In an effort to get younger people vaccinated, Tennessee State University will be offering students who show proof of vaccination gift cards ranging from $50-$100.
TSU made the announcement via a letter from the school‘s president, Glenda Glover, in late July. Glover wrote that the school’s faculty recognizes the role that incentives play in getting people vaccinated and that these gift cards are a means to that end.
“We also understand that some students and employees have not received a COVID-19 vaccine because of logistical issues in getting vaccinated,” Glover wrote. “We plan to create convenient opportunities for TSU students and employees to receive the COVID-19 vaccine on campus commencing in August.”
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Students who can either show proof of vaccination or get vaccinated on campus will be able to redeem a $100 gift card and be entered for daily drawings of other prizes. Additionally, students who are living on campus and are able to show proof of vaccination can redeem an additional $50 gift card. The school will be holding this offer from Aug. 9-27.
TSU is not alone in offering incentives for students to get vaccinated. In July, West Virginia University offered multiple incentives, including free Chick-fil-A, Starbucks, and textbooks to students and school employees who verified that they were vaccinated. Likewise, Purdue University has offered students who got fully vaccinated a chance to win $9,992.
The Nashville university is expecting roughly 3,000 students living on campus this school year, with the freshman class being its largest in five years, making up nearly half of its undergraduate enrollment. TSU plans to remain open throughout the 2021-22 school year using a “hybrid academic model,” with increased vaccinations being cited as one of the main reasons.
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The incentives come as cases of the coronavirus are slowly rising again in the state due to the delta variant. During the school year, COVID-19 safety measures will still be enacted at TSU. The school’s return to campus page details that masks must be worn in public spaces and that staying 6 feet apart is still recommended. Approximately 39.9% of people in the state have been fully vaccinated, while 46.1% have received one shot.
