S2E1: What Students Need Right Now

In the past two years, students and faculty have grappled with various aspects of the student experience, including learning, well-being, and community, amidst a global health crisis. A study conducted by Inside Higher Ed and College Pulse in spring 2021 revealed that nearly 50 percent of college students perceived their academic experiences post-transition to online learning as “fair or poor” (Ezarik, 2021).

Due to existing political and socioeconomic barriers in the contemporary United States, individuals in marginalized communities have reportedly encountered heightened levels of stress and mental health complications compared to their counterparts (Ballard et al., 2020). Higher education institutions are currently contemplating the needs of students and faculty during the transition back to in-person learning. This reflection encompasses the challenges and successes experienced in student learning throughout the pandemic, shedding light on the current state of student well-being.

This episode delves into a retrospective analysis to glean insights for the future. It focuses on understanding the implications of the compounded events of the pandemic and racial reckoning on learning. Specifically, attention is directed towards discerning the requirements of students as they transition back to in-person learning in the fall within this contextual framework. Despite uncertainties, it is evident that a return to business as usual is not feasible after the myriad challenges such as the pandemic, social unrest, and persistent inequalities in our nation.

As articulated by award-winning author and activist Sonya Renee Taylor in a social media post, “We will not go back to normal. Normal never was. Our pre-corona existence was not normal other than we normalized greed, inequity, exhaustion, depletion, extraction, disconnection, rage, hoarding, hate and lack. We should not long to return, my friends. We are being given the opportunity to stitch a new garment. One that fits all of humanity and nature” (Taylor, 2020).

Transcript

Bios

Javier Jimenez Westerman, Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Programs at Georgetown College.
Erika Cohen-Derr, Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs at Georgetown University
Jim Wickman, Director of Catholic Life at Georgetown University
Don Undeen, Maker Hub Manager
Allyson Even, a history teacher at KIPP University Prep in San Antonio, Texas
Antonio Gamboa, a science teacher at Garey High School in Pomona, California
Anne Severson, an English teacher at Excel High School in Boston

References

Ezarik, Melissa. “What Worked and What Didn’t for College Students Learning through COVID-19.” Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs, 20 June 2021,

Parissa J. Ballard, Mariah Kornbluh. “[What Colleges Can Do to Help Students Cope with Sociopolitical Stress (Opinion).](http://www.insidehighered.com/views/2020/10/29/what-colleges-can-do-help-students-cope-sociopolitical-stress-opinion. Accessed 4 Jan. 2024.)” Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs,

Taylor, Sonya Renee. 20 Apr. 2020. @sonyareneetaylor, Instagram.