Starting a new job is an exciting time. Starting a new job during a global pandemic is unique. Starting a new job overseeing the health and safety of an entire institution during a global pandemic may be anxiety inducing for some.
But that is the situation Tammi Magazzu found herself in this January when she started as the director of the Regis College Health and Wellness Center. “It has certainly been a whirlwind,” Magazzu said. “I love the learning curve and it was a very stressful start but the support I received from the team was remarkable.”
Magazzu’s start coincided with the return of more than 350 residential students to Regis’ campus and an increase in the number of on-campus tests performed each week. With more students on campus, there were more positive cases and individuals in wellness housing at the beginning of the semester. But Magazzu credits the health services staff and residence life team with ensuring minimal community spread.
“Regis is doing very well numbers-wise,” Magazzu said, with a .46 percent positivity rate for the academic year as of March 2021. “We just need to keep doing what we are doing and at some point soon we will see normalcy again.”
Magazzu came to Regis College from the Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professionals, and she boasts more than two decades as a nursing educator. She explained what drew her to the director job was the perfect blend of patient care, leadership, and education.
Over the past two months, Magazzu said the health services staff, especially nurse Cheryl Murphy and Regis College COO Kara Kolomitz, were integral in helping her get acclimated to the campus community while also addressing challenges related to COVID-19.
“Getting a new director when there isn’t a pandemic going on is a big change, but everyone has been so welcoming,” Magazzu said. “Even seeing the smiles on Zoom warms my heart. And Cheryl took me under her wing and has been incredibly supportive.”
With the pandemic outlook trending in the right direction, Magazzu said she hopes to soon focus more of the team’s efforts on the wellness part of Health Services’ mission. Particularly supporting the mental health of the student population. “Mental health and anxiety are going to be critical areas of focus following the pandemic,” she said.
