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Santa brings joy to UWO students in COVID isolation/quarantine

by | Dec 23, 2020 | Campus Life, Features, Headlines

The afternoon brightened Wednesday for several students spending their holiday at Gruenhagen Conference Center on the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh campus.

Remembering the students in quarantine and isolation this holiday due to COVID-19, Santa “Andy” Claus (Chancellor Andrew Leavitt) made a surprise visit, stopping by with some welcome goodies.

“We’re here with my elves delivering some presents to some very deserving students who are in quarantine and isolation,” Leavitt said. “I really want to thank those students for doing the right thing, even though it’s really tough to be here over Christmas, so we wanted to drop off a few little gifts just to tell them how much we love them and hopefully they’ll have a great holiday season. So with that, I’ll say ‘Ho Ho,Titans!’”

Patrick Vander Zanden, coordinator of Initiatives, Assessment and Special Programs for UW Oshkosh Residence Life, said isolation and quarantine operations staff were heartened by Leavitt’s support of the recovering and quarantining students.

“The students have endless wi-fi, unlimited food, books, craft supplies, painting materials and plenty of time on their hands―but the element of a true holiday surprise―that is something I think they will remember for a long time,” Vander Zanden said. “That is something that really puts a spark in people.”

Vander Zanden said the visit brightened the students’ day. Two of the eight students in isolation and quarantine were able to head home Wednesday ― with a bag of gifts in-hand.
“As someone that has worked on coordinating the details for the daily care and operation of the isolation and quarantine  communities, it’s really amazing to see Chancellor Leavitt come for a visit and do something that can’t be achieved with emails, spreadsheets or phone calls. He achieved something much bigger and it sounds cliche, but, he was able to spread some cheer in a time when our Titans needed it the most.”

Meantime, the positive test rate over the past seven days at UWO measured 1.6 percent. As of Dec. 23, active cases totaled 26 (24 students, 2 employees) of 1,602 tests administered over the week at the Albee Hall site.

Most students have headed home for winter break―the UWO fall semester ended Dec. 18. A three-week interim begins Jan. 4, with the Spring 2021 semester beginning Feb. 1.

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Titans Return