Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information

Culver’s in-person commencement ceremony, scheduled for Sunday, May 31, has been postponed. The Senior Leadership Team is focused on honoring and celebrating our Seniors and First Classmen and will share a detailed update soon. With the support of our Faculty Marshals and student leaders, plans are coming together for an online recognition on the day of commencement, Sunday, May 31. At the same time, the team is forming plans for gathering in person (at a later date to be determined) to recognize the Class of 2020 with our community to celebrate each graduate passing through the Graduation Arch or Iron Gate.

Parents Weekend, scheduled for April 24-26, has been cancelled.

Reunion Weekend, scheduled for May 15-16, has been postponed.

We have issued credits on a pro rata basis determined by each family's financial obligation. The credits will appear on your upcoming student billing statement. The credit calculation was based on the number of days our students were away from campus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The guidelines and expectations for online learning for faculty, counselors, students and parents can be found here.

Class schedules are here as part of the overall online learning expectations.

The Student Life staff is busy packing students’ belongings in preparation for shipment, storage, or pick-up from families. We ask that you continue to abide by the stay-at-home guidelines enacted for your area as we do not want to put anyone’s health or safety at risk. Once the stay-at-home guidelines are lifted for Indiana and the surrounding states, Culver will reach out to those families to schedule a date and time to retrieve their students’ belongings. As a reminder, Dorms and Barracks are closed at this time.

Detailed communication regarding students’ belongings was sent to parents and students on April 16.

Information for students who plan to pick up their belongings (click here).

Information for students who are NOT able to pick up their belongings (click here).

We are instituting the following procedures for distribution:

1. Packages: If you have a package in the mail room that you would like to have re-routed to your current residence, please contact the mailroom at (574) 842-8333 or e-mail them at postoffice@culver.org. Alan, Ron, and Tammy will be sure to properly label and ship your package to you once the additional postage has been rendered.

2. First Class Mail: The mail room will automatically re-route first class mail straight to your family’s home address in Veracross. If you desire to have first class mail routed somewhere else, please contact the mailroom at (574) 842-8333 or e-mail them at postoffice@culver.org.

3. All Other Mail: The remainder of mail sent to students will be collected and delivered to your student’s counselor or RD. The counselor will contact the student to determine the disposition for these items:

a. Trash (these items will be discarded/recycled because they aren’t important; marketing/advertising material probably falls in this category)

b. Hold (these items will be stacked/stored with student’s belongings in their room until students return; magazine subscriptions probably fall in this category)

c. Open, Scan, and E-mail (these items will be opened by the counselor, scanned, and e-mailed to students; college letters and other personal items reside in this category)

Athletic coaches and adult extracurricular leaders are in contact with the students in their respective activity. Specific questions to a student should be directed to their coach or activity’s adult adviser.

With the desire to remain strong and healthy -- physically, socially, spiritually, and mentally -- Culver is providing opportunities to assist students and families during this unique time. Among them are:

All students and employees/family members have free membership to the PLT4M workout software. These workouts can be done remotely for home use, and challenge all ability levels. Video demonstrations to familiarize yourself with workout language is included.

a. Download the app or website: PLT4M

b. Use Join Code: SCWILK

c. Join the group: REMOTE FITNESS

d. Follow the daily and weekly prompts to access the workouts

e. Any questions, contact Coach Sandy Orsund at Sandy.Orsund@Culver.org.

Monday through Friday, we will provide daily outdoor activity ideas to do with your family, or close circle of friends, all starting from your own yards. They will include bike rides, walks, games and a weekly Wednesday scavenger hunts. If you have outdoor activities to share with the group, email Dana.Neer@Culver.org. Stay connected by posting your pictures using #culvercomestogether and #findculver to share your activities.

Spiritual Wellness will offer live yoga classes via Zoom. Schedule to be announced.

Brief breathing meditations to calm the nervous system will be available to access anytime.

The Cardinal Virtues and Culver Values are highlighted during Term 4:

• a. April 7-11: Wisdom
• b. April 12-18: Justice
• c. April 19-25: Courage
• d. April 26-May 2: Moderation
• e. May 3-9: Truth
• f. May 10-16: Service
• g. May 17-23: Duty
• h. May 24-30: Honor

Spiritual Life small groups (The Hub, The Narrative, Last Supper Club, and Satsang Society) will have live Zoom meetings to maintain community.

Pastoral counseling available from Dr. Boys and Pastor Dan. Email for appointments.

Guidelines for international students can be found here.

Guidelines for parents for international students can be found here.

Seniors and non-returning students will return their laptops, cases, and AC adapters to Culver by mail. Culver Information Technology will mail each student a box, packing materials, instructions, and a pre-paid return label. Returning students will retain their laptops during the summer and bring the laptops with them when they return to campus. More information will follow about the details of the laptop return process.

We are canceling the 2020 Culver Summer Schools & Camps session, including Junior Woodcraft Camp, Woodcraft Camp, and Upper Schools.

Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb has issued a five-stage plan to get our state “Back on Track.” Due to the timing of the five stages and the guidelines recommended in his plan related to social distancing and restrictions on size of gatherings, Culver Summer Schools & Camps, as we know them, are not possible due to our concentrated summer population. Our focus is on preserving the unique experience, authentic Culver leadership program and, foremost, the health and safety of our campers and staff.

We are pleased to offer the following options to reimburse CSSC deposits and tuition payments:

1. Refund your deposit and tuition payment;

2. Transfer your deposit and any tuition payments you have made to your Summer Schools & Camps account for 2021.

3. Transfer your deposit and any tuition payments you have made to your child’s CGA or CMA 2020-2021 tuition account;

4. Make a charitable contribution to support Culver Summer Schools & Camps.

All reimbursements will be managed by our business office. You can contact the business office at StudentAccounts@culver.org.

While the Culver campus will be quiet this summer, nobody can “cancel” the Spirit of Culver. Our staff continues to make plans to engage campers through social media and thoughtfully curated online experiences featuring members of our Culver family.

Culver is committed to honoring the class of 2020, both at Woodcraft and Upper Schools. We will be reaching out to families with additional details. In the meantime, our staff will look at the situation of each camper to determine if they could return in 2021 to complete their Culver Summer Schools & Camps experience.

If you received a financial aid package for 2020, you will need to apply again for the summer of 2021. While we are unable to guarantee the same award, we will continue to do our best to make Culver accessible to our families.