At press time, I’m writing to you from a nearly deserted Huntington campus in the midst of what can only be described as unprecedented circumstances. Most of our Marshall community is displaced from their “normal” work environments and it is certainly a trying time for all of us. I’m sure you have faced some of the same challenges in your own situation.
We started with a transition to online education through April 13, then made the difficult decision to complete the entire semester virtually and postpone our spring commencement until it was safe to hold such a large celebration.
I am so proud of the response of the Marshall community to ensure our students’ safety and their ability to continue the semester on a virtual basis. Right now, our physical locations are closed to all non-critical personnel, students and the public. During this time, however, Marshall University is continuing to serve students and prospective students virtually, however long these arrangements need to be in place.
If there is one thing I know for certain about the Marshall community, it is our commitment to helping others. Members of our Marshall Family have stepped up to assist in a number of ways outside of their regular responsibilities. Some examples are on this page.
I appreciate the hard work, dedication, and patience and understanding of all our faculty and staff as we attempt to continue our mission of educating our students in these difficult times.
I miss the “old times” and hope we will return to some new normalcy soon, when I can see our students and our faculty and staff in person.
Stay safe and healthy.
Sincerely,
Dr. Jerome A. Gilbert
Marshall’s Office of Environmental Health and Safety is coordinating the collection of personal protective equipment including gloves, face masks, gowns, hand sanitizers and more from various campus departments to be distributed to local agencies.
Faculty members from Marshall’s School of Pharmacy made FDA-approved hand sanitizer several times to donate to various charities around Huntington, as well as the Huntington Police Department and the Huntington Fire Department. Additional ingredients were purchased to continue their efforts.
Biological Sciences Professor Dr. Suzanne Strait spearheaded an effort to rapidly produce surgical masks made from high-end furnace filters. Here is one of the co-founders, Marshall alumna Patricia Rogers, who designed the mask.