on the quad
COMMUN I TY SUPPORT
STUDENTS CREATE 3D FACE SHIELDS
Thanks to the efforts of more than a dozen St. Thomas engineering, education and chemistry students, the university’s 3D printers are turning out personal protective equipment (PPE) to support the Twin Cities medical community. In mid-April, senior mechanical engineering major Collin Goldbach, pictured here, asked his peers via Snapchat what they could do to help during the pandemic. More than a dozen friends responded in the first hour, which led to the idea of creating reusable respirators and face shields. Students sourced 3D printers from faculty members and programs across the Engineering Department, with the capacity to make 60-70 face shields per week. “I recently applied to graduate school, and on all of my cover letters I said that I’m a person who believes if you have an opportunity to help, you have a duty to,” Goldbach said. “If everyone steps up who can, this becomes a lot less stressful for people who are needing to face this problem.”
OR I ENTAT I ON AND TOURS
CAMPUS VISITS AND ORIENTATION GO VIRTUAL
In response to the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding COVID-19, the university canceled in-person campus visits and events. To connect with admitted or prospective students, St. Thomas switched to digital options, including virtual appointments with admissions counselors, virtual Admitted Tommie Week, a virtual video tour of the campus on YouTube and a 360-degree
campus view online. In addition, all advising and orientation and registration-related activities will be online this summer and additional in-person orientation activities will take place during Welcome Days in early September.
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