Our work as a college demands that we always look to the future — to prepare the next generation of students to live and work and lead there.

This year, though, the pandemic threatened to hold us in place. Every aspect of our collective lives was being upended. It seemed we might be stuck.

In fact, here at Penn State Behrend, we were anything but. Our faculty responded quickly, building courses in alternate modes even as they were being taught. Our staff found innovative ways, whether on campus or from home, to continue serving students and doing the vital work of the college. Our team charged with maintenance and operations reconfigured classrooms and accelerated cleaning.

One thing didn’t change: our commitment to our students. With courses delivered in diverse modes, Zoom tutoring, virtual counseling sessions, and online career fairs, we met our students wherever they had need. For some, that included groceries. With the support of the Behrend team, the Lion’s Pantry provided food and hygiene items to more than 300 students.

Our students, too, are looking out for one another. A collection by our student-athletes and their families stocked the pantry for a month. The Student Government Association provided $2,000 to build care packages for classmates in quarantine.

Soon we’ll have a vaccine, and a crowded table, and handshakes, and smiles that aren’t covered by masks. I look forward to that. And when I look back, it will be with gratitude, knowing that every member of the Penn State Behrend community helped pull us through.

--Ralph Ford, chancellor, Penn State Behrend