Bridgewater, Va. and Williamsburg, Va. – While this semester is unlike a semester has ever been before, our Bridgewater core values of goodness, truth, beauty and harmony remain as they always have. The distance and separation that our community is enduring has not dulled the significance of those values or of each other to us. 

From Katie, on campus: 

I see goodness on campus when I see upperclassmen reaching out to first-years who may be struggling to adapt to college life in a troubled time such as this. 

I see truth on campus when I see professors’ dedication to teaching students the pertinence and relevance of critical inquiry. 

I see beauty on campus when I see students seeking a new depth of intentionally. Intentionality in academics, intentionally in character growth and intentionality in relational connections. 

I see harmony on campus when I see resilient students, faculty and staff working as one to ensure that the college is safe, healthy and thriving. 

Recently, I read an article that was comparing our amount of Covid -19 cases with those recorded at James Madison University. The author was correct in crediting our smaller population size as part of the reason for our low amount of cases, but I also believe that there is more to it than that. 

Community matters at Bridgewater College. We support each other, we encourage each other, we value each other and ultimately we care about each other. Bridgewater students are placing our community first as we strive to protect each other through following the Covid-19 safety guidelines. 

Although campus may feel and function differently this semester, the essence of who Bridgewater is and what Bridgewater represents to us all is no different. 

From Raya, remotely: 

Community is also essential to students learning remotely this fall semester. It is a difficult decision to choose between staying at home or returning to the school we regard as home, especially when we do not know whether our decision is beneficial at the time. 

It took days for me to decide to stay home to protect myself and my family. It is a bittersweet feeling to stay home without the physical presence of my Bridgewater family. 

I find myself reminiscing about the memories I made on campus. I remember late nights with my friends in the lounges of the residence halls where we would study and laugh. 

I loved the events where students would show their support for their fellow Eagles. While these events look different for virtual students, the spirit of our campus remains the same.

Learning remotely offers a deeper appreciation for our beloved campus. We remember the way we celebrated Bridgewater College before, and we make sure our community remains strong through adversity.

It is important to recognize that this community transcends proximity to Bridgewater. Our community is an identity that every Bridgewater Eagle represents wherever they are.

Whether we see each other in person with a mask, on Zoom or even on social media, we are all connected to this campus when we encourage one another through this unprecedented Covid crisis.

Bridgewater College’s culture of strong community is the root system that unites us all. While we anticipate the day when normalcy returns, when a screen does not divide us, continue to grow in goodness, truth, beauty and harmony.