May
2020

Spring has arrived and the end of the academic year is here. When we spoke of a "new normal," did anyone have a year like this in mind?

This has been an amazing year that has been filled with incredible stories of Humboldt success and adaptation. From July 2019 to today, here are just some of the incredibly positive stories about Humboldt.

Each of these represent a portion of the success Humboldt State University has achieved throughout the year, despite power outages and a pandemic. As a campus, we said we would not be knocked down, and we have not. In fact, we have excelled to a strong new level of greatness. Another example is the recent ranking of Humboldt's Environmental Engineering program as one of the top 20 in the nation. From that list of twenty, only two were from California.

Humboldt State has been ranked by many other publications and organizations this year. These rankings include.

Early this spring, as the pandemic caused Humboldt to move to virtual instruction, the faculty, staff, and students excelled. We all adapted with a clear goal – to ensure the health and safety of our Lumberjack family and to ensure the progression for our students toward a degree. We did that. We excelled. We found a way to do it and we found ways to do it very well.

Our next challenge will be our continual efforts to align our resources. This will not be easy, but I can clearly see a positive place that Humboldt will emerge. We will be leaner, no doubt, and we will have fewer students, but only for a few moments in time. We will have tighter controls on spending. But we will also have new options for degrees, a vibrant student body, and a faculty and staff who have already proven their nimbleness and strength. We will still be Humboldt and we will still find many ways to excel.

As you may know, the federal government recently authorized funding to assist students in need. Known as the CARES Act, $5.1 million was available to Humboldt to disperse to students impacted by COVID-19. HSU has dispersed those funds, but students are still in need. Humboldt has quietly continued to ask our friends to support our students through donations to the Student Adversity Fund and other funds. It is not a secret that our students will continue to need the generous support of our alumni and community. If you are interested in helping, there are a number of funds to consider on the Humboldt Connected giving site.

Humboldt will continue our instruction through the summer in a virtual mode. As we look further ahead, rest assured, we will be open and exceling somehow and some way in the fall. Whether it is virtual, face-to-face, or someplace in between, we will be doing what Humboldt does, guiding our students toward a degree while staying focused on offering a positive, meaningful educational experience. We are clear-eyed and mission-focused, and we are committed to our students and this community.

It is spring. Yes, it has arrived. The grass is growing, flowers are blooming, and we are celebrating over 2,100 new Humboldt graduates. It has been an amazing year.

Go Lumberjacks!

Virtual Commencement

On May 16, Humboldt State's Commencement will be celebrated virtually. We hope to have an in-person ceremony in the future, possibly next Spring. For now, this virtual Commencement to be the first step in recognizing the achievements of the Class of 2020.

Students Participate in Virtual CSU Student Research Competition

Twelve outstanding student researchers from HSU were chosen to represent the University in the 34th annual CSU Student Research competition. It was an amazing accomplishment for all of them. On the day of competition, three of them won awards.

HSU Research Confirms Redwoods' Role in Climate

Recent findings from research led by Professor Steve Sillett bolster more than 10 years of research. They show massive carbon storage in old-growth redwood forests and the potential of younger, previously logged forests. Story from the San Francisco Chronicle.

HSU Team Helps Produce COVID-19 Test Kits

During the early scramble for supplies, a crew of HSU faculty, staff, and alumni spent a full day in the Department of Biological Sciences preparing 1,250 COVID-19 test kits.

Helping Businesses Deal with the Pandemic

HSU's Northern California Small Business Development Center has been a critical resource during challenging times for thousands of businesses and nonprofits. The center is the fifth largest SBDC network in the nation, serving a region stretching from the San Francisco Bay Area to the Oregon border.

Donors Support HSU Students During COVID-19

Donors are stepping up and supporting Humboldt State University students during this time, providing funds for technology, basic needs including food and housing, and healthcare. Donations also allowed the HSU Foundation to commit funds for four ventilators at St. Joseph Hospital as part of a community-wide effort to prepare. To find out how you can help, please visit the Humboldt Connected giving site.

Homemade Help: Sewn Face Coverings Donated to Students

The campus community is coming together to donate sewn face coverings for students, who have been asked to wear them in public while making essential trips.

Student Newspapers Mailed to Students

HSU's journalism students recently mailed 6,400 Humboldt State students special editions of El Leñador and The Lumberjack student newspapers, along with the Associated Students sample ballot. The message? At HSU, the student press is alive and well.

HSU Vets Band Together

Veterans are used to sticking together and helping each other through hard times. That's exactly what a group of HSU Veterans is doing during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Local student - think about HSU!

Students on the North Coast have an amazing local option for college. One of the best in the state. For students and their families, Humboldt State University is worth a look, or maybe a second look. While we've always been a great choice for many local students, we're even better today in the midst of partial shutdowns or flare-ups of sickness around the country that may continue for many months.

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