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March 23, 2026 March 23, 2026 | Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896

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FILE PHOTO Students can request a one-time grant or loan of up to $2,000 through SIS to purchase a computer.

Life Design Lab webinar addresses cancelled summer internships

By ELIZABETH RAPHAEL | April 29, 2020

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has disrupted the summer plans of many rising seniors, who typically take this summer to gain valuable professional experience before entering the job market full time. While this means a shift to remote work for some, it may result in the cancellation of internships altogether for others. Last Friday the Life Design Lab (LDL) held a webinar for juniors who are reshuffling plans and finding new ways to stay productive this summer.

 FILE PHOTO The student group Advocates for Reproductive and Sexual Health was recently approved. 

Students launch Planned Parenthood-affiliated group

By CHRIS H. PARK | April 28, 2020

Earlier this month, sophomore Melanie Alfonzo founded Advocates for Reproductive and Sexual Health (ARSH). ARSH aims to foster greater reproductive advocacy and sexual health education at Hopkins and in Baltimore. In an interview with The News-Letter, Alfonzo cited her work with Planned Parenthood as the inspiration for launching the group.

COURTESY OF NATALIE WU OMA's second Digital Diversity Day highlighted the importance of Critical Race Theories during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OMA hosts virtual event on Asian Critical Race Theory

By NATALIE WU | April 28, 2020

In its second Digital Diversity Days, The Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) hosted an event, titled “What Does Critical Race Theory Have to Do With Asian Pacific Americans?” on Thursday, April 23. The event, which was broadcasted via Zoom, featured Robert Chang, executive director of the Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality.

FILE PHOTO CUE2 held a virtual town hall discussion on Wednesday and Thursday to discuss student feedback on the undergraduate experience.

CUE2 hears student feedback at town halls

By BRIANNA DANG | April 27, 2020

The Second Commission on Undergraduate Education (CUE2) held two town halls to discuss its proposed set of recommendations with the student body. The town halls, held over Zoom this past Wednesday and Thursday, were open to the public. 

COURTESY OF MARVIS GUTIERREZ.

How the University will immediately cut expenditures

By JAKE LEFKOVITZ | April 25, 2020

The University has committed itself to “a series of broad-based and decisive austerity measures” in response to newly-projected large budgetary shortfalls in both the present fiscal year (FY) as well as FY21. University President Ronald J. Daniels announced these measures in an email to the Hopkins community on Tuesday night. 

FILE PHOTO

Hopkins community remembers Varvara Konyaeva

By LEELA GEBO | April 25, 2020

The University is mourning the death of Varvara (Barbara) Konyaeva, who passed away last weekend. Konyaeva was a freshman from Russia studying Chemistry in the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences. 

How is the University supporting FLI students amid COVID-19?

By EUNICE NAMKOONG | April 24, 2020

“I started thinking about the jobs I had on campus and how I was going to support myself in terms of rent. How would I pay? Do I go home?” That is how senior Sean Stielow, a First-Generation Limited-Income (FLI) student, recalled his reaction to the announcement on March 10 that in-person classes would be canceled through at least April 12. 

COURTESY OF DEEPA RAVINDRA Hopkins students have been finding new ways to continue their service remotely.

Hopkins student volunteers adapt to virtual community service

By ISHA RAI | April 24, 2020

As Hopkins transitioned into remote learning in mid-March, so did its student organizations. Community-service based groups in particular have found creative ways to stay active even though many of their members are no longer living in the Baltimore communities which the groups serve. 

Student leaders report communication and budgetary issues at SGA forum

By TRISHA PARAYIL | April 24, 2020

The Student Government Association (SGA) hosted an online forum on student organizations on Monday.  The forum included leaders of student organizations as well as Dean of Student Life Smita Ruzicka, Executive Director of Student Engagement Laura Stott, Student Leadership and Involvement (SLI) Director Calvin Smith Jr. and Director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) Joseph Colón. 

University announces partnership with mental telehealth line

By MICHELLE LIMPE | April 23, 2020

In an email to the student body on Thursday, April 23, Vice Provost for Student Health and Well-Being Kevin Shollenberger announced that the University is partnering with TimelyMD to make TalkNow, an on-demand mental telehealth line, free and available for all Hopkins students and trainees from April 30 until at least July 10. 

COURTESY OF KHUE VO The Inter-Asian Council aims to educate the public on how racism has spread alongside COVID-19.

IAC campaigns against sinophobia during COVID-19

By MICHELLE LIMPE | April 22, 2020

Spreading alongside coronavirus (COVID-19) are incidents of racism and xenophobia primarily targeted at the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) community. In response, the Inter-Asian Council (IAC) has launched a project titled #RacismIsAVirus to raise awareness of how those in the APIDA community and others have been affected by the racialization of COVID-19. 

New podcast aims to promote community at Hopkins

By GRETA MARAS | April 22, 2020

Freshmen Julia An and Kylie Ning and junior Zach Wheeler recently launched the An Excuse to Talk podcast project on Spotify and iTunes. Each of the two currently available episodes feature short answers by unnamed Hopkins students to open-ended questions posed to them by the staff. 

EDA INCEKARA / PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic delayed class council elections for weeks.

Students elect new SGA class councils

By RYAN AGHAMOHAMMADI and LEELA GEBO | April 21, 2020

The Committee on Student Elections (CSE) announced the results of the 2020-21 Student Government Association (SGA) Class Council elections on Monday, April 20. Voter turnout decreased from 1508 to 1173 votes, a 22 percent decrease from last year’s. 

COURTESY OF STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION SARU and SGA teamed up to host a series of events promoting conversations surrounding sex.

SGA and SARU host virtual Sex Week to promote consent culture

By RYAN AGHAMOHAMMADI | April 20, 2020

The Sexual Assault Resource Unit (SARU) and the Student Government Association (SGA) held their Sex Week event series this week as part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. SARU, a student group that seeks to dismantle rape culture and support survivors of sexual violence, aimed for these events to educate students on how to have safe, consensual sex.

EDA INCEKARA/PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Though summer courses will be online this year, they not be graded satisfactory/unsatisfactory.

Summer 2020 courses will be taught remotely

By MICHELLE LIMPE and LEELA GEBO | April 16, 2020

In an email to the student body on Thursday, April 16, Assistant Dean for Academic Advising of the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences Jessie Martin announced that all summer classes will take place online. Courses provided by the Whiting School of Engineering in the first and second summer terms will also be online, with the exception of Gateway Computing, for which a decision has yet to be made. 

COURTESY OF RUDY MALCOM Beginning Saturday, Marylanders will be required to cover their faces in retail establishments.

Hogan orders masks be worn in stores and on public transit

By KATY WILNER and RUDY MALCOM | April 16, 2020

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announced on Wednesday, April 15 that in response to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, residents must wear face coverings when using public transportation or inside retail establishments, such as grocery stores. This executive order enters into effect on Saturday, April 18 at 7 a.m.

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