Update on Community-Engagement Efforts, March 31, 2020

Dear students, staff and faculty,

During this time of coronavirus, we find ourselves scattered far and wide. Most of us are working, teaching and learning remotely. In spite of physical distancing, we can maintain social connection, which is crucial for overall well-being. Although we face uncertainty, we can stay connected as a community.

President McCartney asked me to help coordinate the many community-engagement efforts already underway and those yet to be planned. You will find many of the usual offerings in this and future issues of eDigest—for instance, workshops, concerts and other gatherings will continue, albeit virtually.

We have added two new categories—“Health and Wellness” and “Clickable Joy”—where we’ll share curated articles about topics like self-care and links to joyful videos and other online media. If you have suggestions, please email oei@smith.edu.

While there is nothing “normal” about the conditions we’re experiencing now, one thing remains unchanged: our care for one another. We will lean into familiar ways and develop new approaches for expressing this care. Call and write one another, don’t read too much news, take advantage of the many Smith resources available remotely, and wash your hands.

Warmly,

Floyd Cheung
Vice President for Equity and Inclusion