PSU Back in Person Fall 2021
Kat Peterson
For ‘The Clock’
Kep1042@plymouth.edu
NBC Boston released an article on March 18th, 2021, stating that some New Hampshire Colleges, including Plymouth State University, have announced they will fully reopen for in person classes, sporting events, and other events for the semester of fall 2021. “I’m standing in front of the ice arena, and we want to be able to have hockey fans here, and football fans. Our performing arts, our theater and dance students are ready to perform for the public again” states Plymouth State Interim Vice President for Communications, Enrollment & Student Life, Marlin Collingwood. This would definitely be a change of scenery that we have now. Currently there are 3,400 students attending in-person classes, although that’s all they are limited to do on campus.
The seniors of Plymouth State will be getting an in-person graduation on May 8th, 2021. Although only graduating students will be allowed at the ceremony, no family, friends , or parents will be able to attend in person to watch. “It would definitely be nice next year to be able to attend events, and watch friends walk across the stage” says Owen Pedi, PSU sophomore.
With the idea of sports and events going back in person it raises a lot of questions to the community such as, if this is with the idea that all students will be vaccinated prior to the return on campus. Ellie Wilson, PSU junior and current captain of the PSU swim team, states “ I think it will be a great opportunity to attend a full season without interruption like this year”.
Covid-19 has not only affected students on campus but the town of Plymouth as well. Previously this semester we were forced to go online for two weeks which ultimately resulted in a lot of PSU students to lose workndue to concern among the community. Kaitlin Turmel, PSU junior, added “I work at a school nearby and due to the shut down, I was unable to go to my internship to further my career development because of concern to exposing children. It will be nice to be able to go back to a sense of normalcy if everyone can play their part.” Covid-19 has been hard on everyone, but it will be exciting to see a change this upcoming semester.