Rachel Vad-Miller’s life is vastly different from the one she imagined 10 years ago leaving home on North Carolina’s Outer Banks to attend ������Ƶ.

Living in the Copenhagen, Denmark, area since graduating in 2015 with a degree in human service studies, she’s married and is earning her Danish citizenship.

What hasn’t changed is the priority she places on service and volunteering. Vad-Miller was already an active community volunteer before attending ������Ƶ. An Odyssey Program scholar and the Department of Human Service Studies  Outstanding Senior of 2015, she worked closely with several community agencies advancing housing, youth and family programs in the ������Ƶ area. In Denmark, Vad-Miller works full time as a municipal social worker connecting vulnerable children and families to needed services. Her off-time is spent volunteering in the community filling gaps not covered by the country’s public services.

Vad-Miller chairs her local branch of Save the Children Youth, a Danish organization that connects adults under 30 in volunteer service for youth and educational services. She was recently interviewed for one of the organization’s social media videos aimed at recruiting volunteers.

“In a pre-interview about my background as a volunteer, he was interested that I’d done so much volunteering in my life,” Vad-Miller said. “From a Danish perspective, volunteering isn’t part of the education system. I told him about my experiences growing up and at ������Ƶ, and about how ������Ƶ teaches that we should be active members of society. I was an ������Ƶ Volunteers! coordinator. I showed him pictures of a human service studies service-learning class with the Burlington Housing Authority. … He thought it was wild.”

After moving to Denmark shortly after graduation, she became fluent in Danish, met and married her husband, Bjarke Vad-Miller, and in 2018 earned a master’s degree in global refugee studies from Aalborg University in Denmark.

First, how did you end up in Denmark after ������Ƶ?

I studied abroad in Denmark in 2013, the fall semester of my junior year. I wanted to be in a non-English-speaking country, to live with a host family, and be somewhere off the beaten path. I loved my host family and I loved Copenhagen. I planned to take a year between graduating ������Ƶ and beginning a master’s program. I found an internship in Denmark. It was 15 months, and I could stay with my host family. I moved here three or four days after graduation. I initially planned to return home, but then I just stayed. I never anticipated wanting to live outside the U.S. It’s been a crazy journey!

Why did you begin working with Save the Children Youth?

I always wanted to do service work in Denmark and volunteer. There’s a different volunteer environment here than in the U.S. There aren’t as many organizations and agencies because there’s a larger social welfare system. I saw a Facebook ad for Save the Children Youth that said they needed volunteers to work with asylum seekers. The Red Cross has a housing unit for refugees rejected from asylum. They had a program to take those children outside in nature, to make bonfires, play games and have creative activities. That’s how it started. After my first year, I became a project leader to recruit and train volunteers, and to communicate with the Red Cross about plans. In 2020, I went on the board for Save the Children Youth, which is for volunteers under 30, and in February I was elected chair of the board.

How would you compare Denmark’s social services to America’s system?

I haven’t worked in the U.S. but from my understanding, it’s more privatized in the U.S. If a child is struggling, there are private services, private counselors, families locate schools themselves. Here there are private services, but they are mostly used by the rich. Instead, more families rely on the public sector. Homelessness isn’t as much of an issue. There is still income inequality, but it’s not like in the U.S. (Social services) take a holistic view of a child’s life. What does the family need? What resources do they have? We make a plan to support the child and family through education, a family support counselor, and offer psychological help if it’s needed. Our systems are very interconnected. It’s a lot of preventative work. If we see a child is beginning to experience difficulties, we intervene and help the family before it gets bad. I have weekly contact with the families I work with. I know them really well and have good relationships with them.

How did ������Ƶ prepare you for this unexpected life?

The whole curriculum prepared me for this. I took a lot of different kinds of courses at ������Ƶ. In addition to being a human service studies major, I minored in psychology and poverty and social justice. In Denmark, I think education is more theory in social work programs, and you get some experience with paperwork and documents. At ������Ƶ, it’s hands on. I took so many service-learning classes, and those are great because they combine theory with real-world applications in projects, internships and in the human service studies practicum. I had a broad education. Plus there are so many professors with so many different backgrounds.

I know for a fact that I wouldn’t be in Denmark if it weren’t for ������Ƶ and the support I got there.

What keeps you interested in volunteering?

There are a lot of different aspects I enjoy. Save the Children is a great group of people that work together well and are trying to make the area as good as it can be. I enjoy seeing the local impact. Before, when I was working directly with children, every week we got to visit with them and they were always excited to see us. Now, what really keeps me going is my work as a social worker, seeing all the needs in the community and building connections. Through my job, I became aware of some children struggling in school. Save the Children Youth has homework cafés and “homework friends” programs. I sent information about them to the principal, who didn’t know there was this free service for her school, and she signed the school up to start collaborating with Save the Children. It’s those sorts of things, seeing that I’m helping people and finding solutions. Because of that, I think it’s really important that people talk about their volunteer work. You never know who you’re helping by talking about it and introducing it into the conversation.

About this series: The ������Ƶ Alumni in Action series explores the stories of university graduates who are doing important and uplifting work in their careers and their communities. To share the names of alumni you think should be considered for this series, please fill out the Alumni in Action nomination form.

During the height of the pandemic, Noah Carton Rossen ’18 and colleagues at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City conducted important research on COVID-19 in a high-stakes environment.

Read below as Rossen shares the challenges of conducting research during the COVID-19 pandemic.

What has your role been at Weill Cornell Medicine throughout the pandemic?

I’m a clinical research coordinator at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City. I work for the clinical and translation science center (CTSC) and on the clinical and translational research unit (CTRU). Usually, I am working on a couple of urology studies, a preeclampsia study and a large sample collection/social survey study, etc.

As part of the response to the outbreak, the CTRU team was reassigned to work on COVID-19 studies. My two other direct coworkers and I are being used as resources for PhDs and MDs from the hospital network to help with all of the new COVID-19 research projects. The process of starting new studies and getting IRB approval normally takes several months but everything is on an accelerated time frame due to the urgency that the PIs (Principle investigators) have referred to as “wartime medicine.”

How has COVID-19 impacted your personal and professional life?

Well, beyond the classic being stuck at home during quarantine and having to make those lifestyle changes, the hardest part was working with the COVID-19 data. We were reviewing the charts of all the people that came to our hospital with COVID-19, and at the peak in the spring that was hundreds a day. We were extracting data for a risk model.

I found that fairly stressful because it was an all-hours thing, and we would get random data dumps to sort through seven days a week. But beyond that, it made me realize that COVID-19 was so much more than numbers because I had to see and read about every person. And there were a lot of people dying, including people my age and children. Some of whom did not have any known underlying health issues. That was the most stressful part. The expectations to get it right quickly and knowing that the speed and accuracy with which we worked may impact people surviving.

Overall, it’s been a really hard year, but I am thankful I was in a position that allowed me to try to help. It gave me purpose in an otherwise bleak year.

How has your ������Ƶ education impacted your career?

������Ƶ really set the foundation of everything I have been able to accomplish. I was fairly aimless entering ������Ƶ, and all the opportunities sparked my academic career. It provided me opportunities to work with professors and take on projects that I otherwise may not have. I never would have flourished without the culture and opportunities at ������Ƶ.

—

Rossen has since transitioned to a new role in the hospital as a senior research coordinator in the Department of Surgery: Division of Trauma, Burns and Acute/Critical Care. There he focuses on COVID-19-, intensive care unit- and trauma-related studies.

About this series: The ������Ƶ Alumni in Action series explores the stories of university graduates who are doing important and uplifting work in their careers and their communities. To share the names of alumni you think should be considered for this series, please fill out the Alumni in Action nomination form.

Speakers for the program included President Connie Ledoux Book, Vice President for University Advancement Jim Piatt and Campaign Chair Chris Martin ’78 P’13, as well as other faculty, staff and alumni leaders. Attendees learned more about important university initiatives including scholarships in the Odyssey Program, the new Innovation Quad that will house expanded STEM initiatives, two new nursing degree programs that will offer students a focus on health equity, and spring admissions data.

The entire ������Ƶ community is now able to view the latest version of the update on-demand to learn more about these initiatives.

“This special university update on the ������Ƶ LEADS Campaign amplifies the campaign’s far-reaching impact on our students,” says Piatt. “The university community remains grateful for the alumni, parents and friends who are dedicated to our mission and vision and provide philanthropic support of our strategic priorities.”

>> to participate in the update. 

The on-demand video will begin automatically once you complete the registration process.

While at ������Ƶ, Slattery displayed her passion for international development. She majored in international studies, was involved with Model UN and participated in study abroad opportunities in Ghana and China. She also completed several internships in Washington, D.C., first as a consultant with the Department of Defense and then with the U.S. Agency for International Development. During these internships, she became involved in communications and followed that path to her current position as Communications Officer for The Hunger Project, where she continues to work in international development.

According its website, The Hunger Project aims to “end hunger and poverty by pioneering sustainable, grassroots, women-centered strategies and advocating for their widespread adoption in countries throughout the world.” In the communities The Hunger Project supports, women bear the bulk of the responsibility in regards to supporting a family’s basic needs. The Hunger Project states “when women are supported and empowered, all of society benefits. Their families are healthier, more children go to school, agricultural productivity improves and incomes increase. In short, communities become more resilient.” For this reason, The Hunger Project believes supporting and empowering women are essential ways to achieve the end of hunger and poverty.

In February 2020 Slattery was assigned to the Global COVID-19 Task Force, a five-person team charged with managing the organization’s COVID-19 response. The task force’s responsibilities include “shutting down offices and moving all operations online, to pivoting from traditional community-based programs to ones that adhere with the public health guidelines put forth by the World Health Organization, to communicating about a COVID-19 response with stakeholders,” says Slattery. Slattery and her team mobilized to slow the spread and mitigate the impact of COVID-19 within the communities they aid. The team used their networks and resources to leverage a community of 500,000 leaders (including nearly 333,000 women) to spread awareness about the pandemic through 14,000 villages in Africa, Latin America and South Asia, reaching an estimated 16.5 million people.

“For me, this crisis is really emphasizing the importance of investing in community leadership,” Slattery says. “Community leaders create resilient communities and resilient communities are the ones that will come out of this best.”

Slattery places an emphasis on incorporating community leadership with COVID-19 vaccine rollout. “We must involve people leading at the grassroots level. They will be key to reaching the most vulnerable in each community and to ensuring widespread acceptance of the vaccine. This applies globally—community leaders will be as important in this campaign in North Carolina as they are in Ghana.”

About this series: The ������Ƶ Alumni in Action series explores the stories of university graduates who are doing important and uplifting work in their careers and their communities. To share the names of alumni you think should be considered for this series, please fill out the Alumni in Action nomination form.

“It’s hard to believe all that we’ve experienced this past year. Our daily lives challenged the ways we teach and learn – we’ve had to adjust the ways we engage at work and in our communities. However, what hasn’t changed is the passion of our community to support the power of an ������Ƶ education to make our world a better place,” says President Connie Ledoux Book in a special  to the ������Ƶ community.

On Tuesday, March 2, thousands of people around the world helped grow opportunities for ������Ƶ students. Together, the ������Ƶ community raised over $3.4 million from 5,609 gifts.

������Ƶ Day donors unlocked numerous opportunities for ������Ƶ students and the community by completing and participating in matches and challenges throughout the day.

As always, ������Ƶ donors were able to make a direct impact on the areas of campus that mean the most to them. These donors made gifts to 176 campus funds including scholarships, student organizations, athletics, affinity networks, schools and programs.

������Ƶ Day gifts of any size, to any area or program, also count toward ������Ƶ LEADS: Our University Campaign.

Here are some ways the ������Ƶ community can participate on ������Ƶ Day:

Students

College Coffee
March 2 | 9:40 – 10:20 a.m. EST
Multiple locations

Stop by for socially distanced food, fun and ������Ƶ Day branded giveaway items! Special College Coffee programming will take place in multiple locations on campus: Fonville Fountain (in front of Alamance Building), Under the Oaks and Chandler Fountain (in front of the Koury Business Center).

������Ƶ Day Extravaganza
March 2 | 4 – 7 p.m. EST
Young Commons

The Student Union Board invites students to the ������Ƶ Day Extravaganza to celebrate ������Ƶ Day on Tuesday, March 2. There will be live music by the band Shiny Penny, food trucks, a photo booth area and lawn games. Be sure to follow for more special announcements about ������Ƶ Day.

Class of 2021

College Coffee
March 2 | 9:40 – 10:20 a.m. EST
Multiple locations

Stop by for food, fun and ������Ƶ Day-branded giveaway items! Special College Coffee programming will take place in multiple locations on campus: Fonville Fountain (in front of Alamance Building), Under the Oaks, and Chandler Fountain (in front of the Koury Business Center).

������Ƶ Day Senior Celebration
March 2 | 4 – 5 p.m. EST
Young Commons

Class of 2021, join a special hour to kick off the ������Ƶ Day Extravaganza. Come by Young Commons from 4 to 5 p.m. to pick up your Class of 2021 T-shirt and ������Ƶ luggage tag (be sure to make your senior class gift). Grab some food from a food truck and stick around for the band!

������Ƶ Day Extravaganza
March 2 | 4 – 7 p.m. EST
Young Commons

The Student Union Board invites students to the ������Ƶ Day Extravaganza to celebrate ������Ƶ Day on Tuesday, March 2. There will be live music by the band Shiny Penny, food trucks, a photo booth area and lawn games. Be sure to follow for more special announcements about ������Ƶ Day.

Faculty and Staff

College Coffee
March 2 | 9:40 – 10:20 a.m. EST
Multiple locations

Stop by for food, fun and ������Ƶ Day branded giveaway items! Special College Coffee programming will take place in multiple locations on campus: Fonville Fountain (in front of Alamance Building), Under the Oaks, and Chandler Fountain (in front of the Koury Business Center).

Alumni

Join the Office of Alumni Engagement for a virtual toast as we celebrate ������Ƶ Day no matter where you are. Register in advance to be entered to win one of our many giveaways.

March 2 | 7:30 – 8 p.m. EST
Zoom

March 2 | 7:30 – 8 p.m. PST
Zoom

Parents and Families

Who says students get to have all the fun on ������Ƶ Day? Put on your maroon and gold, log onto Zoom and celebrate with other ������Ƶ parents in your region! We’ll feature ������Ƶ Day trivia, prizes for most spirited ������Ƶ attire, and more!

March 2 | 7 – 8 p.m. EST
Zoom

March 2 | 7 – 8 p.m. CST
Zoom

March 2 | 7 – 8 p.m. PST
Zoom

Friends, Fans and the Whole ������Ƶ Community

On Tuesday, March 2, the global ������Ƶ community can participate in a daylong celebration by sharing their ������Ƶ spirit on social media and making a gift to the area of campus that means the most to them.

As in years past, donors will be able to make gifts toward specific areas of campus that mean the most to them. These areas include student scholarships, affinity networks (������Ƶ Black Alumni Network, ������Ƶ Jewish Alumni Network, ������Ƶ Latinx/Hispanic Alumni Network and the LGBTQIA Alumni Network), academic schools and departments, and the Phoenix Club (������Ƶ Athletics). For those wanting to make a difference in the Alamance County community, consider making a gift to the ������Ƶ Academy, part of the Center for Access and Success. All ������Ƶ Day gifts will also count toward the ������Ƶ LEADS Campaign.

Make sure to follow @elonuniversity on , and for exciting news and updates, and don’t forget to download our special ������Ƶ Day digital swag package to celebrate throughout the day.

Learn how you can participate in ������Ƶ Day 2021 at www.elon.edu/elonday.

������Ƶ Day officially began in 2014 as part of the university’s 125th anniversary celebration. Since then, ������Ƶ Day’s momentum and impact have grown year after year. Last year, donors gave a record $2.5 million with 6,199 gifts.

As in years past, donors will be able to make gifts toward specific areas of campus that mean the most to them. These areas include student scholarships, affinity networks (������Ƶ Black Alumni Network, ������Ƶ Jewish Alumni Network, ������Ƶ Latinx/Hispanic Alumni Network and the LGBTQIA Alumni Network), academic schools and departments, and the Phoenix Club (������Ƶ Athletics). For those wanting to make a difference in the Alamance County community, consider making a gift to the ������Ƶ Academy, part of the Center for Access and Success. All ������Ƶ Day gifts will also count toward the ������Ƶ LEADS Campaign.

Make sure to follow @elonuniversity on , and for exciting news and updates.

While at ������Ƶ, Caroline McSwain Ryskiewich ’14 G’15 discovered a love for assisting and bonding with senior citizens, a passion that she didn’t imagine could spark a career. Ryskiewich spent time with senior citizens throughout her time as a student during multiple practicums, internships and also as the president of ������Ƶ’s “Linking Generations” Club that paired students with senior citizens at the local assisted living community.

While pursuing a degree in media arts and entertainment – broadcast, she kept her passion close by also pursuing a minor in human service studies with a focus on senior services. Following graduation, Ryskiewich stayed an extra year to participate in the Master of Arts in Interactive Media  program. She then set off to start a career in marketing, until she later realized her true calling was working with seniors.

Ryskiewich now works as a life enrichment associate at a senior living community in Durham, North Carolina, where she makes connections that are not only meaningful for the residents, but for her as well. She recently shared a tweet sharing the connection she has made with another ������Ƶ alumna, Jane Johnson ’51:

Hey @elonuniversity! It’s so fun becoming friends with other @elonalumni like my fellow Phoenix — Jane Johnson ‘51. We met at the retirement community where she lives and I work! #PhoenixForever We tell everyone “we went to college together!”

Read below as Ryskiewich shares her experience working with senior citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Q: What is your job title? What do you typically do in this position?

A: I have the absolute joy and pleasure of working as a “Life Enrichment Associate” at a senior living community in Durham, N.C. It’s so incredible to see how things have come full-circle for me: I spent countless hours as an undergraduate student volunteering in the activities department at Blakey Hall Assisted Living in ������Ƶ, and now I get to spend time with seniors as my full-time job. As the department title “Life Enrichment” suggests, I’m there to help enrich the lives of the residents… whatever that may look like! I do everything from helping my residents learn how to use Facebook, to leading them in rounds of “Mental Aerobics,” to interviewing them for my in-house talk show. This week I even hosted a resident bake-off competition! Every day is different, and every day is so much fun. Although my role is to enrich their lives, it has truly been my life that has been so wildly enriched. It’s the most fulfilling and rewarding role, and every day I think to myself “I get paid to do this?!”

Q: How has working in a retirement community changed due to COVID-19? How has your role changed?

A: COVID has changed everyone’s lives; there’s not a person on the planet who hasn’t been affected by the incredible challenges caused by this pandemic. My senior friends are no exception. In fact, the way the virus has altered their lives is probably one of the more extreme examples one can fathom. The potential for isolation and loneliness (which are already serious concerns for this population!) are drastically increased. Look at the residents in my community, for example: They can’t gather in large groups for activities. They can’t visit with their loved ones. They can’t eat meals together. It’s gut-wrenching for them, their families, and everyone on staff. We are working extra hard to help our friends feel connected, loved, and hopeful. We’re teaching them how to communicate with loved ones using social media and email. We’re visiting them one-on-one to check in. We’re finding safe ways for small groups to gather in socially-distanced spaces. We’re setting up Zooms between residents and their families. And we’re making sure to ask each of our 700+ residents how they’re really doing — mentally, spiritually, emotionally, physically — and to always ask “What can I do for you?” Our programming has had to dramatically shift. But the heart of what we do, loving and caring for the residents, is as strong a driving force as ever.

Q: How did you and Jane Johnson ’51 discover you shared an alma mater?

A: Ms. Johnson — or “JJ” as I call her — came up to me soon after I started my role at the senior living community. I’d been introduced on the daily administrative broadcast, which plays on TV in the residents’ apartments. JJ came up to me after it aired and said “We have something special in common.” When I couldn’t guess, she said “I’m an ������Ƶ College girl, too!”  We were so thrilled to make the connection and compare our experiences as Phoenix. We tell everyone now that we “went to college together!” A lot changed at ������Ƶ in the time between each of our experiences, but it’s a timeless bond that we cherish. I know if we had gone to school at the same time, we would’ve been close friends then just like we are now.

Q: Anything else you’d like to share to help share your story? 

A: Seniors like my JJ are so incredibly special, and they need to feel our love and care now more than ever. I’d urge anyone reading this to take some time to reach out to an elderly loved one in your life. Tell them you’re thinking of them, you love them, and that you know this year has been especially hard. Ask how they’re doing. And then — most importantly — listen, really listen.

About this series: The ������Ƶ Alumni in Action series explores the stories of university graduates who are doing important and uplifting work in their careers and their communities. To share the names of alumni you think should be considered for this series, please fill out the Alumni in Action nomination form.

Mathea Jacobs ’04, who graduated from ������Ƶ in 2004 with a print and broadcast journalism degree, began her career as a part-time graphic designer/character generator operator at WICU-TV, an NBC affiliate in Erie, Pennsylvania. While there, Jacobs climbed the ladder to the night-side editor position, then to morning show producer. When Jacobs and her husband, Bret Jacobs ’03, moved to Central Pennsylvania, she found a temp position in the marketing department for Penn State Hershey Medical Center. She discovered that she enjoyed this work and secured a permanent position as the institution’s videographer/video producer, where she stayed for about eight years. In this role, Jacobs produced marketing videos, educational content and patient stories, and caught the attention of the Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital. Jacobs joined the Mount Sinai staff as the studio manager for KidZone TV where she could continue to produce meaningful content.

Q: Can you tell us about KidZone TV?

A: KidZone TV is a closed-circuit station within Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital. We run five live shows a day, seven days a week. We use television as a therapeutic modality for both entertainment and self-expression. It’s television for kids, by kids and teens. We run game shows, trivia, art, music and welcome special celebrity guests. All of our shows are interactive. Patients can call in from their beside or text in with answers and photos.

We also welcome patients to the studio to learn how to use all of the equipment, such as cameras, video switcher, and audio. Patients and their families also create and produce their own shows while they are in the hospital.

Q: How was KidZone TV impacted by COVID-19? What did you do to adapt?

A: KidZone TV is designed to reach all patients in the hospital, even when they are in isolation. We create virtual programming and fun for kids who cannot leave their rooms. With the new restrictions faced during COVID-19, we increased our programming from three to five shows a day. A lot of our in-person programming was made virtual through the CCTV channel, such as playgroups, art, and music. We could enter the rooms virtually for kids and teens fighting COVID and give them an opportunity for socialization.

Our biggest adjustment was welcoming our special guests. Each week we had visits from Broadway stars, musicians, actors and athletes. We needed a way to keep them involved with our patients so we went virtual with Zoom. We have been able to have some wonderful guests, like David Blaine, interact with our patients through Zoom on KidZone or via one of our robots in their room.

One of the biggest challenges was keeping up with daily changes in our safety regulations. The COVID situation changes dramatically in a short amount of time. A field hospital was erected across the street. We had to think about our patients’ wellbeing, as well as our staff and ourselves.

Our department is responsible for easing our patients’ stay as well as educating them about their hospital care. We took this to heart as the COVID crises rose and we created a series of teaching videos geared towards parents and kids.

Q: What have been some of your favorite moments that have been shared on KidZone TV throughout the pandemic?

A: While it was a stressful time, I was able to really see the staff, nurses and doctors come together. Our colleagues were getting sick and the world was changing, but we really looked out for each other.

On KidZone specifically, I felt uplifted any time I saw a patient having fun during a show. It was always a reminder of why we do what we do. Seeing them enjoy getting a bingo while the world was in turmoil really got me through many days. I loved the outpouring from groups we work with, such as Broadway Hearts. They sent us wonderful shout outs from and recorded special messages for patients. Another group called Lollipop brought us some amazing celebrities, like Jack Black. Our entire staff was uplifted by him the day he Zoomed in.

Q: What is the impact that this programming has had on children and families during the pandemic?

A: I think our programming gave patients and families a sense of normalcy. We have patients who are long term or make repeat visits. It felt important to offer a service they were used to receiving, something that was not restricted. It also helped to turn parents away from the 24-hour news cycle. KidZone was also important as a teaching tool. Like any children’s station, we are a safe place for kids and teens to learn about what is happening. We were able to provide mini “news reports” on the tents being set up across the street and any other changes they might be seeing in the hospital.

Q: Could you tell us about Amos, his role as a therapy dog at the hospital and his involvement with KidZone TV? Have aspects of his role changed due to COVID-19?

A: Amos is a full-time facility dog, part of our Paws and Play program. We have three dogs, which serve our patients and staff. During the crisis, the dogs were limited on patient visits for a short time. Amos and the other pups were a much-needed part of staff support. We even brought them to the field hospital in Central Park. They would still visit patients with clearance from a physician, a practice we already had in place. Everyone who pets the dogs must sanitize before and after. Again, a practice that was already in place. All the dogs were able to do robot visits with COVID-restricted patients. Amos makes a lot of KidZone appearances during our weekly show “Dog Talk”. The pups do tricks, taste testings with treats, and more! Amos makes many KidZone appearances since the studio is where he hangs out. The dogs make such a difference for everyone.

Q: Anything else you’d like to add that will benefit the telling of your story?

A:  There is still a harsh reality of this disease. We sadly lost co-workers and some who got sick are still fighting COVID-19, months later. Some days were very tough on us as a team and a department, but I think it’s important to create these spaces of fun and story-telling. To give our patients and families a voice despite all the noise, and to create a small community in a place like a children’s hospital.

About this series: The ������Ƶ Alumni in Action series explores the stories of university graduates who are doing important and uplifting work in their careers and their communities. To share the names of alumni you think should be considered for this series, please fill out the .

Currently, she serves as an adjunct assistant professor in ������Ƶ’s Doctor of Physical Therapy Education (cardiovascular curriculum), a guest lecturer for the UNC Doctor of Physical Therapy Program and a Lab Assistant for the Duke Doctor of Physical Therapy Program. She is a contributor to Essentials of Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy, 5th edition, has several publications and continues to conduct research at DUH. McHugh serves the American Physical Therapy Association CVP section as a member of the Nominating Committee and previously as a part of the Public Relations Committee.

Throughout the pandemic, McHugh has put her patients and students first by providing exceptional care in her physical therapy practice and sharing unique resources and opportunities with her students.

Read below as McHugh shares the impact COVID-19 has had on her work and personal life.

Q: How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected your day-to-day life and your work?

A: When the pandemic began, each week at work felt like uncharted territory. Guidelines, rules, and requirements were ever-changing, and I felt that I was constantly communicating with coworkers to make sure we were all on the same page regarding PPE and restrictions. Our hospital quickly put together screening protocols for staff members, including hand hygiene, a symptom-based questionnaire and distribution of surgical masks upon entering the facility. The screening has evolved over time and now also includes forehead temperature screening. Day-to-day seemingly has not changed much since the start of COVID, especially in the ICUs, the only exception being the collection of surgical masks that now adorn the rear-view mirror in my car. Social gatherings with friends now occur via Zoom, but overall everyone seems to be making the best of the situation.

Q: Were you teaching any courses that had to transition to online instruction? If so, how was this transition?

A: At the start of COVID, I was preparing the curriculum for DPT 804 Cardiopulmonary Independent Selective. Students were originally scheduled for in-person observations in a variety of settings. Since these observations were canceled, we coordinated healthcare providers to meet with the students virtually, to gain valuable insight and knowledge. We also added in extra resources and lectures on the emerging Physical Therapy literature and evidence for COVID-19.

I am also an Adjunct Assistant Professor for DPT 707 Management of Cardiopulmonary Dysfunction, which typically occurs in the fall semester. Because many clinical rotations were postponed or canceled, this course timeline was moved up in the curriculum. So far, we have been able to hold lectures and labs in small groups, which enables us to ensure that adequate PPE is available and social distancing is maintained.

While this transition initially required significant groundwork and planning, I feel that we have adapted our teaching practices and continue to adequately prepare our students for the ever-changing clinical environment.

Q: How has COVID-19 changed your interactions with non-symptomatic patients?

A: While I am not on the COVID frontline, interactions with patients have not changed much, with the exception of wearing masks at all times. Transplant and surgical patients that are often times immunocompromised, do not seem to be bothered by masks, as it has become almost commonplace and second nature. Our goals from a physical therapy standpoint are to work towards improving patient function and mobility, with the ultimate objective being to safely discharge from the acute care setting.

Q: What have you learned through this pandemic?

A: Two words specifically come to mind when discussing the pandemic and its effects: resiliency and adaptability. Healthcare providers have stepped up and shown how resilient they can truly be in the face of a global pandemic. Healthcare has always been a team effort, but the teamwork truly comes to light when pressed with the added stressors of the pandemic. It is commendable how in every aspect of healthcare, providers and staff adapt to the new set of standards and put the patients first, no matter at what personal cost.

About this series: The ������Ƶ Alumni in Action series explores the stories of university graduates who are doing important and uplifting work in their careers and their communities. To share the names of alumni you think should be considered for this series, please fill out the .