Dear USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology Community,
Greetings to our students, faculty, staff, alumni and supporters. My sincere hope is that each and every one of you remains safe and healthy as we face this COVID-19 pandemic together, and yet in many cases alone. Ordinarily, students would be returning from spring break and our campus would be buzzing with activity. But these are not ordinary times.
While we are all practicing social distancing, I want to reach out and let you know all the ways we remain connected and committed to meeting the needs of our USC Leonard Davis School family and to fulfilling our mission of improving health and wellbeing for people of all ages. A mission that is more important than ever.
Wherever you are, I urge you to follow the various national and regional guidelines regarding social distancing and safe hygiene. For our students, faculty and staff, all USC COVID-19-related policies and procedures are available at sites.usc.edu/coronavirus. Please check this information often as updates are frequently added.
I want to offer my sincere gratitude to our students, faculty and staff for so smoothly transitioning to online instruction. The USC Leonard Davis School has decades of experience in delivering distance learning, and while we look forward to when we can resume regular academic activities, I am confident that the quality of our education will not suffer in the meantime.
This current crisis underscores the importance of gerontology – a field focused on improving life for older adults and one we have all devoted our lives to advancing. Our students are receiving real world training in how to affect change. Our alumni are making a difference in launching policies and practices in crucial areas around senior living, family caregiving, health care and more.
Our faculty members are leading research that is making an impact: keeping chronic conditions at bay, improving our mental and physical health, and addressing issues of social isolation. They are also providing expert guidance on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle, where to find resources to stay connected, and why there are reasons to celebrate how multiple generations are coming together to strengthen their relationships and communities. To learn more, please visit our COVID-19 expertise page, where we will share additional news and insights from the USC Leonard Davis School with you.
I am working with our staff and faculty to provide even more ways for us to interact with each other from afar. All students, faculty and staff are invited to a virtual town hall on Friday, March 27, at 12:00 p.m. via Zoom. I also invite you to join us for an online yoga and mindfulness class, which will be delivered via Zoom starting Wednesday, March 25, at 4:00 p.m., and I encourage you to reach out to me with any questions or concerns you have at any time.
As we enter this spring season, I extend my virtual best wishes for your health, safety and resilience, and I look forward to the day we can all reconnect in person.
Best wishes,
Pinchas Cohen MD
Dean, USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology
