In an email to the university community on March 25, Dr. Chris Domes wrote: “With wide distribution of vaccines and progress toward achieving herd immunity, we are planning for a fully in-person semester this fall. The University will remain vigilant and cautious as always, follow all the best public health guidance, and continue to take care of those who remain at risk.”
He tempered his optimism with a note of caution. “The pandemic isn’t over,” he reminded everyone. “While our numbers remain very low compared to other universities, we know how quickly things can change.”
Neumann will open the Knight’s Pantry to address student food insecurity in the fall. Located on the fifth floor of the Abessinio Building, the pantry will provide free food and personal hygiene items to undergraduate and graduate students.
Five community partners have committed to support this project with donations: Mount Hope Church, Red Hill Farm, Saint Thomas the Apostle Church, Sodexo, and Loaves of Love, a group of five churches in the Garnet Valley area.
Manjit Minhas, a brewery owner and celebrity judge on Canada’s Dragons’ Den, offered some sage advice to students about how to become successful entrepreneurs in the fifth annual Rocco A. ’79 and Mary F. Abessinio Lecture in Management and Entrepreneurship on March 18.
She told students to practice their pitch, cultivate their inner champion to overcome fear, get out of their comfort zones, and learn from their mistakes. “Pitching is the transfer of passion,” she told the students during her virtual address. When young entrepreneurs are not perfecting their pitch, they should “listen to understand, not to reply.”