LSU Shreveport’s College of Business is providing free masks to thousands of students to help them stay safe during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The College of Business mailed free masks featuring the LSUS logo to more than 5,500 current students in its undergraduate and graduate programs. They’re giving students around the United States a chance to show purple and gold pride while staying safe during the pandemic.

LSUS alumnus Travis Albers suggested providing the masks to support students during these difficult times. Albers earned his bachelor’s degree in marketing in 2018 and an MBA in data analytics in 2019 from LSUS.

LSUS moved all its classes online in March, building on a robust platform pioneered by its award-winning MBA program. Now the university is preparing for face-to-face classes in the fall semester.

“We are excited about our students returning to the College of Business classrooms,” LSUS College of Business Dean Nancy Albers, PhD, said. “We are also happy to hear of our students being able to return to work, because many of them experienced an extended period of time unemployed.”

LSU Shreveport has recently announced its expectation to resume face-to-face classes this fall. Albers said LSUS faculty and administrators are proceeding cautiously with reopening plans, focused on best practices for safety during the pandemic.

“We understand that our efforts to get ‘back to business’ require careful thought, planning, and caution,” she said. “Using input from a College of Business alumnus, we decided that one of the most serviceable methods of supporting our students is to provide them with a practical, valuable and useful tool to help them make these upcoming transitions toward invigorating our economy.”

Albers said additional masks are available for purchase by students and the public at $10 each while supplies last. Proceeds offset the cost of providing the free masks to students.

“The masks will play a vital role in our return to both class and work,” Albers said.