When the world locked down five years ago because of the novel coronavirus, so much in our lives was transformed: work, health protocols, education. The list goes on. As vaccines and more information about the disease became available, most of us were ready to put the pandemic in the rearview mirror.

Why consider it now?

So many aspects of society and daily life remain affected by the pandemic. Washington State University researchers keep a focus on understanding what’s happening in our world, so we can learn valuable lessons from major shifts like the COVID-19 pandemic.

For example, think about health care: nurses, doctors, pharmacists, and other providers took to the front lines of the disease. They cared for the sick, vaccinated millions, and educated us as information about the coronavirus came to light. WSU pharmacists helped train and certify pharmacy technicians to provide immunizations, which still benefit communities.

Burnout and stress were a huge price for the hard work of nurses and others, though. WSU College of Nursing, hospitals, and alumni nurses continue to integrate mental wellness into curriculum and professional life.

For many of us, work changed in fundamental ways too. Work from home, return to office, hybrid work, Zoom⁠—all of these changes continue to affect businesses and professionals.

Schools, students, and families also faced major concerns in education, but really the pandemic exacerbated existing issues, says Johnny Lupinacci from the WSU College of Education. In this issue, he looks at a few of those concerns⁠—technology inequity, mental health, and varying learning styles⁠—and how the pandemic provided lessons to everyone.

Even as we examine how the world shifted since 2020, WSU scientists are hard at work looking at viruses and diseases that could spark outbreaks or even pandemics. The research at the Paul G. Allen School for Global Health is accelerating the ability to identify animal diseases that have the potential to jump to humans and spread. The scientists’ findings and WSU diagnostic labs can help us be better prepared.

One thing that many people discovered from the pandemic lockdowns was the value of connection. We missed people and events, especially within the Coug community. The WSU Alumni Association recognizes that need and recently launched Cougs Connect. It facilitates mentorship and networking opportunities between alums. Check out the article in this issue, and sign up soon.

 

Readers, please note that the magazine’s print distribution has changed. If you donated $10 or more to WSU within two years, you’ll receive the Winter and Spring issues. The Summer issue goes to WSUAA members and paid subscribers. All magazine issues and stories (plus extra videos and more) are available at magazine.wsu.edu.