Many of Gavilan students and their families are food insecure and are faced with a digital divide
Volunteers deliver food to Gavilan Community College students April 7. The college has several programs to help students while they are learning online.
Photo courtesy Gavilan College
By Dr. Kathleen Rose
Dr. Kathleen Rose
Hello Gavilan College community and students. All of us at the college are thinking of you as we each continue to stay home, stay safe and help to mitigate the spread of the Covid-19 virus. As we move into our fourth week of working/studying/collaborating from home, there is a sense of déjà vu for Gavilan College.
Our 100-year-old history tells us that this is not the first time our college has had to face an epidemic of flu or virus in the communities we serve. In reviewing some of the news stories at the time, as well as a section from the essay “To Dream on Your Behalf: A History of Gavilan College” written by faculty member Leah Halper, I am reminded of just how resilient we all are at Gavilan College, and I now have a deep understanding of why:
“In 1919, the people of the United States, certainly including Gilroy, Hollister, and Morgan Hill, were struggling with two virulent forces: World War I and its aftermath, and the massive global flu epidemic. As the war was ending in 1918, another catastrophe struck. The most deadly flu epidemic in human history, a flu that took at least 50 million lives worldwide, proliferated fast and hit hard. It came in waves, starting in spring 1918 and spreading due to the mobility and close association of soldiers in wartime . . . The impact locally cannot be exaggerated. Businesses faltered and closed. Hospitals were overwhelmed . . . The Evening Freelance in Hollister reported by January 1919 that the high school was closed due to the influenza and school officials were trying to start a correspondence course so seniors could graduate on time . . . Towns passed flu mask ordinances, and people were arrested for not wearing masks in public . . . Ironically, once students came back to school there was severe overcrowding, as funding was based on low numbers of attendees from the year before. In this sad and frightening environment, officials at the San Benito High School District made a decision, probably sometime in 1918, to quietly join the junior college movement.”
All year we have been celebrating the centennial of Gavilan College, with special events, tributes, lectures and alumni highlights. The deep spirit of history, giving and service was evident at the time of our Centennial Gala, and we are witnessing it again now during this time of crisis.
After the college shut down in March, more than 600 sections of college courses were quickly migrated to an online platform and our employees began working from home. Our Emergency Operations Center was activated, and we created a website and social media campaign to keep everyone informed. Postcards were sent to every student, and a video reminded everyone that we are here to serve our students during this challenging time. Our nursing program donated masks and other protective gear to Valley Medical Center to protect healthcare workers.
But more was needed immediately for our students, who suddenly were separated from their college safety net, the faculty and counselors who encouraged and motivated daily, and the campus that had become a second home. The EOC went into action to support online student services, library services, mental health, tutoring and outreach to our students to remind them that we cared. A COVID-19 Student Emergency Fund was established that collected more than $17,000 in just a few days. Added to that was $20,000 from our Educational Foundation and $65,000 from our associated student group. In the first week, more than 800 students applied for aid for needs like food, rent, utilities, and bills.
But still more is needed. Many of our students and their families are food insecure and are faced with a digital divide that may impact their ability to succeed. With online delivery continuing through the summer session, we have initiated a computer loan program and have distributed WiFi equipment to students. Recently, in collaboration with our community partners, we distributed food boxes to 300 families. In the weeks ahead, we will continue to do our part.
These are trying, unprecedented and uncertain times. Each day we are developing our resiliency and leadership strengths, and must rethink the past and present, while re-imagining the future. We can certainly learn from this, just as those who began this college as San Benito Junior College did 100 years ago.
As the economy begins again, we know the community college system will have a major part in facilitating economic recovery. We will continue to train critical service providers, and will have the capacity to provide programs that will stimulate industry and community growth. In the days and weeks ahead, all of us at Gavilan will continue to lift one another in service to our students and the community, and lean on one another when we need support.
Just as in 1919, Gavilan College will be here when we continue our lives. Our legacy will continue to fuel our mission.
