Coronavirus

by Caitlin Lassiter Students’ willingness to wear a face mask in class and around campus is the key to keeping the fall 2020 semester in-person, Trevecca faculty said during a COVID-19 Town Hall meeting on Thursday.   “We are all in this together. We are all required to wear a mask and we are all required to participate in these practices that will keep us safe here on campus and in our city.” Dean of Student Development Jessica Dykes said.   Requiring the use of face masks is just one practice Trevecca staff has implemented in their efforts to keeping students safe this semester during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to social distancing, contact tracing, daily health screenings, reduced class sizes and a 7-7 week schedule that lowers the number of people in a building a...

Freshmen Hannah Kleppinger, Alanna Ziegler, Taegen Gann and Destiny Noella attend club rush during Trevecca's traditional welcome week, wearing their masks. Photo provided by Hannah Kleppinger. By Grace Beckner Making friends, building community, being independent, staying healthy, finding an identity: These are just some of the struggles current college freshmen are facing, all in the midst of a global pandemic. Hannah Kleppinger, a freshman pastoral ministries major, said she is feeling the weight of everything that has happened over the past year.  “Basically the entire normalness of my life is gone,” Kleppinger said. Sara Hopkins, director of counseling services, reported seeing trends in the mental health research surrounding incoming freshmen. According to Hopki...