COVID-19 has fundamentally changed nearly all aspects of our daily lives. Higher education institutions have experienced some of the most drastic changes. We analyzed changes in the first-year student experience at WPI by conducting focus groups, identifying key findings, and distributing surveys. We found that safety guidelines have limited spontaneous social interactions and that students find non-academic interactions meaningful to the college experience. We recommend increasing opportunities to interact such as cross-dorm activities, major-specific events, and creating casual online spaces to connect.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Chen, Felix
• Cuddy, Michael J.
• Velletri, Mia
• Daly, Conor A.

Subject

• Community
• Inclusion

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• 4376
• E-project-101420-164018

Keyword

• COVID-19
• Community
• First-year student

Advisor

• Sphar, Jefferson Alex
• Pollice, Gary F.

Year

• 2020

Center

• Copenhagen, Denmark Project Center - IQP

Sponsor

• Katie Elmes, WPI Undergraduate Studies Office

UN Sustainable Development Goals

• 4 - Quality Education

Date created

• 2020-10-14

Resource type

• Interactive Qualifying Project

Rights statement

• In Copyright

Last modified

• 2020-12-31