By Emily Salisbury

It is a secret to no one that COVID-19 has made the college experience more shocking, difficult, and stressful. College, in general, can be stressful any time, and for first-year students just coming in, the experience of college becomes more difficult to navigate. But how has Glenville State College been handling the issues that COVID-19 brings to the college campus and those around it?

Dr. Mark Manchin, President of Glenville State College, said that he and other administrators are trying to keep the college experience as normal as possible while acknowledging that COVID-19 is a very serious issue.

Manchin also stated that on-campus interaction is important and is trying to be maintained as safely as possible because not every student can be successful with online courses. Online courses seem to be a common issue throughout. Dr. Gary Morris, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, said that at the beginning of the semester, 30% of courses were completely online and that number is now closer to 50%.

Tim Underwood, the college’s counselor, also expressed the importance of trying to normalize the college experience. He urges students to get out of their rooms; to go to the cafeteria or the library. From this semester Underwood has seen a rise in anxiety mostly brought on from the what if’s that come along with this pandemic. He encourages students to go to class if they can, get out of their rooms, and to get a routine. He says, “Fear leads to isolation which leads to depression.”

Morris and Manchin believe that the administration, staff, faculty, and students have been doing very well in accommodating to the changes and taking COVID-19 seriously. They report that, as of today, there are zero cases of COVID-19 on campus.

Underwood has also been taking on more of a caseload than usual semesters, stating, “There has been a very noticeable increase in the counseling center going from about 25 students a week to 40.”

If any student is feeling the extra pressure put onto them by COVID-19 and feels as though they need to talk about it, reach out to Underwood at his college email: timothy.underwood@glenville.edu or his office phone: (304) 462-6432. You can also visit his office, located in room 206 of the PE health building on Monday through Friday between 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Underwood also offers telehealth counseling which is a virtual session using Zoom. Reach out for help if you need it; services are free and confidential.

Photograph Courtesy of GSC Public Relations Department