Authors: Fengyan Wang, Yimeng Sun, Wanchun Liu
It has been a month since President Brown announced the move to a remote campus in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This week, we invited the Director of COM Career Services Patrick Nelson (P.N.) and the Lab and Research Manager of the Communication Research Center (CRC) Susie Blair (S.B.). We asked them to share their experiences of how the situation has affected their departments, as well as their general thoughts on BU’s remote campus.
Q: What is the biggest challenge for you and your department during the COVID-19 pandemic?
P.N. The biggest challenge for COM Career Services is advising our graduating seniors on how to pursue their job prospects, and advising all students on how to pursue summer internships. The job market is extremely volatile as a result of COVID-19, and many summer internship programs have been canceled during this time when we’re being told to “social distance.” Providing our students with the best industry insight and advice possible is our top priority during this time.
S.B. In light of the university closure, we have had to suspend all onsite CRC activity, including in-person research studies. Many studies conducted out of the CRC, especially our biometric studies, involve human subject participation in a lab setting. These studies have had to be indefinitely postponed or converted into online studies where possible. Additionally, our biometric research workshops that were scheduled for this spring have been canceled.
Q: What are the challenges and opportunities remote education provided?
P.N. The biggest challenge remote education presents is the lack of interaction between the parties involved. Nothing can replicate the in-person experience, whether it be in the classroom or in advising appointments. However, the remote setting has provided us with the opportunity to innovate, grow, and try new things. Given how reliant we currently are on interacting remotely, it’s likely the industries our students pursue will be transformed with an added emphasis on remote communication moving forward.
S.B. While our in-person studies have been postponed, CRC researchers are still able to conduct scholarly research using SONA, COM’s online research participant pool. CRC researchers are utilizing this pool of student participants to conduct web-based surveys during this time.
Q: How do you and your department cope with remote education?
P.N. COM Career Services views interacting with our students remotely as an opportunity. We’re still able to hold as many appointments as we typically would be holding in person, and provide the same level of counseling and advice as well. Remote learning isn’t ideal for anyone involved, but there’s no reason we all can’t work hard together and make the best of it.
S.B. Usually, I (the Lab and Research Manager) and/or members of our graduate staff are present at the CRC to help aid visitors, answer student questions, etc. Our team remains active remotely and is responsive to any email inquiries from students and faculty.
Q：What are some frequently asked questions you’ve been receiving from students?
P.N. Given the vulnerability of the job market and the continued cancellation of summer internship programs, students are asking what they can be doing right now to improve their employment prospects while we social distance and work remotely. The best advice we can give our students is to continue to make a list of target companies, apply to opportunities when they come across them, and network with alumni at these companies in order to create relationships and gain insight surrounding the hiring situation internally.
Q： Are there any tips for students to cope with the difficulties during the COVID-19 Pandemic?
P.N. It’s important for students – and everyone – to understand we are all affected by the pandemic. I’d practice remaining positive and thankful daily while focusing on everything students already have rather than what has been taken away from them. Practicing gratitude and generosity during this time will result in a healthier frame of mind and productive habits. It’s easy to get down surrounding the current situation – but it’s only temporary. It’s up to each student how they choose to approach and spend this time, and it’s a great opportunity for them to grow in ways they wouldn’t be able to previously.