To help make Western Illinois University safe for the fall semester, students in the Department of Communications have launched a social media campaign. Their goal is to normalize wearing masks, so that when students return for classes, they'll feel more comfortable wearing them.
Davenport native Josh Brennan is a senior communication major working on the campaign. He says for him, it's personal. His three-year-old son has a chronic medical condition that puts him at greater risk for COVID-19.
"I'm not able to work because the job I had prior is not something I can do safely enough that our son's doctors feel comfortable," Brennan said. "And so, if I can do something from here to help, then, you know, I want to be a part of that because I don't want to be trapped in my house any longer than I already have, and I don't want my son and my family to be at continued risk."
Brennan helps run the lab's Twitter account, which has promoted hastags like #maskupmacomb and #maskupqc. He says that humor is an especially effective tool, and he intends to use it to make both the Macob and Quad City campuses safer.