Exploring COVID’s Impact on Learning

Hayden Kane ’25, a double major in environmental science and management information systems who is from Wilmington, Massachusetts, was only a high school junior when the COVID-19 pandemic first hit the United States in March 2020. Reflecting on his experience during that trying time, he notes that his definition of success evolved because of the global catastrophe.

“Previously, I thought the purpose of going to school was to get a piece of paper at graduation,” he said. “But I’ve come to realize that success can be determined by more than that – specifically the quality of the relationships and connections you form. In that sense, I view education with more depth than I did before. It’s less transactional to me now.”

Curious about how others’ views might have also transformed because of the pandemic, Kane recently collaborated with Suzanne Edinger, associate professor of management, on a project titled “The Relationship Between Social Support and Post-Pandemic College Student Success.” Their research, born from a call put out by the College’s Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, took place during the 2023-2024 academic year and continued through the summer as part of the Stonehill Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) program.

Kane and Edinger surveyed campus community members to learn how current students define success; if they are forming relationships with faculty, staff and classmates; and how those connections are developed. They sought to determine how institutions can best support students in creating and maintaining their network. 

“The goal of this research is to gather information that the College can use to continue enhancing student life at Stonehill,” Kane noted. 

The findings may also have implications for other colleges and universities, as Kane and Edinger plan to share the results of this study widely. They will present their research at an academic conference this fall and will submit their work to a peer-reviewed academic journal.

“As students who were younger when the pandemic first began move on to college, we are going to more fully realize how detrimental that experience was to their ability to construct relationships,” Edinger said. “For students who were in middle school, the pandemic happened during a pivotal time in their social development. Working now to figure out how relationship formation and student success have evolved will allow us to help ensure they succeed in the future.”

While he has surveyed how students seek out support from others, Kane has benefited from the wisdom and encouragement offered by Edinger.

“Conducting this research and participating in SURE has been one of the most formative experiences I’ve had in college,” he said. “To have access to a greater depth and variety of learning outside the classroom has really helped me.”

Edinger has also benefited from working with Kane.

“He brings a unique and novel perspective to this research that I have found incredibly valuable,” she said. “I’ve also really enjoyed being able to share new skills with a student.”

Looking toward his future beyond Stonehill, Kane hopes to find success as a project manager in the environmental science space. He believes the skills he has gained from working with Edinger will allow him to flourish after graduating. 

“There are countless tasks involved with this project, so this experience has taught me a lot about managing goals and expectations, being agile, being cognizant of deadlines, and working collaboratively with others,” he said. “Those are skills that I know I’ll carry with me.”