04/08/22 

By FHSU University Communications

HAYS, Kan. – Two Fort Hays State University student organizations are sponsoring a panel discussion next week. The “Living Through and Learning from COVID” discussion is set for 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 12. It is being sponsored by FHSU’s chapter of Psi Chi, the international honor society in psychology, and the Psychology Club.

The event, free and open to the public, will be available both on campus and through Zoom. The on-campus location is in the south study area of Forsyth Library. The online link over Zoom is https://fhsu.zoom.us/j/95652712611.

The panel will address the social, psychological, and occupational effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Experts and students will reflect on diverse experiences living through the pandemic and how we can grow and change through these experiences.

The panel moderator will be Ken Windholz, a clinical psychologist and a faculty member in FHSU’s Department of Psychology. Panel members will be Kaley Conner from High Plains Mental Health Center; Dr. Rachel Dolechek, FHSU professor of applied business and a COVID effects researcher; Will Stutterheim, assistant director of health and wellness at FHSU’s Kelly Center; Courtney Riggle, co-owner of Anhelo Massage; Kylie Jank, a graduate student studying clinical psychology and a COVID effects researcher; Taissa Carvalho Mick, a graduate student studying clinical psychology; and Leo Harzman, an undergrad psychology major.

Following are the types of questions the panelists will discuss:

• How did the adjustment from on-campus to online/hybrid learning affect the relationship/learning environment between instructors and students?
• How has it affected your overall performance as a professional or as a student? Motivation, procrastination, feelings of burnout, etc.
• What effect has COVID had on your personal stress levels and have you experienced/or are you experiencing burnout? How about your family/students/clients?
• Has COVID affected your social life? What impact has that had on you or others that are around you such as friends, students, faculty, or family members? Did you experience isolation from family and friends?
• How has COVID affected your compassion and empathy for others?
• Has COVID affected your work life? What impact has that had on you or others that you are around such as colleagues, students, faculty, friends, or family members?
• What does the research say regarding the effects of COVID on students and faculty?
• How did COVID change who you are as a person? What about others that you know?
• What are some ways we can psychologically cope with the stressors related to COVID (personal, professional, relational)?
• What are some ways we can minimize conflict about people’s different ideas about how to deal with COVID and our often-strong emotions regarding those disagreements (masks, social distancing, etc.)?
• How do we continue to move forward to make better work and home lives?
• What strengths have you found within yourself through the pandemic?
• What areas of growth have you witnessed in others?
• What do we do, moving forward?