By De’Ja Thompson
The Scene staff
Many Forest Park students are back on campus for the first time in a year and a half.
That makes receptionist Carrie Ford very happy.
“It’s fantastic,” she said. “It’s such a joy to see all the students coming back, and we’ll do all we can to make them feel welcome.”
St. Louis Community College campuses closed in the spring of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, moving classes online.
A limited number of students and employees returned in the fall, while others continued online. Since that time, the number of in-person classes has gradually increased.
Most students have returned to campus this semester. But the college is requiring masks indoors and taking other safety precautions.
“The majority of the students follow the rules and even ask for masks,” said Ford, 73, who works at the Student Center information desk.
Glad to be back
Many students, faculty and staff seem to enjoy being on back on campus, according to an informal poll taken by The Scene recently.
Jennifer Dinh, 16, didn’t like online learning as a student at Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience, a high school in St. Louis.
This is her first semester at Forest Park. She’s part of the Early College Academy program, which allows students to earn high school diplomas and associate’s degrees at the same time.
“I prefer in-person school learning because it is hard for me to look at a computer screen all day,” she said. “… I get to focus better and get help with the questions I need.”
In contrast, general studies student Rebecca Harris, 20, enjoyed online learning. It kept her from having to get dressed and come to campus every day.
This semester, Harris is taking a mixture of online and in-person classes. She likes seeing other students and connecting with professors, and she feels safe.
“Everyone is taking the initiative to wear masks and be respectful of other people’s space,” she said.
Mask challenge
English professor Angela Warfield, 48, has found teaching and learning more difficult with masks, noting that they make it hard to understand what people are saying and interpret non-verbal communication.
Also, Warfield hates not being able to drink her Starbucks coffee during class.
But Warfield is supportive of COVID-19 safety precautions. In fact, she would like to see more.
“I miss my students (when not on campus),” she said. “I miss my colleagues. I miss the energy that really can only be found in the classroom.
“But I don’t feel entirely safe (on campus). Until the college has a vaccine mandate, I won’t feel entirely safe.”
Safety precautions
The STLCC website outlines COVID-19 rules, procedures and recommendations put in place to protect students, faculty and staff.
Beyond the mask mandate, the college is:
- Encouraging vaccinations.
- Recommending social distancing.
- Asking people to wash their hands frequently.
- Telling people to stay home if they’re sick.
- Facilitating self-reporting of positive coronavirus tests.
- Requiring housekeepers to clean classrooms regularly.
“People are doing well with the mask rule,” Dinh said. “When I am in class, everyone has their masks on. Sometimes, I forget and come a little bit too close to people.”
Overall, Dinh feels safe on campus. Her only objection is that some classrooms seem a little too crowded, given that the pandemic is still going on.
Ilham Matiker, 16, another student in the Early College Academy, also has a positive outlook.
“Some people have chosen not to wear masks,” she said. “But overall, everyone is doing a really excellent job of following the rules.”