Heroes Wear Many Faces: Colleges and Universities Retooling to Fight COVID-19 (A Running List, Week 3)

As of 05/08/2020, there are 450 amazing schools included on this list…and counting!

Colleges and universities across the country are closing their doors to their own students amidst the global coronavirus pandemic. As traditional classes are canceled and postsecondary instruction moves online to mitigate the spread of the virus, some of these same institutions are welcoming COVID-19 patients and healthcare workers to campus. This is all part of a nationwide effort to battle this unique public health crisis.

**Editor’s note** This article will be updated frequently as we learn about more schools that have joined the fight against COVID-19. If your school is involved, let us know by contacting us here!

We have broken up this article into weekly section updates. The links to the older lists are here:

Other schools are doing their part by serving as testing sites, donating personal protective equipment for doctors and nurses, and conducting important medical research that could help put an end to the pandemic. In this article, we’ll highlight the efforts of the colleges and universities who have taken extraordinary measures in the fight against the coronavirus.

Albany Medical College

Albany, New York

Date Added: 04/17/2020

Albany Medical College in partnership with private company FluroTech is working to improve COVID-19 diagnostics. The technology is still in development but could test for a variety of illnesses, including the novel coronavirus. It could also assess viral load as well as antibodies.

Aquinas College

Nashville, Tennessee

Date Added: 04/17/2020

Aquinas College has reopened its student dormitories for healthcare workers to use during the pandemic. Medical personnel from Ascension St. Thomas will be occupying Siena Hall temporarily as they work on the front lines of the COVID-19 battle.

“Since Aquinas College began in the early 1960s, Saint Thomas West has been a great partner and friend to us, so we want to help however we can,” said Sister Anne Catherine, a spokesperson for the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Congregation, said.”

FOX 17 Nashville – Kaylen Jorge, April 16, 2020

Ball State University

Muncie, Indiana

Date Added: 04/17/2020

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Ball State University is putting the computers at its Charles W. Brown Planetarium to use in the battle against COVID-19. Typically used for educational programs within the planetarium, the computers are now being networked to a huge global supercomputer designed to model the protein structure of the novel coronavirus. Results will be used by researchers to develop strategies for mitigating COVID-19’s spread.

Baylor University

Waco, Texas

Date Added: 04/17/2020

To help ease the discomfort of healthcare workers who have to wear protective masks during long shifts amid the pandemic, Baylor University libraries are making tension-relief bands for these masks with the help of their 3-D printers. Over 500 of the bands have already been donated to nearby Family Health Center Waco.

Beal College

Bangor, Maine

Date Added: 04/17/2020

Not only are nursing students at Beal College graduating early to join the front lines, but they’re also sacrificing a milestone-marking ceremony in order to contribute to the COVID-19 relief effort. The traditional pinning ceremony scheduled to honor nursing graduates was canceled due to social distancing measures, so the students made the decision to donate funds for the event to nearby hospital employees.

Bronx Community College

Bronx, New York

Date Added: 04/17/2020

Doing its part to help resolve the shortage of PPE for healthcare workers, Bronx Community College is making vital components for medical face shields. Using its seven on-campus 3-D printers, the school has already produced parts for more than 200 shields.

The City College of New York

New York, New York

Date Added: 04/17/2020

The City College of New York has embarked on a large collective effort to ensure local healthcare workers have the equipment they need to protect themselves while caring for patients amid the pandemic. Four distinct departments at the college are currently producing 300 frames for medical face shields per day. Over 12,000 of these frames have already been donated to local hospitals.

Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine

Scranton, Pennsylvania

Date Added: 04/17/2020

Students from Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine will be joining the front lines of the fight against COVID-19 sooner than expected. Like other medical schools around the nation, Geisinger Commonwealth is allowing fourth-year students to receive their credentials early in order to fill the demand for healthcare workers amid the pandemic.

Georgia College & State University

Milledgeville, Georgia

Date Added: 04/17/2020

Georgia College and State University has emptied its laboratories of personal protective equipment (PPE) in an effort to contribute to the COVID-19 relief effort. Donations of gloves, masks, goggles, and shoe covers were among the PPE donation made to the Georgia Department of Public Health and the Georgia Emergency Homeland Security Agency. Notably, the school also contributed two ventilators. Supplies will be distributed in areas throughout the state where the need is greatest.

Georgia Southern University

Statesboro, Georgia

Date Added: 04/17/2020

Georgia Southern University is helping ease the economic pinch caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The school is donating food grown at its FORAM Sustainable Aquaponics Research Center to Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia where it will be distributed to families in need.

“SARC’s mission has always included community outreach and education, which means knowing how we can support the community when it’s in need,” SARC curator Brigette Brinton said. “Right now we’re just supplying food instead of information.”

Bryan County News, April 16, 2020

Meharry Medical College

Nashville, Tennessee

Date Added: 04/17/2020

Meharry Medical College is working on an antiviral drug treatment for COVID-19. The drug is intended to attack the virus and prevent it from reproducing. Clinical trials will begin soon and if successful, the drug will be sent to the FDA for approval.

Montclair State University

Montclair, New Jersey

Date Added: 04/17/2020

Like many other colleges across the nation, Montclair State University is using its 3D printers to make medical face shields for healthcare providers amid the public health crisis. Through the MIX Lab located in the school’s Feliciano Center for Business and Entrepreneurship, the university is currently producing roughly a thousand shields per day. Production has also begun for other medical components such as IV connectors and ventilator splicers.

Parkland College

Champaign, Illinois

Date Added: 04/17/2020

Acknowledging the current shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers in its community, Parkland College is doing its part to help. The school has donated nearly 200 N95 masks, thousands of gloves, and other supplies like goggles and hand sanitizer to nearby Saskatchewan Health Authority. Supplies were donated from student laboratories that are currently unused due to social distancing guidelines.

Queensborough Community College

Bayside, New York

Date Added: 04/17/2020

Queensborough Community College is putting its 3-D printer to work, making headbands for medical face shields. It’s part of an effort to provide nearby healthcare providers with adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) that they need to stay safe while working on the front lines of the pandemic. The school hopes to make at least a hundred of the headbands.

San Juan College

Farmington, New Mexico

Date Added: 04/17/2020

In partnership with local businesses, San Juan College is helping to produce medical face shields for local healthcare workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 fight. Through its Big Idea Makerspace, the school has made over 150 reusable face shields and plans to make more.

Santa Fe College

Gainesville, Florida

Date Added: 04/17/2020

To assist in easing the shortage of life-saving medical equipment amid the pandemic, Santa Fe College has loaned out eleven ventilators to a field hospital in Broward County. The machines were taken from the school’s health science labs, which were recently vacated due to social distancing measures.

Terra State Community College

Fremont, Ohio

Date Added: 04/17/2020

In partnership with local Crescent Manufacturing, Terra State Community College is producing cloth masks to help with the current shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers in the region. Currently, the effort is yielding up to 30 masks per day, but volunteers have been called in to help ramp up production.

University of Louisiana-Lafayette

Lafayette, Louisiana

Date Added: 04/17/2020

Efforts are ongoing at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette to ensure health care workers have the supplies they need to battle the novel coronavirus safely. The school is using 3-D printers to produce medical face shields as well as headbands and frames for the shields. Departments pitching in amid the public health crisis include the Department of Mechanical Engineering, the Ray P. Authement College of Sciences, and the College of Nursing and Allied Professions.

University of South Florida

Tampa, Florida

Date Added: 04/17/2020

usf best graduate schools

The University of South Florida is fighting COVID-19 on the information front. Researchers at the school’s College of Public Health will collect symptomatic data from individuals throughout the region in an attempt to pinpoint viral “hot spots.” The university hopes the data will help hospitals plan for the influx of patients with possible COVID-19.

The school’s College of Nursing is also working with other local agencies to help ease the economic impact of the pandemic on local families. Donations of essential household items, including food, were made to approximately 50 families and senior citizens in the area.

The school has also invested nearly $350,000 into ongoing research efforts surrounding Covid-19. More than a dozen different projects have been funded by the university, including those with a focus on antibodies and immunity, drug therapies, and mental health during the pandemic, for instance.

USF is also helping local officials provide greater access to coronavirus testing. In partnership with Hillsborough County, the school will open three new COVID-19 test sites. Testing is free of charge, and no insurance is required.

A USF psychology professor has also received a National Science Foundation grant to study the mass transition to remote work as a result of the pandemic. Results of the study will be used to inform future guidelines for telecommuting in both normal situations and emergency scenarios.

Williston State College

Williston, North Dakota

Date Added: 04/17/2020

Williston State College is turning over the use of its gymnasium to serve as a field hospital in a scenario where local hospitals are overwhelmed due to the pandemic. The facility will be prepped to house up to 400 beds in an effort to relieve nearby medical facilities.

York Technical College

Rockhill, South Carolina

Date Added: 04/17/2020

York Technical College has made a substantial donation of personal protective equipment (PPE) to nearby Piedmont Medical Center to help with the shortage of these critical supplies. Items donated include protective masks, gloves, gowns, and face shields. The supplies were taken from laboratories around campus that are currently vacant due to social distancing measures designed to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Blackhawk Technical College

Janesville, Wisconsin

Date Added: 04/16/2020

The nursing program at Blackhawk Technical College has become a major supplier of medical and personal protective equipment (PPE) for local hospitals. So far, the school has donated hospital beds to nearby SSM Health facilities as well as face shields, sanitizing wipes, N95 masks, nitrile gloves, and more.

Calvin University

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Date Added: 04/16/2020

Calvin University has converted its Princeton Conference Center into temporary housing for first responders during the pandemic. Police officers, EMT, and medical personnel from the Grand Rapids Police Department and Spectrum Health who fear they have been exposed to COVID-19 will occupy the space for quarantine purposes.

East Stroudsburg University

East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania

Date Added: 04/16/2020

East Stroudsburg University is contributing the use of its field house to be used as a surge site for nearby hospitals. The Army Corps of Engineers has converted the campus facility into a temporary hospital for non-coronavirus patients. So far, nearly 100 hospital beds are ready for patients should local hospitals become overwhelmed due to the pandemic.

Kishwaukee College

Malta, Illinois      

Date Added: 04/16/2020       

Kishwaukee College has been generous in its efforts to help the community fight COVID-19. The school has donated personal protective equipment (PPE) and food items to several different organizations, including medical centers, a domestic violence facility, and a food pantry. Items were donated through the food pantry on campus as well as from the school’s healthcare, automotive, and veterinary assistance programs.

“We are grateful to be able to help our community in such a time of need,” said Angie Delmont, Kish’s director of nursing. “Many of our students and clinical adjuncts are working in these facilities right now. It’s important that we contribute and assist as we can.”

Daily Chronicle, April 14, 2020

Pennsylvania State University

University Park, Pennsylvania

pennsylvania-state-university

Date Added: 04/16/2020

Pennsylvania State University has received a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop a research-based model of the projected spread of the coronavirus. The model will be a product of a collaboration amongst the school’s College of Engineering, the Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, and the College of Health and Human Development. Its goal is to improve current healthcare systems.

Southern University and A&M College

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Date Added: 04/16/2020

Southern University and A&M College is doing its part to help local businesses weather the economic storm caused by COVID-19. The school will host two free webinars for small businesses during which experts will provide financial advice and resources.

SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, New York

Date Added: 04/16/2020

SUNY Polytechnic Institute, like many other schools across the nation, is using its 3D printers to produce personal protective equipment (PPE) for local healthcare workers. Specifically, the school is printing components for medical face shields. SUNY Poly Empire Innovation Professor of Nanobioscience Dr. Nate Cady is leading the initiative.

Researchers at the Institute are also working towards an improved testing system for Covid-19. The goal is to provide doctors with more diagnostic information about a patient with the coronavirus, including data about his or her immune response. The results could help medical professionals in planning their treatment plans for individual patients.

University of Cincinnati

Cincinnati, Ohio

Date Added: 04/16/2020

university-of-cincinnati

Researchers at the University of Cincinnati are studying the loss of smell as one of the tell-tale signs of COVID-19. Anosmia (the clinical term for the symptom) seems to be one of the first signs that a patient has been infected with the novel coronavirus, but more research is needed to confirm this hypothesis.

Recently, the school’s College of Medicine has also invested over $400,000 in grant money to the COVID-19 research effort. These grants will fund nearly a dozen different research projects across the university. The school also has plans to build a dedicated biorepository for future research into the novel coronavirus.

Researchers at the UC College of Medicine have also been collecting Covid-19 samples from patients throughout the region. The samples will be kept at the school’s biorepository and used in testing for potential drug treatments.

University of Dayton

Dayton, Ohio

Date Added: 04/16/2020

A scientist at the University of Dayton has developed software that can rapidly detect COVID-19 in patients. The application uses artificial intelligence along with X-rays to make a quick diagnosis of the novel coronavirus. It is currently undergoing the FDA approval process.

On another front, the university is also contributing use of its campus facilities for antibody testing. Specifically, the Arena parking lot will serve as a drive-thru testing site for individuals who may have developed an immunity to Covid-19. No doctor’s referral is necessary.

University of Idaho

Moscow, Idaho

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Date Added: 04/16/2020

The University of Idaho has joined a handful of other colleges and universities in the U.S. who have developed models to predict the spread of COVID-19. In collaboration with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, the university developed the research-based model in order to help the state’s task force make public policy decisions designed to mitigate the spread of the virus.

The university is also working to keep the public informed through infographics. Through its Rural Studies and Extension program, the school is creating easy-to-consume charts and graphs that paint a picture of the coronavirus spread in the state. The infographics also detail the current response by state and local officials. Data is updated regularly in order to provide policy makers with the most relevant information as they make important decisions related to the pandemic.

In addition, the University of Idaho’s Department of Biological Sciences is working towards discovering a cure for COVID-19. The school recently received a grant from the National Science Foundation to study how certain drugs can protect human cells from the novel coronavirus.  

In a feat of innovation, the university has also built a UVC cabinet that uses ultraviolet light to decontaminate the personal protective equipment worn by healthcare professionals on the front lines of the public health crisis. In addition, engineers at the school’s Advanced Biofuel Laboratory have put their plans online so that any medical facility who needs one can build a cabinet of its own.

Other research at the university involves testing the milk of mothers with a positive Covid-19 diagnosis. In collaboration with the University of Rochester and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the research will help doctors better advise lactating mothers who have been infected with the novel coronavirus.

University of Mississippi Medical Center

Jackson, Mississippi

Date Added: 04/16/2020

The University of Mississippi Medical Center is partnering with the FDA and the National Institutes of Health to begin clinical trials on possible drug therapies for COVID-19. Notably, the school will be one of 44 sites nationwide to test the promising drug hydroxychloroquine.

University of New England

Biddeford, Maine

Date Added: 04/16/2020

A professor of medicine and health at the University of New England has developed a new remote monitor that can track the vitals of patients recovering from COVID-19 at home. The device reports the patient’s status to a command center at a nearby hospital and alerts medical professionals if the patient requires urgent medical attention.

University of Oregon

Eugene, Oregon

university-of-oregon

Date Added: 04/16/2020

The University of Oregon has partnered with McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center to expand testing for the novel coronavirus. The university has provided the hospital with a testing machine that can process samples quickly and trained hospital personnel to use the device. U of O hopes the increased capacity can help mitigate the spread of the virus throughout the state.

University of Texas at Dallas

Dallas, Texas

Date Added: 04/16/2020

The University of Texas at Dallas has made a commitment to provide ongoing donations of medical equipment and personal protective equipment to nearby healthcare providers. So far, the school has made generous contributions to four different hospital systems in its local area.

Students enrolled at a sustainability service learning class at UT-Dallas are also contributing to the Covid-19 relief effort by holding a virtual fundraiser for a local food bank. Their campaign called #WhooshAwayHunger will benefit the North Texas Food Bank.

Wells College

Aurora, New York

Date Added: 04/16/2020

When contacted by county emergency services, Wells College jumped at the chance to donate personal protective equipment (PPE) for local healthcare workers. Much of the donations were taken from unused laboratories in the school’s Department of Biological and Chemical Sciences. County officials will distribute the items to nearby medical centers and nursing homes.

Bay Path University

Longmeadow, Massachusetts

Bay Path University

Date Updated: 04/15/2020

Bay Path University is opening the doors of its student residence halls to local first responders who need a place to quarantine during the public health crisis. The school is offering the use of its Theinert Hall for the temporary housing of emergency personnel who need to self-quarantine. Town officials will provide meals.

Delaware Valley University

Doylestown, Pennsylvania

Date Updated: 04/15/2020

To provide peace of mind for local healthcare personnel, Delaware Valley University is offering up the use of its residence halls for temporary housing. The pandemic has forced many doctors, nurses, and healthcare professionals to avoid family members for fear of exposing them to the deadly coronavirus, so they need a place to rest between shifts. DVU is filling this need.  Available rooms will be single-occupancy and feature a private bathroom.

Florida Institute of Technology

Melbourne, Florida

Date Updated: 04/15/2020

Florida Tech is currently manufacturing about a dozen medical face shields for healthcare workers per day, thanks to its supply of 3-D printers. The shields are being produced through the school’s engineering lab on the Melbourne campus as well as through its off-campus Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Innovative Design. The shields will be donated to healthcare workers and first responders in the area.

Allan Hancock College

Santa Maria, California

Date Updated: 04/15/2020

In an act of community outreach during the public health crisis, Allan Hancock College is donating food to community members in need. Students and faculty have volunteered to distribute the prebagged food through sites on campus and through nearby Lompoc Valley Center.

With unprecedented unemployment numbers continuing to grow, many communities are struggling with the basics. Allan Hancock College is making a difference in its local community with food donations.

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

New York, New York

Date Updated: 04/15/2020

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is joining several other medical schools across the United States by allowing its graduating class to receive their credentials early. The move is in response to New York’s current shortage of healthcare professionals in the fight against the novel coronavirus. The school says it will continue to provide support service to graduates as they begin their careers amid the public health crisis.

Keiser University – Sarasota

Sarasota, Florida

Date Updated: 04/15/2020

Keiser University- Sarasota has also answered the call for donations of critical personal protective equipment (PPE) for local healthcare workers. To reduce the shortage of this potentially life-saving equipment, the school donated over 7,000 items, including sterile gloves, surgical masks, and gowns. The donations will benefit three local medical facilities.

King University

Bristol, Tennessee

Date Updated: 04/15/2020

The Digital Media Art & Design Department (DMAD) at King University is using its 3-D printers to produce headbands for medical face shields. These components represent important personal protective equipment for healthcare workers that are currently in short supply. The school’s effort is part of a partnership with an online 3-D printer supplier, MatterHackers.

Maryville College

Maryville, Tennessee

Date Updated: 04/15/2020

Maryville College is joining numerous other schools of higher education across the U.S. by opening its residence halls to healthcare workers fighting on the front lines of the COVID-19 battle. The school will provide temporary housing for up to 80 healthcare professionals from Blount Memorial Hospital.

Medical College of Wisconsin

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Date Updated: 04/15/2020

As part of an effort to help its region battle COVID-19, the Medical College of Wisconsin is offering testing services to local first responders free of charge. The offer has been extended to police, fire, and EMS personnel throughout Milwaukee and Wauwatosa.

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

Date Updated: 04/15/2020

Northern Illinois University is fighting the global pandemic on the research front. Nearly 20 different departments across campus have rallied together to create initiatives designed to tackle the virus directly or mitigate its negative impact on society. It’s all part of the school’s ongoing effort to contribute to the current knowledge base surrounding the novel coronavirus.

Old Dominion University

Norfolk, Virginia

Date Updated: 04/15/2020

Old Dominion University

Old Dominion University is contributing to the battle against COVID-19 through its Virginia Modeling, Analysis, and Simulation Center. Researchers at the center have developed a predictive tool that forecasts coronavirus cases in different areas throughout the state of Virginia. The tool is available online and aims to keep the public informed throughout the pandemic.

The ODU student body has also stepped up to provide relief on the front lines of the fight against the novel coronavirus. In response to the governor’s call for volunteers, over a dozen ODU students have joined the Virginia Medical Reserve Corps. Student volunteers will be placed across the state and receive training.

Pima Community College

Tucson, Arizona

Date Updated: 04/15/2020

Pima Community College is stepping up to fill the demand for personal protective equipment for local healthcare workers. In addition to donations of PPE, including N95 masks and gloves, the school is also producing masks through its Pima Fashion Design and Clothing Department.

Southwestern Community College

Sylva, North Carolina

Date Updated: 04/15/2020

Battling COVID-19 on the economic front, Southwestern Community College is providing assistance to local businesses impacted by the pandemic. The school will hold a free virtual town hall, during which experts from its Small Business Center will provide advice and resources to attendees.

Trine University

Angola, Indiana

Date Updated: 04/15/2020

Engineers at Trine University are working to design alternatives to medical equipment in short supply amid the coronavirus pandemic, such as ventilators and respirator masks, for instance. Once fully refined, prototypes of these alternate devices will be sent to the FDA for approval.

Though the campus is closed and all students are taking classes online, teams of Trine faculty and staff members from Trine innovation 1 have been working under the direction of Parkview Health to develop devices that provide alternatives to equipment in limited supply, such as ventilators and N95 respirator masks.

Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly, April 14, 2020

University of Nebraska at Kearney

Kearney, Nebraska

Date Updated: 04/15/2020

The University of Nebraska -Kearney is preparing its Centennial Towers to serve as a surge site for nearby hospitals. The school’s residence halls have recently been commandeered by the National Guard. If necessary, they could provide nearly 400 additional hospital beds for COVID-19 patients.

West Liberty University

West Liberty, West Virginia

Date Updated: 04/15/2020

West Liberty University is doing its part to assist in the battle against the novel coronavirus by developing a rapid test system for its state. The Ustar COVID-19 detection system is currently undergoing testing and approval but should be available soon.

Dona Ana Community College

Las Cruces, New Mexico

Date Updated: 04/14/2020

To help ease the shortage of personal protective equipment for healthcare workers in its community, Dona Ana Community College has donated nearly $10,000 worth of supplies to three local healthcare facilities. Donations included disposable gowns, gown covers, face masks, gloves, and more. The materials were contributed by the school’s health science programs.

“Like many other healthcare facilities in the southwest, these are our partners that provide clinical opportunities for our students,” said DACC Dean of Health Sciences Josefina Carmona. “In the times of crisis, like this pandemic, we are committed to doing our part to provide equipment to them so their employees have protective gear to help them do their jobs.”

KFOX14/CBS4, Las Cruces, NM April, 2020

Eastern Gateway Community College

Steubenville, Ohio

Date Updated: 04/14/2020

Eastern Gateway Community College is doing its part to help with the nationwide shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers. The school rummaged through its currently unused dental department and came up with over 800 pairs of gloves and 400 masks. The items were donated to the local emergency management agency for distribution.

Franciscan University of Steubenville

Steubenville, Ohio

Date Updated: 04/14/2020

The Franciscan University of Steubenville is one of dozens of schools across the United States stepping up to help in the battle against COVID-19. The school recently made a generous donation of nitrile gloves to the Jefferson County Emergency Management Agency. The gloves received a blessing from a reverend at the university and also included personal notes.

Itawamba Community College

Fulton, Mississippi

Date Updated: 04/14/2020

Itawamba Community College is joining numerous other colleges across the U.S. in donating the use of its facilities to the COVID-19 battle. ICC will be preparing the facility to house 100 patients should local hospitals become overwhelmed due to the pandemic.

Jefferson State Community College

Birmingham, Alabama

Date Updated: 04/14/2020

Jefferson State Community College has joined the COVID-19 effort by donating the use of its ventilators to nearby East Alabama Medical Center. The machines are typically utilized in the school’s respiratory therapy program. Currently, the school’s simulated health care laboratories are going unused due to social distancing guidelines.

Lafayette College

Easton, Pennsylvania

Date Updated: 04/14/2020

Like many areas around the country, Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania is currently experiencing a shortage of personal protective equipment worn by healthcare providers to keep them from being exposed to COVID-19 while caring for their patients. The engineering division at Lafayette College is doing its part to help by printing PPE using 3-D printers. In addition to face shields, the school is also producing disposable stethoscopes.

Michigan Technological University

Houghton, Michigan

Date Updated: 04/14/2020

Engineers at Michigan Tech have constructed a massive oven-like device designed to sanitize personal protective equipment (PPE) used by healthcare workers on the front lines of the pandemic. The device weighs about three tons and costs just $30,000 to produce. The university is now awaiting clinical testing and emergency-use authorization from the FDA. If approved, the device could help solve the shortage of PPE amid the coronavirus crisis.

The school is also opening a testing lab on campus. In partnership with nearby medical centers, Michigan Tech will begin processing patient samples, using two dedicated machines. Currently, technicians can process 40 samples per hour, but plans are in place to ramp up this capacity.

Pittsburg State University

Pittsburg, Kansas

Date Updated: 04/14/2020

Pittsburg State University is joining a large number of other higher education institutions across the nation who are stepping up to help in the Covid-19 fight by producing personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers. This equipment is currently in short supply due to the pandemic and could help prevent doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel from contracting the virus themselves as they work to help others with the novel coronavirus. The school’s efforts are part of a collaboration between local medical centers and businesses in the area.

Touro College

New York, New York

Date Updated: 04/14/2020

Like other medical students across the country, Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine’s medical students are set to graduate early so that they can join the front lines in the battle against COVID-19. Over 200 students from the school’s two different campuses will receive their credentials early. Some will begin their residencies while others will work in a volunteer capacity.

University of Kansas

Lawrence, Kansas

Date Updated: 04/14/2020

In partnership with the American Institute of Architects, the Kansas University Institute of Health and Wellness Design has developed an interactive map to help in the identification of potential COVID-19 testing and treatment facilities. The tool is called COVID-19 ArcMap and is designed to promote efficiency amid the urgent public health crisis.

University of South Carolina

Columbia, South Carolina

Date Updated: 04/14/2020

The University of South Carolina has partnered with Prisma Health to develop a 3-D-printed ventilator expansion device that could help decrease the current shortage of ventilators available to COVID-19 patients. The device, named VESper, has received emergency use authorization from the Food & Drug Administration (FDA).

University of Virginia

Charlottesville, Virginia

Date Updated: 04/14/2020

University of Virginia researchers have partnered with the Defense Reduction Agency to create a predictive model of the COVID-19 spread throughout the state. The model was developed to help Virginia’s public officials make informed decisions about how to handle the pandemic, including when to lift stay-at-home mandates and social distancing orders.

The UVA researchers, who unveiled their model Monday, stressed that social distancing has significantly slowed the spread of the coronavirus, avoiding the worst-case scenarios that earlier projections showed. Lifting such restrictions too soon, they warned, could quickly lead to a second wave.

The Virginia Pilot, April 13, 2020

Researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have also discovered a link between exercise and COVID-19. Recent findings suggest that regular exercise can reduce the risk and severity of acute respiratory distress associated with the novel coronavirus.

Lending a hand on the economic front of the COVID-19 fight, the university is also partnering with the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce to help local small businesses weather the pandemic. Through an initiative called Project Rebound, UVA will help develop strategies to revive its local economy.

Valparaiso University

Valparaiso, Indiana

Date Updated: 04/14/2020

valparaiso-university

Valparaiso University’s College of Engineering is joining dozens of other schools across the nation to produce personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers exposed to Covid-19 patients. Faculty and students are using thirteen 3-D printers as well as an open-source design approved by the National Institutes of Health to produce the shield. Production efforts have already resulted in nearly 500 medical face shields, and the school currently has the resources to produce roughly 2,000.

Villanova University

Villanova, Pennsylvania

Date Updated: 04/14/2020

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In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, higher education institutions across the country have donated much-needed personal protective equipment to healthcare workers who face the potential of daily exposure to Covid-19. Villanova University has answered this call in a big way. The school recently made a massive donation to medical centers in the greater Philadelphia area, including more than 30,000 pairs of gloves and over 600 pairs of safety glasses, for instance.

Walsh University

North Canton, Ohio

Date Updated: 04/14/2020

Walsh University is answering the call for help from its local healthcare professionals as they battle COVID-19 on the front lines. Many nearby healthcare workers need a place to stay between shifts since they can’t go home for fear of exposing their families to the novel coronavirus. The university is offering up three of its residence halls as a solution to this dilemma. Student dormitories have been transformed into apartments for employees of Mercy and Aultman hospitals. The school is also prepared to contribute the use of its gymnasium to serve as a field hospital if necessary.

Washington University in St. Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri                 

Washington University in St Louis

Date Updated: 04/14/2020

The School of Medicine at Washington University in St. Louis is embarking on a unique investigation into the effects of the antidepressant fluvoxamine on COVID-19. Usually prescribed for obsessive-compulsive disorder, the SSRI could help prevent the immune system from overreacting to the virus, a phenomenon that is often life-threatening.

The university’s McKelvey School of Engineering has also received federal funding for a new diagnostic tool to detect the novel coronavirus. The tool uses a biosensor that researchers say is a hundred times more sensitive than current testing methods.

Wash U is also opening up facilities on its now-empty campus to serve as temporary housing for local healthcare professionals and first responders. As a result, these front-line workers now have a place to stay while shielding their families from exposure to COVID-19.

Auburn University at Montgomery

Montgomery, Alabama

Date added: 4/13/2020

Auburn University at Montgomery is rolling out the red carpet for local healthcare workers. Employees from nearby Baptist Health who need a place to stay to avoid exposing their families to COVID-19 will be occupying the school’s Lilac Hall now that students have left for the semester. Cleaning and laundry services will also be provided free of charge.

Augusta University

Augusta, Georgia

Date added: 4/13/2020

A cancer researcher at Augusta University’s Medical College of Georgia is using what he’s discovered about cancer cells to fight Covid-19. Director of the Center for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine, Dr. Jin-Xiong She is now investigating the use of monoclonal antibodies on a coronavirus protein to trigger an immune response. According to She, testing the therapy will be a complex process, but has promise.

The university has also developed a telehealth app designed to screen patients for COVID-19 symptoms. The app has been launched statewide and is open to all Georgians.

On the diagnostic front, the university is 3-D-printing nasal swabs to assist with widespread testing for COVID-19. The swabs will be tested at a nearby nursing home and if successful, could be used statewide.

A large number of colleges and universities are using their 3-D printers to produce personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers on the front lines of the pandemic. Augusta University is using theirs for a slightly different reason—to make nasal swabs for Covid-19 testing. Seven printers from the school’s dental college is currently manufacturing 300 of the swabs per day to increase testing capacity in the area.

Boise State University

Boise, Idaho

Date added: 4/13/2020

Boise State University, like many other universities across the country, is opening its doors to healthcare workers who need a place to stay during this unprecedented public health crisis, including those who want to avoid exposing their families to the novel coronavirus. Measures have been taken to prevent these medical professionals from coming into contact with any students who remain on campus.

Clark State Community College

Springfield, Ohio

Date added: 4/13/2020

The nursing and emergency medical services programs at Clark State Community College are donating unused lab supplies, PPE, and hospital beds to local medical centers to assist with shortages in critical equipment. So far, the school has donated eight beds and roughly $2,000 worth of PPE to Mercy Health-Springfield Regional Medical Center and Rocking Horse Center.

Dartmouth College

Hanover, New Hampshire

Date added: 4/13/2020

Dartmouth College is doing its part to prepare the community for a possible hospital bed shortage in the wake of COVID-19. The school’s West Gym is being prepped to handle over 100 patients should nearby hospitals become overwhelmed. Officials hope the site won’t have to be used but appreciate the school’s wiliness to help in times of crisis.

Researchers at the school’s Geisel School of Medicine are also working non-stop to develop new drug therapies and treatments for the novel coronavirus.

DePaul University

Chicago, Illinois

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Date added: 4/13/2020

Like scores of colleges and universities across the U.S., De Paul University is putting their 3-D printers to work producing medical face shields and other critical PPE. So far, the effort is supplying over 1,500 shields per day to contribute to the local supply of protective equipment for healthcare workers.

Mount Aloysius College

Cresson, Pennsylvania

Date added: 4/13/2020

Students at Mount Aloysius College are helping local families with food donations. Many families in the area rely on school lunch programs to feed their kids during the week, but with schools closed due to the coronavirus, some moms and dads are struggling. Mount Aloysius has stepped in to help out. Over 350 care packages have already been donated, and there are plans in place to expand the program.

Muskegon Community College

Muskegon, Michigan

Date added: 4/13/2020

Like many other schools in communities around the United States, Muskegon Community College has donated the use of its facilities to serve as field hospitals amid the public health crisis. The school’s gymnasium is being prepared to house 50 hospital patients and nursing students will be available to assist if necessary.

New Mexico State University

Las Cruces, New Mexico

Date added: 4/13/2020

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Innovative students at New Mexico State University are building a new type of protective gear for healthcare workers on the front lines of the battle against the novel coronavirus. The device is called a COVIDBox and would provide an extra layer of defense against potential COVID-19 exposure. Donations are being accepted to help fund the necessary supplies for the production of the COVIDBox.

Princeton University

Princeton, New Jersey

Date added: 4/13/2020

Princeton University has plans to fund seven new research initiatives related to COVID-19, to the tune of half a million dollars. These faculty-led projects could receive up to $100,000 each and span topics such as drug treatments, vaccines, economic issues related to the pandemic, and social distancing, for example.

The university has also set up a relief fund to support community organizations as they strive to lessen the economic burden on families in the area. The school made an initial $1 million donation to the fund, half of which will go to the Princeton Area Community Foundation Covid Relief Fund and the Princeton’s Children Fund.

Rockefeller University

New York, New York

Date added: 4/13/2020

Rockefeller University has received a $3 million grant to support its ongoing COVID-19 research initiatives. Eighteen different labs at the university are hard at work developing both short-term and long-term solutions to mitigating the impact of the novel coronavirus. The recent grant was awarded by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF).

Shepherd University

Shepherdstown, West Virginia

Date added: 4/13/2020

Shepherd University has discovered a unique way to assist its community amid the coronavirus pandemic. The school’s Agricultural Innovation Center is donating its winter crop to families in the area who are struggling due to the economic impact of Covid-19. Donated items include kale, spinach, and mustard greens, for example. The school has plans to continue the program into the Spring in order to continue supporting individuals in need.

Sinclair Community College

Dayton, Ohio

Date added: 4/13/2020

Acknowledging the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) available for local healthcare professionals, Sinclair Community College has stepped up to fill the need. The school’s contribution currently amounts to nearly 50,000 pieces of equipment, including masks, gloves, gowns, and more. SCC also loaned out its supply of nine ventilators as well as over 400 other medical devices for use in clinical settings amid the pandemic.

Springfield Technical Community College

Springfield, Massachusetts

Date added: 4/13/2020

To help with the current shortage of healthcare workers on the front lines of the pandemic, Springfield Technical Community College is granting temporary permits to its respiratory care students so that they can work in nearby hospitals and clinics, treating COVID-19 patients. These limited licenses will enable students to assist veteran respiratory therapists and also treat patients with other illnesses besides the coronavirus.

St. Mary’s College of Maryland

St. Mary’s City, Maryland

Date added: 4/13/2020

St. Mary’s College of Maryland is fighting the battle against COVID-19 on the information front. The school has partnered with the county health department to form an advisory committee comprised of scientists and health officials. The goal of the committee is to expand the knowledge base around the novel coronavirus and inform policy decisions.

The college is also helping with the current shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) for local healthcare professionals. Lab supplies from departments across campus have been donated to nearby medical facilities. St. Mary’s is also using 3D printers to manufacture medical face shields for these health workers in order to provide an extra layer of protection against possible Covid-19 exposure.

SUNY College at Plattsburgh

Plattsburgh, New York

Date added: 4/13/2020

SUNY College at Plattsburgh is answering the call for additional personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers who are exposed to coronavirus patients. Through its Upward Bound program, the school is using 3-D printers to manufacture medical face shields to be donated to nearby medical facilities.

Syracuse University

Syracuse, New York

Date added: 4/13/2020

In a symbolic gesture, Syracuse University has lit up two of its campus buildings in blue lights to show support for first responders and healthcare workers. Hendricks’s Chapel and the Hall of Languages are now aglow as an expression of the school’s gratitude to the community’s helpers. The lights will remain for two weeks.

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi, Texas

Date added: 4/13/2020

Research from Texas A&M- Corpus Christi is helping to inform public policy regarding the coronavirus pandemic. The school has developed a research-based predictive modeling system that evaluates the impact of social distancing measures and tracks results of hypothetical scenarios. Assistant professor of biology Chris Bird recently presented the school’s findings to city officials.

The New School

New York, New York

Date added: 4/13/2020

Through its Urban Systems Lab (USL), The New School is approaching the study of the coronavirus in a unique way—by evaluating it in terms of its social and environmental impact. The school has developed an online resource that provides pertinent data on the coronavirus and its relationship to issues such as healthcare, climate change, and social inequity, for instance. The goal of the project is to provide perspectives and information for policymakers and public officials as they deal with the effects of the pandemic.

University of Alabama

Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Date added: 4/13/2020

The University of Alabama has joined many other institutions of higher learning across the country to help produce in-demand personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers on the front lines of the pandemic. Students and faculty in the school’s College of Engineering are using 3-D printers to create headbands for medical face shields. Over a hundred headbands have already been donated to nearby hospitals, and more are in the works.

University of Colorado-Boulder

Boulder, Colorado

Date added: 4/13/2020

Researchers at the University of Colorado-Boulder’s Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCDB) are working on a diagnostic tool that could lead to early detection of a coronavirus infection. Once refined, an advanced prototype of the device—called the SickStick—will be sent to the FDA for approval. The SickStick has the potential to detect COVID-19 even before symptoms are present, thereby preventing the spread of infection that occurs before patients know they’re sick.

University of Denver

Denver, Colorado

Date added: 4/13/2020

Recognizing the economic impact of the pandemic, the University of Denver is helping laid-off workers find new job opportunities through a project called Colorado COVID Corps. The school has already forged partnerships with over a dozen other universities to identify shortage areas and essential job openings. The group also has plans to offer job training.

University of Mount Union

Alliance, Ohio

Date added: 4/13/2020

Recognizing the need for “collaboration and cooperation” during the pandemic, the University of Mount Union has offered the use of its student dormitories to house staff members of nearby Aultman Hospital and Aultman Alliance Community Hospital. Healthcare providers who want to reduce their commute or protect their families from potential exposure to COVID-19 can use the rooms free of charge. Laundry service is also provided.

University of Rhode Island

Kingston, Rhode Island

Date added: 4/13/2020

Volunteers at the University of Rhode Island are doing their part to reduce the local shortage of hand sanitizer and personal protective equipment (PPE). Through the URI Pharmaceutical Development Institute, university scientists are producing hand sanitizer to donate to local healthcare clinics, medical facilities, and the state’s Department of Corrections.

Another effort is ongoing through the school’s College of Engineering to design new prototypes for PPE like masks and face shields. Bands for face shields are also being produced through Makerspace URI.

Meanwhile, the university’s Office of Emergency Management is partnering with the Rhode Island Army National Guard to set up a drive-thru COVID-19 testing site on campus.

The school’s Dining Services is also doing its part to help the community weather the pandemic, particularly senior citizens. With no students on campus to feed, school staff is now preparing roughly 500 meals per day for the community’s elderly.

The University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy is also allowing its senior students to graduate early so that they can assist the Covid-19 relief efforts in a professional capacity. The students will receive emergency licenses so that they can join the front lines of the pandemic.

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California

Date added: 4/13/2020

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Researchers at the University of Southern California’s Price School of Public Policy is partnering with the Los Angeles County Public Health to conduct an antibody study. The study could reveal what percentage of the population could have immunity to COVID-19, thereby helping communities restart their economic activities. It could also shed light on the effectiveness of social distancing measures to slow the spread of the virus.

University of Southern Mississippi

Hattiesburg, Mississippi

Date added: 4/13/2020

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Researchers at the University of Southern Mississippi’s Center for Molecular and Cellular Biosciences are hard at work producing the viral transport media (VRM) needed to preserve COVID-19 testing samples during their transport to the laboratory. Their work is helping to resolve a shortage of the VRM necessary to process the high volume of coronavirus tests currently being processed in the state of Mississippi.

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