Heart of Gold

COVID-19 Positive: Alumnus Shares his Story, Blood Plasma to Help Others

On Day 8 after his COVID-19 diagnosis, Jeff Yonkers ’92 ventured out from his home’s basement in Suffolk County on Long Island and set his chair to face the sun and away from the house. That way he could shield his family from the virus and also from seeing the panic that was setting in. He had been doing everything right since his diagnosis on March 18; he moved himself into the basement away from his wife, their children and the dog. He ate, slept, watched TV and worked down there. And yet, he worried. He knew from other COVID-19 patients’ journeys that Day 7 and 8 seemed to be a turning point—as many people got markedly better or dramatically worse. “I was so stressed about this day that I thought at times I was going to have a heart attack as my heart was racing and pounding,” he recalled. “I did feel a little congestion in my throat and lungs, and I was thinking, ‘Okay, this is going to be the day where I am going downhill.’” He managed to keep his composure, and when he woke up the following morning, he had turned the corner. “No sweats, no drip, no congestion, no fever, no headache and no chills,” Jeff said. “I felt about 98% back to normal. I felt like the 1,000-pound gorilla came off my chest.” He doesn’t know where he got infected with the virus, which made him feel exhausted, achy, chills, sweats. Plus, he lost his sense of taste and smell for two weeks. He said he is extremely grateful for his family and friends, who helped carry him through this illness. Now, he is sharing his story with others to give people hope and for reference to their own experience. “Stay positive, keep in touch with friends, isolate completely, get outside, sit upright and most importantly laugh,” he advised anyone who tests positive. He has donated his antibody-rich plasma to help critically ill COVID-19 patients three times. “Since I got through this, it’s very important to try to help others who may be worse off,” he said. “I pray we all get through this quickly.” As the numbers of on-campus cases rose in EARLY SEPTEMBER, the college announced a new and expanded surveillance testing operation with a dedicated testing center in Lee Hall, and it doubled the number of available quarantine and isolation rooms by re-opening the newly renovated Funnelle Hall and increasing the total quarantine rooms to 208 and isolation rooms to 144 (total of 352 rooms). Dr. Jerri Howland, vice president for student affairs and dean of The college also began wastewa- students, collects saliva tests ter testing twice per week of its buildings and 12 residence halls during Opening Weekend in August. on campus to collect data and identify possible COVID-19 cases. In consultation with SUNY and health agencies, the college paused face-to-face classes on SEPT. 19 for 14 days to stem the spread of the virus. It worked, and the college was able to resume in-person classes on OCT. 5. “I credit the SUNY Oswego community, particularly our students, in keeping their campus open by proving that strict compliance to health safety protocols can flatten the curve,” said Chancellor Jim Malatras on OCT. 2. “Today’s progress at SUNY Oswego shows that by regular testing, tracking and acting on new cases, and enforcing health and safety rules, campus life can continue during the coronavirus pandemic. I am proud of our SUNY Oswego students for all of their efforts over the past two weeks.” Although in-person classes resumed in OCTOBER, the college suspended athletics, Greek Life, in-person dining and residence hall visitation for the remainder of the semester.

“We are returning to the classrooms, but we must not let our guard down,” President Stanley said in OCTOBER. “Our actions are critical to the continued safety of everyone in our community. We have collectively displayed to others that when we pull together, care for one another, and follow the rules and guidelines, WE CAN BRING OUR POSITIVE CASES DOWN AND COME OUT OF A PAUSE STRONGER AND HEALTHIER THAN BEFORE.” As the end of the semester approached, the college again amped up its testing efforts to ensure that every student tested negative for the virus before leaving campus for their homes. It also became clear that resuming normal activities would not be likely any time soon.

Carrying On

The college made the difficult decision to hold a virtual Commencement ceremony for all May, August and December 2020 graduates at the end of the Fall 2020 semester. “While we’ve remained cautiously optimistic since the spring, we have resolved to the fact that we still have not reached a point where we can safely hold an in-person celebration,” President Stanley told graduates in NOVEMBER. “However, we don’t want the year to come to an end without properly recognizing you in an official Commencement ceremony.”

On DEC. 12, the college held five separate ceremonies for approximately 2,000 graduates: four to honor undergraduates who earned their baccalaureate degrees from the School of Business; School of Communication, Media and the Arts; School of Education; or the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and a separate ceremony for students earning their master’s degrees, post-master’s degree certificates and post-baccalaureate certificates.

“In these unprecedented times, it’s more important than ever to celebrate the years of hard work and dedication our Lakers have shown and to look forward to the bright futures we know they will have,” President Stanley said.

To assist the college with creating a memorable virtual Commencement for all of our graduates, SUNY Oswego hired StageClip—the world’s leading provider of virtual graduations. In addition to the customary pomp and circumstance, including every graduate being individually announced (with the option for student-generated photo and content) during their respective Commencement ceremonies, SUNY Oswego created a Commencement 2020 website (oswego. edu/2020-commencement) that provided graduates with a one-stop source for caps and gowns, cords, hoods, diploma covers, celebration signs, Snapchat and Instagram filters, and more. “I hope this moment has helped you focus and to see things clearly,” President Stanley told graduates in her Commencement remarks. “Perhaps time apart from friends and loved ones has opened your eyes to what is really important in your lives, and revealed what is most essential. I urge you to carry this perspective forward; approach your future with a greater understanding of what is truly important then choose the paths that lead you to realize your values and allow those values to thrive in our world.”

Solid Gold

Throughout the pandemic, SUNY Oswego has tried to maintain a pulse on the student body—soliciting their feedback and input whenever possible, and incorporating that into future decisions. A May 2020 survey of 2,427 Oswego students assessed students’ satisfaction about the college’s overall response to the pandemic, the academic instruction they received and the support they received during the transition. The majority of students felt satisfied on all three counts.

ANOTHER KEY TAKE-AWAY WAS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RESIDENTIAL COLLEGE EXPERIENCE, especially for those from low-income families or those who do not have access to technology and connectivity. “A residential campus experience can mitigate against some of those barriers by providing all students equal access to high-speed internet, healthy food, safe housing and appropriate study spaces,” according to the July 2020 report by SUNY Oswego’s Office of Institutional Research and Assessment.

The college has worked diligently to provide additional support—including mental health, physical, nutritional, financial, academic and professional development—for students and 2020 graduates. The college created 16 Oz-Spots—designated areas on campus for groups of no more than six students to gather informally in a safe and clean environment. In LATE NOVEMBER, President Stanley announced the Laker Success Package, which included: • $150 Cash Award—for returning fulltime, undergraduate students who registered and returned for spring 2021 • Guaranteed Alumni/Career Mentor— for any Oswego student who wants one • Imagine 2021—a free five-week program over Winter recess that brought together SUNY Oswego students with alumni, employers, student leaders and guest speakers for career exploration, skill building, professional networking, brand management, mentorship and guidance. “We are providing these exceptional benefits to ensure our students are successful upon their return to campus this spring (2021) and throughout their time at Oswego,” President Stanley said. “As always, we are investing in our students and will continue to support them now to an even greater degree. We’re rolling out our own ‘stimulus’ package to provide students with financial, networking and career resources that will prepare them for lifelong success.” As the spring 2021 semester begins, new COVID-19 vaccines are making their way to the most vulnerable populations. Meanwhile, the college again prepared for the return of our students, using their feedback from fall 2020 to improve the living and learning experience. That includes offering an enhanced dining experience, more face-to-face classes, small group gatherings of student organizations, strategically scheduled days off for stress-busting breaks and continued rigorous, weekly COVID-19 surveillance testing and screening. (continued on the next page)