Southwestern Magazine | Fall 2020

SOUTHWE S T E RN | 9 In retrospect, December 2019 seems like an altogether different era now. For many, those were the halcyon days when students were doggedly completing finals and looking forward to winter break. Professors were grading—and looking forward to winter break. Shoppers were checking off gift lists online and in stores. Families were crisscrossing states and oceans to visit loved ones. American football fans were eagerly anticipating the NFL playoffs. Tourists were crowding into museums and theaters. Crafters were selling their wares at holiday bazaars. Friends were meeting up for peppermint mochas and eggnog lattés. Meanwhile, a new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, had begun making its way through Asia and soon spread rapidly through Europe and North America. On February 11, 2020, the respiratory disease caused by the recently identified pathogen was given a name: coronavirus disease 2019, or the now-all-too-familiar COVID-19. Dozens and then hundreds fell ill, some seriously so. Hospital emergency rooms and ICUs filled up. Death tolls rose. During the first two months of the outbreak, some members of the Southwestern University community were watching the news closely, if not nervously, and began preparing for the worst. Others fervently hoped that the virus would never reach central Texas. By mid- March, Southwestern administrators had to make a difficult decision that prioritized the health and safety of the community: Hundreds of classes would shift online, and students, faculty, and staff would complete the spring semester remotely. In effect, Southwestern’s residential campus, which prides itself on dynamic small classes, face-to-face learning, and a warm and supportive atmosphere, would close, and students would spend the final six weeks of spring 2020 apart. This September, the majority of students returned to Georgetown to engage in face-to-face classes and campus life. The reopening required a significant investment of time, energy, and money to make those wished-for experiences happen safely, including myriad new health protocols to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. From face coverings and plexiglass dividers to physical distancing and staggered class times, things have certainly looked different at Southwestern this fall. But you can see that enduring Pirate spirit of community and resilience in the smiles of happily reunited students and faculty and feel it in the energy buzzing throughout the buildings. This ability to adapt and to think creatively has helped Southwestern weather 180 years of civil and world wars, pandemics, natural disasters, and financial crises. And the University’s commitment to providing a safe home and life-changing learning experiences to undergraduates will ensure Southwestern survives and thrives during the next 180 years and beyond. A YEAR TO REMEMBER STORY BY MEILEE BRIDGES, PHOTOS BY JEFF TEICHER Things may look different this semester, but the Pirate spirit remains the same.