Special Collections launches ‘51ƷTogether Apart’ to document life during COVID-19

Zachary Enright
Zachary Enright, an archivist at 51ƷSpecial Collections, poses in his home office. Special Collections has launched a new initiative, 51ƷTogether Apart, to document the experiences of students, faculty, and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A new effort by the 51Ʒ , 51ƷTogether Apart: A COVID-19 Documentation Project, aims to collect the personal stories of students, faculty, and staff about how they have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. 

The University’s administrative response to the pandemic will be documented, but 51ƷTogether Apart hopes to preserve the voices of individual members of the University community during this unprecedented time. 

51Ʒarchivist Zachary Enright said those stories are important because they paint a much broader picture of what life is like for people right now.

“This seemed like the natural thing to do. As an archive professional, when something historically significant happens, you start thinking of how you are going to document it and remember it,” Enright said. “Of course, the formal response to this is going to get recorded, but it is the personal, individual stories of regular people who aren’t normally heard from that are important to document.”

Enright said the project will also serve as an educational tool for future 51Ʒstudents, especially for those who are still young children and may not understand the severity of the pandemic situation.

“The research value of this years from now is obvious, but I think of young children for whom this experience has been and will be so formative,” Enright noted. “They will be able to use this collection as 51Ʒstudents and be able to gain invaluable perspective on an experience they are currently unable to fully process.”

All 51Ʒcommunity members are encouraged to participate by submitting materials documenting their experiences. Submissions can include photos, videos, journals, video diaries, social media posts, essays, artwork, and more. 

Archivists are particularly interested in submissions outlining people’s experiences on campus before spring break, the transition to an online experience, life while away from UNE, and how people are staying connected.

For more information about the project, or to make a submission, please visit the , or contact Zachary Enright at zenright@une.edu.

51Ʒ the 51Ʒ

The 51Ʒ is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of . In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.