photo by: Orlin Wagner

Big Jay shows off his face mask during the Jayhawks' football game against Oklahoma State on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020 at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.

Students at the University of Kansas’ Lawrence and Edwards campuses will be eligible to receive a range of valuable prizes after uploading their COVID-19 vaccine records to the Watkins Health Services student portal. The prizes include free tuition, upgraded parking passes and $5,000 cash awards, according to a news release Friday from KU.

KU will also offer $40 gift cards to the KU Bookstores to the first 4,000 students who receive their first dose of the vaccine at on-campus vaccine appointments and clinics. These students will also be eligible to receive a $10 KU Dining gift card after setting an appointment and returning to receive a second dose, KU said, noting that disclosure and participation in the program were voluntary.

Other prizes will be awarded through weekly drawings conducted on Fridays starting Aug. 27 and running through Oct. 29.

KU offered the following details in its release:

• Three students will win a cash prize equivalent to one semester’s worth of undergraduate in-state tuition, valued at $5,091.

• Three students will win a cash prize of $5,000.

• Two students will win a gold parking permit that allows them to park in any nonreserved colored or housing lot on campus.

• Four students will win $1,000 in KU Dining Dollars that can be spent at retail locations on campus and in residential dining halls.

• One student will win an Apple Products Package, including an iPad, AirPods and an Apple Watch, courtesy of Pepsi.

• Other students will win packages, including sets of two football and men’s basketball tickets, to a variety of games — including the Kentucky and Missouri basketball games.

• Students will also be eligible to receive gift cards provided by Adidas and Rally House and other local retailers and restaurants, courtesy of Truity Credit Union and the KU Alumni Association.

To qualify for the weekly prize drawings, students need to upload a completed vaccine card to Watkins Health Services through the secure student portal at studenthealth.ku.edu. Instructions on how to upload the information are available on the Watkins website. Any student who has completed a vaccine series at any time is eligible to upload their card and will then be entered into the drawings.

KU said the incentives were paid for using approximately $235,000 of federal Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund dollars designated to help higher education institutions fight the pandemic and incentivize vaccination or testing, along with donated items from other partners.

Students may receive a vaccine at Watkins Health Services by registering for an appointment through the Watkins Health Services Patient Portal. Also, several walk-in clinics will be available during the first part of the semester. Clinic dates, times and locations are:

• Saturday, Aug. 21, noon to 2 p.m., Watkins Health Services building.

• Monday, Aug. 23, through Friday, Aug. 27, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Level 4 of the Kansas Union, Traditions Area.

• Tuesday, Aug. 31, and Wednesday, Sept. 1, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., Lobby, Ambler Student Recreation Fitness Center.

Additional details on the incentive program are available at the Protect KU site, and additional prizes may be posted later at that site.