MEMPHIS, Tennessee —
Most seniors look forward to walking across the stage at graduation after four years of hard work and dedication. For senior Austin Russell, it's missing the curtain coming down for the last time at the University of Memphis.
Russell has worked for the past three and a half years perfecting his craft and eventually organizing his senior showcase. He says that building this show is something that every senior cherishes and looks forward to, but in light of the coronavirus outbreak, the show will not be going on.
"To have that just stripped away was just heartbreaking. How do you just sit there and not only tell your cast mates but explain to yourself that this thing that you've been working for is gone?," Russell said.
He explained that when he got the email saying that classes would resume online for the remainder of the semester, he was shocked. The coronavirus or COVID-19, pandemic has put his showcase --and graduation-- on hold.
Russell has an upcoming acting contract that starts May 9th, the day before he was supposed to graduate and leave Memphis to pursue his acting career. With all of the postponed or cancelled events, he said he can no longer attend. He adds that not only will he be missing his only senior graduation, but saying goodbye to friends he has made along the way.
As far as the school's resources are concerned, Russell and many other students cannot access classrooms and other places on campus to rehearse. He put it best when he said that it's almost like teaching a man to fish without a rod and a hook.
"You know, I can do math problems at home and biology has the ability to do labs online. But there is no way for me to perform in front of no one."
Russell went on to say that he feels like without a final performance or without this closure, his work is incomplete.
"It feels like there was another chapter to this book, and it got ripped out".
He is not alone in this group of disheartened students and faculty, this happened to hundreds of students scattered throughout campus that can't complete their college experience due to the coronavirus. Russell said the faculty and student support has been amazing and that the professors are just as heartbroken.