Amplify

The pandemic changed expectations for PSP’s 2020 Practicum class. Early check-ins about its effects on the students’ lives turned into curiosity about the social impacts of COVID-19, especially about the layered meanings of “social distance,” the politicization of mask-wearing and the attendant narratives of community or individualism people drew on to explain their cooperation or resistance to mask wearing and social distancing. As the students thought about the research and interviewing skills they were developing in the class, they decided to take a deep dive into the impact of the pandemic on the experiences of Providence College students. Role, identity and trust emerged as themes of major significance: the pandemic affected students’ experiences at Providence College very differently based on their roles and identities; and the question of who to trust in the midst of the crisis surfaced over and over. The students chose the title “Amplify” to reflect their desire to raise the voices of their fellow students; recognize that the pandemic pushed pre-existing social issues into the open; and explain their decision to create a podcast of their shared voices.