Students had to complete a validation process before coming to campus, which included registration, financial aide and securing housing. Students moved in starting Jan. 29 by appointment only. Students had to complete a housing request before moving in. Students were also required to have a negative COVID test result before moving in.
Wilberforce offered testing at a pop-up testing site on campus and will continue to offer testing throughout the semester.
Alex Murphy, a freshman from suburban Detroit, made the four-hour drive down with his father over the weekend. Even though he finished his first semester virtually, moving to his dorm will be a new college experience. This is the first time he will be on his own.
“I’m excited, but nervous about being away from home. Of course I wish I could have gotten to campus in the fall, but scheduling all virtual learning then was better than people getting here and then possibly having to pack up and be sent back home,” Murphy said.
Murphy moved into Henderson Hall after taking his COVID test. He said it was “amazing” to get to be in an in-person class on Monday after taking classes online last semester.
Wilberforce is also recommending COVID testing for staff and faculty, the university stated in a press release. Wilberforce will provide monthly testing opportunities throughout the semester on campus. Each week, COVID-19 testing and safety protocols data and learning resources will be released.
Students who tested positive were not allowed to move in and will have to learn virtually. The university said that no students had tested positive for COVID while moving in over the weekend.
For more information on Wilberforce University and its COVID-19 policies, visit www.wilberforce.edu.
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