Mary Kate Gibson wears a mask featuring Baby Yoda, a character from the television show The Mandalorian. 
Addison Howard wears a mask made of a reflective material. 
Associate Professor of Anthropology Anne Lewinson wears a ‘smile mask,’ designed by the Berry College Costume Shop to let students see professors’ expressions. 
Music education major Colby Francis wears a mask that allows him to blow into instruments with the mask on, thanks to a detachable section of fabric.
By Willow Newell, Viking Fusion Videographer, and Ben Allee, Viking Fusion News Producer
Berry College requires all its students and staff to wear masks in public spaces as a health and safety measure, and students and faculty alike have found ways to make masks both expressive and practical.
Anthropology professor Anne Lewinson is one of several professors who received a specially-designed mask from the Berry College Costume Shop, which usually designs costumes for the Berry College Theatre Company. These masks, which Lewinson refers to as ‘smile masks,’ feature a clear plastic section around the wearer’s mouth, so students can better read professors’ expressions.
Colby Francis, a music education major, wears a mask that allows him to blow into certain instruments through an opening, without taking the mask off entirely.
To stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus, all Berry students and employees must wear masks in all public contexts at the school. Berry’s Website lays out how face coverings must meet certain qualifications in order to be effective. Cloth masks and disposable masks are two acceptable face coverings for use at Berry.
The other mask types Berry allows are gaiters and plastic face shields, though they do not accept bandanas as a face covering.
Masks are just one of the measures Berry has taken to protect students from COVID-19 as they’ve returned to campus. If you have thoughts, stories, or photos about college life during the COVID-19 pandemic, reach out to us at @vikingfusion on social media or email us at vikingfusion@berry.edu