VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Many university and college campuses are empty now, due to coronavirus, but what about those students who don’t have another place to go or couldn’t leave Hampton Roads? And how are higher-education institutions supporting students who struggle financially?
Senior Emily Bernard said she is a "resident assistant" for students living on campus at Regent University.
"As an RA, I was right there on the front lines helping students move out, helping them adjust to everything in this new transition of life it was completely unexpected,” said Bernard.
Now she's one of less than 100 students still living in campus housing. It’s only students with extenuating circumstances.
"Mainly because they can't go home, usually they're international or live across country,” said Bernard.
She said some others have commitments in the area too.
"I have a few residents who were able to stay because they work locally,” said Bernard.
Regent officials said there are students who also faced financial barriers.
"When we asked our students to vacate their residence halls, there were a significant number of students who were under duress and they couldn't do it so we kept them there,” said Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, Gerson Moreno-Riano.
While a few people may still live in university housing, they're separated from others in their living spaces. Other universities around Hampton Roads said that they are doing the same.
Christopher Newport University, Chief Communications Officer, Jim Hanchett said, "We are making sure that we do every possible thing we can do to keep our facilities clean and those students separated."
Christopher Newport, Norfolk State, and Hampton University all helped small groups of students who had nowhere else to go, find other living arrangements.
Financially, CNU, William and Mary, NSU, Regent, and Old Dominion University are providing students with some sort of a rebate on things like food or housing, since the school ended suddenly.
If you look online, you'll see higher-ed institutions are sharing resources for students if they face food insecurity, during this outbreak.
It's taking some worries away for seniors like Bernard, who live day-to-day looking out for her peers.
“Not just am I taken care of and do I have a place to go? But the people around me, the people that I'm in charge of have a place to go,” said Bernard.