CMU announces first winners in vaccine incentive program

Central Michigan University has officially selected the first round of winning students in its vaccine incentive program. Johnathan Taft, a senior from Greenville, Michigan, was selected as the winner of a scholarship valued at a full year's tuition at CMU.

Taft, an athletic training major, was surprised with the news via a video call from Kate King, president of CMU Student Government Association, members of the Marching Chips, and President Bob Davies.

During the call, Taft shared his reasons for getting a vaccine.

"I chose to get vaccinated because I work with patients a lot, and I want to protect them and myself. This is also to protect my family when I go home and see them," he said.

Taft is the first of four students who will win scholarships equivalent to a full year of tuition. An additional 400 students — 100 per drawing — will receive $75 gift cards. All participants in the program also receive a 20% discount to the CMU Bookstore just for registering online.

To date, 5,550 students have entered the incentive program — approximately one-third of the student body.

Jennifer DeHaemers, CMU's vice president for student recruitment and retention, is proud of the participation so far and hopes that number continues to climb.

"We are excited for the return of students to campus this fall and want to ensure everyone can enjoy a robust and engaging fall semester as safely as possible," she said. "We strongly encourage students to receive the vaccine, and this program is a fantastic reward for doing so."

CMU will host vaccine pop-up clinics on campus during move-in and orientation week. Students and employees also can make an appointment through CMU Health by calling 989-774-6599. Students outside the Mount Pleasant area may visit Vaccine Finder or Michigan's COVID-19 vaccine page to find a vaccination site near their home.

The remaining drawings for the incentive program are scheduled for Aug. 23, Sept. 13, and Oct. 4. All currently enrolled students are eligible to register, including main campus, Global Campus, international, and College of Medicine students.

Information about the vaccine incentive program, including full rules and entry form, is available for students on the program webpage.