ABERDEEN, S.D. (Press Release) – With Summer Session well underway, Presentation College is looking forward to resuming classes on campus for the Fall 2020 semester. Our distance learning was successful this Spring (as our PCV students experience every semester), but we also miss the activities, relationships, and traditions connected to our coming together on campus as a diverse community of learners. We are eager to welcome back all of our students this Fall, in Aberdeen and Online.

As we prepare to reopen our campus, we are continuing to prioritize the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff. Following the guidelines of the CDC and the South Dakota Department of Health, as well as the NAIA (for athletics), here’s a preview of our planning:

• We are adjusting our academic calendar. The Fall Semester start date is being moved up one day to Monday, August 24. In lieu of Fall break, classes will continue on campus through November 25,  after which all classes will move online through December 2. Final Exams will take place online December 3, 4, 7 & 8. These changes to the Fall schedule will allow resident students to return home for Thanksgiving through the end of the semester, providing for a longer, single break and less frequent travel.

• We are analyzing space use within our buildings: academic, administrative, residential and recreational. To maintain social distancing, we are developing specific rules to govern activities, limit occupancy, manage traffic patterns, and ensure rigorous cleaning protocols. Classes will be organized to balance interaction within safe distances.

• We are preparing for life together on campus that will include health screening, wearing masks, practicing physical distancing, testing (if/when it becomes available), and contact tracing. Adjustments to large-scale gatherings like meals, Masses, and athletic events are also in process.

Even as we prepare for an on-campus Fall semester, we are also planning for contingencies outside our control. PC, a leader in health care education, is fortunate to have a dedicated nursing staff, as well as two outstanding hospitals in Aberdeen and several highly regarded medical facilities close at hand and in the region. We are also fortunate to have years of expertise in online learning development and delivery, as our PCV students have long enjoyed.

Look for a PC Fall 2020 Newsletter, to be coming out soon, with all the details for Fall. In the meantime, stay safe and healthy, and enjoy some relaxing time after the intensity of a most unusual Spring semester. On behalf of everyone at Presentation College, we look forward to welcoming back all students (on campus and online) in August.