News
President Porterfield Welcomes Students to the Spring 2021 Semester
Congratulations on remaining committed to your education, and for working together with us to successfully keep going during the pandemic! As we start our spring 2021 semester, I’m incredibly grateful we are able to gather and learn on site and in person – that is something we no longer take for granted! I am also thankful for our faculty who have worked so hard to ensure that we can offer the options of face to face, online or hybrid models of learning. It is exciting to have these options!
Thank you for your flexibility as we adjusted our academic calendar to accommodate the necessity for an extended break. By starting in February, we hope we will be past the beginning of the New Year surge. As we continue in-person classes, we will need to wear face coverings, follow physical distancing guidelines, complete our daily check-ins and stay home when we feel sick.
One way of caring for each other is ensuring everyone is tested before returning to campus. Requiring a negative test result is critical to a strong start to the semester and your commitment to safety is essential. I am confident that we can repeat the success we had last fall!
We all are feeling the fatigue in keeping these practices, but I think you will agree that one of the best aspects of a Roberts education is the community life we share. Stay tuned for information from the Office of Student Life about intramurals, VAC access, Student Association and Residence Life sponsored activities.
For those studying fully online, you can look forward to high-quality interactions with your classmates and professors. I encourage you to join online activities and meetings. I hope you are recharged and ready to tackle this semester’s projects, work through content at your own pace and share your stories with each other along the way. There are great opportunities ahead!
We started our 2020-21 academic year with the theme God is Here. That has been a daily reminder and encouragement for me. My prayer as we begin the second half of the year is that you too will sense God’s continued presence and strength as you move through the semester.
Thank you again for your commitment to help keep our campus community safe and healthy. I look forward to seeing you soon!
With Prayer and Optimism,
President Deana L. Porterfield
PS. With on-campus classes starting this week, please remember: Do not attend class in person if you feel even the slightest bit sick. (Follow the guidelines posted on our website). It’s just not worth the risk.