Summer is Here and Connecticut is Reopening!

Yale Conferences & Events Newsletter | June 2020 
 

Summer is Here and Connecticut is Reopening!

Hi friends,
 
Can you believe it’s already the end of June? Virtual home school is done, the temperature is rising, and Connecticut is slowly coming back to life as businesses reopen across the State. And although shopping and dining out will look a bit different this summer with social distancing and mandatory mask-wearing, being able to get together safely with others is sure to give us a much-needed morale boost!
 
Here at YC&E, we have been busy taking the lead on the Yale student move-out project, with the help of our incredible campus partners. This unprecedented and complex undertaking started on June 1st and aims to safely reunite some 5,000 Yale students with belongings left on campus when the pandemic began. You can read more about what we’re doing for our students and the Yale community below.
 
As the economy reopens, we look forward to the day we can host in-person meetings and events on campus again. Until then, my team and I at YC&E send you our sincerest wishes for an enjoyable, healthy, and safe summer!
 
Take care,
Suzanne

Reuniting Yale Students with On-Campus Belongings Amid a Public Health Crisis

Back on March 6th, Yale College students left campus for their spring break, believing they would be returning to resume classes on March 23rd. Much changed soon after their departure due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for social distancing, resulting in the University being unable to allow students back on campus.
 
Once the State of Connecticut issued guidance to safely reopen the state in May, Yale began putting into motion all the necessary elements to safely welcome students back on campus to reclaim their belongings. Our students had already gone through so much during this pandemic, especially the seniors, so we wanted to do everything we could to lessen the impact of this difficult situation on them. YC&E was honored to take the lead in this unprecedented undertaking to support the University. Read more about this historic project below in an interview with YC&E’s Executive Director, Suzanne Shaw.
 
How did YC&E become involved in the student move-out project?
It made sense for YC&E to be involved given that we have the operations, technology, and customer service expertise, along with the knowledge of campus buildings and relationships with stakeholders. Also, we had already opened a 7-days a week housing and services office on campus to support first responder housing efforts, so that office was already set up to safely check-in guests coming to campus during the pandemic. Instead of summer programs this year, our clients are now students and first responders. YC&E is proud to be helping with these projects and to be the go-to team for special University projects when needed.
 
What is YC&E’s main role in the student move-out project?
YC&E’s main role is to organize and execute the project, from registration and customer service, to on-site management of entry in the colleges, logistics management, volunteers and staffing, and communications to all stakeholders. All while safeguarding everyone’s health and safety.
 
Who are YC&E’s partners during this project?
We are fortunate to be working on this project with various talented campus partners. They include Facilities, Yale College, Environmental Health & Safety, Risk Management, Office of Emergency Management, Security and Police, Yale Hospitality (Dining), Parking, Yale Printing and Publishing, and many more! We are taking direction from Don Filer, Associate Vice President for Global Strategy, and work with a committee to keep us all connected and on track with timelines. 
 
What has been the most:
  1. challenging aspect? Acquiring on-site staffing and volunteers, as well as identifying where students specifically lived within suites. Also, managing which students are coming back, when they are coming back, where they are coming from (given travel restrictions) and all the various types of special requests. There are many challenging phases (timing and data management with packing, storing, and/or shipping) that must be carefully orchestrated all while adhering to social distancing guidelines. There is no blueprint for this type of project as it’s never been attempted before, so we are constantly adjusting plans as we go!
  2. the biggest learning lesson so far? Keep rolling with it! There are so many unknown variables. We inherited a situation that nobody could have planned for and we must make the best of it and make it better! Always keep an eye out for silver linings.
  3. rewarding part? Helping students reunite with their belongings and welcoming them back to their colleges and Yale. They have been so appreciative. The same goes for staff volunteers who want to come back to Yale to help with these special projects. 
Why is this project important to Yale?
It’s all about the students. We are very fortunate to be in a position where we can help the students retrieve their belongings during this very challenging time. 

Back in Business: The Shops at Yale

It is so exciting to see New Haven slowly coming back to life this summer! It has been a long road to reopening businesses here in Connecticut and the last 3 months of quarantine have been challenging for many of us. With strict health and safety regulations in place, businesses around the city are ready to welcome customers back.

The Shops at Yale (TSAY) are currently offering an incentive to visit them: free parking (with same day purchase). Here is a very small sampling of TSAY businesses now open for your enjoyment. To see a full list of open TSAY businesses, visit: https://theshopsatyale.com. There is something for everyone!

Dining

Offering both indoor and outdoor seating
It’s not too late to celebrate National Dairy Month (June)

Retail

Other restaurants that YC&E staff have recently visited

  • Taste of Thai, New Haven (Linda Peterson)
  • Pepe’s Pizza, New Haven (Nathan Lubich)
  • Dockside Brewery and Stonebridge, Milford (Shannon LeGault)
  • Koffee?, New Haven (Jennifer Zuccaro)
  • Trinity, L’Orcio, and Zoi’s, New Haven (Suzanne Shaw)
  • Nica’s Market, New Haven (Carley Sommers)

Fun Doesn’t Have to be Cancelled

Although this is not the summer we had planned, there’s still some summer fun to be had with a little imagination and creativity. From homemade Kombucha and gardening, to hiking and home improvements, here’s a glimpse of what some of us at YC&E have been up to!
 

Homemade Cuisine

 
 
Left to right, top to bottom: 
  1. Shepard’s Pie (Kate Vieillard)
  2. Tortillas (Jennifer Zuccaro)
  3. Pita bread (Jen)
  4. Cookies and Cream ice cream (Jen)
  5. Frittata (Megan Palluzzi)
  6. Cheesecake (Linda Peterson)
  7. Sous vide egg bites (Nathan Lubich)
  8. Fermented escabeche (Nathan)
  9. Fermented hot sauce - end result (Nathan)
  10. Fermented blueberries (Nathan)
  11. Tepache (Nathan)
  12. Kombucha (Nathan)
Not pictured:
  1. Pasta (Tara McHugh)
  2. Eight-layer rainbow cake (Shannon LeGault)
  3. Greek yogurt (Nathan)

Hikes, Gardening, and Home Improvements

Left to right, top to bottom: 

  1. Garden (Kate)
  2. Garden (Nathan)
  3. Hiking - Southington (Shannon)
  4. Walking - Branford Point (Megan)
  5. Kitchen renovation (Maddison Capobianco)

Not pictured:

  1. Powerwashed deck (Linda)
  2. Repurposed furniture (Tara)
  3. Half bathroom renovation (Shannon)
  4. Decorating a new home (Maddison)
  5. New patio (Jen)

Stay in Touch!

We’d love to hear how you are doing and what you thought about our June 2020 newsletter. What would you like to see in our July newsletter? Send us a message.
 
For the most up-to-date information, be sure to follow our social media accounts. We will be sharing important University updates, helpful information on hosting virtual meetings, and the latest on Connecticut’s reopening.
 
 
Look for our next newsletter in your inbox in mid-July. Until then, stay healthy and safe!