Missouri State to offer student incentives for COVID shots. And it’s no small prize

Missouri State University is offering incentives to its students who get vaccinated against COVID-19 ahead of the 2021-22 school year.

“The best case for us to be able to have a more normal fall is to have a significant percentage of our student population that are vaccinated,” Director of Safety David Hall said. “For us, it made sense to incentivize it.”

The university, which is located in Springfield, is offering three different types of incentives: book store gift cards, weekly prize drawings and grand prize drawings.

The university is awarding book store gift cards to the first 2,000 students who get their vaccine at Magers Health and Wellness Center on campus. Hall said the university may consider extending that incentive to more students if that 2,000 number is reached.

Weekly prize drawings will occur every Friday starting July 9 and go through mid-September. Prizes include a free reserved parking spot for one year, an array of Apple products, Xboxes, BearWear shopping sprees and more.

Grand prize awards will be drawn on Sept. 24. Eleven students will win a variety of prizes. Here’s what’s being offered:

• Two students will be awarded a one-year unlimited meal plan

• Two students will be awarded one year of university-owned housing

• Four students will be awarded a Bookstore Bonanza special worth $4,500

• Two students will be awarded one semester of tuition fees

• One student will be awarded school for a year, including tuition, meal plan, books and supplies, and parking

All students who have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine are eligible to win prizes. Students vaccinated at Magers are automatically entered to win prizes. Those who were vaccinated off-campus can sign up to be eligible by submitting documentation of vaccination to the hospital.

Hall added that there is an economic incentive for the university to offer these prizes. While the program is expected to cost around $150,000, the university hopes increased vaccination rates will limit expenses on measures like quarantine housing and mass testing that reached into the millions last year.

The Springfield area has seen a spike in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in recent weeks driven by low vaccination rates and the spread of the delta variant. The university hopes these measures will help the campus community avoid a rise in cases at the start of the semester.

The Star’s Eric Adler contributed reporting.

This story was originally published July 8, 2021 at 3:28 PM.