Semester ends with virtual student activities

^{Amy Humphrey, co-director of the Carson-Newman University Student Success Center, and her daughter, Sarah, a rising junior, share some late night waffles during a recent virtual Eagle gathering.}

(April 30, 2020) JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — As each semester at Carson-Newman University draws to a close, it has long been the tradition for the Student Affairs Office to host a variety of fun activities intended to help ease the stress of finals.

Events often range from relaxation and worship to fun indulgences. This semester, presented with the challenges of social distancing and completing the year online, Student Affairs chose to keep tradition and take the activities virtual.

This semester’s “Spring into Finals” activities included a video conferencing Worship Wednesday gathering, virtual yoga, self-care selfies, a virtual relaxation room, spirit day, and perhaps most popular of all, a continuation of the popular “Late Night Breakfast.”

Students, faculty and staff posted photos of their breakfast night meals and videos of karaoke or lip-sync shenanigans. They tagged C-N Student Success accounts for the posts to be shared on Facebook and Instagram.

“We wanted to connect with students in a personal and meaningful way by hosting our signature event online,” said Amy Humphrey, co-director of the Student Success Center. “We know the students felt the support and love we ‘virtually’ sent them through the posts, likes, shares and personal emails our department receives daily.”

Other departments that hosted and supported the activities included Counseling, Residence Life, Campus Ministries, and all those under Student Affairs.

“The students loved it and were so appreciative. My phone was going off all night from students in appreciation,” said Nicole Fedders, director of Student Affairs. “I love all the things we are doing, but it really pays off when the students are deeply touched by the efforts!”

Founded in 1851, Carson-Newman is a Christian liberal arts-based university affiliated with the Tennessee Baptist Convention. The University is located in Jefferson City, Tennessee, among the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains and has over 2,700 students. Carson-Newman offers 50 undergraduate majors, as well as associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees.