The Man Behind the Many Masks

Stephanie McClaskey

September 20, 2021

As a man who chooses to live on the bright side of life, Professor Asbury used this opportunity to introduce his many fun masks. His many masks range from furry animal heads to cut-outs of babyfaces. During this very uncertain time, the students felt that virtual learning had robbed them of the fun and flavor within the classroom setting.

Professor Asbury used this as a springboard to offer hope and bring a lighter feeling to his students during their transition by wearing these fun masks during every seminar he taught online. This approach helped Professor Asbury to keep students engaged even though they were no longer allowed to meet face to face.

Asbury states, “The world was so serious and scary at that time, I just wanted to bring some levity and life back into the lives of my students,” which led to students engaging and plotting ideas of his continued use of these masks in his future classrooms. When asked his thoughts on the mask mandate, he responds, “I will happily do my part and wear my mask, but I am going to put a smile on your face while I do it; compliance does not mean you cannot include creativity and make it fun.”

It takes a man of many masks to shine a light in a dark place for his students during a scary time of great uncertainty. His approach not only gave his students a comfort zone of light-heartedness but launched a path of interaction that was taken away during quarantine. It is teachers that think outside the box that makes the most impact on the lives of their students. Kudos to Professor Bryan Asbury for being that teacher for students in his courses. 

Photo Credit: Gavin Schroeder