Annual scholarship program is open to students pursuing a culinary education

New York, NY (February 18, 2021) – COVID-19 continues to challenge the resiliency of many industries, especially the food industry, and culinary schools and students have had to adapt to an unconventional academic landscape. In ongoing support of aspiring and established culinary professionals, the James Beard Foundation announced this week the launch of its 2021-2022 Scholarship Program which will award nearly $321,000.

In the past 30 years, the program has not only grown in visibility and financial scope, but in the array of subjects its recipients have embraced. As of 2020, the Foundation has awarded over $8.5 million in financial aid to over 2,000 recipients.

While award amounts range from $2,000 – $11,000 and eligibility requirements vary by opportunity, in general applicants must be enrolled or planning to enroll in a culinary program at a licensed or accredited culinary school, hospitality institution, college, or university in fall 2021. International students may qualify for many of the scholarships and are encouraged to apply. This year also marks the return of the Foundation’s National Scholars Scholarship, which offers up to 12 awards of $20,000 each per designated region.

“We’re proud to support the next generation of culinary talent through our scholarships, tuition waivers, and grants again this year,” said Clare Reichenbach, chief executive officer of the James Beard Foundation. “As we work to build back a stronger, more equitable, and more resilient restaurant industry, providing funding for education and career advancement opportunities for those who need it most is more important than ever.”

The scholarship program is administered by International Scholarship and Tuition Services, Inc. (ISTS), an independent company that specializes in managing sponsored educational assistance programs. ISTS hosts the online application process, selects and disburses awards to recipients. For more information about the program and to begin the application process, visit jamesbeard.org/scholarships. The deadline to apply is April 1, 2021.

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About The James Beard Foundation

The James Beard Foundation promotes good food for good™. For more than 30 years, the James Beard Foundation has highlighted the centrality of food culture in our daily lives. Through the variety of industry programs that educate and empower leaders in our community, the Foundation has asserted the power of food to drive behavior, culture, and policy change. The organization is committed to giving chefs a voice and the tools they need to make the world more sustainable, equitable, and delicious for everyone. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the James Beard Foundation launched the Open for Good campaign to ensure that independent restaurants not only survive, but that the industry is able to rebuild stronger than before. For more information, subscribe to the digital newsletter Beard Bites and follow @beardfoundation on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.

The James Beard Foundation is a national not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization based in New York City.

To reach the James Beard Foundation for press inquiries, please contact:
Alex Lue | Alexandra.lue@magrinopr.com
John Roth | john.roth@magrinopr.com
Magrino

As a freshman at Marquette, Cassie Laibly was shocked by what she saw when she traveled to Panama with Global Brigades.

“Hundreds of patients lined up to see the doctors and dentists we shadowed; no running water and many locals sick from a parasite in the water they were drinking,” the Biomedical Sciences major recalled. ”But not a single person complained. They were all so welcoming and such grateful people.”

Five months later, Laibly found herself back in that same Panamanian village. This time, her shock turned to awe. The children she previously met greeted her, not with hellos, but with big smiles and the chorus to the song Laibly had taught them about proper dental care.

“They had been brushing and were so proud to show me their smiles and what they had learned,” she said. “That’s why I got involved with Global Brigades. We don’t just give people the proverbial fish or teach them how to catch it. Global Brigades empowers communities by showing them how to make rods and build boats so they can fish long after we’ve left.”

Global Brigades is the largest student-funded humanitarian organization in the world and Laibly is one of 83,000-plus students who’ve participated in Global Brigades over the nonprofit’s 15-year history.

“Most study some form of health care, engineering or business specialty area,” said Dr. Shital Vora, Global Brigades CEO and Co-Founder, who helped create the nonprofit as an undergraduate Physical Therapy student in 2003. “But we’ve had participants from almost every major, from colleges of all sizes, and even high schools and middle schools.”

Vora and her leadership team recently made an organization-saving pivot to virtual programming in the face of COVID-19. Now, Zoom – instead of airplanes – whisks students to Latin America, West Africa and Greece in real time. The program – called TeleBrigades – continues to bring hope to residents of resource-limited communities, while providing students with hands-on leadership and career-building skills via virtual experiential learning.

“And the best part,” Vora said. “Students are immersed in these communities and make a true impact for people living in poverty while never leaving their laptop, classroom or dorm.”

Laibly, who’s participated in multiple in-country Brigades, as well as a TeleBrigade, found both empowering. “The experiences were different, but I found both life changing,” the future health-care provider said. “In the TeleBrigade, we received a longer-lens view of Global Brigades’ entire holistic approach. In-country, I witnessed first-hand how a community can be empowered to action in multiple aspects of their lives by uniting with others to reach common goals.”

Since Global Brigades’ pivot to virtual learning in May, 152 schools have enrolled in TeleBrigades with more than 1,700 college students participating. In its decade-and-a-half history, Global Brigades’ student participants have raised more than $100 million in aid, which has provided 1.5 million patients with medical and dental treatment, established 106 community banks that provided more than 12,000 loans to local businesses and communities. Global Brigades has also installed 56 water systems, bringing clean, drinkable water to more than 32,000 people.

To get involved in the Global Brigades chapter on your campus or to create your own, visit https://www.globalbrigades.org/chapters or click here.

Marquette University Biomedical Sciences Major Cassie Laibly assists a community member while in Panama with Global Brigades.

About Global Brigades
Dedicated to community-led sustainability by igniting the largest student-funded social responsibility movement on the planet, Global Brigades empowers under-resourced communities in Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama to resolve their health and economic disparities through multi-year projects. In-country staff members are the driving force behind program development, brigade coordination, community follow-up and impact measurement. In its 15-year history, Global Brigades has recruited 83,000-plus student participants, who’ve fundraised over $100 million in aid and participated in Medical Brigades, Water Brigades and Business Brigades, which support community-owned banks and provide business consulting and investment capital to microenterprises.

Media Contact
Madison Kane
Global Brigades National College PR Intern
(312) 768-9888
madison.kane@globalbrigades.org

New annual scholarship program focuses on historically underrepresented students pursuing STEAM education

Edmonton, Alberta (February 2, 2021) – To empower the next generation of industry leaders and provide people in historically underrepresented groups with financial aid, global design firm Stantec has launched the Stantec Equity & Diversity Scholarship Fund. With the first round of applications due in March 2021, the program is a joint effort organized both the organization’s Community Engagement and Diversity & Inclusion programs.

Through the program, Stantec will award $200,000 in global scholarships for the annual academic year as well as 10 paid internships to students.

The Equity & Diversity Scholarship is part of Stantec’s broader commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion within the company and an example of their community engagement initiatives aimed at breaking through barriers.

“Stantec is dedicating scholarship resources to help unlock academic brilliance sitting in the minds of underrepresented communities. We see these scholarships as serving an important part in our broad and critical strategy to achieve racial equality. This equality is a target that is right; it is a target to which we must be dedicated to in order to achieve it in our lifetime,” said Adam Carnegie, Stantec Urban Planner and Senior Associate in the firm’s Community Development practice. “Stantec is committed to providing diverse and inclusive scholarships to help give all the communities we serve, and our firm, the benefit of these sharp minds.”

To be eligible for this award, applicants must be enrolled in a college, university or post-secondary institution in the 2021-22 academic year in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree; pursue a science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) major; and belong to a historically underrepresented population/group such as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), members of the LGBTQ2+ community, people with disabilities, veterans, and/or first-generation college students.

To empower employees and their families worldwide, the company also offers a dependent of employee scholarship program open to students enrolled in a college, university or post-secondary institution as a second year/sophomore or above. Both scholarship programs are administered by International Scholarship and Tuition Services, Inc. (ISTS), an independent company that specializes in managing sponsored educational assistance programs. For each, ISTS hosts the online application processes in English and French Canadian, responds to applicant inquiries, selects recipients and disburses awards.

For more information about the Stantec Equity & Diversity Scholarship and to begin the application process, visit stantec.com/equityanddiversityscholarship. The deadline to apply is March 15, 2021.

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About Stantec
Communities are fundamental. Whether around the corner or across the globe, they provide a foundation, a sense of place and of belonging. That’s why at Stantec, we always design with community in mind. We care about the communities we serve—because they’re our communities too. This allows us to assess what’s needed and connect our expertise, to appreciate nuances and envision what’s never been considered, to bring together diverse perspectives so we can collaborate toward a shared success. We’re designers, engineers, scientists, and project managers, innovating together at the intersection of community, creativity, and client relationships. Balancing these priorities results in projects that advance the quality of life in communities across the globe.

Stantec trades on the TSX and the NYSE under the symbol STN.

Media Contact
Danny Craig
Stantec Media Relations
Ph: 949-923-6085
danny.craig@stantec.com

● Project Proposals Must be Received by March 15, 2021.
● The competition is open to graduate-level students who are enrolled full-time with a US-based university or college.
● Institution affiliated to the Winning Entry will Receive $10,000 to Further Advance their Efforts.

Jupiter, FL – January 26, 2021 –– VoLo Foundation, a non-profit organization with a mission to accelerate change and global impact by supporting science-based climate solutions, has opened the registration period for its VoLo VISTA Award competition. The VISTA Award is VoLo Foundation’s award recognition for graduate students who display exemplary leadership in parallel with the five VISTA principles for climate solutions within the state of Florida. The winning individual or team will receive a $10,000 award, made out to the university or college with whom they are affiliated to further develop the project. All project proposals must be received by March 15^th, 2021.  To access the VoLo VISTA Award application, please click HERE or visit www.volofoundation.org/climate-correction/.

The competition is open to graduate-level students who are enrolled full-time with a U.S.-based university or college. All projects must address a climate solution applicable to the state of Florida. Finalists will be invited to present their ideas at the Virtual Climate Correction^TM conference, which will take place April 23^rd, 2021, where VoLo Foundation’s Founders will determine the project that best drives positive change in Florida climate solutions.

“At VoLo Foundation, we are committed to keeping an open conversation about climate change on all fronts, including the new generations,” said Thais Lopez Vogel, co-founder and trustee of VoLo Foundation. “This award competition seeks to assist young leaders in sharing their voice and climate solutions throughout our community. We invite students who are determined to implement and achieve aggressive improvement in Florida’s climate goals to participate.”

Eligibility for 2021 VoLo VISTA Award

VoLo VISTA Award recognizes students determined to implement and achieve aggressive improvement in Florida’s climate goals. Our award seeks to assist young leaders in sharing their voice and climate solutions throughout the community. Applicants of the VoLo VISTA Award program must complete the application questions and meet the following requirements:

● Applicants must be a graduate student enrolled at a U.S.-based university or college. No student may apply for the award during their final year of study unless current team members will be able to continue the project’s work at the institution for the remainder of the 2021-2022 academic year.
● The project must address a climate solution applicable to the state of Florida. 
● The project must validate an achieved data result. I.e., X amount of GHG reduction is achieved with the implementation of this project at Y location for the period of Z years.
● All project proposals must be received by March 15^th, 2021. Finalists will be notified of their acceptance into Climate Correction. NOTE: In order to receive the VoLo VISTA award, finalists must be present during the Virtual Climate Correction Conference. 

The 2019 VoLo VISTA Award winners were Marbelys Garriga, from Florida International University, for her Hybridizing Florida’s Coastline with Mangrove Ecological Infrastructure, and Sarah Swiersz and Mohsina Mahmood, from University of Central Florida, for their project Food Waste Recovery System.

For more information, please follow @VoLoFoundation across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube, and join the conversation using #VoLoFoundation and #ClimateCorrection.

About Climate Correction^TM
VoLo Foundation’s Climate Correction is a conference and expo dedicated to sharing and collaborating on climate change solutions. Climate Correction’s mission is to educate the public with data about climate change and to empower individuals to make strides toward a renewable and more sustainable future. Climate Correction brings together leading industry experts, researchers, academic faculties, students and the general public in a common goal of sharing ideas, cutting-edge research and innovation, and solutions to accelerate positive global change. The free event will be held virtually on April 23^rd, 2021. For more information visit floridaclimateweek.org/climate-correction-conference

About VoLo Foundation
VoLo Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in 2014 with a mission to accelerate change and global impact by supporting science-based climate solutions, enhancing education, and improving health. VoLo Foundation believes that developing and sharing knowledge through facts and data accelerates positive global change. Through original research and analysis, and in collaboration with philanthropic and academic partners, VoLo aims to enrich the lives of individuals, strengthen communities, and educate future generations. The organization tracks its progress using a variety of qualitative and quantitative approaches, and it supports programs that generate measurable, meaningful, and sustainable results.

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Media Contact:
Danixa Lopez
Santa Cruz Communications
305-467-5592
danixa@santacruzpr.com

ERIE, PA (January 25, 2021) – Thomas Sowell: Common Sense in a Senseless World explores the life and work of one of our era’s greatest authors on race, history and economics. The one-hour documentary, hosted by The Wall Street Journal’s Jason Riley, begins streaming on Amazon Prime, YouTube, and www.sowellfilm.com today. It will be airing on public television stations nationwide in February.

“You’re about to meet one of the greatest minds of the past half-century,” said Riley. “His story is both fascinating and illuminating.”

Sowell began his life’s journey in rural North Carolina. As a boy, his family migrated to Harlem, NY, where his intellectual hunger and lifelong love of learning was kick-started with an introduction to the Harlem Library and culminated at the esteemed Hoover Institution. Between Harlem and Hoover, Sowell’s intellectual honesty and quest for facts took him into the Marine’s Combat Camera Corps during the Korean War, then onto Harvard, Columbia University and the University of Chicago for his Ph.D. in economics. He has earned positions at top universities as a professor of economics, was a popular syndicated columnist for 30 years, and has written and published 37 books on a variety of subjects.

The program features insights from Sowell, interviews with colleagues, associates and with those he has inspired, revealing why the intensely private Thomas Sowell is considered by many to be “the smartest person in the room.”

Riley’s new biography on Sowell, Maverick: A Biography of Thomas Sowell, will be published May 25.

Thomas Sowell: Common Sense in a Senseless World is a production of Free To Choose® Media. Tom Jennings is the producer. Thomas Skinner and Rob Chatfield are executive producers. Major funding is provided by L.E. Phillips Family Foundation, Robert and Marion Oster, The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, Inc., DKT Liberty Project, The Charles and Ann Johnson Foundation, Chris and Melodie Rufer.

Visit www.sowellfilm.com to further explore Thomas Sowell and find television show times, photos, screening opportunities, downloadable discussion guide, posters, social media resources and more.

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Media Contact
Marjory Hawkins
(512) 940-2828
mhawkins@hawkinspr.com

Effie Collegiate (U.S.) has announced that Spring Call for Entry is now open for the 2020-21 Effie Collegiate Brand Challenge, presented by Bose. The entry deadline is April 1, 2021.

Modeled after the Effie Awards U.S. competition, the Effie Collegiate program engages tomorrow’s marketers by providing an opportunity to research, ideate, and execute comprehensive marketing plans that address professional-level challenges for established brands.

For the 2020-21 competition, Bose challenges students to develop an integrated holiday campaign to promote the brand’s headphone/earbud innovation, targeted at the Gen Z (18-24) audience.

The Challenge is open to students who are currently enrolled full/part-time at accredited educational institutions, including undergraduate/graduate students, and those enrolled in portfolio programs and online courses. Entries may be submitted by teams of two to four individuals. Fall 2020 entrants may participate in the Spring semester with new team members, though may not submit any previously entered work.

Entries will be reviewed by a jury of industry professionals with diverse experience across client, agency, and media companies, and entrants will receive written feedback from the jury on their work. Selected finalists will have the opportunity to present their work to senior members of the Bose brand team. Bose will award monetary prizes to the teams named First-Place ($3,000) and Runner-Up ($2,000).

Following registration for the competition, participating professors whose students will be entering the competition will receive complimentary access to a selection of Effie Award-winning case studies from the Effie Case database, and to the Effie Collegiate Curriculum, a supplementary resource that professors can utilize to guide students through applying Effie’s Framework for Marketing Effectiveness to their projects.

Visit the Effie Collegiate website for more information, including how to register for the competition and access entry materials.

Please note: We have made modifications to this year’s program to ensure the competition can be facilitated and completed virtually.

Media Contact:
Neha Patil
Effie Worldwide, Inc.
collegiate@effie.org

11 college students from around the country selected; scholarship set to provide opportunities to next generation of gaming leaders

Limited-edition shirt featuring art from Heron Preston to celebrate the recipients goes on sale today at 5PM PT, net proceeds to go into next year’s Foundation

LOS ANGELES (Dec. 17, 2020) – Global esports organization, Gen.G, today announced the first class of recipients for its Gen.G Foundation scholarship. 11 college students from around the country were chosen to receive the scholarship which focuses on supporting women, people of color, and low income students enrolled in a US university or college who are interested in gaming, esports, entrepreneurship, journalism or content creation. Each will receive $10,000 to subsidize their tuition for this academic year, and will be a part of Gen.G’s ongoing programming in 2021 for mentorship and career development.

The recipients (with hometowns) include:

● Tyler Blake (Salinas, Calif.) – Cal State University, Long Beach
● Jaya Deeliore (Saint Louis, Mo.) – Saint Mary’s College/Saint Louis University
● Madison Doss (McDonough, Ga.) – Spelman College
● Nathan Harris (Overland Park, Kans.) – Arizona State University
● Kristina Huang (Stockton, Calif.) – UCLA
● Jordan Mendoza (Glendora, Calif.) – Cal State University, Northridge
● Prem Patel (Russell Springs, Ky.) – University of Kentucky
● Joaquin Pizana (Adrian, Mich.) – Eastern Michigan University
● Madison Sellers (Salt Lake City, Ut.) – University of Utah
● Clayton Sinclair (Atlanta, Ga) – Univ. of California, Irvine
● Deanna Tran (Fort Smith, Ark.) – Univ. of Arkansas at Fayetteville
● A final spot is being held for an international student attending a US college; due to COVID, the student will be selected in early 2021.

“The first-ever Gen.G Foundation class is a very special group; they will be change agents in the gaming world in the years to come,” said Gina Chung Lee, VP of Brand at Gen.G. “The best part of this process was getting to know these students and hearing their stories. We will continue to prioritize building out a diverse and supportive network of people who are passionate about careers in gaming and digital media. More to come in 2021!”

Each of the winners will receive a limited-edition shirt featuring artwork designed by Heron Preston, who serves as Gen.G’s Executive Brand Advisor. Fans can pre-order the t-shirt for $65 today at geng.gg, with net proceeds going into the 2021 Gen.G Foundation Fund.

Earlier this year, Gen.G announced a $1 million commitment to developing the next generation of leaders in the gaming industry, pledging to commit $100,000 annually for 10 years through the establishment of the Gen.G Foundation alongside its partners – Silicon Valley Bank, University of Kentucky, Eastern Michigan University, and Bumble.

About Gen.G
Established in 2017, Gen.G is the only major organization that owns and operates top teams in China, South Korea and the United States. Ranked no. 6 in the inaugural Forbes list of the “World’s Most Valuable Esports Companies,” Gen.G’s core mission is to help fans and athletes use the power of gaming and esports to get ahead in and beyond the competition. The company has quickly become a commercial and thought leader, building a global, inclusive and cross-cultural future for sports entertainment.

United under #TigerNation, Gen.G boasts seven global championships to date among their competitive teams which includes the Seoul Dynasty franchise of the Overwatch League, the LCK world champion team in South Korea, the world’s top all-female Fortnite team, PUBG, CS:GO, Valorant and the NBA 2K League’s historic expansion franchise in Shanghai.  Its widely acclaimed initiatives include #TeamBumble, the leading team platform for the empowerment of women in gaming, and the Gen.G Global Academy, the world’s first fully-integrated academic esports program in Seoul. More information about Gen.G esports and its teams can be found at this link.

Media Contacts:
Gen.G:
GenG@DKCnews.com

Partners Include Adidas, Chanel, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, The Rockefeller Foundation, Tony’s Chocolonely and the Visa Foundation

Non-profit Initiative to Provide Bridge to Success for Black & Latinx Entrepreneurs through The Black Ambition HBCU Prize and The Black Ambition Prize

Los Angeles, CA (December 2, 2020) – Pharrell Williams today announced the launch of Black Ambition, a non-profit initiative that will provide a bridge to success for Black and Latinx entrepreneurs who are launching tech, design, healthcare, and consumer products/services start-ups. Black Ambition is committed to leveling the playing field and fostering the ingenuity, determination, and resilience of underrepresented entrepreneurs. As part of the launch, Williams announced two prize competitions – The Black Ambition HBCU Prize and The Black Ambition Prize – which culminate in one major national event.

“Recent events and tragedies have illustrated the always existent stark divisions in the American experience, and while entrepreneurship has long been a tenet of the American dream, marginalized people have faced long-standing barriers to success,” said Pharrell Williams. “With Black Ambition, the goal is to help strengthen the pipeline of talented entrepreneurs and close the opportunity and wealth gaps derived from limited access to capital and resources.”

In partnership with historically Black colleges and universities (“HBCUs”), The Black Ambition HBCU Prize will offer prizes and mentorship for current and former students at HBCUs as they develop seed or early-stage ideas and launch companies in tech, design, healthcare, and consumer products and services. The grand prize winner will receive up to a $250,000 prize and at least nine additional teams will receive smaller prizes. Teams must include at least one current HBCU undergraduate or graduate student (full-time or part-time), one recent alum within two years of graduation, or one former student within two years of attending the institution who is a member of the founding team. This HBCU-affiliated individual must identify as Black/African/African American and/or Hispanic/Latino/a/Latinx.

The Black Ambition Prize will find, support, and seed early-stage companies in tech, design, healthcare, and consumer products and services. Ventures must have at least one founder or co-founder that identifies as Black/African/African American and/or Hispanic/Latino/a/Latinx. The grand prize winner will receive up to a $1 million prize and at least nine additional teams will receive smaller prizes. For both prizes, a member of the founding team is defined as having a senior role, such as VP or C-level role. The prize will launch with a nationwide call for applications from eligible founder teams. Independent application reviewers will score eligible applications on the strength of their idea, with the strongest applications advancing to the major national event.

In July 2021, the two competitions will culminate in teams competing for these prizes by presenting to luminary judges and investors. In addition to financial awards, the entrepreneurs will receive mentorship and feedback as well as access to peer networks and expert connections. All screened applicants will receive access to online resources, information about business resources, and high-level feedback. Semifinalists will also receive cohort-based mentorship. Finalists will receive personal mentorship, opportunities for media exposure, and introductions to venture capitalists, angel investors, and accelerator partners.

Black Ambition’s long-term vision is for inclusive entrepreneurship to be the new normal. The start-up non-profit initiative will be led by an all-star advisory team that includes Grammy Award-winning recording artist, producer, songwriter, entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist Pharrell Williams, with support from The Bridgespan Group, a global nonprofit organization that advises mission-driven organizations, nonprofits, philanthropists and impact investors. Virgil Abloh, the artist, designer, and philanthropist, is actively involved with the initiative and contributed the Black Ambition logo and identity concept design. Black Ambition is supported by funding from Adidas, Chanel, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, The Rockefeller Foundation, Tony’s Chocolonely and the Visa Foundation. Individual donors include Ron Conway/SV Angel and Jonah Peretti. Mattel is releasing a product created in partnership with Black Ambition in the coming weeks, and Tony’s Chocolonely is making a special Black Ambition chocolate bar with a portion of proceeds from both products benefiting the non-profit initiative. For more information on Black Ambition, competition eligibility, and how to apply, please visit www.blackambitionprize.com  and follow us on Facebook (@blackambitionprize), Twitter (@blackambitionpz) and Instagram (@blackambitionprize). Black Ambition is a fiscal sponsorship project of PolicyLink.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Amanda.Silverman@ledecompany.com
Anna.Bailer@ledecompany.com

Dear College Students,

This year, college life is not at all what you expected it to be. Whether it is your first or last year, and whether you are living at home, in a residence hall, or off-campus, COVID-19 has made your life challenging and disappointing. You are undoubtedly Zoom-weary and tired of all the restrictions. You look forward to getting back to normal, or at least a healthier and safer “new normal.”

Throughout this Fall, many campuses and/or surrounding communities have had COVID-19 outbreaks. More often than not, people are quick to blame the students. Students, they said, have off campus parties, don’t physically distance, and don’t consistently wear masks. While sometimes that is true, I know it is disheartening for most of you, particularly since the vast majority of students follow the public health guidelines and genuinely care about the health and safety of themselves and others. As we enter the Thanksgiving and holiday season, you may wish there was something that you could do to reduce your personal risk, protect the health of your family and friends, and send a positive, health-affirming message to your campus community (and your country). Well, there is. The American College Health Association is asking for your help and leadership as we move through this pandemic:

● Take the time now to develop a health and safety plan to reduce your personal risk and protect the health of your family and friends. If you don’t know where to start, review ACHA’s brief “Considerations for Institutions of Higher Education as Students Return Home” at https://www.acha.org/documents/Resources/COVID_19/ACHA_Brief_Considerations_for_IHEs_as_Students_Return_Home_10.29.2020.pdf.

● Consider staying on campus and not traveling for Thanksgiving. If you have an option to remain on campus or in the surrounding college community, do so. It will reduce the risk of spreading the virus to both you and your family and friends at home. This is particularly important if you have loved ones who are elderly and/or have significant risk factors for COVID-19. You will have many future holiday seasons during better and safer times. Consider a “Friendsgiving” on campus instead.

● If you do plan to travel, reduce the number of people with whom you have close contact prior to the trip. Any interactions with persons outside of your campus household or “living cohort” will increase your risk of illness. The more you can stay away from others, the safer you are to travel and arrive at home.

● If you are sick or exposed, do not travel. This is simple and vitally important. Follow the guidance from your healthcare provider regarding recommended isolation and quarantine periods. Do not travel until it can be done safely.

● Get an influenza vaccination (flu shot) prior to travel. While the COVID-19 vaccine is not yet available, influenza is preventable. Please don’t say “Happy Thanksgiving, Mom” or “Season’s Greetings, Grandpa” with the “gift” of the flu. Like COVID-19, influenza presents a major risk to the elderly and persons with high-risk conditions.

● Get tested before you leave. While it is not foolproof and only represents a single moment in time, if surveillance testing is available to you (check with your college health service), getting tested before you leave makes sense.

● While traveling, follow CDC and public health guidelines to reduce your risk of infection. Reduce the number of stops on the trip. Take a direct flight if possible, and if driving, pack food/snacks for the trip. Wear a mask, frequently wash your hands, and carry and use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Sit as far apart from other travelers as possible. Carefully wipe down common surfaces with disinfecting wipes in the plane or vehicle in which you are traveling. Choose a window seat if possible and open the overhead air vents to increase circulation. If driving with others, wear a mask and, if weather permits, open the windows.

● After arrival home, consider a modified self-quarantine for 14 days. Yes, this is a tough one. But it is particularly important if there are elderly family members or persons at home with high-risk conditions, and/or if there is a high prevalence of COVID-19 on or around the campus prior to leaving for home. “Modified” self-quarantine means eating meals in a private space or outdoors, with family at least 6 feet apart; using separate utensils, glasses, and plates; if possible, using a separate bathroom from other family members; avoiding physical contact including hugging, kissing, and shaking hands; wearing a mask and maintaining a distance of at least 6 feet when in the presence of others; and restricting movement within and outside the home. These are short-term sacrifices that can have a significant impact on long-term health and safety.

● Maximize ventilation and reduce numbers at family events. If you must eat indoors, open windows (as much as weather allows) and get cross ventilation. If possible, bundle up and eat outside.

● Pay careful attention to the mental health of yourself and others. Reach out for help or guidance from your primary care provider, psychologist/mental health clinician, or your college health and counseling center if you, a friend or a family member are feeling depressed, anxious or hopeless over the holidays. COVID-19 has taken a tremendous toll on the physical and mental health of our entire nation, and indeed our planet. But help is available if you ask.

● Become a vaccine advocate. Learn as much as you can about the efficacy and safety of the vaccines for SARS CoV-2 (the virus that causes the disease COVID-19) and tell family and friends what you have learned. When your priority group is selected to receive the vaccine, get vaccinated.

The holidays are an important time to reconnect with those you love, but please do so safely. You have much to offer in the weeks and months ahead. Ask good questions, keep learning, and lead by example. You are the future of this nation and we are proud of you.

Yours in health,
Michael Huey, MD

Michael Huey, MD is the Interim CEO of the American College Health Association and a former Associate Professor of Family and Preventive Medicine at the Emory University School of Medicine.

The American College Health Association is a national nonprofit association serving as the nation’s principal leadership organization for advancing the health of college students and campus communities through advocacy, education, and research. For more information, visit www.acha.org.

Media Contact
Rachel Mack
rmack@acha.org
(443) 270-4560