and childcare purposes. “Much of the business community stepped up and gave and continue to give to Morris College to help us survive the pandemic,” he said.
The road ahead
The new year marked nearly a year of the pandemic, and with so much time passed, the campus will have higher expectations of safety measures to limit the coronavirus. After all-virtual learning for most of 2020, Morris College planned to have its students return to campus for in-person instruction at the end of this January. The decision came after the school looked to other schools and health experts for guidance in reopening with new safety measures, including limited class sizes, mandatory mask wearing and proper sanitation. They will also enforce single occupancy in dorms, limiting capacity by half. The campus will also set up areas for students should they have to quarantine. Before students return, they’ll have to test negative for the virus, according to Andrew Little, the interim director of enrollment and management records. Little said more than half of students are looking forward to returning and seeing their peers and professors again. Staggers also received a large outpouring of student voices waiting for the campus to reopen so that they can grasp a sense of “normal” in this new year. He realizes they are anxious to return and is doing everything in his power to make them safe as they continue to find their footing in the coming months. He said he was optimistic that they could “make it work for the spring.” However, he is cautioning all his students to be on guard before they return as the pandemic continues to resurge while the general public awaits widespread access to vaccines that will reshape our communities. Morris College is looking at a bright future in an unpredictable new year.
Photos by Kareem Wilson T HE I TE M.C O M/L I FE I SGO O D |
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