Positives, Negatives, and Opportunities Arising in the Undergraduate Experience During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The global COVID-19 pandemic will be a memorable part of the college student experience from Spring 2020 through the semesters that followed. Higher education administrators and student affairs leadership have faced many concerns during the pandemic, including the remote learning experience, the mental health of college students, and the unexpected, chaotic nature of the academic year. The wide range of experiences for college students during COVID-19 gives university leadership a clearer understanding of unplanned upheaval. We captured the positive experiences, negative experiences, and opportunities seen by 17 college students during a global pandemic using a qualitative, inductive content analysis. Findings demonstrate that students need creative online learning experiences, intentional remote student experiences, and for their institutions to highlight the opportunities available through remote work. These findings inform and direct institutions as they navigate unplanned circumstances related to college student experiences.