STCC to Offer Vaccines as Part of White House’s Campus Challenge

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) joined the COVID-19 College Vaccine Challenge, an effort by the White House and U.S. Department of Education to end the pandemic. As part of the initiative, the college will launch a vaccine clinic on campus on Thursday, June 24 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Nearly 600 colleges and universities are participating in the Vaccine Challenge, which includes a public-awareness campaign to get as many people as possible vaccinated in the coming weeks. The College Vaccine Challenge is part of a larger White House initiative to have 70% of U.S. adults vaccinated by July 4.

Each Thursday, beginning on June 24, STCC will hold a vaccine clinic campus operated by Curative Inc. The clinic hours will be 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. In addition, STCC will offer COVID testing on campus.

STCC President John Cook said he wants to make the vaccine easily accessible for all students, faculty, and staff. “We are pleased to join the College Vaccine Challenge. We are doing this for every student, faculty, and staff member at our college. STCC is taking the pledge and committing to action. Get the COVID-19 vaccine. Let’s put the pandemic behind us.”

STCC and other colleges and universities participating in the challenge have agreed to take the following steps:

• Engage every student, faculty, and staff member, and make sure every member of the campus community knows they are eligible for a vaccine and has resources to find one;

• Organize the college community and lead the way by identifying champions for vaccine efforts across campus and implementing a plan to get as many members of the college community vaccinated as possible; and

• Deliver vaccine access for all by bringing vaccines on site, and making it easy for students, staff, and faculty to get vaccinated this summer.

In a statement posted on the COVID-19 College Vaccine Challenge webpage, the White House noted that, “while a significant portion of older generations have received the shot, younger Americans lag behind. It is time for younger generations to get their shot.”

The Vaccine Campus Challenge builds on the program announced by President Biden on May 11 that matches certain high-enrollment community colleges with partners in the federal pharmacy program to provide vaccination opportunities to students and their communities.

To search for vaccine appointments at local pharmacies, supermarkets, healthcare providers, and other community locations, visit vaxfinder.mass.gov.