Photo Spotlights

A year ago on March 15, 2020, RIT President David Munson sent a note to the RIT community announcing that there will be no in-person classes for the remainder of the semester and encouraging students to not return to campus after spring break.

“Please know that all measures being put into place, no matter how disappointing they may be or drastic they may seem, are designed to protect our students, faculty, staff, and the greater community,” Munson said at the time.

Here is a look back in photos to the start of the pandemic and what quickly became an empty campus.

Students in the genomics lab in the Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences have been learning about testing processes and procedures throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. In a lab session with College of Science adjunct faculty member Emily Coon-Frisch, right, Pent Eistrat, a fourth-year biomedical sciences student from Toronto, has been able to practice clinical lab techniques as the real-world crisis unfolded this year.

From left, Meiqi Jiang, a first-year medical illustration student from Atlanta, and Mary Yuen, a third-year environmental science student from Schenectady, N.Y., team up to build a snow person by the Quarter Mile. Feb. 23 was the first of three Recharge Days scheduled this semester to offer students a break from classes and studying due to the condensed COVID-19 calendar.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced more than 300 statewide performances to revitalize the entertainment industry. “NY PopsUp” kicked off with dance performances by Garth Fagan Dance at RIT.

The Weidman Fitness Center is open in the west section of the Gordon Field House. Fitness equipment, including cardio and weight machines, treadmills and bikes, is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Masks are required and capacity is limited.

The Elements of Visual Media course, taught by School of Photographic Arts and Sciences Professor Frank Cost, introduces photography, graphic design, and print media and how they intertwine. The final project is a book incorporating all of these elements. The students' first assignment was to make self-portrait face masks to place over their protective masks.

RIT's annual FreezeFest celebration took place Feb. 4-7. Students gathered in Global Village's Winter Village for snacks, including blue cotton candy, and to warm up by the fire pit.

Cadets in RIT’s Air Force ROTC Detachment 538 continued onsite classes and training throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Their work to maximize training opportunities and support to the community during the initial outbreak was recently recognized for two national awards this year. The Detachment was the top performing team among 145 Air Force ROTC detachments nationwide and named Team of the Quarter (April to June 2020). The group also earned recognition as Air Force ROTC’s Northeast Region Top Medium-Sized Detachment of 2020.

From left, Laura Krebs and Autumn Potts transfer E. coli bacteria to a Petri dish while in their Introduction to Biology Lab class.

The 39th annual Expressions of King's Legacy on Jan. 28 featured keynote speaker Bakari Sellers.

RIT President David Munson looks out at the expansive area between the Student Alumni Union and the Wallace Library that will house the Innovative Maker and Learning Complex. The building, expected to open in fall 2023, will include a makerspace, a black-box theater, a dance studio, and music rehearsal areas.

Patrick Fielding, a production cook in RIT Dining, taught himself how to play piano on this one in Fireside Lounge. He practiced during breaks and early mornings to perfect his skills during the past two years. With a background playing percussion and bass guitar, Fielding learned quickly. He and others in RIT Dining have been cooking for the women’s and men’s hockey athletes while the teams train and compete during the semester break.