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Nazareth College committed to on-campus college experience in fall 2020

Published May 18, 2020

Nazareth College is focused on the future and has multiple teams planning for an on-campus college experience for the fall semester. With the prioritization of safety and student success at the forefront, the College expects to offer in-person classes in the fall. Protocols will be in place to protect the health and safety of students, employees, and the larger community due to the coronavirus pandemic.

President Daan Braveman says historic moments are not defined by the crisis, but by how you respond to it. "We would like our parents and students, along with our faculty and staff, to feel confidence in all the protocols put in place to feel safe and secure on campus, and that is our mission. We are working harder than ever."

Nazareth is committed to proactive and consistent communication with its returning and incoming students and parents and with employees. As specifics about campus life are available, such as COVID-19 screening, classroom instruction, student housing, and dining hall safety plans, the College will continue to update the Nazareth family over the summer. Some changes already in process include ordering touchless faucets and personal protective equipment, reducing density in classrooms, and evaluating apps to help screen and trace contact.

"One of the bright spots in all of this is I continue to see Nazareth at its very best," said President Braveman. "We came together as a community from the start of the COVID-19 crisis, and we continue to do the important and challenging work to make the on-campus experience a reality this fall. As a faculty member recently put it: Our commitment to our students' learning and their well-being as a whole is unshakeable."

Incoming President Paul, who begins at Nazareth on July 1, says she's energized by the soul of Nazareth and the great ingenuity of the College community as people have come together to solve the complex challenges of our times.

"I have shifted from thinking about 'reopening' or 'going back' to thinking about how we will 'emerge.' We are full speed ahead with the mission and learning experience of Nazareth College, and we will make it work whatever way we have to make it work," said Paul. "So much has changed and must change so that we can again live, learn, and work in community, and Nazareth has the strengths and creativity needed to move beyond this. I am energized by the possibilities and how we will evolve."

"Our students are asking to come back," said Vice President for Enrollment and Student Experience Meaghan Arena. "An advantage of a small institution like Nazareth is our ability to get our arms around our students in a way that is much more difficult at a large institution. We have academic success coaches, we have career coaches, we have a very engaged faculty committed to reach out on an individual basis to students. The return of an in-person residential education is very important to Nazareth, and we are in the unique position to make that happen."

Nazareth continues to come up with creative ways to support and prepare its students during this time of change. Among them:

  • The Center for Life's Work (CFLW) is offering current students virtual project-based experiences to fulfill the experiential learning core curriculum requirement and gain resume-worthy skills.
  • Incoming first-year students will have the option to take one of two 3-credit classes this summer at no cost — getting a jump-start on a core curriculum or elective requirement and another opportunity to start building community.
  • CFLW and Alumni Relations launched FlyerConnect to help students succeed through networking with Nazareth's strong community of alumni, faculty, and staff.
  • The Health and Counseling team is offering online workshops such as an Anxiety Toolbox series to help students build coping skills.

Nazareth's plans to transition to on-campus operations are guided by the expertise of health and safety agencies and are subject to the mandates of the state and federal government.

President Braveman, working with incoming President Beth Paul, assembled a task force and planning committees to identify and address key campus and community needs associated with the return of students and employees and to develop and implement a comprehensive plan that ensures the College can deliver the educational experience and support that students expect and that aligns with the College's values. Likewise, Nazareth residential life and campus activities teams are putting plans into action, preparing for this fall.

For More Information

Julie Long | Chief PR Officer, | (585) 781-8186 | jlong2@naz.edu

Nazareth University is an inclusive community of inspired learners, educators, and changemakers who for nearly 100 years have been driven by a bold commitment to action, empathy, equity, and leading innovation for the common good. Impact experiences are at the heart of a Nazareth education, preparing each student to discover within themselves the potential to cultivate positive change in their life's work, in any career field, and in a world that is constantly evolving and infinitely interconnected.

Our broad academic offerings present a range of study options typical of larger universities, yet achieved in our supportive campus culture. Nearly 2,100 undergrad and 600 graduate students enroll in degree and certificate programs and engage in collaborative, transformative learning experiences, preparing for the professions and society of today and tomorrow. In a learning community that purposefully integrates liberal arts and professional programs, Nazareth University graduates are able to launch a lifetime of impactful leadership in communities and workplaces near and far.