A Second Chance at Higher Education
Growing up in a low socioeconomic area in Phoenix, Arizona, surrounded by gangs, violence, and drugs, I never thought that college was a place for me. Instead, as a teen, I envisioned myself selling drugs, robbing people, and spending most of my days in prison. So when I was 20 years old and was sentenced…
Read MoreBuilding a Packet for Success
Back to school shopping should be an exciting time for many children and parents. Yet, for families that have to decide between a pack of binders or a pack of diapers for the week, it can be an extremely stressful time. COVID-19 has changed the landscape of what back to school shopping looks like. Forget…
Read MoreStudent Story: Illise Ellsworth, University of Utah
Illise Ellsworth was transitioning from Salt Lake Community College to the University of Utah when the pandemic began. While finishing her last semester at Salt Lake Community College, her courses moved online.
Read MoreLack of Broadband Access is a Barrier to Our Pandemic Recovery
In Alabama, COVID-19 has our state colored red for a reason other than its political party representation. Our state is considered a ‘hot spot’ due to the rapid rise in COVID-19 cases and deaths. As our nation’s education system grapples with safe ways to re-open in the midst of an unprecedented pandemic, communities where inequities…
Read MoreNicole Agu – CUNY-College of Staten Island
My name is Nicole Agu and I am an international student from Nigeria enrolled at the College of Staten Island in the City University of New York. I am currently a senior studying accounting and international business and minoring in finance and business data analytics. My journey as an international student has been very challenging…
Read MoreAngel Bautista – Colorado Mesa University
When I first enrolled at Colorado Mesa University, I hoped my time in college would help me learn critical thinking skills, find and clarify my purpose, and meet my closest friends. For the past three years, college has lived up to these expectations, helping me grow as a person and as a leader. I have…
Read MoreGetzamany Correa – Bard College & LEDA Policy Corps Member
I remember learning about Harvard’s decision to close and evict all of its students due to the growing concern of COVID-19. I knew it was only a matter of time before Bard would have to close and implement social distancing measures similar to those happening at universities across the country. I began planning how I…
Read MoreRachel Lautigar – University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Many people are often suspicious of Friday the 13. I was never one of those people, but perhaps a level of suspicion could have helped me prepare for Friday, March 13—the day my home, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, announced its closure and transition to remote learning as a result of the outbreak of…
Read MoreBenjamin Forrest – Frostburg State University
There is absolutely no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed higher education in a way that is almost completely unprecedented. Age-old processes, procedures, and traditions have gone out the window in a number of weeks, and both students and faculty have been thrust into an online learning modality that very few are trained in…
Read MoreCollin Kane – Cornell University
On March 6, Cornell students learned that the local Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit system, known affectionately as the TCAT, would be undertaking preventative measures to guard against the novel coronavirus which could disrupt routes around the Ithaca campus. Just the day prior, they had been informed of new travel restrictions and students studying abroad were…
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