March 17, 2020

Dear Alumni and Friends:

I hope you and your loved ones are doing well and staying safe in these unprecedented and unsettling circumstances as our communities deal with the effects of COVID-19 (coronavirus).

As the global impact of COVID-19 continues to evolve and affect each and every member of the community, Regis College leadership has been meeting daily to assess appropriate responses and next steps. Our top priority will always be the health and safety of the entire Regis community, including our alumni and friends.

At this time and until further notice, Regis has moved all classes to a remote format, residence halls are in the process of closing, and most staff are transitioning to work remotely. Because Regis launched its online programs in 2017, the university is well-prepared and equipped to continue its teaching and learning relatively seamlessly given the technology and programs already in place for online classes.

Given recent developments and guidelines from local, state, and federal health officials, Regis has canceled or postponed all alumni and donor events through the end of April. Because this is such a rapidly-evolving situation, we hope that events later this spring (such as Reunion Weekend) will move forward as planned if the COVID-19 situation improves in the coming weeks. We hope you will continue to save the date, but given the evolving nature of this crisis we urge you not to make non-refundable travel plans at this time. As soon as we have more information, we will be in touch with an update. 

University leadership continues to meet daily to assess ongoing needs of our community and change guidelines as necessary. Read more about Regis’ response and protocols here, and visit the FAQ page here.

As I think back to Convocation this past fall, I think about our conversations around the theme of (Dis)Connection. Our community engaged in meaningful conversations about why face-to-face communication continues to be so important amid the growing tendency in this age to favor digital communication. And now, ironically, we find ourselves having to rely on digital communication more than ever to communicate.

At the core of those discussions at Convocation was the importance of our tight-knit community—one that extends beyond our campuses to our alumni community around the world. When the COVID-19 threat passes, we look forward to once again connecting with you in person. In the meantime, the Institutional Advancement and Alumni Relations team will be brainstorming new and innovative ways to stay connected with alumni and donors. I hope you will stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram, and feel free to email us with any ideas for virtual events or resources that would be helpful or interesting to you.

I wish you and yours the very best as we continue dealing with this unfortunate and unique situation. And may we all embrace the values of the Sisters of St. Joseph to love and support our dear neighbors during this trying time.

Sincerely,

Staci A. Shea
Associate Vice President of Institutional Advancement