NPR Series: Fall 2020 College Road Trip https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=946139831 The fall semester of 2020 is unlike anything colleges or their students have ever seen. So NPR is hitting the road to see what campuses look like during this unprecedented time. en Copyright 2024 NPR - For Personal Use Only Story API Shim 1.2.24 Mon, 21 Apr 2025 13:47:06 -0400 https://media.npr.org/images/podcasts/primary/npr_generic_image_300.jpg?s=200 NPR Series: Fall 2020 College Road Trip https://www.npr.org/series/946139831/fall-2020-college-road-trip With Cases Surging, Colleges Turn To Students For Help As Thanksgiving break approaches, many schools are seeing spikes in coronavirus cases. Some campuses are using students to work the phones as contact tracers. Wed, 18 Nov 2020 05:05:00 -0500 https://www.npr.org/2020/11/18/934475030/with-cases-surging-colleges-turn-to-students-for-help https://www.npr.org/2020/11/18/934475030/with-cases-surging-colleges-turn-to-students-for-help

As Thanksgiving break approaches, many schools are seeing spikes in coronavirus cases. Some campuses are using students to work the phones as contact tracers.

(Image credit: Elissa Nadworny)

]]> Elissa Nadworny A College Student Is Coming Home. Should The Whole Family Wear Masks? Young adults are preparing to travel home for Thanksgiving, but the coronavirus is making things complicated. Epidemiologists say there are things families can to do reduce the risk of infection. Sat, 14 Nov 2020 07:00:36 -0500 https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/11/14/933968091/a-college-students-coming-home-should-the-whole-family-wear-masks https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/11/14/933968091/a-college-students-coming-home-should-the-whole-family-wear-masks

Young adults are preparing to travel home for Thanksgiving, but the coronavirus is making things complicated. Epidemiologists say there are things families can to do reduce the risk of infection.

]]> Elissa Nadworny How Do Colleges And Students Ensure Safety Of Traveling Home For Thanksgiving? As coronavirus cases surge across the U.S., college students are nearing Thanksgiving break. But going home is complicated this year. We discuss how colleges ensure students' safe travel. Wed, 11 Nov 2020 16:00:00 -0500 https://www.npr.org/2020/11/11/933937148/how-do-colleges-and-students-ensure-safety-of-traveling-home-for-thanksgiving https://www.npr.org/2020/11/11/933937148/how-do-colleges-and-students-ensure-safety-of-traveling-home-for-thanksgiving As coronavirus cases surge across the U.S., college students are nearing Thanksgiving break. But going home is complicated this year. We discuss how colleges ensure students' safe travel.

]]> Elissa Nadworny With Many Campuses Closed, Will College Students Turn Out To Vote? People ages 18 to 29 are turning out in record-breaking numbers for early voting. But will pandemic-related disruptions to campus life affect student voter turnout on Election Day? Fri, 30 Oct 2020 07:00:32 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2020/10/30/929084215/with-many-campuses-closed-will-college-students-turn-out-to-vote https://www.npr.org/2020/10/30/929084215/with-many-campuses-closed-will-college-students-turn-out-to-vote

People ages 18 to 29 are turning out in record-breaking numbers for early voting. But will pandemic-related disruptions to campus life affect student voter turnout on Election Day?

(Image credit: Elissa Nadworny)

]]> Elissa Nadworny Colleges Turn To Wastewater Testing In An Effort To Flush Out The Coronavirus Wastewater offers an ideal testing opportunity for colleges: People often poop where they live; colleges know who lives in each dorm; and testing wastewater is a cheaper way to monitor virus spread. Mon, 26 Oct 2020 05:01:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2020/10/26/925831847/colleges-turn-to-wastewater-testing-in-an-effort-to-flush-out-the-coronavirus https://www.npr.org/2020/10/26/925831847/colleges-turn-to-wastewater-testing-in-an-effort-to-flush-out-the-coronavirus

Wastewater offers an ideal testing opportunity for colleges: People often poop where they live; colleges know who lives in each dorm; and testing wastewater is a cheaper way to monitor virus spread.

(Image credit: Elissa Nadworny)

]]> Elissa Nadworny Are Lockdowns At Colleges Working? As colleges across the country see rising coronavirus rates, many campuses have gone into lockdown. Are these lockdowns effective at stopping the spread of the virus? Fri, 23 Oct 2020 16:16:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2020/10/23/927259721/are-lockdowns-at-colleges-working https://www.npr.org/2020/10/23/927259721/are-lockdowns-at-colleges-working As colleges across the country see rising coronavirus rates, many campuses have gone into lockdown. Are these lockdowns effective at stopping the spread of the virus?

]]> Elissa Nadworny The Tricky Business Of Coronavirus Testing On College Campuses We hit the road with NPR Education Reporter <a href="https://www.npr.org/people/378865949/elissa-nadworny">Elissa Nadworny</a>. She's been on a weekslong road trip to get an up-close view of how colleges across the U.S. are handling the pandemic. On today's show, she tells us how one university has been using mass testing to fight the spread of the coronavirus on its campus. It's a strategy that's run into some challenges, namely, student behavior.<br><br>Email the show at <a href="mailto:shortwave@npr.org">shortwave@npr.org</a>. Fri, 16 Oct 2020 04:00:27 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2020/10/09/922542104/the-tricky-business-of-coronavirus-testing-on-college-campuses https://www.npr.org/2020/10/09/922542104/the-tricky-business-of-coronavirus-testing-on-college-campuses

We hit the road with NPR Education Reporter Elissa Nadworny. She's been on a weekslong road trip to get an up-close view of how colleges across the U.S. are handling the pandemic. On today's show, she tells us how one university has been using mass testing to fight the spread of the coronavirus on its campus. It's a strategy that's run into some challenges, namely, student behavior.

Email the show at shortwave@npr.org.

(Image credit: Elissa Nadworny)

]]> Madeline K. Sofia Even In COVID-19 Hot Spots, Many Colleges Aren't Aggressively Testing Students Data from more than 1,400 colleges, obtained by NPR, show that most colleges with in-person classes have no clear testing plan or are testing only students who believe they have the coronavirus. Tue, 06 Oct 2020 05:52:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2020/10/06/919159473/even-in-covid-hot-spots-many-colleges-arent-aggressively-testing-students https://www.npr.org/2020/10/06/919159473/even-in-covid-hot-spots-many-colleges-arent-aggressively-testing-students

Data from more than 1,400 colleges, obtained by NPR, show that most colleges with in-person classes have no clear testing plan or are testing only students who believe they have the coronavirus.

]]> Elissa Nadworny Many Colleges Aren't Aggressively Testing Students For Coronavirus Hundreds of colleges are only testing students if they feel sick or think they were exposed to COVID-19. That's according to new data from more than 1,400 colleges which was obtained by NPR. Tue, 06 Oct 2020 05:04:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2020/10/06/920642789/many-colleges-arent-aggressively-testing-students-for-coronavirus https://www.npr.org/2020/10/06/920642789/many-colleges-arent-aggressively-testing-students-for-coronavirus Hundreds of colleges are only testing students if they feel sick or think they were exposed to COVID-19. That's according to new data from more than 1,400 colleges which was obtained by NPR.

]]> Elissa Nadworny Fewer Students Are Going To Community College, Despite High Unemployment Often during a recession, enrollment in community colleges goes up. The first numbers for this fall show a decline — down nearly 8% compared with last year. Thu, 24 Sep 2020 00:03:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/09/24/916247728/fewer-students-are-going-to-community-college-despite-high-unemployment https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/09/24/916247728/fewer-students-are-going-to-community-college-despite-high-unemployment

Often during a recession, enrollment in community colleges goes up. The first numbers for this fall show a decline — down nearly 8% compared with last year.

(Image credit: Elissa Nadworny)

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