My Student Staff Lost Their Graduations

Item

Title (Dublin Core)

Description (Dublin Core)

I manage a staff of Math and Science student tutors for one of the Arizona State University campuses. In early 2020, five of my staff were seniors who started to get excited about their upcoming May graduations. As COVID-19 started spreading, they began to worry that their commencements would not take place. Sadly, they were correct. It was heartbreaking watching them try to accept that their last four to five years of study would not culminate into the graduations they were so looking forward to experiencing.

I tried to comfort them by reminding them that all of their hard work these last several years was about to pay off in a future that would provide them many opportunities to succeed. It did not comfort them. Next, I tried to put into words that although their disappointment was valid, their ultimate goal was not walking across a stage but instead to realize their dreams of becoming scientists, mathematicians, medical doctors, etc. It did not help.

In the end, it was what it was. There was nothing I could say to make them feel better. In retrospect, what could possibly have been said to comfort these students who may very well have been the first group since the Spanish Flu pandemic that would not experience a traditional university graduation? This was not a time for words. It was just a time to be there if they needed someone to listen and vent to without judgement.

True to form, these five did apply to medical and graduate schools, and forensic science positions. I know great things are in store for them. Hopefully, if this pandemic has taught them anything, it is perseverance in the face of adversity. To not give up and keep moving forward.

Date (Dublin Core)

January 24, 2021

Creator (Dublin Core)

Robin Keagle

Contributor (Dublin Core)

R. Keagle

Event Identifier (Dublin Core)

HST580

Partner (Dublin Core)

Arizona State University

Type (Dublin Core)

Text Story

Controlled Vocabulary (Dublin Core)

English Education--Universities

English Emotion

English Health & Wellness

Curator's Tags (Omeka Classic)

graduation

Arizona

Arizona State University

commencement

cancellation

disappointment

perseverance

Class of 2020

Contributor's Tags (a true folksonomy) (Friend of a Friend)

lostgraduations

university

diploma

milestone

classof2020

Collection (Dublin Core)

Lost Graduations

Linked Data (Dublin Core)

HST 580 Professional Experience/Archives course

Date Submitted (Dublin Core)

01/24/2021

Date Modified (Dublin Core)

02/26/2021

08/02/2022

09/17/2024

Date Created (Dublin Core)

01/24/2021

Item sets

Covid 19

Arizona State University

This item was submitted on January 24, 2021 by R. Keagle using the form “Share Your Story” on the site “A Journal of the Plague Year”: https://www.covid-19archive.org/s/archive

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