By Rayna Onate
The Washington Post reports that more people than ever before it seems have come out to volunteer and support the vulnerable during this pandemic. They are doing so by not only donating money but by giving their time to food banks and in coronavirus sanitations and contact tracing efforts. Nursing students are now being asked to volunteer to administer the vaccination when it comes out eventually. Americans are willing to do all of these things because they understand there is a need during this time. College student especially are helping out due to their lower risk of complications from infection and their healthy, strong bodies that are able to give them time and strength to physical labor.
These volunteer efforts can be seen through the Indianapolis community, but even more specifically efforts can be seen even closer to home at Marian University – not only through the university’s student efforts but also from the leaders of the university.
The first resource Marian community has put out is a page on their marian.edu website with everything one would need to know about the efforts of the school during the pandemic. They also have a statement on the website saying that the COVID 19 situation is “fluid and constantly evolving” but regardless of this, the university is “committed to the health and well-being of their students.” And it is evident that the university has been standing by this statement since March when the pandemic was coming into focus. Students were abruptly told to move out of their dorms and the university closed.
Because of this, many students were left in situations they would rather not have been in – unreliable Wi-Fi, old laptops that barely worked, strain on the eyes from long virtual days, an increased amount of money going towards groceries, the loss of jobs, the list goes on. Thankfully, Marian was able to distribute $1,147,099 in grants to eligible students to supplement their education and housing needs on behalf of the Department of Education – per their website.
Fast forward to now; the fall 2020 semester is almost over and students have experienced their first of potentially several coronavirus adapted semesters. What has the university done this semester as a community to help its students? To answer this question, one must first start back at the website mentioned earlier.
One resource the university highlights prominently is the health center. The school falls back on the health center to answer any COVID-19 related questions for parents, staff, students, and faculty. From student experiences, it can be said there is a lot of improving that needs to be done for the health center because one students says when she was told to quarantine and she called the health center, they didn’t have any information for her on whether or not she would be tested and for how long she would need to be quarantined.
Obviously for the health center there is a lot of progress to be made for next semester but looking at the positive side of things for them, they have been and will continue to be open and operational for students that need wellness checks, flu vaccinations, and prescriptions filled. All one has to do is call and make an appointment.
Another part of the Marian community that has made changes and helped out the students is Aramark, Marian’s dining provider. One way is the cafeteria is finally offering a to-go option. In years past, despite constant wanting from the students, the cafeteria has never given food in boxes for individuals to take on the go. If they wanted food from the cafeteria, they had to sneak it out or eat it there. But now, students can pop in, grab food, and go back to their house if that is what makes them comfortable.
Another innovative and popular addition on the dining front is that SideKick app. This app has been around for a while, but Marian just opted into using it this semester and the students love it. One excited student, Mary Ann – a junior, says, “I will never wait in line for Subway or Starbucks again. I place my order and it is ready in 10 minutes or less!”
As one can see, Marian University has helped the Marian community with big adjustments like distributing money with money from the CARES Act initiative. They have also helped with small adjustments, such as in the case of the SideKick app. Both big and small are appreciated amongst the Marian community, and students can’t wait to see what other changes are brought into plan as the spring 2021 semester comes underway in a few weeks.
