Staying Engaged on Our Virtual Campus

Since transitioning to an online learning environment, Drexel continues to keep that creative spirit alive in new and innovative ways in order to engage the community both inside and outside of the virtual classroom. The schools and colleges across the University are hosting weekly hangouts on video chat platforms, clubs and organizations are adapting to an online space for exploring their interests, and the Drexel Recreation Center has continued having group exercise classes offered to the Drexel community. I've taken the Body Combat class on Saturday mornings at 11 a.m. ET on Zoom! My colleague on the admissions team is one of the group exercise instructors at Drexel. I can assure you will get a great workout and have a lot of fun if you take one of Ang's classes!

Not only are our students continuing to find ways to create, but they are also making a difference when help is needed most.

The creativity of Drexel students never ceases to amaze me, particularly during trying times. This past Saturday, a group of Music Industry majors from the Westphal College of Media Arts & Design put on a fully virtual music festival called Block by Blockwest built entirely on Minecraft. Roughly 40 musical groups performed and thousands of people tuned in from their homes to listen to a range of music, play games, buy merch, and engage with the virtual festival. All the proceeds from Block by Blockwest went to the Center of Disease Control's COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund. Not only are our students continuing to find ways to create, but they are also making a difference when help is needed most.

The Lindy Center for Civic Engagement continues to provide opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to come together virtually. There are discussions and workshops on the calendar to convene and converse about civic engagement-related concerns and how we as a Drexel community can continue to find ways to keep one another safe, healthy, and happy. The Lindy Center has provided a list of helpful resources for reflecting on the current moment we are living through. Their website says, "Reflection is a key component of civic engagement and community-based learning — it allows us to think critically about what we've learned and experienced and create meaning in all kinds of situations. If you are able during this pandemic, we invite you to take some time and reflect on everything going on — the news you are reading, the experiences you're having, the classes you're taking, the social media and other popular media you're consuming, etc. Here are some resources we've found that pose good questions to help you think critically about the moment we are in right now."

As we navigate these uncertain times as a community, it's important to remember that you are supported by the faculty and staff at Drexel even though we are not on campus all together. For students looking for some extra guidance and would like to speak to a professional, Drexel's Counseling Center is conducting teletherapy sessions by appointment Mondays–Fridays from 8 a.m.–5 p.m. We must continue to take care of ourselves as we traverse this new territory as a community of ambitious, strong, and resilient Dragons.