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Hello Ole Miss parents and families,
What a week we’ve had in Mississippi! On Monday, Gov. Reeves opened COVID-19 vaccines in Mississippi to everyone over the age of 16. Even if your student is from out of state, they are eligible to receive the vaccine since they reside here for school. We strongly encourage your student to sign up for an appointment so that they can receive both doses of the vaccine before the semester ends. More information about how to sign up for a vaccine in Mississippi is included below.
And, even though severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings across the state this week resulted in campus closing early on Wednesday, thankfully, much of the weather missed us and no injuries were reported. Dining facilities and emergency services were available to students while the Oxford campus was closed.
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On-campus vaccinations for students
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The university opened a vaccination site on campus last week at the Tad Smith Coliseum. Beginning next week, students are eligible to receive vaccines at the on-campus vaccination site. Students will receive an email with a link to the appointment scheduling site and will be able to make an appointment during the following times:
Monday, March 22: 12:30 p.m.-4 p.m.
Tuesday, March 23: 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
Wednesday, March 24: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Please encourage your student to make an appointment ASAP so that they can receive their second dose in Oxford before the semester ends. Additional vaccination efforts on-campus will depend on future allotments from the state department of health. For information about on-campus vaccination logistics, please see this vaccination appointments info page.
The first on-campus vaccines were administered last Friday, March 12, and we’re pleased to share that the university has administered more than 1,100 doses of the Pfizer vaccine so far!
We have received a lot of great feedback about the efficiency and ease of use of the vaccine site, and it was featured locally on Fox13News. We’re excited to be part of the vaccine rollout as it contributes to full resumption of in-person classes for Fall 2021 and the return of our campus to pre-COVID-19 operations.
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Finding a vaccination appointment
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We encourage everyone to sign up for their free vaccine appointment wherever they can get one! In addition to the appointments on campus next week, students can find open off-campus appointments in several ways:
As of this morning, appointments were available at drive-thru vaccination sites near campus, including approximately 950 in Lafayette County, 2,500 in Panola County (20 minutes away) and 300 in Lee County (45 minutes away).
If your student needs help finding an appointment, they can email c19@olemiss.edu with any questions. The MSDH drive-thru site in Lafayette County is at the National Guard Armory/Oxford Conference Center, located at 102 Ed Perry Boulevard in Oxford. If your student needs transportation to their appointment, Oxford-University Transit buses run from campus and stop at the Oxford Conference Center. Students may board the Blue West route bus at the Student Union on campus and ride to City Hall on the Square. From there, the Grey route bus picks up and makes a stop at the Oxford Conference Center. More information about the Oxford-University Transit buses is available on the OUT webpage.
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Q: Can my student get the vaccine if they are from out-of-state?
A: Yes. Note: If your student will return home after the semester, they will need to schedule their first dose of the vaccine as soon as possible to ensure that they can receive the same kind of vaccine for their second dose and at the same place.
Q: If my student has already recovered from COVID-19, should they get the vaccine?
A: Evidence shows that re-infection is possible and that natural immunity may not last forever. See this Mythbusters document for more information about the COVID-19 vaccines.
Q: My student has a history of allergic reactions. Can they still receive the vaccine?
A: If your student has a history of anaphylaxis and carries an EpiPen, they will need to receive the vaccine in a clinical setting, such as Baptist Memorial Hospital. You can schedule an appointment with BHM by calling 662-636-4353. For other personal health questions related to the vaccine, your student can reach out to their healthcare provider or University Health Services.
Q: What safety protocols should my student follow after being vaccinated?
A: The CDC considers those who are more than two weeks past their last vaccination dose to be fully vaccinated. See the CDC’s interim public health recommendations for fully vaccinated people.
Q: Who is paying for the COVID-19 vaccine?
A: The vaccine is free of charge. Those with or without insurance will not have to pay for the vaccine if they receive it from the University of Mississippi.
For additional questions about the vaccines, please see the university’s vaccination webpage.
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Countdown to Commencement
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Only 43 days remain until the Class of 2021 graduates! The university will host two in-person Commencement weekends with the Class of 2021 ceremonies on April 29-May 2, and the Class of 2020 celebrating May 6-8. You can find more information about the ceremonies on the Commencement website.
Parents of seniors: First, congratulations! Second, does your student know what they need to do to graduate? Below is a Commencement checklist to make sure they’ve crossed off everything they need to do to graduate so they can focus on everything they need to do to celebrate. These lists were also included in this week’s issue of The Powder Blue sent to all students.
Checklist to graduate
- Submit a degree application to the Dean’s Office of your school or college. Contact your dean’s office with any questions.
- Submit the online diploma application to the Office of the Registrar. Email Caitlin Bagwell at cbagwell@olemiss.edu with any questions about the diploma application.
- Contact the Office of the Bursar for questions about your student account (like any unpaid parking tickets) or institutional loans.
- Check with Financial Aid for any information and requirements regarding loans.
- Check your Library account to make sure there are no outstanding fines.
- Schedule an appointment with the Career Center to learn more about job searching.
Checklist to celebrate
- Order your cap and gown from Grad Supply.
- Order commencement invitations from University Marketing & Communications at printing@olemiss.edu.
- Purchase your Ole Miss brick and join the Ole Miss Alumni Association.
- Join the Ole Miss Athletics Young Alumni Program.
- Pre-register with Grad Images for your commencement photos and get 20% off.
- Order grad products, including a class ring, from Herff Jones.
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Fast Focus Video: Academic success
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Dr. Kyle Ellis, director of the Center for Student Success & First-Year Experience, and Dr. Rebekah Reysen, assistant director for Academic Support Programs, address some of the biggest academic challenges students may have faced over the past year and how to overcome them.
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Students could win a scholarship by taking this test!
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Please continue to encourage your student to sign up for regular asymptomatic testing. Every student who is tested is entered to win a $1,000 scholarship! Even if they don’t win, they’ll get an Ole Miss hat just for coming. Asymptomatic testing is offered on campus at convenient hours for students. See this webpage for more information about signing up for a test and how to receive test results.
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With over 1,000 registered events scheduled for the spring semester, spring sports and events in downtown Oxford, there is always something fun for students to do. A calendar of student events can be found in The Forum.
Upcoming home matches — Hotty Toddy!
Baseball
Friday, March 19, 6:30 p.m. vs. Auburn
Saturday, March 20, 1:30 p.m. vs. Auburn
Sunday, March 21, 1:30 p.m. vs. Auburn
There are only two issues left of the Family Connection letter for the semester. Our sincere hope is that there will be no need for another COVID-19 newsletter after this semester. Please encourage your student to get vaccinated as soon as they’re able. More vaccinated people on our campus means your student will be able to have more of the incredible Ole Miss experiences for which we're known. Thank you again for your support and please reach out to Merrill at merrill@olemiss.edu for questions, comments or suggestions.
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Best,
Merrill Magruder
Coordinator of Family Programs
Ole Miss Family Association
Editor of the Ole Miss Family Association newsletter
Sydney DuPriest
Associate Director of Campus Communication and Engagement
Office of Marketing and Communications
Editor of the UM student newsletter, The Powder Blue
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Students danced during RebelTHON 2021 to raise money for Children's of Mississippi.
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| Be sure to check out more scenes from around campus in "This week in photos."
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