This Wednesday, March 17, 2021 is being recognized as the one-year anniversary when our campus became pressed to respond to the global COVID-19 pandemic. I believe it goes without saying that this year has been one of the most challenging years in UW-Stout’s history for all involved.
To recognize the significance of this week, Heather Stecklein is hosting an event on behalf of the UW-Stout Archives. You can register here for the event that will include recordings from a campus oral history project highlighting how some members of the Stout community initially coped with the many changes and challenges encountered during Spring Semester 2020. There will also be time for participants to share their thoughts and stories.
Heather developed the initial project by creating a set of sixteen questions. Two students, Kailey Dresel and Meagan Ginnaty-Moore, then conducted interviews with a cross-section of students, staff, and faculty. Although there were many topics covered in the original interviews, the segments that will be highlighted at the anniversary event focus on responses regarding three main areas:
- What was the transition like from the interviewee’s perspective?
- What did the interviewee miss the most about the campus and the greater Menomonie community?
- If the interviewee was granted a wish for 24 hours with no chance for infection, how would they spend it?
Heather will be part of a Society of American Archivists panel presentation featuring this COVID oral history project in August.
I invite you take a moment this week to participate in this opportunity to reflect on all we have experienced and overcome this year. I also urge you to think about the possibilities ahead. I continue to be grateful for all that our UW-Stout community has done to support one another, our students, and our community through this period.
Sincerely,
