A CHANGE OF SEASONS FOR
THURSTON COUNTY
Higher Ed
As summer winds to a close most of us turn our minds to the classroom. Supply lists pop up in every store and back-to-school specials abound. But Autumn 2020 is …let’s just say… unique. With classes starting soon, our regional colleges and universities are working hard to develop a safe, healthy way to welcome students back.
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recent statement from the Washington Student Achievement Council on behalf of Washington Colleges and Universities acknowledges times are tough. “Everyone—students, families, communities, and institutions— is experiencing the extraordinary circumstances around the COVID-19 pandemic together. We recognize the hard work of making college a reality; we mourn with you what may be missed—ceremonies, recognitions, research, study abroad—and we understand the uncertainty that still lies ahead. We also strongly believe that living through this crisis will strengthen the resiliency of Washington students for years to come.” Locally, the Evergreen State College, South Puget Sound Community College
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(SPSCC) and Saint Martin’s University (SMU) spent the last few months hard at work to meet the needs of students, faculty and families during the crisis. “Evergreen officially moved to all-remote in March of 2020 after in-person instruction was halted in Washington State,” explains Christine Hoffmann, Manager of Public Relations and Outreach at Evergreen. “Faculty and staff utilized the weeks between Winter Quarter and Spring Quarter to pivot to a new way of teaching and learning. Training sessions were provided to help faculty and students adapt to the new remote environment.” With start dates just around the corner, staff remain diligent. “Our faculty and staff have been working hard over the summer to design remote programs and courses for Fall Quarter with
Thurston County Chamber VOICE
by Kathryn Milhorn
activities that build a peer-community and translate our high-impact model into effective online teaching and learning,” says Hoffmann. “Most of Evergreen’s classes will be offered remotely and in-person learning will be limited. In-person activities that do take place will do so with appropriate health and safety measures, including physical distancing. In addition to efforts to adapt teaching and learning, extensive planning is happening to help students and employees stay safe. This includes careful consideration of how we might return to campus when it’s safe to do so.” SPSCC faculty and staff also worked hard to adapt and evolve. “We were able to make a fairly rapid transition to online learning,” admits President Timothy Stokes.
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