SCSU’s COVID coordinator ‘a perfect match’
NEW HAVEN — Many universities might claim to prepare the leaders of tomorrow, but Southern Connecticut State University has prepared at least one leader for today.
Erin Duff, 26, received her master’s degree in public health just this month, but she has done crucial work in her field throughout the entire fall semester. As the university’s COVID-19 coordinator, she tackled the logistics of a campuswide testing effort during a pandemic.
“No one really knew what we’d be doing until we were actually in the thick of it, doing the work,” Duff said.
Throughout the fall semester, Duff helped to coordinate weekly testing for 450 to 500 students and faculty. If someone in the university’s community tested positive, it fell on Duff to deliver the news and to arrange for the logistics of where they would quarantine. She also connected those who tested positive with contact tracers so they could establish whom they had been in close contact with in the prior days.
“I think people took it very seriously, and our students took it very seriously that they wanted to stay on campus as long as possible because the year before got cut short (because of the pandemic),” she said.
Although the job, which runs through the spring semester, is one that requires a lot of organization and thoroughness to maintain the health and safety of the campus community, Duff said she has always felt supported in her role.
Instead of being scared, Duff said it’s only strengthened her commitment to working in public health.
Duff said she likes that there are many disciplines and jobs within the public health field, but the one that appeals to her most is health promotion — communicating public health information to the community. Such a role is very important on a college campus, she said, where there’s a need to create messaging about health issues such as flu vaccina
tion, sexual health and stress mitigation.
Although the role of COVID-19 coordinator is crucial on a college campus, Duff did not apply. Members of the administration, who were familiar with her work on campus as a hall director for the Residence Life department, offered her the position in July.
“From what I know of her and her dedication and professionalism and skill level from being a graduate assistant and her role in residence life, she was a perfect match for what we needed in this role,” said Jules Tetreault, dean of student affairs for the university. “She’s dedicated and cares very deeply about the community, she has the knowledge base and she has the skills to manage multiple tasks at one time.”
Tetreault said there was much about the virus that still was unknown over the summer, and administrators knew someone who was successful in the Residence Life department would be prepared to think quickly and effectively when handed a challenge, and Duff’s base of knowledge in public health made her the ideal candidate.
“Without her work in coordinating much of (the testing program), it would’ve been very difficult to remain open and for us as a community to have a relatively successful fall semester in the course of a very significant pandemic,” Tetreault said.
Duff, originally from Lebanon, Conn., said she arrived in New Haven to attend Southern Connecticut State University for her undergraduate degree and never left. Her initial intention was to earn her degree as a special education teacher, but an introductory course in public health changed her mindset and career path.
As she aspires to a career in health promotion, Duff’s advice right now is similar to what many people have heard plenty of times over the past year — if public health professionals have been successful at their jobs.
“We’ve just got to keep doing what we’re doing, which is wearing masks and washing your hands and social distancing, and I know it’s hard because it’s the holiday season, but we need to keep moving forward,” she said.
“I think people took it very seriously, and our students took it very seriously that they wanted to stay on campus as long as possible because the year before got cut short (because of the pandemic).” Erin Duff, Southern Connecticut State University’s COVID-19 coordinator