Friday, July 31, 2 p.m. Flagler College is continuing to monitor Hurricane Isaias, which is approximately 245 miles southeast of Nassau, Bahamas, moving northwest at 16 mph with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph and higher gusts. St. Augustine is currently within the National Hurricane Center’s 5-day Forecast Cone. The National Hurricane Center has advised there is a risk of impacts from winds, heavy rainfall, and storm surge beginning this weekend along the northeastern Florida coast, and that interests in Florida should continue monitoring progress of this storm.

Earlier this week, we promised to release additional information on key metrics and community health indicators that we will use to establish thresholds for alert level assessment given the specifics of Flagler College’s campus operations, as well as an "operations table" that explains what various alert levels mean for those operations.

Flagler College senior Jordan Neisler has been awarded a Pulitzer Center grant for her examination of the water crisis in Jordan.

Flagler College women’s soccer graduate Charlene Nowotny has been named as one of nine female student-athletes from the Peach Belt Conference nominated for the 2020 NCAA Woman of the Year Award.

Flagler College continues to closely monitor the rapidly evolving conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our first priority was establishing a Reopening Plan that makes clear the health and safety protocols for our campus in the Fall. Our next priority is regular and public communication of the local conditions for the virus and what that means for our on-campus operations.

Resident Artist and Theatre faculty member Elaina Wahl-Temple has donated over 300 handmade masks to hospitals.

Kristine Roberts will transfer from her current role to the temporary appointment as Flagler College’s new COVID-19 coordinator, a position that will see her working closely with the College’s Reopening Task Forces as plans continue to develop for a return to face-to-face classes in the fall. Roberts, who most recently served as an administrative assistant in the College’s Education Department, will report to the Assistant to the President and work in collaboration to plan, develop and implement all aspects for COVID-19 prevention, preparedness and response efforts.

This year to help make our future Saints feel welcomed and prepared for the fall semester ahead, the Division of Student Affairs is planning an on-demand virtual orientation experience called Roar Up! The new event will feature even more campus office participation, as being a fully-online event actually helps include more Flagler offices and departments. Currently, Roar Up! is planned for July 13-17.

As Flagler College continues to chart a new course through the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic and prepare campus for a return to face-to-face classes on campus this fall, our Reopening Task Forces have developed a framework for a healthy Flagler community.

Thank you for taking the time to join in on the Flagler Family Town Hall to discuss the Reopening Task Force Report.

Flagler College has joined Pledge St. Johns County, a new community program for businesses and organizations who agree to commit to CDC guidelines and ensure St. Johns County residents, visitors, and employees are safe and comfortable in their establishments in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nonprofit professionals and volunteers who want to create a positive impact on the community can now earn a Certificate in Nonprofit Management through Flagler College’s Adult and Continuing Education (ACE) program.

Alpha Sigma Alpha is coming to the Flagler campus starting Fall 2020. This national Panhellenic organization is only the second to be approved for expansion at Flagler and offered as another option for student engagement under the umbrella of the Division of Student Affairs. Lambda Chi Alpha was added in 2017.

Flagler College redshirt junior Aaron Anderson was selected as the recipient of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year award for Division II baseball.

The Flagler College Honors Program will be focused on “Communities in Context” as its theme for the program’s fifth year. Associate Director Rachel Cremona said the theme was chosen because it will allow students to “Use your community as your book.” In the community of St. Augustine, that book includes a lot of layers. “This should focus students to help them move into their new community, their new family.”

As Flagler College continues to develop plans to bring students back for face-to-face classes on campus this fall, our primary focus is protecting the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff. As part of this plan, the College has elected to push back decisions on allowing outside event scheduling, non-essential visitors, historic tours and other members of the public on our campus until after Sept. 1, 2020.

Steve Voguit, assistant professor of humanities and faculty athletic representative, retired at the end of the 2019-2020 school year after 50 years of teaching, 20 of which were at Flagler College.

SocialBite, an app to help you choose where you’d like to eat tonight, won’t exactly debut in ideal circumstances. Many of us won’t be returning to restaurants in the near future, or at least not as frequently as we once did. And once we do, we’ll just be happy to have a mediocre hamburger and probably not bicker with our friends about where to get that mediocre hamburger.

​For Christopher Catania, a 2001 alumnus of Flagler College and Wells Fargo at Work Regional Manager for Florida and the Southeast, giving back to his alma mater has always been an extension of his strong belief in the importance of higher education.

Flagler College’s virtual Spring Donor Celebration spotlights stories of impact in the lives of students like Sarah Schark. Ninety-two percent of students receive some form of financial aid to support their Flagler education, and Sarah’s story illustrates how donor support provides opportunities for student-led innovation and entrepreneurship.