E&H Lifelong Learning: Celebrating an Anniversary and Stronger Than Ever

The Covid pandemic caused Emory & Henry to shut down on March 16, 2020, and on March 20, 2020, the E&H Alumni Association launched a series of videos featuring E&H faculty members discussing issues related to this new and troubling situation. Dr. Celeste Gaia’s presentation on happiness during a pandemic kicked off the event with more than 280 video views.

Two years later, we’re celebrating an anniversary of this new way we found to stay in touch, and the fact that those opportunities to learn together have not only continued, but are going stronger than ever.

Over the past two years, alumni, friends and community members have gathered online to discuss history, nature, music, art, science, news from the College, and more. And attendance continues to be strong. A recent Revolutionary War presentation by alumnus Arthur “Scrapper” Broady (E&H ’70) had 50 participants who attended live and the recording of that event has been watched more than 300 times to-date.

As we begin events that allow us to gather outdoors, we continue a hybrid approach, using online events to enhance in-person events. This spring, for instance, we hosted a popular online event on Eastern Bluebirds in advance of several in-person bird watching gatherings. Our in-person More Than A Vacation (MTAV) will offer field trips that followup on online events. The new hybrid approach is allowing for many new MTAV participants.

E&H alumni have shown a deep interest in their commitment to lifelong learning — and they’ve proven time and again that they are flexible in times of challenge. υ