Here at Albertus Magnus College, we have dedicated faculty and staff who are here to work with you to achieve your goals and see you soar. During these difficult times, the transition to virtual meetings and online learning has shaken up the daily routines of the Albertus community. Hear from some faculty and staff on their transition to work-from-home and what it means to them.
The News Has Changed But Our Message Has Not
By Sarah Barr, Media Relations Specialist
Who knew that March 12 would be my last day on campus for a while. On that day, I swam 40 laps at the pool – well ahead of my goal of 66 laps (one mile) by the end of the year. I went to my scheduled meetings and worked on important upcoming communications. On Fridays, I work from home, so at the end of the day, I made sure I had everything – documents, folders, etc. — with me that I would need.
Good thing it was a Thursday.
With all the rapid changes in our world and daily lives because of Coronavirus (COVID-19), my work at home days are now every day – all part of Governor Lamont’s “Stay Safe, Stay Home” executive order. I can’t swim, so my end-of-the-year timeline for my swimming goals is still intact but the progress is on hold. Meetings are virtual or via email – which is fine for now because I like to take action quickly but I do miss face-to-face interaction and conversations over coffee. Yes, we do share screen time in our meetings but it just isn’t the same. Yet again, too much screen time could prove to be a little scary. You see, we’re not supposed to be touching our faces so I stopped wearing make-up!
But when it comes to a work routine, it is important to stay on schedule and to stay on point. I’m up early and I don’t work in my pajamas. Just part of my multi-tasking job is disseminating information – that has altered a bit because the news has changed and we don’t have our long list of special events to promote. I repeat the news has changed – but not our message. “We Have Faith in Your Future” rings louder and truer than ever – and I’m holding on tight to that.
When the pool re-opens, I’ll race you. I have faith.
Servant Professors
By James Scott, Assistant Professor for Sociology and Criminal Justice
Embracing a student centered approach to education is a hallmark of my teaching philosophy. Because of the unprecedented impact of COVID-19, our students need “servant professors”. Although I’m able to facilitate learning from the comfort of my living room, many students don’t have that luxury. Some students have inherited child-rearing duties and new financial responsibilities.
As we grapple with the emerging educational changes, I draw strength and resolve from two military slogans.
Those catchphrases are “improvise, adapt, and overcome” (United States Marines, n.d.) and “mission first, people always.” (The Ohio State University, 2015).
Through our collective efforts and continued flexibility, we will soar through these turbulent times like Fearless Falcons.
The Fearless Falcon Spirit
By Samantha Masayda, Sports Information Director
Nothing says spooky quite like Friday the 13th – that quirky day when all our superstitions and phobias come out. This past Friday the 13th (March 13) was unlucky and more eerie than usual for me because this was the day when my job as a Sports Information Director, and the jobs of many of my colleagues, changed. With the recent epidemic of COVID-19 gripping the United States and the rest of the world, I found myself looking for answers, like everyone else, with no one to turn to, as this is situation is unprecedented.
This left me thinking about the student-athletes, coaches and staff that are being thrust into a life and circumstance that they never dreamed of. With the canceling of the spring season and the players having no opportunity to play a sport which they love, we, the Sports Information staff, find ourselves in a position where helping the student-athletes through these times is ever so important.
The abrupt ending to the spring season threw everyone, especially me, through a loop. I went from setting up & breaking down sporting events, writing game previews & recaps, writing weekly player stories and creating over 50 graphics a week, to working in isolation in my home office. Although my duties have shifted away from game coverage, my job as Sports Information Director still continues on, but now with more of a creative and inventive approach.
Coming up with creative ideas to replace two months of steady, in-season content, helped me think more outside of the box. Here at Albertus, we’re all about telling our “Albertus Story” and a Senior Spotlight gives us the opportunity to showcase the student-athletes journey.
In the face of despair, gratitude has the power to bring hope and as a Sports Information Director, that is what I want for our viewers during this difficult time. As my staff and I began to roll out our Senior Spotlights from our home offices, we began to feel a sense of gratitude and love through the comments, emails, posts, likes and tweets. With all this love and gratitude came motivation, pride and hope which makes each day working from home better and better.
Although there is still much uncertainty on what may come next, that has not stopped the positive #FearlessFalcon Spirit!