At the university’s inaugural First Fest on April 9, Neumann freshmen raised a flag and buried a time capsule in the residential quad to signal their transition to a sophomore year that everyone hopes will be COVID-free.

The time capsule includes a mask, hand sanitizer, a St. Francis figurine, a Sir Francis stress ball, a printed copy of the daily health check form, pandemic-era photos and marketing materials, and messages to the future from first-year students. The notes offer personal beliefs, humor, and hopes for the years ahead