XENIA, Ohio (WDTN) — Wilberforce University students started the school year remotely Monday.

Students at the nation’s oldest private historically black college and university (HBCU) are not on campus and will remain that way through the fall semester.

Ah’Niya Arnett is a senior Mass Media and Communications major who’s learning from home in Columbus.

“I feel like the university was thinking about our safety and our health before just trying to have us back on campus,” says Arnett.

Adapting to online learning, she’s still taking a full course load.

“We get to see each other virtually and then we have a chat room where we can talk and ask questions,” describes Arnett.

She’s one of nearly 600 students learning online since the initial outbreak in March.

“It’s hard, and I’ve learned that online learning is a discipline. It’s really self discipline. You have to discipline yourself,” admits Arnett.

While she misses the typical campus activity, she’s crossing her fingers and hoping for a more normal second semester.

“I know that we are not on campus, but us student leaders and the faculty, we’re going to try to make this year the best year as we possibly can hoping that we’re back on campus in the spring,” states Arnett.

School leaders will evaluate whether to resume in-person classes for the second semester at a later date.