SHU Provides Vaccines to Students, Staff, Faculty at West Campus Clinic Site

Administration grateful to community partners, hopeful vaccinated student body leads to more ‘normal’ fall semester

Sacred Heart University students, faculty and staff received vaccinations today at a clinic dedicated to vaccinating the SHU community. The event took place at the mega site on SHU’s West Campus and was made possible through the University’s partners—the State of Connecticut, Hartford HealthCare and St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport. 

Through a recent student survey and word of mouth, the University learned that students were interested in getting vaccinated on campus before heading home for the summer. SHU worked with its partners to dedicate time at its vaccination clinic site, located at its West Campus, to inoculate students, staff and faculty. The clinic is run by Hartford HealthCare and St. Vincent’s Medical Center. 

The clinic will run until 8 p.m. today, and Sunday, April 25, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Participants will schedule their second vaccination appointment when they receive their first vaccine dose. Those appointment dates will be May 13 and May 16—also at dedicated clinics on campus. 

“Sacred Heart is grateful to the state, Hartford HealthCare and St. Vincent’s for making this opportunity happen,” said SHU President John J. Petillo. “We listened to our community’s requests and are pleased we can make this happen before the students go home for the summer.” 

Petillo also said a vaccinated community is critical for a more normal fall semester. He hopes hundreds of students will sign up to get vaccinated. The number of students, faculty and staff members who have been vaccinated will determine our fall semester experience.” 

Hartford HealthCare will have the ability to vaccinate up to 1,000 members of the SHU community at each clinic. 

As an incentive to get students vaccinated, SHU has organized a raffle. All undergraduate students who receive a vaccine—regardless of where they got the vaccine—will be in the running to win a variety of in-demand prizes. 

“The last year has been difficult on all of us, especially our students,” said Gary MacNamara, SHU’s executive director of public safety and governmental affairs. He also serves as SHU’s liaison to the state, Hartford HealthCare and St. Vincent’s. “We are happy to provide students with some hope, and we’re confident this initiative is another step in creating a safer SHU community.”