Sept. 25, 2021, officially marks West Chester University’s 150th anniversary since its opening in 1871.
However, on Sept. 17, 2021 at 1 p.m., West Chester University President Christopher Fiorentino kicked off the school year early to celebrate the special occasion in his annual “Welcome Back” address, along with a celebration for the community on the Academic Quad lawn and ribbon-cutting ceremony to the #WCU150 History and Heritage Exhibit Room in Francis Harvey Green Library.
In the Emilie K. Asplundh Concert Hall, “distinguished guests” and members of the Chester County community gathered to commemorate the university’s 150 years since opening. Donned in semi-formal attire, guests were greeted to live jazz music echoing throughout the theater, mingling in groups before taking their seats. The stage, decorated in purple and yellow flowers for the school colors, spotlighted the podium that Fiorentino would stand behind to give his address.
Greeted with applause from the crowd, Fiorentino approached the stage in a dark grey suit and — appropriately — a purple and gold tie.
Fiorentino describes this occasion for the university as a “momentous” moment since holding remote instruction via Zoom since the spring semester of 2020 due to COVID-19, “wondering whether we’d be meeting at all, or be relegated to staring at one another on Zoom while wearing professional attire above and comfy pajama pants below.”
Fiorentino remembered that during the last spring semester of remote classes, he was overwhelmed by the “absolute emptiness” of the campus, especially as campus life had come to an abrupt halt over a year ago as the rising number of COVID-19 cases were unwavering.
As a former economics professor, he drew comparisons between the empty campus grounds to a “dusty, deserted production facility,” yet simultaneously producing everything it had before the pandemic hit universities all around the country. Fiorentineo mentioned certain aspects of campus life from the past three weeks that he’s missed since going online.
“I like seeing students flinging frisbee on the Quad,” he said. “I like catching glimpses of animated discussions as I pass by classrooms. I even like hearing names shouted out for order pickup at our swarming Saxby’s even if it does mean I have to wait a bit longer for my dark roast coffee— let’s not talk about driving around campus these days,” referring to the notorious parking problems in recent years.
Noting people’s uncertainties of coming back to campus, however, is something Fiorentino and his leadership team have been trying to quell while working with medical experts over the past year to receive the latest information. He is confident in the fact that not only are vaccines accessible and safe for everyone, but breakthrough infections of COVID-19 are mild and rare in most cases. Masking, Fiorentino noted, is the most effective method of reducing transmission of the virus.
In response to arguments made that the campus should shut down to reduce the risk to zero, he stated that because the risk is not reduced that low anywhere else, doing so could set students back even further.
“Student success is always the target destination,” said Fiorentino.
In looking at the past 150 years of WCU’s history, the university and its community have had to overcome several major challenges, including the 19th and 20th Century pandemics, world wars, The Great Depression, racial integration during the Civil Rights movement of the 1960’s and the process of expanding the former state teachers college into a multi-accredited public university.
Originally known as West Chester State Normal School for the first school district of Pennsylvania in 1871, only one building was established to provide a two-year training program for elementary school teachers, governed by a school principal rather than a college president.
“Makes me wonder whether you’d all see trips to my office differently if those trips amounted to being sent to the principal’s office” Fiorentino said humorously.
Fiorentino recognized the efforts made by professors and staff on campus to help students transition into virtual learning; Dr. Matthew Kruger-Ross decided to make entertaining and engaging audio recordings of the 352-paged textbook for his graduate students when one student mentioned that looking at their computer screen all day and night was exhausting. Also included in his public recognition was art professor Andrew Snyder, who made each of his students their own pottery wheel so they could continue to practice pottery in his virtual art class.
Additionally, Fiorentino noted that students could not have succeeded without the support of the Information Services and Technology staff, who helped to provide 1,240 laptops, 650 wireless hotspots, 136 webcams and 107 iPads.
In looking at the university’s timeline of overcoming obstacles, Fiorentino hopes that two new “tests” introduced during his address will be met with enthusiasm; “the test of college affordability and the test of the college achievement gap.”
As PELL grants only cover about 30% of students’ costs and 40% of students are experiencing some form of basic needs insecurity, Fiorentino publicly launched the 150Forward program, a $65 million “comprehensive campaign,” the largest in the university’s history. 150Forward was designed to not only invest in student funds, such as scholarships and study abroad programs, but also to invest in the WCU Resource Pantry for students with food insecurities.
Additionally during the address, Fiorentino gave statistics on the college equity gap that affects more than half of the students on campus; the graduation rate for white students is 80%, while the rate for Hispanic students is 67% and Black students is 56%. The university has decided to participate in the Moonshot for Equity initiative, designed to give students research, technology and advisory services from EAB, as well as guidance from student success leaders Tim Renick and Paula Short.
“While our students come from different backgrounds, they tend to possess one similarity: they come to us with a real hunger. A hunger for learning. A hunger for recognition. A hunger for a better life… and that’s the work [the university does] every day.”
Nikki Haslett is a fifth-year English writing major with a minor in journalism. NH890081@wcupa.edu