UNK Embraces Opportunity in the Midst of Uncertainty

The words “unprecedented” and “coronavirus” are forever linked to the year 2020. Uncertainty related to health, safety, job security and finances continues to loom over individuals and families worldwide. Organizations big and small are navigating hardships linked to pandemic fallout – and the sphere of higher education has not gone untouched.

Despite widespread challenges, UNK has embraced 2020 as a year of opportunity. An opportunity to provide much needed stability and support throughout the campus community and beyond. Also, an opportunity to empower both current and new students to success through online education.

Efforts to serve the campus community began early on in UNK’s response to the pandemic and have continued to evolve as needed. The eCampus Learning Spaces have been made available to all instructors for lecture capturing and video creation, allowing for engaging and quality video content to be incorporated into remote instruction.

While UNK is a nationwide leader in providing high-quality distance learning opportunities, additional resources such as the Keep Teaching Canvas Resource for faculty and the Keep Learning Guide for Students have been created so that students, staff and faculty alike can thrive when the transition to a remote learning environment from on-campus is necessary. A series of eCampus Self-Paced Online Courses have been launched to encourage the ongoing professional development of instructors.

Without a doubt, the most valuable stories to arise from this year have transpired from the resiliency of UNK’s students. Some students have shifted their on-campus degree completion plans to a fully online format. Others have continued down the path of success with one of UNK’s 50+ online program options.

“eCampus and the entire UNK community continue to demonstrate resiliency in the wake of COVID-19. We’ve witnessed firsthand faculty successfully switching modalities within weeks, trainings and guides being developed within days, and students deciding that finishing their degree or continuing with graduate education was a priority in the midst of so many experiencing lay off. UNK students, staff, faculty, and administration have shown what ‘being bold,’ truly means,” interim director of eCampus, Alyssa Wyant states.

As 2020 comes to a close, individuals across UNK’s campus have come together (virtually) to prepare for what lies ahead. While “uncertain” is still a term that comes to mind throughout the planning process, one thing is certain: UNK will always embrace the opportunity to use excellent online education to inspire.