The following note was sent to Rossin College students and the extended Lehigh Engineering community by Steve DeWeerth, dean, Sabrina Jedlicka, associate dean, and Susan Perry, assistant dean, at the start of the Fall 2020 semester.
As we embark on a semester unlike any other, we want to extend a warm welcome to the Lehigh Engineering community here on campus and spread across the globe. Despite the challenges we face, we are filled with excitement as we meet new students and greet familiar faces, whether in person or virtually.
Our hybrid learning model is off and running, though not without a few hiccups. As engineers, we are no strangers to troubleshooting and have full confidence that we will innovate, adapt, and settle into a new rhythm over the days and weeks ahead.
Building relationships, creating and maintaining networks of personal and professional support, and simply staying in touch with one another are all more important than ever. Truly, our success as individuals, and as a learning community, will be founded upon these connections.
Our college supports a number of ways to help us stay connected. The Rossin Connection newsletter is one means of keeping current. Please also explore our online News Center, our many social media channels, and our new podcast series dedicated to all things Lehigh Engineering.
All engineering students can access our virtual advising center by signing into their Course Site portal and navigating to the “Rossin Advising” administrative course. This site connects students to contacts across our academic departments who are dedicated to student success both inside and outside the classroom. And although the coronavirus has forced this team to work remotely, providing students with the information and access they need to thrive at Lehigh remains its central mission and number one goal.
We encourage students to check in frequently with their professors and peers and call upon the many resources the university has to offer regarding clubs, athletics, advocacy centers, and more. Explore Lehigh’s Center for Career and Professional Development, including the innovative Lehigh Connects app that supports networking with our proud alumni. It’s never too early to start building your network.
Most importantly, as we continue to face a pandemic, we must look out for each other and do everything possible to protect all of our health and safety on and off campus. We must all remain vigilant in social distancing, wearing face coverings, avoiding large gatherings, and frequently washing our hands.
Please review the university’s policies related to COVID-19 and honor our shared commitment by following them fully and with respect. Complete the daily self-assessment on the HawkWatch app, and stay home if you are feeling ill.
We also have a responsibility to look out for each other. If you observe someone not following the protocols that keep us all safe, we encourage you to remind them of our shared commitments. We hope that these reminders will be met with positive responses; please be aware, however, that there is also a formal online tool for reporting concerning behavior. Our individual well-being depends on working together as a community.
During this academic year, forming the bonds that define the college experience may require more flexibility and creativity than in the past. We are confident, however, that the Rossin College community is up to the challenge. We truly believe that you will look back at this experience as a testimony to your ingenuity, your resolve, and your grit—qualities that define what it is to be a Lehigh engineer.
Go Lehigh!
Warm regards,
Steve DeWeerth
Professor and Dean
Sabrina Jedlicka
Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Susan Perry
Professor of Practice and Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs
