News
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Launch of the site
4/7/2020 Macalester College, Spring 2020, and COVID-19
As I write this, I keep starting over because the words I type—unprecedented, uncertain, extraordinary—seem insufficient for what we’re experiencing. We have all had to quickly shift to new ways of working, living, communicating, and connecting. And at the same time, life continues, spring is approaching (not soon enough), and there are still dishes to do. We have made major changes, which even a month or two ago seemed unthinkable. And yet, though I try to avoid thinking about what our new “normal” is, we’re already living it. At least for this week.
It is within this context, and the uncertainty but reality of these moments, that brings me to the importance of documenting this semester at Macalester. The mission of the Macalester College Archives is about documenting and preserving college history. Usually it’s something that we (staff and student employees in the Archives) do after-that-fact, and for the most part, “behind the scenes”. However an equally important facet of the Archives is connection and collaboration—making connections with students, staff, faculty, and alumni, and ensuring that experiences and perspectives are collected and preserved for future members of the Mac community.
With this project, the Macalester College Archives wishes to not only document and preserve experiences of our community during this time of upheaval due to COVID-19, but we hope this is one small measure to engage, and in a way, bring people together. We've quickly put this together, and aspects of this site will continue to change. We hope that finding ways to share some of your experiences and perspectives will help future members of the Mac community understand what this time in history is like, and also perhaps bring you moments of reflection and unity.
With best wishes from the College Archives,
Ellen Holt-Werle and Kova Walker-Lečić
archives@macalester.edu