We are halfway to Thanksgiving

Posted: September 25, 2020

We are halfway to Thanksgiving. Midterms are over for most of you and we all have settled in for the duration.

The recent uptick in cases and quarantines is beginning to subside. We recorded five new cases this week, but four of those were individuals who were already in quarantine and we did not add many “close contacts” – a sign that the post-Labor Day increase is running its course. We expect several to exit isolation this weekend and many of the “close contacts” to leave quarantine early next week.

For them and us, it’s time to focus on what’s left of the semester and to look ahead to the long break afterward.

We need to keep wearing our masks, washing our hands and watching our distance. But we can also safely enjoy the Recreation and Wellness Center, join the APB programs, and – where possible – practice with our teams.

Life goes on, after all – even in a pandemic. Our presence on campus is proof of that. Day by day and week by week, we are winning the semester. Thank you.

Even as we continue to adjust to COVID-19, we must address other issues facing our Gannon community – most importantly racial injustice.

There is so much to be done on this front. We have been meeting with students and others across campus, and we will be announcing a new task force and student advisory group as early as next week. We hear you and we are listening.

Then there is the presidential election. It, too, is adding a form of stress to our everyday.

In short, these are challenging times.

Please remember that you are not alone and that you do not have to go it alone. Gannon has counseling services available – and we just added staff in this area – and your advisor can also offer an ear or ideas about how to navigate these turbulent waters. If you’re an international student, we have a global support team who can help.

You are not alone, and you can do this.

We can do this.

We are doing this.

We are halfway to Thanksgiving already.

Enjoy your weekend,

Dr. Walter Iwanenko, Ph.D.
Provost and Vice President for Student Experience