OU announced a program Friday to reward students who have received the COVID-19 vaccine and incentivize further vaccinations through scholarships and athletics tickets.
The #OUVaccinates Student Appreciation and Incentive Program allows vaccinated students enrolled at OU-Norman programs opportunities for scholarship rewards, according to a university email. The amounts range from $5,000 to $100 in scholarships applied directly to the student’s bursar account.
The first contest, the #OUVaccinates vaccine contest, offers the most lucrative prizes. Ten students will be selected on Sept. 3 to receive football and basketball season tickets. On Sept. 10, one student will receive a $5,000 scholarship. On Sept. 17, two students will receive a $2,500 scholarship. The final drawing on Sept. 24 will award 5 students a $1,000 scholarship.
Smaller “Instagram challenges” from August to September will allow 20 students to win $100 scholarships by sharing and commenting on posts with #OUVaccinates and following the OU Health Services Instagram page.
“The sooner students participate in the programs, the more chances they have to be randomly selected in #OUVaccinates drawings, more money and prizes (will be) available to win, and the safer the OU Norman campus and community will be,” the website reads.
All winners will be required to verify their vaccination status by providing proof of vaccination or allowing OU to verify their immunization through government documentation, according to the vaccine contest website.
In a Thursday evening email, an OU spokesperson wrote the university is also developing a vaccination incentive program for faculty and staff.
Students located on the OU-Tulsa campus but enrolled in OU-Norman programs are also eligible for the drawings, according to the contest website.
Appointments for vaccines at Goddard Health Center, dates and times of walk-in clinics hosted on campus and more information on entering the drawings can be found on the contest’s website here.
