Men and Women risk their lives every day at the University of Saint Mary, and those men and women are the janitors that keep the school in excellent condition leaving the students with no worries about if their class will be clean tomorrow or if that public restroom will be kept in pristine condition.

I spoke to one of the janitors who wanted to keep their identity classified about risking their lives day in and day out working here at USM. They stated that “ Working here at USM is a great honor and that things do become hard, and I do think about my health and whether I’m going to be ok.” The janitors and public safety may face the biggest threat to covid since being surrounded by the students in such close proximity.

The use of janitors plays a big part in keeping the school together. Without them, there wouldn’t be any sanitary USM. They make sure that the students are safe by risking their lives to keep the school sanitized for the students to help stop the spread of Covid that alone is an act of heroism.

They are the heroes of USM; not many students show appreciation towards them, but they should because they are putting their life on the line for students to have a safe and clean environment. I spoke to one of the the janitors who again wanted their identity classified, and they stated that “ every since I got the vaccine, it’s given me a sense of relief mentally, but there is always that (what if).”

Donel Jack is a freshman and a communications major at the University of Saint Mary and competes in track and field at the institution.