Idaho State University has initiated a new vaccination incentive program where students can now receive money for being fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Students must first go to the Office of the Vice President, located in the Pond Student Union building, where they can show their completed vaccination card and Bengal ID to receive a voucher that the student fills out. A staff member verifies and signs that voucher and the student must then take it to the Cashier’s Office located in the Administration building where they will receive $100 in cash.
Once that voucher has been redeemed students are entered into weekly drawings that include larger prizes such as $500 to use at the bookstore and even $1,000 cash. These weekly drawings will occur throughout the semester. ISU is holding many vaccination events at the Pocatello, Meridian and Idaho Falls locations to make vaccines accessible to all students. A full schedule of the events can be located at isu.edu/vaxcash/.
Since students have been receiving this extra cash they were asked what they have spent it on, or if they were planning to receive it, what they would spend it on. The most common answer received was food when asked what they would use the money on. ISU freshmen Brayden Remer, Joseph Pyper, Crystal Watkins and Mollie Ballingham all said food would be what they would spend the extra cash on. “I would probably spend it on Taco Bell,” said Hailey Liest, another ISU freshman.
Another common answer was school fees whether that be required textbooks, tuition fees or general class fees. Aaron Azevedo, an ISU graduate student, said, “I don’t know, I would probably spend it on daycare for him,” He said as he pointed to his young son that was walking with him.
ISU freshman, Alan Lizarraga, said he had a very expensive psychology textbook that he would use the extra money on. Adriana Rubio, an ISU freshman, said that she would also spend it on a particularly expensive textbook.
Another ISU graduate student, Jacob Harris said, “I had a balance of $105 and so when I received my cash at the office I just turned right back around to the other window and paid that fee off.”
ISU freshman and music major, Evan Nelson, said he would spend it on a pianist. He is focusing on vocals and whenever someone wants to sing and have a pianist accompany them, they have to pay for the pianist’s services.
Derik Hepworth, a senior, and Rachele Story, a freshman, said that they would both put it into savings and use it when needed, such as for emergencies. When Sam Rey, a senior, was asked about what he would spend it on said that it would either be rent, for practical use or for recreational use. He mentioned that he loves backpacking and riding his bike so he would spend the money on a new backpack to take with him on his backpacking/biking adventures.
All but one of the students asked had not yet gone and gotten their voucher. For more information on how to get the vaccine, what steps need to be taken to get the voucher, or just general questions go to the Roaring Back section on the ISU website. https://www.isu.edu/vaxcash/
