INDIANAPOLIS — Butler University is making it easier for its students to get vaccinated, hosting a clinic just for them for the next three days.
The university is partnering with the state to vaccinate as many students as possible before the end of the semester.
“We’ve rallied over 300 volunteers from our students, faculty, staff and alumni so that we can do the monumental task of vaccinating 3000 of our students in only three days,” Angela Ockerman, Butler’s Assistant Dean for Student Affairs with the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, said.
Of the 300 volunteers helping to vaccinate students are current Butler pharmacy students.
“I didn’t think I’d be here giving vaccines during a pandemic, I’ll tell you that much,” Jonathan Zeh, a Butler University pharmacy student, said. “When our Dean reached out to us and said this is our chance to get our campus back, we were so excited to put our skills to help.”
Pharmacy students take a class their first year of the program, specializing in giving vaccines, that allows them to practice anywhere in the state.
“They are students but they are certified vaccinators,” Ockerman said.
“I think it’s really cool that they have the experience and this is great exposure for them to so it really just is good for everyone all around,” Catalina Gallegos, a senior at Butler.
“Looking back at this in the future and hopefully this will be something we can look back on sooner rather than later, it’s just going to be something we’re really proud of,” Zeh said.
Butler will be giving students the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine through Friday. Then, the second dose the first week of May, right before commencement.
“We had to think about making sure our students could get both doses before they went home for the summer,” Ockerman said.
“A push in the right direction and I just I’m really excited that we can all kind of hang out again once this all happens,” Gallegos said. “And I’ll get my second dose right two days before I graduate. So I’m excited for that. Because I’ll get to see my family and my grandparents again.”
Any remaining supply will be available to faculty and staff.
“Anybody who is worried about where our healthcare is going just needs to stand in this gym for about five minutes,” Ockerman said. “The future of healthcare is all around this room in the future could not look any brighter.”
At this time, Butler University is not requiring students to get vaccinated for COVID-19. The university is, however, highly encouraging students to participate in the on-campus vaccination program.
