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Governor Tom Wolf, Penn State President Eric Barron and Nittany Lions football coach James Franklin spoke together at the Pegula Ice Arena Wednesday, encouraging students to get vaccinated for COVID-19 before they leave for the summer.
“Right now I know that this is maybe not something that is top of mind. Finals coming up, moving back home, finding summer jobs,” Wolf said. “But now that college students are eligible to get vaccinated, it is really important to make this a priority.”
Barron recognized those who have died from COVID-19. And he talked about students’ lost opportunities to do things they love.
Food and housing security task force shares progress updates for trustees
Lion’s Pantry, Student Emergency Fund, advocacy efforts and more are topics of presentation to the Board of Trustees
Penn State Brandywine sophomore Angel Asomugha works to fulfill food orders and helps track the campus food pantry’s inventory.
Image: Mike McDade
Food and housing security task force shares progress updates for trustees
May 06, 2021
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. As many college students across the country are increasingly facing food and housing insecurity, Penn State is developing new solutions, enhancing current resources and building a network of support to help tackle this rising challenge across the University’s campuses.
May 6, 2021
The Pennsylvania Department of Health Wednesday added 2597 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 1,164,216. There were 56 new COVID-related deaths also added Wednesday, leaving the commonwealth s overall total at 26,390. There are currently 2172 people hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that number 480 are in the intensive care unit.
Two local colleges announce different COVID-19 vaccination policies. DeSales University will not require students or staff to get a COVID-19 vaccine for the fall semester. The university says it strongly urges anyone who is eligible to get a vaccine, but it won t be mandatory. In a statement, university president Father James Greenfield says,
For the first time in two years, Penn State will recognize spring graduates through a number of in-person commencement ceremonies this weekend.
Starting on Friday, May 7, the university will hand out more than 14,000 diplomas to Penn State seniors throughout all its campuses. Soon-to-be-graduates and up to two guests each can
head to Beaver Stadium for in-person (albeit socially distanced) ceremonies that are scheduled rain or shine.
Here’s a brief breakdown of
University-Wide Virtual Ceremony
Not feeling up to head to Beaver Stadium? No problem. Penn State will stream a university-wide commencement celebration viewable for any and all folks at home
Credit Min Xian / WPSU
After a year of largely remote classes and jobs, Penn State plans to move faculty and staff back to in-person work this fall as COVID-19 vaccines become widely available, according to an announcement from the university giving an overview of return-to-work plans.
In making the announcement, the university said the availability of vaccines factors into “an optimistic outlook for summer and a full, on-campus experience for students at all campuses in fall 2021.”
The plans include beginning to return staff to in-person work over the summer, with most everyone back by Aug. 16. And, with few exceptions, the university expects faculty to hold their classes in-person rather than online starting in the fall.