Back to Campus Fall 2021
After a year and half of virtual lectures, SCU sprung back to life with in-person learning in Fall of 2021. Returning to campus came with anxieties, excitements, and new experiences. Small moments like walking across campus with a friend rebuilt and strengthened the sense of community. The brand new Sobrato Campus for Discovery and Innovation welcomed everyone with its beautiful courtyard and string lights that resembles the ambience of Santana Row. Club sports and campus involvements enriched student life. Games brought families and friends together outside of the classroom. Being able to support each other and collaborate in-person enhanced student learning.
To protect and inform students, SCU implemented weekly roundup reports, COVID-19 Dashboard updates, and various other resources including academics, campus life, and health and safety guides. The university generated vaccination reporting for nearly 10,000 community members: 99% undergraduate students verified vaccinated, 99% graduate students verified vaccinated, and 98% faculty and staff members verified vaccinated. Weekly on-campus testing shows a 0.1% positivity rate. The protocols the university has taken have given students a sense of security—from the university’s diligent compliance with country regulations such as masks indoor to smaller things such as the supply of hand sanitizers and the convenience of the COVID-19 test distribution site in Benson.
Many current sophomore and junior business students were first introduced to accounting courses through online lectures. Professors utilized channels such as projects, breakout rooms, discussion boards, virtual office hours to cultivate an interactive learning environment. The career center, CARE, and the Accounting Association continued to prepare students for their future endeavors through virtual career fairs and events with resources such as virtual interview tips and resume workshops readily available.
Just one week after returning to campus in September, the Accounting Association hosted the annual Meet the Firms Night. Originally held in Locatelli, the event was moved to the Mission Gardens to improve air flow. Both recruiters and students enjoyed the outdoor set up. In the open space and gentle afternoon breeze, students chatted with recruiters. The in-person event provided greater interpersonal connectedness. Students walked away with better understanding of firm cultures, valuable contacts, and enhanced networking skills. In November, CARE hosted its fifth annual Corporate Career Panel Discussion virtually. Panelists shared their extensive insights and experiences with over 200 Leavey students. CARE also provided students with accounting tutoring both virtually and in-person every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday night. The combination of virtual and in-person resources was carefully curated through the collaboration of students and faculty with the goal of maximizing the accessibility of these resources for students with different needs.
The transition back to campus has its challenges. Social batteries depleted faster. Lecture times and busy schedules made efficient time management critical. The pressure to procure productive summer plans seemed to have descended upon students suddenly. Graduation no longer seems far off. The impending deadlines pushed students closer to each other and to cherish the moments they have on this idyllic campus.
(Written by Isabelle He, SCUAA Officer, Class of 2023)