My pandemic experience begins with disrupted plans to present at the ABC Southwest conference in San Antonio, March 11-14. In the days leading up to the conference, I watched as other professional organizations around the country canceled gatherings. Meanwhile, Youngstown State University was on spring break, and administrators grappled with how to respond as the coronavirus crisis began to take shape. I questioned whether the conference would take place and debated whether it was safe for me to attend. On March 10, Ohio prohibited state-funded travel outside of the state, effectively halting my trip. Continue reading Life Interrupted—Finding the Good, Despite the Challenges, in the Pandemic as a Professional

What interesting times we find ourselves in. This COVID-19 self-isolation/quarantine/Work From Home (WFH) time frame seems like it’s gone on for years, even though it’s only been a few weeks. For me, it’s been over a month, and although I’ve been on this big round ball for 5 decades, it feels like it’s been going on forever. Continue reading Tips From a Workplace Therapist

As the undoubtedly most impactful societal moment of the 21st Century thus far, the COVID-19 outbreak is having and will continue to have an indelible impact on most parts of American life for the immediate future. People will continue for many months to avoid direct contact with others for fear of contracting the virus and while the economy is showing signs of significant unemployment, some industries are hiring and even growing and the recent change from on campus courses to online courses is an excellent opportunity for faculty to coach students on video interviewing. Continue reading Coaching Students for Video Interviews

While I have previously taught online before, this semester has not been like any other I have experienced, or I am guessing, like any of us have experienced. Our generations have not experienced a world-wide pandemic before. Our students are struggling right now and so are we. However, we still want to help our students finish this insane semester. As an Assistant Professor of Business Communication, I have made some specific adaptations during this semester and have received positive feedback from my students regarding these changes. Continue reading Grading in the Time of Covid-19