Photo caption: At least 70% of UW-Eau Claire students have been vaccinated against COVID-19. (Photo by Shane Opatz)
More than 70% of University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire students have received the COVID-19 vaccine, making them eligible to win nearly $99,000 in scholarships.
Grace Crickette, UW-Eau Claire vice chancellor for finance and administration, called the vaccination rate “a remarkable accomplishment” and “a testament to our students, who have put their health and safety, and the health of safety of their fellow Blugolds, at the top of their priority list for the fall semester.”
“I can’t say enough about our faculty, staff and students, all of whom have put the health of our campus community first when we opened the semester,” Crickette says. “Eighty-five percent of our employees have been vaccinated, and our students have helped put UW-Eau Claire in rarefied air when you look across the UW System. Few universities have been able to reach the vaccination goals this early in the semester, and I am proud of all who have helped make this a reality.”
The 70% goal was established by UW-Eau Claire and the UW System to encourage students to be vaccinated.
UW-Eau Claire and the UW System have extended the deadline to Oct. 31 for students to upload their vaccination records and become eligible for scholarships.
Vaccinated UW-Eau Claire students who have uploaded their vaccination cards are eligible to win a $1,000 scholarship from the university. A total of 50 scholarships will be given away.
UW-Eau Claire is providing funds for the student scholarships and funding for student organizations that have a high rate of vaccinations among its membership.
UW-Eau Claire will award $200 to each student organization with at least 10 students that has 70% of its members vaccinated.
The UW-Eau Claire Foundation provided $40,000 for weekly prize drawings the past two months for vaccinated students who participated in Vax Game 2021, the university’s vaccination incentive campaign.
The UW System is providing an additional scholarship opportunity for vaccinated students who attend universities that achieve at least 70% vaccination rates. Seven scholarships valued at $7,000 each are available to vaccinated UW-Eau Claire students through the UW System’s 70-for-70 campaign.
UW System Interim President Tommy Thompson visited UW-Eau Claire on Monday, Sept. 13, as part of a systemwide effort to achieve the 70% vaccination rate on all campuses.
