Chad Cleveland ’00 helps provide personal protective equipment

When Chad Cleveland ’00 learned there was a shortage of protective masks because of the COVID-19 pandemic, he realized he could use his 3D printers to help alleviate this shortage.

Cleveland was a studio art major at Ripon College and now teaches middle and high school art in Fennimore, Wisconsin. The original design he worked with to create protective masks was printed flat. This meant it had to be formed to the face later, which was very difficult to do.

While he was searching for a better form to print, a former colleague sent him the design for the “Montana Mask” which allows for an easier seal to the face without having to be formed by the user.

By April 15, Cleveland already had successfully printed 500 masks to be distributed to places in need.

To assist him in his service, Cleveland has received donations from Ripon College alumni, high school friends, family and others within the community who want to help. Donations have come both monetarily and in shipping supplies to get the masks to where they are needed.

“It has been a really humbling experience to receive this much support,” Cleveland says, “and without the support, I wouldn’t still be running the masks and, now, ear savers and face shield frames.”

Jillian Heidenreich ’22
Monroe, Wisconsin