Ten Purdue students can win a year’s worth of in-state tuition – by choosing to get vaccinated for COVID-19
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Vaccination against COVID-19 may be the golden ticket for 10 lucky Purdue University students. An Old Gold-en Ticket to be precise. No purchase necessary. No need to hunt for chocolate bars.
From the pool of students who document their choice to become fully vaccinated, 10 students will be randomly selected to receive $9,992, an amount representing the annual undergraduate tuition cost for an in-state student at Purdue University since 2013.
Students must successfully submit valid proof of vaccination to the university by July 15. The 10 winners will be validated and announced by July 29.
“We have strongly encouraged everyone in our campus community to get vaccinated against COVID-19,” said Dr. Esteban Ramirez, chief medical officer of the Protect Purdue Health Center. “The more people who choose to get vaccinated and register their status, the more decisions we can make and the more normal our operations can be in the days, weeks and months ahead. Purdue’s Old Golden Ticket Drawing is another way to encourage students to consider taking that important step to protect themselves, others, and help Purdue return to the normalcy that we all desire.”
All undergraduate, graduate and professional degree-seeking students enrolled for the fall 2021 semester on the West Lafayette campus are eligible to participate. Terms and conditions apply. Full details can be viewed online.
A leader in college affordability, accessibility, and value, Purdue is in the midst of a 10-year tuition freeze, which is guaranteed through the 2022-23 academic year. By spring 2023, some 60,000 students will have graduated from Purdue having never seen an increase in their tuition rates — all while receiving an education considered among the nation’s most valuable.
Communications and a digital campaign are underway and will continue until July 15 to remind students of the drawing while also stressing the importance of the vaccine. The Purdue campus vaccination clinic offers free doses of the Pfizer vaccine for students, employees and eligible dependents age 12 and up and is open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday at the Córdova Recreational Sports Center. Since its opening in April, Purdue’s campus clinic has vaccinated more than 20,000 people – virtually all of them students – against COVID-19.
“Vaccination has been proven to be the fastest and surest means to significantly reduce the risk of exposure and serious illness,” Ramirez said. “Vaccination is also an expression of the Protect Purdue Pledge to protect ourselves and others. We hope everyone at Purdue takes these facts to heart and chooses to get vaccinated – and uploads verification of their vaccination.”
Students and employees who provide valid documentation of full vaccination status against COVID-19 may enjoy greater amounts of choice as it pertains to activities on campus, while those choosing not to be vaccinated will be subject to regular surveillance testing and may be excluded from some campus activities this fall.
Students will receive notification that their documentation was successfully submitted. Those who already have successfully uploaded their status are entered and do not need to resubmit. Submitting falsified vaccine documentation will result in swift and severe disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion.
About Purdue University
Purdue University is a top public research institution developing practical solutions to today’s toughest challenges. Ranked the No. 5 Most Innovative University in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, Purdue delivers world-changing research and out-of-this-world discovery. Committed to hands-on and online, real-world learning, Purdue offers a transformative education to all. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue has frozen tuition and most fees at 2012-13 levels, enabling more students than ever to graduate debt-free. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap at https://purdue.edu/.
Media contact: Tim Doty, doty2@purdue.edu, 765-494-2080