17: Hard Pivot to E-Mentoring

It is no surprise to anyone that the coronavirus (or COVID-19) threw universities and higher educators for a loop. Many institutions had big plans for the second half of Spring 2020, with even bigger plans for the beginning of a new academic year, Fall 2020. This mysterious airborne disease began sickening and killing hundreds in Asia and the eastern world just as institutions began their Spring breaks (at least in North Carolina). Schools had planned to add one additional week this break to let the initial scare and fervor surround the unknown subside. Indeed, this too would pass like a bad cold and be done in a week, many people thought. A one-week Spring break turned into two. Then three. Then, we were told we would not be coming back in person for the remainder of the school year.