COLLEGE PARK, Md - During his visit to the University of Maryland, Governor Larry Hogan announced the launch of a $1 million VaxU Scholarship Promotion, an incentive program to encourage 12- to 17-year-olds to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
In partnership with the Maryland Department of Health and Maryland Higher Education Commission, the state will distribute $1 million in federal funds over 20 drawings starting next week through Labor Day. Each $50,000 award covers the cost of four years of tuition and fees at a public, in-state institution of higher education.
Similar to the recent state lottery campaign that gave out a total of $2 million to eligible adults, vaccinated Marylanders ages 12-17 will be automatically entered and randomly selected for the scholarships, which will be provided through Maryland 529 college savings accounts.
Governor Hogan was joined by University System of Maryland Chancellor Jay A. Perman and UMD President Darryll J. Pines. When introducing the governor, President Pines noted that 70% of the total UMD faculty, staff and student population have already been vaccinated. Among those coming to campus each day during the summer, 80% are currently vaccinated.
“Higher education provides opportunities for the next generation of Marylanders to tackle the grand challenges of our time and thrive in an ever-evolving world,” said Pines. “The promise of higher education opportunities as an incentive to get vaccinated against COVID-19 is an outstanding effort from Governor Hogan. We applaud his ongoing commitment to research-based, data-driven decisions throughout this public health crisis, and the University of Maryland is a proud partner in working to end the pandemic.”