CHULA VISTA, Calif. (KGTV) — As schools try to navigate the future of in-person education in the era of coronavirus, Southwestern College is already returning some students to campus.
The Southwestern College Higher Education Center in Otay Mesa welcomed nursing and health occupational students, along with students in the public safety program, back to campus June 1. These students are training to fill jobs like nurses, EMTs, paramedics, and more.
Dean Sylvia Cornejo said since March, they have been using technology for remote learning, but the school has been planning on bringing these students back as quickly as possible because of their careers and the need for essential workers right now.
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“The students got as far as they could with online instruction but really we needed to be able to bring them back to campus for all of their practical labs,” she said.
She said this location has returned to campus because of the nature of the students, but most of the five Southwestern College locations will remain remote for the fall term.
Their next goal is getting dental students at National City campus back to in-person learning.
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To welcome the students back, the school partnered with the college's Jag Kitchen Food Pantry and the college cafeteria. Students are given free meals on campus, something they would have had to leave campus to get before this.
