March 1, 2021

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,

To all who have returned to campus: Welcome back! We are so glad you are here, and we are delighted to have reached today, the first day of in-person learning for the spring semester.

Students and faculty, whether you are in classes that are in person, hybrid, or fully remote, in Hartford or around the world, I hope you enjoy a great start and experience a terrific semester of teaching and learning. And to our staff, whether you are working remotely or here on campus, please know how much we appreciate your dedication to our students and to the mission of the college. Your work is critical to our continued success.

Let’s be clear: This semester will not be easy. The pandemic rages on, and we are all fatigued—by stress, by COVID-19 restrictions, and by Zoom! March 11 marks a full year since Trinity shifted to remote learning in response to the fast-moving coronavirus outbreak. Our resilience and flexibility have been tested in ways we couldn’t have imagined. But we can do this—building on our success and our learning from the fall—and there is a light at the end of this long tunnel, thanks in large part to vaccines that offer promise of bringing the pandemic under control.

And so, on this momentous first day, I offer you my best wishes for a spring semester filled with discovery and growth, well-being and care, and—yes—joy.

Sincerely,

Joanne Berger-Sweeney
President and Trinity College Professor of Neuroscience