Reading the news and checking in with different individuals by phone and on Zoom, one thing is really clear in Humboldt County right now. People are stepping up and doing their part to help.

We all are doing our part. We’re all doing our part for our friends and loved ones, our communities, our colleagues. Physically distant, we’ve come together to get through some very challenging times. So thank you health care providers, first responders, store clerks at essential businesses, custodians, restaurant workers, electricians, contractors, and so many others who are keeping things functioning. Thank you everyone who is telecommuting and those who are caring for children or other family members.

Thank you to hundreds of educators across the North Coast. I have had frequent conversations with other education leaders in recent weeks, and I can tell you that your teachers and professors have been creative, resourceful, and caring as they help our young people continue to learn.

At Humboldt State University, we’re doing our part in many different ways. Our focus is always on protecting the health and safety of our campus community and the broader community, and on helping our students continue their education. Our students are not simply students. They represent the next generation of teachers, bankers, local government leaders, entrepreneurs, health care professionals, accountants, scientists, artists and musicians, and so much more.

I’m inspired by the commitment and resiliency of HSU students, who are working through these difficulties and continuing on the path toward earning their degrees. We are supporting them in many ways, converting our curriculum to a distance-learning format, providing online support and mentoring, and ensuring they have access to computers and the internet. We are housing and feeding those who need to continue living on campus, and we are providing basic needs support to students living on- or off-campus. For those no longer using certain services, we are refunding portions of housing, parking, dining fees. We are also refunding commencement fees, although we remain determined to find creative ways to recognize this year’s graduates. Like many of you, we sincerely hope these efforts will keep students on the path toward a degree.

A number of people have asked how they can help Humboldt State students during this time, and I will offer two suggestions.

Please continue to welcome students and embrace them as members of this community, as you have for more than 100 years. Since my arrival, I have heard so many of you express your desire for more HSU graduates to remain in this area and become the next leaders of our distinctive community. They are here now, and our support will only remind many of them that Humboldt County should remain their place of residence for decades to come.

And if you are interested in providing financial support, know that we have made strong use of the donor-supported Student Adversity Fund, which is designed to help students through short-term challenges. You can find out more about the Student Adversity Fund online at giving.humboldt.edu.

Lastly, I would be remiss if I did not mention that our local health and human service providers also have great need. The work they are doing at St. Joseph Health, Mad River Community Hospital, and other organizations during these challenging times is heroic. Please continue supporting them, however possible.

Thank you, again, for all you are doing so we can get through these times together. I know it is difficult, and I share your worries about family and friends. Personally, I find inspiration by the example set by my grandmother, who lived for 97 years through good times and bad. Despite those years, there was one thing she never, ever, let happen to her. She never let anything knock her down, and I know that we won’t either. So even though I worry, I also wake up every day with enormous optimism, knowing that as a community, and as a family, we will support each other as we work our way through all of this pandemic.

Be well.

Dr. Tom Jackson is the president of Humboldt State University.