COVID-19

Brand New Lessons

JFINKELSTEIN@bridgew.edu — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 17:38:37 +0000

Brand New Lessons JFINKELSTEIN@b… Tue, 11/16/2021 - 12:38

Three alumnae reflect on teaching during the pandemic, the challenges and triumphs

September 3, 2021

John Winters, G’11

Story Series

Bridgewater Magazine

When the COVID-19 pandemic emptied Lori Duhaime’s first-grade classroom at the Edmund Hatch Bennett Elementary School in Taunton, she felt like she’d entered a strange new world.

“Every minute of the day I was re-inventing the way I worked,” said the 1993 graduate and veteran teacher of 28 years. “It was overwhelming. But once we got into the swing of things, it worked out well.”

Educators at all levels were forced by the pandemic in March 2020 to abandon face-to-face teaching. Immediately, they had to deal with the logistics of changing the way they did things.

“At first we had no technology in place, so we were calling kids,” Ms. Duhaime said. “We wanted to check on the well-being of the families.”

Eventually, new technologies and educational platforms were put in place, Zoom and Skype calls became the norm for meetings and other purposes, and apps were used to stay in touch with students and parents. Some schools issued tablets, webcams and whiteboards to help students and teachers stay connected, and novel uses for older programs and websites like PowerPoint and YouTube were invented.

Sandi Telless, ’02, kindergarten teacher, Central Elementary School, East Bridgewater

Beyond the technical aspects of this brave new world were other challenges.

“Not being able to be there for the children was the toughest,” said Sandi Telless, ’02, a kindergarten teacher at Central Elementary School in East Bridgewater. “Not being able to hug your kids and having to put six feet between you and them. They’re like family. I get very vested in my kids, and for me to tell them we can’t get close to each other, that was really hard. Kids need that connection.”

Joanly Ayala, ’20, now teaches fifth grade in Ashland but had to perform her student teaching in Brockton remotely during the pandemic.

Distance teaching has its highs and lows, she said.

“It was nice logging in every day and seeing students who wanted to learn with me,” Ms. Ayala said. “It was difficult to try to figure out lessons and how to match them with the requirements of my student teaching. It was a difficult time, but I still loved doing it and never thought during all that time that I wanted to be anything other than a teacher.”

Educators also had to deal with shifting schedules and situations as the pandemic’s impact waxed and waned. Hybrid models mixed remote learning with face-to-face classes, and, at one point, students were allowed to come back full time, but some exercised their option to continue learning online.

“At times I had to live-teach to kids in the class and also had some learning from home,” said Ms. Duhaime. “Now you’re trying to keep everyone in class six feet apart and also watch what the kids on the computer were doing...”

Often at her school, Ms. Telless is put in charge of the fun stuff. “It’s important for young students to keep them engaged,” she said.

During the pandemic she dressed up as a chicken to illustrate a lesson on farming and the life cycle – which also included counting eggs as part of a math exercise. She spent time in the woods portraying a praying mantis, had the students engage in scavenger hunts in their own yards where they had to count off their steps (more math skills), joined her colleagues in making weekly videos for their students, and much more.

“We had 12 weeks of school left when we shut down that March, and we asked ourselves what we could cover and have a little fun,” Ms. Telless said.

It was hoped that the new vaccines would usher in a return to normalcy in schools by the start of this academic year. However, the Delta variant and the millions around the country who remained unvaccinated as of late summer meant the new ways of teaching had to remain in place for the immediate future. Masks are mandated, some districts require social distancing and proof of vaccination (mostly at the college level), and assigned seats in the cafeteria. Group learning is allowed in some communities.

Joanly Ayala, ’20 Fifth-grade teacher in Ashland

Confronted by the demands brought on by the pandemic, educators around the country have generally received high marks for their adaptability and professionalism. The rules and methods of teaching have varied and still do, but for the most part, America’s teachers have been applauded for finding a way to get the job done.

One other thing is clear, said Ms. Ayala, whose first day as a full-fledged teacher was August 31. “So far, it’s been heartwarming to see so many students back and together again,” she said. “Some of them haven’t been in the classroom since March 2020. I can tell they truly want to be there. They want to socialize and play, and we give them the opportunity to do so.”

For better or worse, today’s students are accustomed to the changes wrought by COVID-19 protocols. “Kids don’t know anything different,” Ms. Duhaime said. “This is their way of life now. It’s become normal for them, and they just go with the flow.”

Some school districts have used federal funding to establish programs to try to make up for some of what was lost by students due to the inherent limitations of remote learning. However, that may not be enough.

Ms. Telless is less sanguine about the longer-term impact on young people that the challenges of the pandemic have presented. “For me it was about getting them back into the routine once the school year started,” she said. “These students have been at home for a full year-plus, that’s where we are going to see the social and emotional impact.”

“Every minute of the day I was re-inventing the way I worked. ... At times I had to live-teach to kids in the class and also had some learning from home. Now you’re trying to keep everyone in class six feet apart and also watch what the kids on the computer were doing...”

Lori Duhaime, ’93

First-grade teacher, Edmund Hatch Bennett Elementary School, Taunton

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Alumni Profile

COVID-19

Healing Hands

JFINKELSTEIN@bridgew.edu — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 15:40:44 +0000

Healing Hands JFINKELSTEIN@b… Tue, 11/16/2021 - 10:40

How Dr. Christopher Frazer, his staff and volunteers rose to the COVID challenge

September 3, 2021

John Winters, G’11

Story Series

Bridgewater Magazine

Just before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down most of the country in March 2020, including in-person teaching at BSU, Dr. Christopher Frazer had just finished a professional development exercise involving contagious outbreaks.

However, even that couldn’t have prepared him for what was on the horizon.

“Like most people, I thought the virus sounded concerning, but frankly it didn’t sound as concerning as a measles outbreak on campus,” said the executive director of BSU’s Wellness Center.

It soon became apparent that COVID was something altogether different. Very quickly, Dr. Frazer and his staff, along with a group of volunteers that grew in number as the pandemic stretched from months into more than a year, ramped up what became a successful response to the health crisis.

“At first, we thought, how are we going to do this?” he said. Not only did the Wellness Center staff and BSU administrators have to find a way to keep students, employees, librarians and faculty safe, study tours were also in progress, and those students had to be safely brought home. While the campus transitioned almost immediately to remote learning, Dr. Frazer and his staff put together a plan.

The plan included training for his staff, an intense program of testing and contact-tracing, educating members of the BSU community about hygiene and the importance of wearing a face mask, recruiting and training volunteers, and, ultimately, the opening of a regional vaccination center on campus. Weekly meetings with the president and the cabinet were also instituted for the purposes of planning and to facilitate communication.

For Dr. Frazer and his staff of 11, along with volunteers from across campus, there were many long days. For instance, if in the early morning hours test results arrived showing that someone tested positive for the virus,
Dr. Frazer and his team had just a few hours to notify everyone who’d been in contact with that individual and get them to quarantine.

“It became kind of an around-the-clock operation,” he said. Dr. Frazer figured that Kelsey Gauthier, assistant director of events management, made up to 1,500 calls last year in an effort to notify students about test results and, at times, the need to quarantine.

The six-day work weeks and 12-plus-hour work days paid off. In the end, the campus experienced a positive test rate of less than 1 percent. Only one student ended up hospitalized, and that may have been for
a non-COVID reason.

“By and large, our students recovered very well and were able to convalesce in a manner that didn’t perpetuate the spread of the illness,” Dr. Frazer said. “We had a good system, but my mind keeps returning to the great people here who were willing to make this work.”

Those volunteers who went above and beyond, he added, were:

Testing: Greg DeMelo, G’11; Kathie Manning; Nick Burns, ’15; Kyle Bueno, ’18; Cathleen DeSimone; Eva Gaffney, G’01; and Jeanne O’Brien.

Tracing: Kelsey Gauthier, Jacklyn Walsh, Denise Diliddo and Shirelle Gurley.

Wellness: Cindy Calderon, Beth Archambault, Sara LaPlume and Lynn Grabau.

We had a good system, but my mind keeps returning to the great people here who were willing to make this work.

Dr. Christopher Frazer

Tags

COVID-19

Wellness Center

Covid Myth Busters

HHARRIS@bridgew.edu — Mon, 05 Apr 2021 18:27:24 +0000

Covid Myth Busters HHARRIS@bridgew.edu Mon, 04/05/2021 - 14:27

The pandemic’s end may be in sight, but safety protocols remain necessary

April 6, 2021

Heather Harris Michonski

Now that more vaccines are being administered, it feels like the pandemic’s finish line is near, however, experts say we aren’t out of the woods just yet.

“I keep comparing it to traffic accidents,” said 51�Թ�� Wellness Center Executive Director Christopher Frazer. “Most happen within two miles of the home because you are less likely to be focused,” he said. “You’re on cruise control. But that’s when bad things happen.”

With things opening back up and people relaxing because of the vaccine rollout, a nation-wide resurgence in COVID-19 cases is occurring.

“We are not going to reach vaccination saturation for a while. The majority of people, including most of our campus population, aren’t being vaccinated fully and receiving the effective range of the dose until the end of May, beginning of June,” Frazer said. “And that’s best-case scenario.”

Which is why it’s important the BSU community stays on track and continues following the appropriate guidelines, he said.

To clear up some misconceptions surrounding COVID-19, Frazer offers the following:

“I don’t need to quarantine if I’m asymptomatic”

Even if you present no obvious symptoms, if you’ve been directly exposed to someone who has tested positive, you still need to quarantine.

“The incubation period is really misunderstood,” Frazer said. COVID-19 has a 14-day incubation period, he explained.

For example, student may be tested five days post exposure and receive a negative result. Thinking they don’t have COVID-19, they go about life as normal. Eight days post exposure, that student still feels fine and attends class, unknowingly exposing others. On day 10 post exposure, the student becomes symptomatic and gets re-tested. This time the results are positive.

“We really want people to understand that if you are someone that tests positive today, tracing goes back 48 hours. If anyone was around you during that time, it’s possible they will have to quarantine and may develop COVID-19,” Frazer said.

“if I share who I’ve been in contact with they will be angry at me.”

Sometimes students who test positive are hesitant to share the names of those they have been in contact with the previous 48 hours. They may fear their peers will become upset, as they too will have to quarantine.

“No one wants to get COVID-19, no one wants to give someone COVID-19. People shouldn’t feel a stigma or flog the person who tests positive. You should not feel shame,” Frazer said.

“I’m fine if I wear a mask and am in contact with someone who is positive.”

Wearing a mask helps prevent the spread of the virus but does not provide 100-percent protection if exposed to a friend who tests positive.

“Masks are still important but won’t prevent you from the need to quarantine if you’ve been within six feet of someone who tests positive,” Frazer said. “For example, if you’ve gotten a car ride from someone (who tests positive) you’re considered a close contact.”

“I just got tested, so I can go about my business before I get my results.”

Once you get tested you shouldn’t go to work, class, or resume normal activities until the results come back.

“Tests don’t mean much without results,” Frazer said.

“I’m not that sick, it’s just allergies, I don’t need to get tested.”

If you are feeling sick, stay away from others and get tested as soon as possible. Don’t assume it’s only allergies or a cold, don’t try to justify it and continue on with your normal activities.

“Don’t risk it, don’t take that chance,” Frazer said. “If you are part of our campus community, you have access to testing. It’s free, easy and quick. Be sensible, don’t postpone it. If you’re feeling sick, get tested.”

Visit bridgew.edu/covid19 to learn more about the BSU COVID-19 testing process and contact tracing protocols.

Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu

No one wants to get COVID-19, no one wants to give someone COVID-19. People shouldn’t feel a stigma or flog the person who tests positive. You should not feel shame.

Chris Frazer, BSU Wellness Center executive director

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COVID-19

Wellness Center

Photo by Carl Hollant

Taking Action

JFINKELSTEIN@bridgew.edu — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 21:14:19 +0000

Taking Action JFINKELSTEIN@b… Thu, 12/03/2020 - 16:14

Education professor’s work addresses both the pandemic and racial issues

October 1, 2020

John Winters, G’11

Story Series

Bridgewater Magazine

Dr. Melissa Winchell has been busy as of late. In addition to the pandemic-related research she and her colleagues have conducted, the professor in the Department of Secondary Education and Professional Programs also has been working in other ways on this front, as well as helping local communities learn more about issues pertaining to race.

In terms of the pandemic, she has been supporting parents with special needs students across the South Shore of Massachusetts via weekly educational Zoom workshops. Four years ago, Dr. Winchell, who has three special needs children herself, including Moriah (above), founded the nonprofit Inclusion Matters Inc., which supports families like hers. The online sessions further the organization’s goals. Some of her BSU faculty colleagues, as well as her students, also have participated in the workshops.

The weekly sessions began shortly after schools closed in March and ran through mid-June. Topics included how to teach reading skills to students with disabilities, managing parental stress levels, and knowing how to spot and support the emotional needs of students.

“We are able to reach dozens and dozens of parents and form a tight-knit community,” she said. “People were crying and saying they wouldn’t have made it through without these sessions. It’s a lifeline, and they were very grateful. We laughed a lot together and cried a lot together.”

Dr. Winchell also has been working for the past year with Dr. Kevin McGowan of the Department of Elementary and Early Childhood Education to help the East Bridgewater, Bridgewater-Raynham and Easton school districts create antiracist programming. The pair has developed curricula, and helped students, teachers and administrators deal with racial injustice. The programming includes formulating workshops for students, as well as assisting administrators when incidents of racism impact their schools.

The project will continue into next year, and the two professors hope to bring to BSU a conference based on the work they’ve been doing.

"People were crying and saying they wouldn’t have made it through without these sessions. It’s a lifeline, and they were very grateful. We laughed a lot together and cried a lot together."

Dr. Melissa Winchell

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COVID-19

Faculty Focus

Survey Says...

JFINKELSTEIN@bridgew.edu — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 21:01:40 +0000

Survey Says... JFINKELSTEIN@b… Thu, 12/03/2020 - 16:01

A team of BSU faculty members conduct one of the first surveys in the country of K-12 teachers and the impact of COVID-19

October 1, 2020

John Winters, G’11

Story Series

Bridgewater Magazine

The pandemic has forced millions to confront new realities: the way we work, learn and teach among them.

To capture a snapshot of this singular moment in time, four faculty members from 51�Թ��’s College of Education and Health Studies got a jump on things. Schools around the country switched to remote learning in March, and less than two months later, these faculty members rolled out a survey to determine the impact this method of teaching was having on K-12 teachers, students and parents.

“We found that these issues were something that teachers wanted to talk about,” said Dr. Jeanne Ingle, one of the faculty-investigators. She added that some of the challenges educators faced were due to the lack of any lead time in making the transition, as most K-12 educators were not included in school district plans to move to remote learning.

Along with Dr. Ingle, the survey was conceived and conducted by Drs. Melissa Winchell, Heather Pacheco-Guffrey and Andrea Cayson. The team surveyed nearly 750 K-12 teachers from 40 states about the challenges presented by the pandemic and the closing of schools in mid-March. The responses range from the expected – lack of internet and computer access in the households of poorer students – to the surprising ways in which the role of teachers has had to expand to include increased workloads and off-hours time devoted to the job.

The researchers were all once K-12 teachers themselves and have many friends still working in elementary, middle and high school classrooms. Once the move to remote learning was made, the faculty members began hearing talk of the problems associated with such a fast conversion from classroom teaching. That prompted them to look deeper.

The survey was conducted in May. The research team expected maybe 50 respondents when it was first posted. Quickly, the number grew to more than 700, and the survey had to be closed due to the large amount of data that came in.

Part of the richness of the data comes from the fact that the survey contained many open-ended questions. It drew honest and telling responses, such as this from one veteran teacher: “I learned more in the last three weeks than I did in the past 20 years.” That speaks to one of the overarching findings of the survey.

“Teacher resiliency is a big part of the story,” Dr. Cayson said. “We heard a lot about the problems, but also about the things being done to solve the problems.”

A key takeaway from the research concerned the role technology can play in the future of K-12 education.

“This study made plain that teachers often think of using technology as a tool for learning, rather than as a new landscape for pedagogy design,” Dr. Winchell said. “It’s one thing for a teacher to use an application like FlipGrid, it’s quite another for a teacher to use that application in service of authentic learning and deep thinking.”

Dr. Pacheco-Guffrey said the findings will inform those students who are seeking to become tomorrow’s teachers about the realities they’ll face on the job. “The COVID crisis has done much to shine a spotlight on inequities across students’ circumstances in America,” she said. “Learning to navigate the constraints and affordances of teaching in the time of COVID will be critical for educators. Our new and future teachers need training for mitigating disparities in new and creative ways. They also need to learn how to advocate for their students and themselves amid the large-scale systems that limit teachers’ abilities to affect change as we face the near future, living with COVID.”

The researchers will present their findings in December at the prestigious International Society for Technology in Education conference, which is being held virtually, and are seeking outlets to publish the findings.

They expect to conduct more research into how the pandemic is affecting education. It appears, at this point, to be a rich area of study, Dr. Ingle said. “It’s an impact that’s going to last for a long time.”

Survey Snapshot

Four BSU professors surveyed close to 750 K-12 teachers from 40 states about the challenges
presented by the pandemic and the closing of schools in mid-March. Among the findings are:

A wide range of preparation was given to teachers, from nothing at all to comprehensive classes on successful practices in online learning.
There is a fast-growing need for teachers to educate not only their students but also parents as families adapt to the new normal imposed by the virus.
Many K-12 educators find they are “on the job” almost 24/7, as many students have had to find part-time jobs to help support their families in these difficult times and can only log on for classwork and questions on nights and weekends.
A not-insignificant number of students “disappear” or “drift away” when remote learning is in place, leaving teachers struggling to connect with them in a meaningful way.
Overwhelmingly, America’s teachers are not giving up in the face of these new challenges and are working hard to find a way to reach each and every student.

"Our new and future teachers need training for mitigating disparities in new and creative ways."

Dr. Pacheco-Guffrey

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COVID-19

Faculty Focus

Answering the Call

JFINKELSTEIN@bridgew.edu — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 20:44:38 +0000

Answering the Call JFINKELSTEIN@b… Thu, 12/03/2020 - 15:44

With anxiety and desperation on the increase as a result of COVID-19, these Bears are providing support working local helplines

October 1, 2020

John Winters, G’11

Story Series

Bridgewater Magazine

Donald Larson, ’11, knows well the toll taken by the COVID-19 pandemic. For years now, he’s been one of those caring voices on the other end of the line when the most desperate among us reach out for help. The coronavirus has been a literal game changer. “It’s become crystal clear how devastating the human cost has been,” Mr. Larson said.

The North Attleboro resident holds a bachelor’s degree in English from BSU and has spent the better part of the last decade manning hotlines for those in need.

And he’s not alone. A May 2020 graduate and a current student recently concluded internships at the Samaritans of Fall River/New Bedford, a charity organization that provides emotional support for those who are lonely, depressed or suicidal. Both Erica English, ’21, and Richard Stang, ’20, stayed on as volunteers after their internships ended.

All three report an increase in the number of calls they’ve had to field during the pandemic, as well as a change in the nature of the calls. In fact, reports are legion about the increased number of people calling suicide hotlines since the outbreak of COVID-19.

A June article in Psychology Today reported that according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide was already the 10th leading cause of death in the country, with a 35 percent rise between 1999 and 2018. As for the increase during the pandemic, hard numbers were not yet available, but anecdotally, COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on people’s mental health, as well as their physical well-being.

“One thing became very apparent, all the calls on some level were emotional support calls,” Mr. Larson said. “It was profound. Everything’s been upended.”

A decade ago, Mr. Larson was finishing his studies at BSU, and when a summer job ended, he decided to use his time volunteering.

“I wanted to find something to do, and I stumbled across a post online,” he said. A suicide prevention organization was looking for people to staff its hotline. “I gave it a shot and found I enjoyed it. I really enjoyed connecting to people.”

Mr. Larson began volunteering for Mass 211’s Call2Talk hotline, which supports those in need of mental health information, emotional support or who are contemplating suicide. Mass 211 is a state clearinghouse for those seeking all manner of assistance. Today, Mr. Larson works from his makeshift kitchen office and fields calls for a number of related hotlines: The National Suicide Prevention’s Lifeline Network, a United Way mental health hotline, and Mass 211’s new COVID-19 line.

The calls he handles include people dealing with depression, those simply needing someone to talk to, and others seeking to be connected with a local human service agency. Some of the pandemic-related calls have been scarily telling, such as the calls he began receiving in April from funeral directors who were running out of body bags and needed help finding more.

Many calls were from people who’d lost a loved one and had been unable to spend time with that person due to restrictions related to the virus. “Losing someone you love during the pandemic means you grieve alone,” he said. “Those who would usually be around you, comforting you, aren’t there either.”

Erica, a psychology major, received many calls while working the Samaritans line from people worried about financial problems. Calling, too, were nurses and other medical professionals, as well as some of the researchers working on possible treatments or vaccines. “With the front line workers, just the differences in the tones of their voices were incredible,” the West Bridgewater resident said. “It taught me a lot about the importance of having someone to talk to.”

Those handling incoming calls at the Samaritans must undergo seven weeks of special training and are there to listen, not give advice. They can then refer the callers to places where they can get the help they need.

Erica spent the spring semester as an intern and stayed on as a volunteer through the summer. She is thinking of pursuing a career in therapy. “I felt like this would give me the most hands-on experience in dealing with issues that a therapist would deal with,” she said.

Like Erica, Mr. Stang finished his spring internship and then remained at the Samaritans as a volunteer. At a loss as to what kind of internship he wanted to round out his psychology degree, the staff at BSU’s Internship Program suggested the Samaritans. “It was close to me, so I figured I’d give it a try,” the Westport resident said. “It’s really interesting, and it feels great to help people.”

Mr. Stang generally worked 10 hours a week for the Samaritans. Along with tending the helpline, he also trained new interns and volunteers. He noticed as the pandemic began its march across the globe and hit home locally that more people were reaching out for help. “The calls increased in number and overall severity,” Mr. Stang said. “Even now,” he said in June, “it’s still high.

“For some people, the issues stemmed from living alone,” he said, “and not seeing anyone was a challenge. Some people are scared, and you feel bad because it’s a serious thing. Any problems people had before were exasperated by the virus.”

The situation became more stressful as well for those who do this important work as logistic complications arose. While Mr. Larson was already working at home as an employee of Mass 211, Samaritan interns and volunteers had to be set up to work remotely. This meant fielding calls from home. “That was an intense process,” Erica said of the transition.

Dr. Caroline Stanley, associate professor of psychology at BSU, oversaw the internships of both Erica and
Mr. Stang. She worked closely with them and had each keep a journal. “I was stunned and impressed by my students and their resilience week after week, and the strength and the meaning they took from this work,” she said. “Even seasoned professionals were struggling.”

Dr. Stanley goes on to describe some of the calls her students had to deal with, including difficult instances of domestic abuse, which have increased during the pandemic, and medical professionals who call up sobbing.

Yet, the pair not only completed their internships but also continued fielding calls as volunteers.

“The pandemic struck just as they were starting,” Dr. Stanley said. “They were new to this, and they
performed impeccably.”

Mr. Larson continues his work, handling the 11 pm to 7 am shift for Mass 211, and he just completed his first semester at BSU toward a master’s degree in mental health counseling.

“It’s no small feat,” said Dr. Katherine Bender, an assistant professor in the Department of Counselor Education, who praised her former student for the work he’s doing helping others during a time of national crisis. However, Mr. Larson would likely say the rewards are all his.

“I like it,” he said. “The other volunteers are very nice, and, overall, it’s just an enjoyable experience to help.
I like being there for people.”

Mr. Stang is taking a year off before attending graduate school and says he’ll likely continue volunteering with Samaritans as long as he can.

Erica, like Mr. Stang, enjoys playing what can be a critical role in the lives of those in dire need. “I try not to think of myself as helping people; that makes me feel awkward,” she said. “But it does feel really good to hear from other people that you’re doing a great thing. I just look at it as if I were in the position of those people, how I’d be glad to have someone to just listen. To be able to do that for others was a very rewarding feeling.”

If you or someone you know needs emotional support during these difficult times, help is available.
BSU Counseling Services: 508.531.1331
Mass 211 Call2Talk: 508.532.2255
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1.800.273.8255

“It’s become crystal clear how devastating the human cost has been.”

Donald Larson, ’11

Tags

COVID-19

Internships

Student Spotlight

Serving the Vulnerable

JFINKELSTEIN@bridgew.edu — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 20:31:54 +0000

Serving the Vulnerable JFINKELSTEIN@b… Thu, 12/03/2020 - 15:31

Senior’s graduation postponed while he helps veterans and others in time of crisis

October 1, 2020

John Winters, G’11

Story Series

Bridgewater Magazine

Connor Beaumont was on track to graduate with his friends last May.

Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and the Massachusetts Army National Guardsman found himself trading his BSU classes for the tough job of assisting some of the state’s most vulnerable residents as the virus raged across the state.

The Dracut native worked from early April to the latter half of May at the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke, which during the spring was one of the state’s hotspots for COVID-19.

“We provided some very intensive care,” Connor said.

He estimates that of the approximately 240 residents at the home, more than 200 had contracted COVID-19; Connor saw many of them die from it.

The Soldiers’ Home is a health care facility that serves veterans, and Connor was one of approximately 300 medical and logistics personnel from the Air Force and Army National Guard sent to work there. “It meant a lot to us because they’re all veterans, meaning we had a baseline connection with them,” he said. “It was often hard work, but it was important work.” The mission included helping the staff with day-to-day care of the residents.

Connor, who has a passion for music and is a multi-instrumentalist, first thought of attending the University of Lowell’s sound recording technology program. Knowing the competition for jobs in that field could be exceedingly tough, he began checking out possibilities at the state’s other public institutions. “Bridgewater was the first one I toured, and I loved the campus,” he said. “Something about it felt really good to me.”

He became a communication studies major and competed with the track and field squad. Regularly contacted by military recruiters, with an interest in the armed services (he’d considered joining the Marines out of high school) and a proud family heritage of military service, including a grandfather who was a doctor in Vietnam and two great uncles who stormed the beaches of Normandy on D-Day, Connor decided to listen to what the recruiters had to say. In the summer of 2018, he joined the Army National Guard out of Worcester.

“When I looked into the Guard, I saw they had more benefits for what I wanted to do at the time than the reserves,” he said. “I didn’t want to go immediately on active duty because I wanted to finish school.” The National Guard allowed him to delay his official entry. His extensive training took many months of sacrifice, as well as many weekends, and included some medical training. When the pandemic hit Massachusetts, Connor was ready to serve.

At first he was stationed in Worcester, where he screened his fellow Guardsmen to make sure they were virus-free before being deployed around the state. Then he got the call to report to the Soldiers’ Home.

After his roughly six weeks on that mission, Connor could have returned to civilian life. But he opted to stay on, and was subsequently sent for three to 10 days at a time during the balance of May and throughout June to four other assisted living facilities across the state, places that also had been hit hard by COVID-19. “I wanted to stay on because I wanted to do my part to help out,” he said.

Knowing he was helping a population in dire need was just one of the rewards of his service. “It was a great experience on the medical side,” Connor said. “A lot of the Army training is pre-hospital and emergency care, we don’t get a lot of experience with direct patient care.”

Now that he’s seen what that’s like, Connor is at a career crossroads. His plan to enter the public relations field is competing with a newfound interest in medicine. His training already qualifies him to work as an EMT. “I’ll have to spend some time making up my mind,” he said.

For his work on the front lines of the pandemic, Connor was promoted in late summer from private first class to specialist. It’s a rank that usually takes two years to attain, but exceptional service can lead to this requirement being waived. The honor was bestowed in a ceremony presided over by Brigadier General John Driscoll.

"Bridgewater was the first one I toured, and I loved the campus, something about it felt really good to me."

Connor Beaumont

Tags

COVID-19

Veterans Center

Always Responsive

JFINKELSTEIN@bridgew.edu — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 20:24:09 +0000

Always Responsive JFINKELSTEIN@b… Thu, 12/03/2020 - 15:24

Alumnus discusses what it's like to be on the front lines

October 1, 2020

John Winters, G’11

Story Series

Bridgewater Magazine

Firefighters, EMTs and paramedics are typically the first responders when someone potentially infected with COVID-19 reaches out for help. Sean Peters, G’18, a Bridgewater native and a firefighter and paramedic in town, has seen the effects of the disease up close. He and his coworkers have taken dozens of locals showing symptoms of the virus to area hospitals, though it’s usually difficult to determine whether the patient actually has the coronavirus or something else.

“Everyone presents differently, especially people with comorbidities, and some people are asymptomatic,” Mr. Peters said. “For us, we consider everyone to be infected. You treat everything as a risk.”

All this is part of the reason that 2020 has been one of the most challenging years for Mr. Peters, who earned
a Master of Public Administration degree at BSU and received the university’s Dr. Guy C. Clifford Scholarship, presented by the Department of Political Science to MPA students who demonstrate academic excellence and commitment to public service.

He also has been a part-time faculty member at BSU for nearly a dozen years, teaching self-defense as part of the physical education major.

Mr. Peters has been a firefighter-paramedic for 18 years, 14 of those with the Town of Bridgewater. Over that time he’s encountered many challenging situations. He and his colleagues knew there were two chief concerns working on the front lines of the pandemic, both relating to the infectious nature of COVID-19.

“I could be bringing it home to my family,” Mr. Peters said. “It doesn’t hinder me, but I don’t want to bring
it home.”

The other challenge for emergency workers everywhere is to avoid bringing the virus into the station, which would result in fewer first responders available to assist with the many 911 calls.

But there’s more to the job than just ambulance runs, Mr. Peters said. The Bridgewater Fire Department has also been in the forefront of collaboration between politicians, hospitals, the Centers for Disease Control, the state Department of Corrections and many other entities. Working together, the goal has been to collect best practices and make sure staff, fellow town employees and the community at large stay informed.

Mr. Peters said if there’s a silver lining to these troubling times, it’s that the stay-at-home recommendations resulted in more time with family. “I’ve got two boys, and it’s been nice having them home from school,”
he said. “We got a new dog and work in the yard. It’s meant a lot of great family time.”

He’s optimistic that the pandemic will pass into history sooner rather than later. “With time and science and good information, I think we’ll be OK,” he said.

"With time and science and good information, I think we’ll be OK."

Sean Peters, G’18

Tags

COVID-19

Alumni Profile

Supporting Role

JFINKELSTEIN@bridgew.edu — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 18:46:43 +0000

Supporting Role JFINKELSTEIN@b… Thu, 12/03/2020 - 13:46

Alumna’s organization stepped up when Maine’s medical workers themselves needed help

October 1, 2020

John Winters, G’11

Story Series

Bridgewater Magazine

When the COVID-19 pandemic was bearing down full force on Southern Maine, the medical professionals there, as in so many places around the world, were taxed to the breaking point. Many struggled with balancing the added demands on their work schedules with caring for their children, looking after pets and even shopping for food. Fortunately, for a number of those professionals, the volunteers of Maine COVID Sitters were there to lend a hand.

The ad-hoc organization, founded by Laura Knapik, ’15, a medical student at the University of New England (UNE) in Biddeford, Maine, operated from March to June during the busiest stretch in the state’s COVID outbreak. With 60 to 75 volunteers from a variety of UNE’s medical disciplines, the COVID Sitters clocked 1,000 hours of free services to members of Maine’s medical community. “We feel it was a really great accomplishment,” Ms. Knapik said. “I think we were able to provide assistance at a critical time, and we were all very proud of that.”

The Northbridge native was a biology major at BSU, mentored in her undergraduate research projects by Dr. Jeffery Bowen and Dr. Merideth Krevosky. She praises both professors and remains in touch with them, drawing both inspiration and advice.

Ms. Knapik is currently in clinical rotations at a local hospital as she gets closer to meeting her goal of becoming a doctor. However, earlier this year when the coronavirus was beginning to rage across the country, she and her fellow students felt helpless. Yes, they knew medicine, but they weren’t yet certified to practice. “We wanted to help our community, and we asked what can we do to help,” she said.

What they decided to do was play a key supporting role.

The idea for Maine COVID Sitters was based on a similar group in Minnesota. Over a weekend in early March, the group was formed, executive board and all.

Ms. Knapik first reached out to the two primary hospitals in the region, Maine Medical Center and Northern Light Mercy Hospital. The hospitals’ human services departments posted the word about the group of ready volunteers, and the calls for help began coming in from medical personnel in the Augusta-Biddeford area.

The biggest need was for babysitting, closely followed by assistance with pets and grocery shopping.

Because the volunteers were all medical students themselves, they made sure to take precautions against contracting or spreading the virus.

By June, Maine’s fight against the pandemic had eased, and the students of Maine COVID Sitters were returning home or busy with school and clinical rotations. The group suspended its activities at that point.

But, their work meant those on the front lines of the battle against COVID-19 enjoyed some peace of mind while they toiled day after day during the most chaotic time any of them could remember in their professional lives.

“I believe we made life easier for them and provided some help in a small way,” Ms. Knapik said. “It felt like I had a real purpose and a way to give back to my community. It was a great way to be involved.”

The Maine COVID Sitters garnered national recognition from the American Osteopathic Association in October, receiving the COVID-19 Initiative Award in the organization category. The group was among more than
100 nominees.

"We feel it was a really great accomplishment. I think we were able to provide assistance at a critical time, and we were all very proud of that."

Laura Knapik, ’15

Tags

COVID-19

Alumni Profile

Shelter in the Storm

JFINKELSTEIN@bridgew.edu — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 18:39:22 +0000

Shelter in the Storm JFINKELSTEIN@b… Thu, 12/03/2020 - 13:39

Social work graduate helped Father Bill’s clients through height of pandemic

October 1, 2020

John Winters, G’11

Story Series

Bridgewater Magazine

When Ludmila Silva, ’20, signed up last year for an internship at Father Bill’s & MainSpring in Brockton, an agency that assists the area’s homeless population, she knew the work would be challenging.

Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Things got even more challenging, almost overwhelming, she said. “But the way Father Bill’s works is that everyone collaborates, and we all worked together so well in order to get through this, it was amazing,” the Taunton native said. “If not for that, I don’t know if I’d have made it.”

Her internship ran from September 2019 through April 2020, when she was hired as a full-time employee by the organization. The job fulfilled a long-held desire for Ms. Silva. “I’ve always been driven to help people,” she said.

“First, I wanted to be a social worker in the medical field, but once I got here to Father Bill’s, where you work with so many different people, it really intrigued me.”

Father Bill’s motto of “Housing First,” means staff members are always actively working to find its many clients somewhere to live. This effort, in particular, drew Ms. Silva’s interest. The agency’s overarching mission, according to its website, is to end and prevent homelessness in Southern Massachusetts with programs that provide emergency and permanent housing, and to help its clients obtain skills, jobs, housing and services.

Ms. Silva was hired just when the pandemic was surging in Massachusetts, and as it reached its peak, the on-the-job challenges grew.

“One difficulty was getting in contact with your clients, as many of them don’t have phones,” she said. Delivering food, due to coronavirus-related impacts on local food pantries, became a growing part of the job, as well. In addition, the usual task of assisting clients with other area resources became difficult because many agencies and nonprofits were closed.

Ms. Silva also faced personal challenges. Along with her internship, she worked a regular night shift as a residence counselor at Brockton Area Multi-Services Inc., a private, nonprofit human services organization, and she is raising a child. Ever looming was the concern of bringing the virus home or spreading it to any number of the clients she worked with on a regular basis.

“That turned out to be a challenge,” she said. “How to keep distanced from the clients who did have coronavirus, yet still provide them with the services they need. At one point, it got overwhelming; you want to help, but you’re scared about getting it or bringing it home to your child. You want to do the job and help the people, but you’re torn to make sure everybody’s safe.”

In September, Ms. Silva applied for admission into BSU’s Master of Social Work program. It’s clear with the tests she has already faced on the job that she is well on her way toward a career devoted to helping others.

"I’ve always been driven to help people."

Ludmila Silva, ’20

Tags

COVID-19

Alumni Profile