Ohio Northern University is proud to announce it is participating in the White House and U.S. Department of Education’s COVID-19 College Vaccine Challenge to encourage people to get vaccinated.
Ohio Northern is one of 25 other higher education institutions in Ohio and hundreds throughout the nation that have pledged to take part in this Challenge.
The program requires participating colleges and universities to commit to taking three key actions to help get their campus communities vaccinated:
• Engaging every student, faculty and staff member so that everyone knows they are eligible to become vaccinated (if they haven’t already), and where they can do so;
• Organizing their college communities. Participants are expected to lead the way by identifying champions for vaccine efforts across campus and implementing a plan to get as many campus community members as possible vaccinated.
• Delivering vaccine access for all by offering easy on-campus and nearby vaccine access this summer.
For ONU, the Challenge will be a continuation of its pandemic health-centered engagement. A detailed and successful campus safety plan that adheres to evolving federal and state guidelines and has encouraged vaccination action has kept the vast majority of students, faculty, staff and visitors from getting COVID-19. Also, the Raabe College of Pharmacy’s Healthwise Pharmacy and Mobile Clinic have served as vital vaccine administration resources to the campus and larger community; HealthWise Mobile Clinic spent three months this past spring administering vaccines to residents in six Ohio counties as part of a state-sponsored mass vaccination clinic effort.
“ONU is pleased to take part in this collective collegiate effort to fight COVID-19,” says President Daniel DiBiasio. “I appreciate all the sacrifices everyone is making in order to stop the spread of COVID-19 on our campus and in our community. I know these efforts and these times are stressful. This has been a long and arduous journey. We must remain vigilant in protecting each other from this public health threat. We must also make the most of all of the resources on campus to ensure mental health and sustain resilience. In doing so, we will remain Polar Bear Strong, hopefully continue our good results and keep each other safe.”
“By participating in the Challenge you help your college, your community, and your country to beat this virus,” the White House’s Challenge website states. “It’s on all of us to do what we can to get back to normal—and taking responsibility for vaccine efforts in your college community will go a long way towards this goal.”