What is Public Research University

The author of this chapter was a full-time staff member in student programming and an adjunct instructor at a large, public research university in the southern region of the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout this chapter, the author will showcase how various institutions answered the call and shifted to a completely virtual experience for programs and events during the COVID-19 pandemic. This chapter will utilize personal anecdotes, from both students and staff, to showcase successful applications of virtual engagement, from new student orientations to graduations, as well as further explore the limitations of engagement through a completely virtual environment. Additionally, this chapter will discuss some of the limitations created from operating in a completely virtual space, including how students and staff handled zoombombing, as well as how to navigate through a high stakes event with malfunctioning technology. Finally, this chapter will highlight ways in which virtual programming can still be utilized long after the COVID-19 pandemic has passed.