How are Post-Secondary Students Coping with the COVID-19 Pandemic?

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many challenges for post-secondary students. Despite the flexibility, support and hard work of professors to create an engaging online learning experience, the change to at-home learning has been very difficult for some students. Isolation and uncertainty have affected the mental health of numerous others. Many students lost jobs, co-op, and internship experiences in 2020, affecting their financial sustainability, career development, and progress to complete their academic programs. In short, the very important public health requirements required to protect the health and safety of the University community have limited or drastically changed many aspects of the student experience that are so fundamental to students’ growth, development, and sense of connection. Whether it’s making new friends on campus, participating in research, conferences, club activities, or being involved in sport, the well-known pre-pandemic transformative experience has given way to something less fulfilling for many students. Most are eager to return to the robust and engaging student experience that is familiar to them – the one they have come to expect. The speaker will account for how students have been coping at the University of Lethbridge, describe what measures the university is taking to mitigate the effects on students during this pandemic, and will discuss the plans that are being developed regarding the future of the student experience in fall 2021. Speaker: Kathleen Massey Kathleen Massey is an Associate Vice-President (Students) at University of Lethbridge where she oversees the Registrar’s Office, Enrolment Services and Student Services. Massey holds a Bachelor of Political Science from York University and a Master of Leadership from Royal Roads University. Focused on advancing student achievement and creating a framework that supports student success, Massey was recognized in 2014 with an Outstanding Achievement Award from the Association of Registrars of the Universities and Colleges of Canada. She also won a 2003 Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal for Outstanding Leadership in Education. Date and time: Thursday, March 4, 2021 at 10 am MST YouTube Live link: https://youtu.be/o29DGchL8Gk In order to ask questions of our speaker in the chat feature of YouTube, you must have a YouTube account and be signed in. Please do so well ahead of the scheduled start time, so you’ll be ready. Go the YouTube Live link provided in this session flyer and on the top right of your browser click the “sign in” button. If you have Google or Gmail accounts, they can be used to sign in. If you don’t, click “Create Account” and follow along. Once you are signed in, you can return to the live stream and use the chat feature to ask your questions of the speaker. Remember you can only participate in the chat feature while we are livestreaming. Link to SACPA’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFUQ5mUHv1gfmMFVr8d9dNA