The Way Forward

The profound sadness, anxiety, depression, and loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is difficult to fathom. This chapter offers both scholars and practitioners the opportunity to reconsider the purposes and potential of higher education in a world after COVID-19. The importance of community and a sense of belonging, the power of learning new strategies during changing times, and acknowledging that the COVID-19 pandemic had significant consequences for individuals are themes that describe the experiences of the pandemic for faculty, staff, and students at the University of Utah. The University of Utah is offering most classes in an online environment and most students are not on campus, but students, their families, faculty, and staff are gathering for small, COVID-safe in-person graduation ceremonies. The chapter illustrates pockets of thriving across the University of Utah: students creating communities wherever they could to overcome lags in motivation;faculty feeling vitality as they learned new ways to teach and recognized their growth in this process;and staff realizing they could find new ways to solve problems with students. It offers broad recommendations for higher education with the intent that the findings may help others attempting to thrive or survive during times of crisis. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)