Liz Moore, assistant director for alumni engagement, had more than a few challenges early in the quarantine, but she made the most of her predicament. “For the first three weeks of remote work, I was actually stuck in Peru due to border closures,” Moore said. “That was certainly challenging. I was not prepared to be working while away. So, I only had my cell phone. I quickly learned how to adapt and was able to keep things moving.” Working on spreadsheets, video conferencing and emailing from her phone was difficult, and once she returned home, the situation didn’t get much better. “Not so conveniently, my 10-plus year old laptop finally died on week five of shelter in place,” Moore said. Fortunately, she was able to bounce back quickly, and got a routine under her belt working on a desktop computer at her dining room table. She connects to colleagues through video teleconferencing and office chat rooms. “That’s been helpful. We’re all in this together. There have certainly been some missteps, but I think that’s all part of it. We’re learning. This is an adjustment for everyone,” Moore said. One positive to come from this challenging time has been her ability to connect with alumni. Typically, it can take weeks to set up a phone call between busy schedules, but as the world slowed down, she has found it easier to catch people for a quick conversation. “I’ve really enjoyed having more candid, casual conversations with a lot of folks during this time,” Moore said. “I feel like I’ve learned a lot about our alumni, and their deep care for our students and the college as a whole during this time.”
Liz Moore's dog, Edel, keeps watch over her makeshift desk at her dining room table.
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