Providing a Safe, In-Person, Residential College Experience During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Authors

• Scott A. Travis, Hope College
• Aaron A. Best, Hope CollegeFollow
• Kristyn S. Bochniak, Hope CollegeFollow
• Nicole D. Dunteman, Hope CollegeFollow
• Jennifer Fellinger, Hope College
• Peter D. Folkert, Hope CollegeFollow
• Timothy Koberna, Hope CollegeFollow
• Benjamin G. Kopek, Hope CollegeFollow
• Brent P. Krueger, Hope CollegeFollow
• Jeff Pestun, Hope College
• Michael J. Pikaart, Hope CollegeFollow
• Cindy Sabo, Hope College
• Alex J. Schuitema, Hope College

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

6-23-2021

Publication Source

Frontiers in Public Health

Volume Number

9

E-ISSN

22962565

Article Number

672344

Abstract

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, higher education institutions were forced to make difficult decisions regarding the 2020–2021 academic year. Many institutions decided to have courses in an online remote format, others decided to attempt an in-person experience, while still others took a hybrid approach. Hope College (Holland, MI) decided that an in-person semester would be safer and more equitable for students. To achieve this at a residential college required broad collaboration across multiple stakeholders. Here, we share lessons learned and detail Hope College's model, including wastewater surveillance, comprehensive testing, contact tracing, and isolation procedures that allowed us to deliver on our commitment of an in-person, residential college experience.

Keywords

COVID-19 testing, public health, SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19), undergraduate college education, virology, wastewater

Recommended Citation

Published in: Frontiers in Public Health, Volume 9, June 23, 2021.