After the cancellation of multiple summer events owing to the potential spread of COVID-19, Welch College has cancelled all on-campus youth events and suspended the travel of Welch student representatives, according to David Williford, Vice President for Institutional Advancement.
“It was not an easy decision to cancel the tours of the Rejoice! and Evangels ministry teams and not send out camp reps,” Williford said. “Yet, based on the information we have at this time, we think this is best for our campus community and for those youth and youth sponsors who would be traveling to and from our campus.”
Daniel Webster, Director of Enrollment, works closely with these visiting groups and trains Welch student reps for conferences and camps. “We’re sad about these cancellations. Hosting youth events like Welch Summer Camp and E-TEAM Missions is the highlight of my department’s summer,” Webster said, “With the cancellation of the Truth & Peace Youth Leadership Conference and several summer camps, we realize now that many cancellations are occurring. We informed our student reps that cancellations were coming so that they could look for summer work.”
Relatedly, the college hosts other events and two external groups who utilize college facilities each summer. After conferring with both the Cumberland Valley School of Gospel Music and the Steve Hurst School of Music, it was determined the COVID-19 pandemic made it necessary to cancel those events for this summer.
Craig Mahler, Vice President for Financial Affairs, said, “Though the impact of this global pandemic creates many challenges, the priority of both the college and our denominational and other Christian ministry partners is to maintain an environment that allows for the well-being of our college family and summer guests. We look forward to our guests’ return in the summer of 2021.”
The college continues with preparations to welcome students to the campus for residential learning in late August. Campus leaders are planning a release of detailed plans that allow for a safe return to the campus by the week of August 16.