Stronger Together: MBU’s Response to COVID-19
Most world-altering events culminate in a single moment, andpeoplecanrecallexactlywhere they were when they heard about it.COVID-19 was different. The first time most Americans heard aboutit, they were,perhaps,mildly concerned,but certainly not greatlyalarmed,since it seemed to be contained on another continent. But as theviruscreptcloser,panic ensued, and the nation shut down almost overnight.
Full Crisis Mode: Change and Flexibility
The effect onMBUwasswift.The most difficult option turned out to be the only viable one:all classes andeventswould have to be cancelledfor the foreseeable future.The choice was simple, butthe decisionwas excruciating.Only by pulling together could the MBU family ever survive the crisis.And pull together they did.
Campuswas a frenzy of last-minute activityandintenseemotionaftertheMarch16announcementthatcampus life would not be resumingafter spring break.Everyone gradually realized what it all meant.There would be no musical in April. No ChamberSingerschoirtour. Nonationalchampionship.No baseballor softballseason.No traditional commencementceremony.No summer ministry trips.And noassurance thattheend was in sight.
GraduateMargaret McMenamin (’20) says, “I felt numb and bewildered. I threw myself into my preparations of things I had to do: pack all my belongings, prepare for white glove, complete the week’s assignments, make travel arrangements, and say goodbyes.”
MBU administrators recognized the gravity of the situation.Much was at stake.“Lord, this is your school,” President Marty Marriott immediately prayed. “You have sustained us for more than fifty years without any large gifts, endowment, or other resources. We are looking to You to supply the needs of our students, faculty, staff, and the university itself.”
MBU took quick and decisive action. Executive Vice President Matt Davis assembledtheCampus Health Task Force,includingexperts and personnelfromacross campus. This dedicated groupworkedtirelesslyto research the novel virus and offer theirinput for campus safety.
Faculty and staff also felt the strain, expressed byAssociate ProfessorJennifer Meinhardt.“I found myself filled with grief,” she laments.“My students and I had developed such a community within the classroom. The thought of losing that was overwhelming.”
Guided by Vice President of Academic Affairs William Lichtas well as their department heads, MBU faculty worked hard over spring break to transition all instruction to online or virtual format and to modify their deadlines to help students succeed.
Some teachers felt that meeting virtuallyduring scheduled class timeswould helpstudentsadjust, while others decided that meeting only periodically would allow students more time to meet deadlines and deal with the challenges in their new environments.
SeniorTyler Juvinallsharesone of those challenges:“Without outside motivating factors, such as a start time to a class or an in-class test, we had to instantly become self-motivated.” Butstudentsrose to the challenges, and thesemesterwas completedwith very few casualties.
Prepared for Crisis: God’s Sovereign Care
No one could have foreseen the eventsof 2020, the year that many joked would be one of crystal-clear vision. But inhindsight, God’s sovereign preparation oftheMBUfamilyfor a crisis like COVID-19 is crystal clear.
Forexample,He provided an executive vice president who, among other things,is an experiencedlawyer,competent to read and respond to complicated legal documents, which appeared in rapid succession during the crisis.Because of Dr. Davis’ expertise, clear thinking, and vibrant leadership,MBUreactedto theemergencyquicklyandwisely.
In addition,throughoutDr. Marriott’stenureas president,God has impressed onhimthe need for expansionand innovationthroughonlinelearning. Dr. Marriott’svisionandtenacityhaskept MBU on the cutting-edge oftechnologyand pedagogyfor distanceeducation, laying the groundwork foranearly seamlesstransition duringthe 2020 spring semester.
Because ofhis progressive approach, most MBU faculty membersnowhaveyears ofexperience teaching online classes.Associate Professor NathanHuffstutlerremarks, “The sudden transition from in-class to virtual format wasn’t that much of a challenge. ԭ has provided amazing tools for us as faculty.”
Manystudentswerealsoalreadyfamiliar with online class formats, having completed dualcreditor college coursesthrough MBUevenbefore coming to campus.Those facing challengesfoundthefaculty and staff readily available and willing to help them navigate the balance of the semester.
Learning from Crisis: Looking Back, Moving Forward
Is hindsight 20/20? Maybe not always, butPaulindicates that God’speopleought to study the pastrecorded in Scripturein order to learn from it (Rom.15:4).What eternal goodcan we see nowthrough thiscrisis?
For one thing, the faith of the MBU familyhas beentested and strengthened. Huffstutler says,“I was impressed by the character of our students. They showed diligence in an extremely trying situation. I’m proud of them.”History ProfessorMichaelZwolaneksays, “I was encouraged to hear how my students were relying on God’s goodness, protection, and sovereignty.”
In addition, Godhas beenglorified.Reflecting on the crisis, MBUCFO Don Donovan says, “God has been faithful. While we mayencounter unexpected and unprecedented circumstances, God is never surprised or unprepared, and He has a good plan for us.”According toDonovan,God’sfinancialprovisionfor the universityincluded generous gifts from friends of ԭ as wellas access to funds from the CARES Act and the Paycheck ProtectionProgram. By carefully allocating these extra funds, MBU was able to maintain full staffing through the spring semester as well as assist students who otherwise would nothave beenable to return to campus.
MBU iseven stronger today than when the pandemic hit.But continued innovation and creativity will be essential. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world. Acknowledging the changes and thinking progressively will allow MBU to accomplish the goal without compromising the mission.
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Author Bio
Amy Herbster is the wife of Mark Herbster, Dean of the MBU College of Bible and Church Ministries and Seminary. They traveled together with their family itinerant ministry for seventeen years before coming to ԭ. Amy now works part-time as a nurse in the MBU Student Health Center while also homeschooling their two youngest daughters. This article first appeared in the Fall 2020 ԭ Advantage.