Even during these interesting times, building community at Salem College never stops. As soon as the news broke that Salem College would be operating online, the Activities, Leadership and Intercultural (ALI) office formed a new Instagram handle called VirtuallySALEM. The ALI office recognized that it would meet students’ needs best by engaging them digitally to provide information about ways to connect as a community beyond digital classroom settings.
Each Monday, Alan Mueller, Assistant Dean of Students, sends an email to the campus about what is coming up that week. According to Mueller “this is really an uncharted situation, but one thing I know about Salem College is that we are full of people who are committed to building community.”
VirtuallySALEM coordinates events like Netflix watch parties, during which faculty and staff host a virtual viewing of one of their favorite films, inviting students to watch along in real time. Faculty and staff have really jumped in to build a robust and diverse set of film offerings.
Mueller, along with Collier Lumpkin, Director of the Lucy Rose Center, also has piloted a series called “Adulting in the Kitchen.” Students, faculty, and staff can follow the VirtuallySALEM Instagram page as Alan and Collier broadcast live cooking demonstrations. Mueller shared some thoughts about Adulting in the Kitchen: “We’ve done everything from homemade lasagna, to black bean soup; what I think is really cool is that Collier has a depth of knowledge about the art of cooking she built in culinary school and can make really complex things, while I offer sort of ‘dad cooking’, which is often navigating what’s in the cupboard and what can be made quickly.”
Spiritual Life and the Counseling Center also have added offerings about reflection, spirituality and self-care.
If Salem College alumnae would like to follow along, they can find VirtuallySALEM on Instagram.