OU Trying To Incentivize Student To Get Vax With Tickets, Scholarships

PublishedAugust 15, 2021 3:35 PM EDT|UpdatedAugust 15, 2021 3:35 PM EDT

The University of Oklahoma has announced its brand-new Student Appreciation and Incentives Program, which will be handing out rounds of prizes for vaccinated OU-Norman students returning to campus this Fall. The various sweepstakes announced by the school will serve as campaigns to incentivize Sooners to get their vaccine, offering cash prizes via scholarships and access to upcoming sporting events as part of their drawings. Winning students will need to prove vaccination status in order to receive their prizes.

Per the report from OU Daily:

"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."

The cash prizes via scholarships will be administered through the student portal.

News of the pro-vaccine campaign was sent out in a mass email to students this week. OU hopes that by setting up the new incentives program, students will be encouraged to get vaccinated rather than through mandatory vaccine mandates being enacted by other institutions. Ivy League schools, California State and University systems and other marquee programs throughout the nation have announced mandatory proof of vaccine for all incoming students.

As part of the announcement, a program will also be put into place to reward vaccinated OU staff. An update on the website reads, “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 Sooners will start their college football season against Tulane on Sept. 4. With the event scheduled at Yulman Stadium in New Orleans, all attendees will be subject to New Orleans' citywide mandatory masking and vaccination policy, announced Thursday.