Wednesday, June 3, 4:15 p.m.
RESPOND – WE DID!
RECOVER – WE ARE!
SUCCEED – WE WILL!
Dear Students,
We realize that many of you, like all of us, are feeling overwhelmed by the recent events related to the tragic death of Mr. George Floyd. There is no rational explanation for the injustice we witnessed – there is only hope for a better tomorrow. At Shepherd, we are teaching you to think critically and act responsibly – because YOU are our future – YOU are the leaders of tomorrow – YOU are our greatest hope for ensuring justice. Please stay the course and continue your education – because we need YOU to change the world.
In addition to this national tragedy, we appreciate how the Coronavirus has changed our daily lives. It is clearly something none of us could have predicted. While this may seem frightening or frustrating, it is important that you know at Shepherd, we are fully committed to helping you continue your pursuit of a college education.
Our intention is to bring our students home to Shepherd’s beautiful campus for the Fall 2020 semester! To do this, Shepherd is working day and night to prepare a safe campus with in-person classes complemented by online options. We recognize that life may return to normal after the COVID-19 vaccine has been distributed and we have the benefit of immunization. There are currently 60 credible vaccines under development that will neutralize COVID-19, and our hope is that the most effective vaccine will be ready for human use by early 2021.
Your success is at the core of Shepherd’s mission. We are committed to working through these challenging times and proving that you can meet your goal of obtaining your college degree. Think of the stories you will have to tell your family and friends! We are living during unprecedented, historical times — that will test our humanity and galvanize our resolve.
As we work through the next few months, we will keep you fully updated on plans for the Fall. Please understand, we will need to adapt to some changes on campus in order for us all to be safe, but we will remain one campus, one community, one RamFamily.
Have you registered for classes? If not, do it today! Don’t delay your college education because things may look difficult. You can do this, and we will help you succeed.
Put on your blue and gold and GET RAM READY because the Fall semester will be here before you know it, and we can’t wait to see you!
With sincere appreciation for your resilience and love of Shepherd University,
Mary J.C. Hendrix
President
Holly Morgan Frye
Interim VP Student Affairs and
Director of Community Relations