Homecoming Update and Virtual Summer Events

Message from the Office of Alumni Relations

We hope this finds you all healthy and well, enjoying these summer months. In March and April, we wrote to you about the College’s immediate response to the novel coronavirus and described the ways we adjusted campus activity and our calendar of events to protect the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff—first and foremost.

Now, months later, we are all continuing to adjust the way we live and interact in our personal and professional lives. Here at ENC we have shifted our academic calendar and are examining our mode of operation in order to re-open the campus for in-person instruction this August. Still, there is so much uncertainty, that it’s hard to imagine returning to the large-scale social activities to which our students and our alumni are accustomed.

Homecoming

Given the uncertainty of the days ahead, we regret to inform you that we will not hold Homecoming Weekend on campus this year as we have traditionally done. As you can imagine, this was a difficult decision to make, but it is the responsible one given the ongoing public health concerns. We feel it would be ill-advised to ask you to travel from across the nation to gather on campus. We, like so many of you, are also still physically distancing and even once the restrictions are fully lifted, we do not imagine that you will feel as comfortable traveling or gathering in large groups. Of course, we want you to experience time-honored Homecoming traditions with your classmates, but your health and well-being and that of our ENC Community—students, staff, faculty and friends included—is top priority. Additionally, we want to be fiscally responsible as we navigate through the financial pressures the pandemic has added. As stewards of the College’s resources, we want to be more careful and more thoughtful than ever as we navigate this new normal.

Of course, our team will be working to connect all of us in meaningful ways— through virtual town halls and discussion hours this summer (see below) and with other ways to connect this fall. The hope is to provide some virtual format of Homecoming, but this will continue to take shape only after prioritizing our mission to educate and deepen our students’ faith, all while keeping our campus safe.

If we make the necessary sacrifices now, we hope to be able to see everyone next year, with even more anticipation, excitement, and enthusiasm! Thank you for your understanding and your continued partnership with ENC.

Connect With ENC Virtually This Summer

This summer we invite alumni, parents, students, faculty, and staff to join President Jack Connell as he holds three weeks of virtual town halls and discussion hours on matters important to the ENC community.  Topics will include athletics; academics and student life; and race and social justice matters on our campus.

Watch your email for an invitation with the Zoom meeting registration links. If you wish to attend and do not receive a registration email by Friday July 3, 2020, please contact alumni@enc.edu for information. Stay in contact with your alma mater, show your knowledge of ENC during our trivia round, or stay and ask Jack a question!

Mark your calendars today for a Zoom meeting with these familiar faces: President Jack Connell, Dr. Brad Zarges (Vice President of Enrollment, Director of Athletics), Dr. Bill Malas (Interim Academic Dean), Jeffrey Kirksey (Vice President of Student Life and Campus Services), Robert Benjamin (Associate Dean for Multicultural Affairs) and Lis Moreau (Director of Residential Life).

You can attend more than one event. Just be sure to register for each event separately. You can submit your questions for President Connell ahead of time by emailing alumni@enc.edu. We hope to see you there!

WEEK 1

Wednesday, July 8th @  1:00 pm
President Jack Connell Kick-Off Town Hall

Thursday, July 9th @ 4:00 pm
Dr. Brad Zarges on ENC Athletics

Friday, July 10th @ 12:00 pm
Dr.  Brad Zarges on ENC Athletics

WEEK 2

Wednesday, July 15th @ 1:00 pm
President Jack Connell Town Hall

Thursday, July 16th @ 4:00 pm
Robert Benjamin on Diversity & Social Justice

Friday, July 17th @ 12:00 pm
Robert Benjamin on  Diversity & Social Justice

WEEK 3

Wednesday, July 22nd @ 1:00 pm
President Jack Connell Town Hall

Thursday, July 23rd @ 4:00 pm
Dr. Bill Malas (Academics) & Lis Moreau (Student Life)

Friday, July 24th @ 12:00 pm
Dr. Bill Malas (Academics) & Jeffrey Kirksey (Student Life)

Office of Alumni Relations
Eastern Nazarene College
23 East Elm Ave.
Quincy, MA 02170
617-745-3000
alumni@enc.edu