黑料不打烊 Comes Through During COVID-19 Crisis
In the face of crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic, 黑料不打烊 (MSJC)
students, faculty and staff have responded to support their communities and first
responders 鈥� all while continuing instruction in an online format.
MSJC nursing students 鈥� many about to graduate on May 21 鈥� have spent weeks on the
front lines, volunteering their career education skills at COVID-19 testing centers
throughout Riverside County.
On March 21, nursing student Brandy Donini volunteered at the testing site at Storm
Stadium in Lake Elsinore. She's one of about 30 MSJC nursing students who have volunteered
or earned clinical hours at one of the four Riverside County testing sites over the
past month.
鈥淚 love helping, so how can I help people?鈥� the Menifee resident asked. 鈥淚've definitely
found my calling.鈥�
MSJC has also been helping its first responders at local hospitals by making face
shields with 3D printers in its Eagle MakerSpace, which is funded by California Strong
Workforce Program and is at the college's Menifee Valley Campus. Hospitals requesting
the shields from MSJC include Hemet Global and Menifee Global medical centers, Providence
Health, Riverside Community Hospital and Temecula Valley Hospital.
鈥淚'm excited and grateful to be a part of the MSJC and statewide鈥�MakerSpace鈥痵upport of my healthcare colleagues on the front lines of this COVID-19 pandemic,鈥� said Hal Edghill, MakerSpace Specialist. 鈥淭he proportions of this challenge are daunting, and keeping doctors, nurses, and all other professionals as safe as possible is the goal.鈥�
The college, which has a robust Allied Health program, also donated鈥痝urneys, N95 masks, non-N95 masks, nitrile gloves and other equipment that are in high-demand to protect medical professionals during the crisis.
鈥淲e were honored to be able to help our medical partners who indicated they had a need for these types of items,鈥� said鈥疛oyce鈥疛ohnson, MSJC's Executive Dean of Instruction and a registered nurse. 鈥淭he school closures mean our students cannot use this equipment at this time. We wanted to make sure we did our part to help protect medical professionals and patients alike during this pandemic.鈥�
In addition, despite being closed since March 16, 黑料不打烊 has continued to help its students who struggle with food insecurity by offering a social-distancing safe drive-up Food 4 Thought food pantry, which the college typically holds twice monthly on its San Jacinto and Menifee Valley campuses. Faculty, staff and administrators volunteered for the effort.
The MSJC Food 4 Thought program also teamed with the MSJC Foundation's Pledge for Success basic-needs initiative in early April to mail 300 ham/turkey certificates and Stater Bros. grocery store gift cards to students. Each Stater Bros. gift card was valued at $15. The $15 certificate was redeemable at any grocery store in MSJC's district.
The Pledge for Success initiative removes some of the barriers to student success inside and outside of the classroom by providing students emergency funding and food, books and supplies, professional clothing, and basic hygienic items.
MSJC reopened as an online college on April 6. During its three-week closure, which
included its regularly scheduled spring break, the college took a strategic approach
to ensure its highest-need students had the necessary technology to take online classes.
It used a survey to identify the needs of its students.
MSJC packaged its first phase of Chromebook laptops, about 50 of them, and hot spots
and sent them鈥痸ia overnight mail to students so they could continue with their courses
online.
鈥淢SJC took a data-informed approach so we could deliver technology directly to those
students who were most in need of access to a computer or the Internet,鈥� said Dr.
Roger Schultz, MSJC Superintendent/President.鈥�淲e want them to stay at home, and healthy,
but we want them to succeed online and complete their educational journeys. We understand
not every student has access to computers and other technology when they're away from
our campuses. We're glad we could help and we plan to help even more.鈥�
The MSJC Foundation purchased another 200 Chromebook laptops to benefit those students
who need them the most. The purchase was partially funded by proceeds from the Foundation's
2019 gala. This year's gala had been scheduled for May 16, but was canceled due to the pandemic.
鈥淲hen we learned of the need, the Foundation Board Members and I were eager to help
out,鈥� said Rebecca Orlauski, Director of the MSJC Foundation and Donor Initiatives. 鈥淭he Foundation Board is
always supportive of MSJC students and regularly distributes scholarships to those
who need them. This was a natural extension of what we already do for students. We're
glad we were able to help out.鈥�
The MSJC Foundation holds two student scholarship luncheons annually to hand out scholarships
from the Foundation, local community groups, and regional companies.
鈥淲e love awarding scholarships to students, but really, we're here to help them in
any which way we can,鈥� said MSJC Foundation Board President Dee Cozart. 鈥淲hen we heard
students needed computers to help them finish the spring semester, we jumped at the
opportunity. This is why we're here.鈥�
Since the college's March 16 closure to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, students,
faculty and staff have adapted to using technology and the Internet for all instruction,
meetings and communication.
Dr. Schultz ensured that students, faculty and staff regularly received updates from him. He has every Wednesday and emailed all groups nearly every weekday for four weeks. He has also regularly communicated with the college district's communities, most recently on a Facebook Live event with the City of San Jacinto.
Just as they have in past years, students, faculty and staff also gave back by participating in the annual Southwest Riverside County Heart & Stroke Walk 2020. But this year, the event was held in a virtual environment, so participants joined from their respective homes.
The COVID-19 pandemic threw everyone's regularly schedule lives off balance, but MSJC adapted and responded without hesitation, continuing to serve its more than 27,000 students and giving back to its communities.