College During COVID No one understands the importance and benefits of technology more than technology students themselves. Jackson Blanchard ’17 is currently studying computer science at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York. “I’m extremely fortunate to be minimally affected by the pandemic,” he said. “Most students and, more importantly, most professors in my major are very technically inclined, so the transition to online learning has been very smooth.” In order to communicate and collaborate, he and his professors have used programs like Slack (for instant messaging), Discord (for meeting in teams), Trello (for working on projects), and GitHub (for coding). Jackson has fortunately gained skills that will prove valuable once he enters the workforce. More than anything, attending college during COVID-19 has been a learning experience for all. Joe Nyzio ’17, a business student at Saint Joseph’s University, has reflected on the challenges and rewards that have accompanied COVID. “This experience has taught me to hold myself more accountable than in past years because we don’t have professors to add that applied pressure,” he said. He’s had the chance to become a better communicator by “writing many more emails and attending meetings virtually.” While his senior year hasn’t been exactly what he’d hoped for, he acknowledges the significance of his personal growth. The overarching theme for most college students is this: their current situations are not optimal, but there’s been plenty of room for small victories and self-improvement. “I came to terms with my college experience not being what I was expecting,” said Grace Kim. Despite unmet expectations, MFS college students have remained resilient, adaptive, and hopeful that the future will be brighter than both the present and the past.
Spring 2021
Marketing and Communications Intern Katie Kasperson ’17 Wraps Up College Career at William & Mary; Prepares for Cambridge “College During COVID” author Katie Kasperson ’17 will graduate from The College of William & Mary in May with a B.A. in psychology and minor in marketing. She worked as an intern in the MFS Marketing and Communications Department this spring. This fall she will travel to the United Kingdom to pursue a one-year Master of Philosophy program at Cambridge University with a focus on education and psychology. Katie’s own experience as the pandemic unfolded was unique, but she maintains a positive, resilient outlook. She was nine weeks into a study abroad program in Copenhagen, Denmark when she was required to return home in March 2020. “It definitely upended a lot of my life - school-related and otherwise,” said Katie. “But, when you really think about it, not a lot really changed in a sense that I still had a support system, I still had my friends and school, and we could still socialize. We all had to adapt to a new way of doing things.” During the spring semester, Katie is living in Williamsburg but has opted to take classes virtually. At William & Mary, Katie has served as a peer ambassador for the D.C. internship program as well as a peer advisor helping new students transition to college life. She is a contributor to The Rocket, a student-produced magazine, and also completed an internship with the student newspaper The Flat Hat. Katie is eager to eventually land in a school environment when she has completed her education. “I’m still exploring but continue to narrow my focus,” she said. “I hope to do something related to education whether it be actually working in a school or something to do with policy. The Cambridge program is a lot about child development and learning.” Katie looks back fondly on her 14 years of Friends education. She attended Westfield Friends for 10 years before moving on to MFS for her Upper School years. “The SPICES have really impacted me,” she said. “I think about them a lot and how I implement them in my life. One thing I continue to prioritize is community. I appreciate a nice, small community where you can know and rely on everyone. That’s what I was looking for in grad school, which is why I chose Cambridge because they have smaller colleges within the university so you get to know everyone.”
AMONG FRIENDS
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