Campus Heroes

From keeping buildings secure to collecting lab data, essential work must be accomplished to keep a major research university running–even during a pandemic. When the coronavirus pandemic forced the closure of Georgetown’s on-campus activities, most students, faculty members, and administrators shifted to virtual learning and work. But some work requires a physical presence, and several staff teams are providing in-person support, protection, continuity, and even a bit of comfort.

rev. matt carnes, S.J. leads a sunday mass broadcast via facebook live

Mission & Ministry

Mike Pontti (center), who has served Georgetown for almost 50 years, works with landscape crew members Jose M. Reyes and Enrique Salinas

Landscaping

Gideon Pinckney and Delores Skinner sort mail

Mail Services

GUPD Sergeant Joyce Pearson makes time to speak with a student. All staff members comply with the Every Hoya Everywhere public health campaign by social distancing and wearing masks

Security

Medical Research

“Georgetown always takes care of its people,” shares Catherine Anderson (above), who has worked at Georgetown for 44 years.

Food Service

“It’s an eerie feeling working on a university campus when few others are present. Even though you may be performing the same job, you do it without the colleagues who support you. It’s easy to feel removed from those you are serving and, most unfortunately, unthanked.

Many of these staff colleagues who continued to work on campus had home situations similar to others – no day care, no in-person schools. Yet they continued their duties to support the Georgetown community … We are indeed fortunate.”

— Provost Robert Groves, July 1 blog post

These photos represent just a few of the essential staff members on campus, all of whom must comply with the Every Hoya Everywhere public health campaign by social distancing and wearing masks. The limited number of people on and near campus this fall have all undergone weekly COVID-19 tests, which the university tracks on a public dashboard. These practices have become the new normal on the Hilltop, in preparation for a time when all can safely reconvene.

As the 2020 winds to a close, we wish to thank them for all the work they have done and will do to keep the Hilltop beautiful, productive, and perhaps most importantly, safe.