Midland College is Ready for Students to Return! “Welcome Week” & Residence Hall Move in SetAugust 16, 2021

Midland College is welcoming back students after an extended time away due to COVID-19. With the global pandemic still posing a threat, MC has several safety protocols in effect. 

First up is residence hall move in. To accommodate social distancing students can arrive over the course of six days, from Tuesday, Aug. 17 – Sunday, Aug. 22. MC expects 170 students to move into on-campus housing. COVID-19 testing is not a requirement prior to move in. 

Residents will be living in co-ed, double occupancy rooms spread over two dorm buildings (Craddick Hall and Daniel Hall) and 10 stand-alone family units. A third dorm building, O’Shaughnessy Hall, is reserved for single, private rooms at an additional cost. The second floor in O’Shaughnessy Hall has been reserved for residents quarantining because of COVID-19.

“We are excited to have students back in our dorms, they really bring life to the campus,” said Ty Soliz, Director of Residence Life and Accommodations. “Things will feel a little different, but we have plans in place to keep residents safe. As a way to further assist our students outside the classroom, we are beginning a “Living Learning Community” for those students with a STEM degree plan. Students’ feedback from this group will be important as we plan to continue developing learning communities for other pathway degree plans within our residence halls.”

Classes begin Monday, Aug. 23. In conjunction with CDC guidance, MC is encouraging students, employees, and visitors to wear face coverings/masks to mitigate the effects of COVID-19. MC will continue to follow safety protocols and limit the number of people gathering in areas such as auditoriums, lecture halls and community meeting rooms. Classes are offered in-person, online, a hybrid of online and in-person, and synchronous and asynchronous virtual learning.

All students and employees are encouraged to get the COVID-19 vaccine, but it is not mandatory.

MC encourages anyone who is feeling ill with COVID-19 symptoms or suspects they may have been exposed to COVID-19 to avoid coming to campus and have a COVID-19 lab test. MC encourages those who have tested positive, experienced COVID-19 symptoms, are under quarantine or isolation order, or have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive to fill out the COVID-19 Report Form on its website. This report form helps MC deep clean the spaces a COVID-19 positive student, faculty or staff have visited. 

To ease students back into the routine MC Student Life is planning “Welcome Week.” It will include free activities with giveaways to start the school year right! On Tuesday, Aug. 24 at 6:30 p.m. students can play “Essential Bingo,” a virtual, online event to help students jump start college living. Prizes include laptops, micro fridges, and other dorm room essentials. Students must register to participate.    

Then on Thursday, Aug. 26 at 12 noon, MC will be celebrating a successful first week with a “Welcome Week Day Party.” Some of Midland’s most popular food trucks will be on campus serving mouthwatering favorites. Food is free for current students with a Chap Card (Student ID) and current faculty & staff. There will be a photobooth to help capture the excitement of the moment and music for dancing as students get to know each other and MC faculty and staff.

“Although we maintained virtual opportunities for engagement throughout our time of social distancing, we have missed providing these enriching opportunities in-person for students,” said Taneekwa Hurdle, MC Student Activities Coordinator. “The safety and wellbeing of students, faculty and staff is our top priority and we have been working to ensure the programs we offer are delivered in accordance with CDC guidelines. We know circumstances may change our plans, so we are asking students to be flexible and stay tuned to Canvas, their emails, and our social media pages for updates as they occur.”