Oberlin College Joins White House COVID-19 College Vaccine Challenge

OBERLIN, OHIO -- Oberlin College has signed on to the White House’s COVID-19 College Vaccine Challenge, joining more than 600 colleges and universities taking the pledge to be a Vaccine Champion College.

“Oberlin College signed the White House COVID-19 College Vaccine Challenge to support the effort to vaccinate as many adults as possible by July 4th,” said COVID-19 Campus Health Coordinator Katie Gravens. “Although the Oberlin College community has achieved an 85.7 percent vaccination rate, including students, faculty, and staff, we hope to increase the percent of the community that is vaccinated. As the college resumes a traditional campus experience we want everyone, including the people in the City of Oberlin, to feel reassured that they are protected from COVID-19 when they encounter anyone from the college.”

The White House and the U.S. Department of Education are asking participating colleges and universities to commit to three action steps to support vaccination efforts. 

• Engage students, faculty, and staff members by educating the campus community on their eligibility for the vaccine and resources to find one. 
• Organize the college community by identifying champions for vaccine efforts across campus and implementing a plan to get as many members of the campus community vaccinated as possible.
• Deliver vaccine access for all by bringing vaccines on-site, or helping students, staff and faculty to find nearby vaccine sites this summer, and track success.

Oberlin College encourages all students, faculty, staff, and visitors to obtain a COVID-19 vaccine. The college’s current vaccination rate of 85.7 percent exceeds the campus vaccination goal of 80 percent. 

The COVID-19 College Vaccine Challenge is part of President Joe Biden’s National Month of Action and supports his goal for 70 percent of the U.S. adult population to have one vaccine shot by July 4th.

About Oberlin College and Conservatory

Ranked among the nation’s top liberal arts schools, Oberlin College is known for its exemplary academic and musical pedagogy and its commitment to social justice, sustainability, and creative entrepreneurship. The college, founded in 1833, holds a distinguished place among American colleges and universities as the first to grant bachelor's degrees to women in a coeducational environment and was a leader in the education of African Americans. The Conservatory of Music, a recipient of the National Medal of Arts, was founded in 1865, making it the oldest continuously operating conservatory in the United States.

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Contact:

Scott Wargo

Director of Media Relations

440-775-8474

Scott.Wargo@oberlin.edu