PSU offers vaccine incentives to students 

  Monday, August 9, 2021 1:30 PM
  News

Pittsburg, KS

As vaccines have been found to be the single-most powerful weapon to combat the COVID-19 virus, Pittsburg State University is offering students financial incentives to get them. 

“We’re doing everything we can to protect our campus. The more people on our campus vaccinated, the less likely disruptions will happen to our fall operations, students won’t miss as much class or as many activities, and everyone can have a safer, more productive semester,” said Howard Smith, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs. 

Vaccines are available for free at the Bryant Student Health Center and at many locations across Pittsburg.  

Students with regular on-campus classes in Pittsburg who provide proof of vaccination by Sept. 17 will each receive a $500 scholarship and be entered to win one of two $8,500 grand prizes that are equivalent to a semester’s worth of full tuition, fees, meals, and housing. 

To be eligible, students must have received both shots of either Pfizer or Moderna, or the single-dose Johnson & Johnson Janssen vaccine. To meet the Sept. 17 deadline, that means starting the vaccination process by Aug. 20 for Moderna and Aug. 27 for Pfizer, which require a four-week and three-week waiting period between doses, respectively. 

All scholarships and the grand prizes will be applied to the Spring 2022 semester. For those who graduate in December, it will be applied to the Fall 2021 semester and a refund issued, if applicable. 

The incentive applies to undergraduate students, graduate students, international students, and any other student who regularly attends classes on campus. The goal is to protect the campus and those who use it regularly, so online-only students are not eligible.  

Incentives are being funded by the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF).