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While Covid-19 has been a challenge in so many ways, it has also provided so many opportunities - a forced paused in our day-to-day-lives enabling us to slow down and savour the simple things in life.

On the Dalhousie Agricultural Campus, it has meant, for the first time in its history, all credit and non-credit courses have been made available completely online to learners regardless of location.

鈥淭he hard work of our faculty and staff, their perseverance, creativity, patience and talent has contributed to our ability to offer the full breadth of our programming online this fall,鈥� said Dean David Gray.

While delivery of programming has dramatically changed so too has the on-campus experience and although non-traditional, will be no less engaging.聽 聽

Students have access to an online portal to connect with other students, to sign-up for clubs and activities such as College Royal and Line Dancing, to apply for job opportunities, to access virtual athletic classes and to just hang out with friends old and new. 聽SOIL or Student Online Interactive Lounge will likely remain long after the pandemic has ceased.

MacRae Library will be opening September 8^th by appointment. Students will be able to book either a computer, study room or study table for 3-4-hour blocks. Access will be limited in the building to 30 people at a time. 聽Curbside pickup will continue into the fall allowing students to request physical items, including laptops, for pick-up at the Library鈥檚 entrance. 聽All other services will be provided remotely 鈥� including reference services and document delivery.

鈥淎ggies are unique,鈥� explained Dean Gray.聽 鈥淭he fact that students have begun their academic career with us in the middle of a global pandemic shows me, not only are they unique, they are resilient and highly motivated to succeed. 鈥淭heses students are exactly who we need to help meet the global challenges facing agriculture, including climate change, food security, environmental sustainability and so much more.鈥�

Despite these challenging times, enrolment as of mid-August has been tracking similarly to this time last year.聽 Close to 40 students will be moving into Chapman House Residence on campus with those outside the Atlantic bubble isolating for 14 days upon arrival.聽 Masks are mandatory in all indoor spaces on campus and have been provided in Welcome kits to new students.聽 聽

The East Wing of Cox Institute is nearing completion and soon a state-of-the-art science facility will be available for teaching and research.聽 A new storage shed has been completed near Banting building and a new Feed Barn at the Ruminate Animal Centre is near completion.聽 The first feed mix went through the system in mid-July with complete automation being the final step in completion. 聽

The COVID-19 pandemic has also been a poignant reminder of the importance of international development work and while international travel has been curtailed, international activity has not.

鈥淥ur projects continue, and we have actually developed new partnerships and new agreements,鈥� said Den Gray.聽 鈥淟ast week our president signed three new agreements with our Indian partner Tamil Nadu Agricultural University - one for an undergraduate articulation, one as a Memorandum of Understanding and a third very exciting agreement for a joint PhD - the first of kits kind in Canada.鈥�

While campus has been unusually quiet this summer, our Community Garden plots have sold out and another unique garden has taken root. 聽聽

Cultiv8 Sandbox and the Plant Food and Environmental Sciences department have partnered to provide produce for regular pick-up and delivery to the Colchester Food Bank and the Feed NS initiative.

"We've managed to deploy a lean Field-to-Fork pathway from the garden to the consumer by way of low-cost networking and partnerships" said Cultiv8 Manager Jason Grant, "and we are linking our community together in this time of need."

While many things have changed at the Faculty of Agriculture and the Dalhousie Agricultural Campus over the past six months, the most important things remain.

Community. Resiliency. Adaptability. Pride.

Aggies once, Aggies Twice!