Vaccinated Oregonians Qualify for $100,000 College Scholarships through “Take your shot” Campaign Partnership

Getting vaccinated: good for your health, your pocket book, and your educational prospects

SALEM, Ore., May 21, 2021 – Oregonians, if you’ve been vaccinated for COVID-19 or are planning to, you have a chance to win one of five $100,000 college scholarships. The Oregon Treasury and the Oregon College Savings Plan today announced their partnership with Governor Brown’s “Take your shot” campaign, encouraging Oregonians age 12 and older to get vaccinated with the added incentive of a chance to win a scholarship award. The state is also giving away a $1 million prize and a number of other cash prizes.

If Oregonians have received at least a first dose of the Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines, they are automatically entered to win through the state’s vaccine database. With the help of the Oregon Lottery, the Oregon Health Authority will draw names of winners for both cash and scholarship prizes on June 28, with names being announced the week of July 4th.

“We are excited that Treasury’s College Savings Plan can help with the effort to increase vaccination rates in Oregon,” said State Treasurer Tobias Read. “This is a win-win: get vaccinated now to protect yourself and others, and get the chance to fund your future through a scholarship that can be used for higher education and job training.”

The Oregon State Treasury will oversee the college savings prizes. Those prize dollars will be placed in Oregon College Savings Plan accounts with the parent or legal guardian serving as the account owner, and the youth receiving the prize designated as the beneficiary. Oregon College Savings Plan accounts are simple to manage and flexible. Funds can be used at most U.S. higher education institutions and many abroad, including trade school, community college, and apprenticeships.

“Managing these scholarships fits perfectly with the mission of the Oregon College Savings Plan,” said Michael Parker, Executive Director for the Oregon Treasury Savings Network. “We are committed to making higher education more accessible and affordable to communities statewide by offering year-round incentives to make it easier for Oregonians with dreams for the future to save and to save early.”

Popular Oregon College Savings Plan incentives include their Baby Grad and Kinder Grad programs, which provide a $25 match to accounts opened for a child prior to their first birthday and for Kindergartners aged 5 or 6 years old. Oregon also offers a refundable tax credit(worth up to $300) for higher education savings, allowing more families to benefit from saving for college.