Appalachian State University held its first COVID-19 vaccine clinic March 11–12 in its vaccination center, housed in the Holmes Convocation Center on campus. During the two-day event, the university vaccinated 680 students, faculty, staff and community members according to the state of North Carolina’s vaccine prioritization schedule. The center has capacity to provide 1,500 shots per day. Photo by Marie Freeman
BOONE, N.C. — Appalachian State University hosted its first COVID-19 vaccine clinic March 11–12 at the Holmes Convocation Center, where the university’s M.S. Shook Student Health Service staff and Department of Nursing students administered 680 doses of the vaccine over the two-day period.
“The opening of our COVID-19 vaccine center is a momentous occasion in the history of our university and represents a critical step forward in returning to primarily in-person working and learning environments,” said App State Chancellor Sheri Everts. “I am tremendously relieved and grateful to the enormous number of people who have worked so hard to make this happen.”
App State was approved to be a community vaccination distribution center by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS). The university is assisting in North Carolina’s COVID-19 vaccination distribution plan for rural areas by administering COVID-19 vaccines to staff, faculty, students and community members, based on eligibility criteria set by NCDHHS.
Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine, which requires just one dose to be administered, was used during App State’s first clinic.
Senior Appalachian State University nursing students and their instructor prepare for their work at App State’s first COVID-19 vaccine clinic, held in the Holmes Convocation Center on campus March 11–12. Pictured, from left to right, are Alayna Davis, of New Bern; Dr. Michele Rudisill, a clinical instructor in App State’s Department of Nursing; Sandra Wommack, of Kernersville; and Maeve O’Shaughnessy, of Greensboro. Photo by Marie Freeman
Clinics will be held at the university each week, as long as there is a need and a supply of vaccine allotments provided by the state, said Jason Marshburn, director of App State’s Department of Environmental Health, Safety, and Emergency Management.
App State is managing the full process from start to finish, Marshburn said. Watauga Medics (EMS) has provided on-site staff to assist with any medical emergencies that may arise.
Launching App State’s vaccine center has been a team effort, with the university’s Emergency Management team partnering with staff from Student Health Service and Holmes Convocation Center. The university’s experience with flu vaccine clinics and blood drives — combined with its ability to manage large events — helped lay the groundwork and allowed the team to quickly develop an effective plan for the COVID-19 clinics, Marshburn said.
The center has capacity to provide 1,500 shots per day.
Sixty-five university employees and students, including those from Student Health Service, Holmes Convocation Center and the following units, have set up and are staffing the vaccine center:
- Department of Nursing faculty and students.
- Office of the Dean of Students staff.
- Wellness and Prevention Services staff.
- Campus Dining staff members who have been reassigned to work with the university’s COVID-19 response team.
- Emergency Management staff.
Members of the Appalachian Police Department, along with App State Department of Parking and Transportation personnel and volunteers from campus, were also assisting on-site during the first clinic.
This behind-the-scenes video shares some details about App State’s on-campus vaccine center, which was set up and is staffed by university employees from multiple campus units and students.
The center was set up in the arena of the Holmes Convocation Center, with vaccination stations, privacy stations for those who may need to lie down and a waiting area with chairs spaced 6 feet apart, where patients were observed for 15–30 minutes post-vaccination to ensure no immediate side effects occurred.
One of the registered nurses from Student Health Service on-site during the first clinic, Kimberly Rushing, shared her excitement about the clinic, saying, “This is like our own March Madness!”
Rushing said she and the other staff had reviewed COVID-19 vaccine guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and were tested on the information prior to the clinic.
Nursing students from the Beaver College of Health Sciences — who were administering vaccines and observing patients during the waiting period — also prepared for the clinic according to CDC guidelines, said Chesnee Sheehan, a senior nursing major from Canton.
Dr. Michele Rudisill, a clinical instructor in App State’s Department of Nursing, oversaw the student nurses during the clinic. “We are glad to be a part of this effort,” she said. “It is a great learning opportunity for the students and a good way for them to interact with the community.”
Chris Walton, an IT business system analyst at Appalachian State University’s New River Light and Power, left, receives a COVID-19 vaccine administered by Maeve O’Shaughnessy, a senior App State nursing major from Greensboro. Photo by Marie Freeman
Jill Venable, a registered nurse in Appalachian State University's M.S. Shook Health Service, right, administered her first COVID-19 vaccine to App State employee Shad McCrary on March 11 — during App State’s first vaccine clinic, held March 11–12. McCrary, who is pictured giving Venable two thumbs-up post-vaccination, is a retired U.S. Army veteran and support services associate in the university's post office. Photo by Marie Freeman
Signage and floor markers in Appalachian State University’s Holmes Convocation Center ensure physical distancing during all stages of the vaccination process. Photo by Marie Freeman
Appalachian State University’s COVID-19 vaccine center is staffed by App State employees, including Student Health Service registered nurse Kimberly Rushing, who was on-site at the center's March 11–12 clinic administering vaccines. Expressing her excitement about the clinic, she said, “This is like our own March Madness!” She was having fun with her name badge, which read “Stabby." Photo by Marie Freeman
Appalachian State University held its first COVID-19 vaccine clinic March 11–12, during which 680 students, faculty, staff and community members received the the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) “one-shot” COVID-19 vaccine. The university is following the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services vaccination prioritization schedule. Photo by Marie Freeman
Sandra Wommack, a senior nursing major from Kernersville, left, vaccinates Brent Presnell, a horticultural specialist in Appalachian State University’s Landscape Services. Photo by Marie Freeman
Each week, NCDHHS works with different vaccination sites to determine distribution plans and decide which vaccine is sent, which may vary week to week.
The university continues to offer campuswide COVID-19 testing events twice weekly and conducts daily testing in Student Health Service, as well as targeted testing with specific student populations as needed.
Visit App State’s coronavirus website for the latest updates on how the university is responding to COVID-19, as well as information on COVID-19 vaccines.
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About the Office of Environmental Health, Safety and Emergency Management (EHS&EM)
The Office of Environmental Health, Safety and Emergency Management (EHS&EM) at Appalachian State University works in coordination with other university departments to support App State's commitment to campus safety. The office’s primary responsibility is environmental health, safety and emergency management functions across App State’s Boone and Hickory campuses. EHS&EM also coordinates App State’s on-campus emergency medical service (EMS) program, Mountaineer Medics, which provides emergency medical care and support to the App State Community. Learn more at https://ehsem.appstate.edu.
About Appalachian’s M.S. Shook Health Service
Appalachian State University’s Mary S. Shook Student Health Service is a primary care ambulatory campus health clinic helping meet the needs of Appalachian students. Centrally located on campus, it is fully accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care. The health clinic’s dedicated and experienced staff physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and nursing and support staff provide high-quality health care at low cost. Learn more at https://healthservices.appstate.edu.
About the Department of Nursing
The Department of Nursing in Appalachian State University’s Beaver College of Health Sciences provides an evidence-based nursing education in an intellectually stimulating and challenging environment that is designed to prepare the beginning nursing professional with the knowledge and skills to practice in diverse settings in a highly complex health care system. The department offers two accredited Bachelor of Science programs: the nursing pre-licensure program and the online RN to BSN program, designed for current registered nurses seeking the bachelor’s degree. The department also offers a Master of Science in nursing program that prepares registered nurses for leadership roles as educators. Learn more at https://nursing.appstate.edu.
About the Beaver College of Health Sciences
Appalachian State University’s Beaver College of Health Sciences (BCHS), opened in 2010, is transforming the health and quality of life for the communities it serves through interprofessional collaboration and innovation in teaching, scholarship, service and clinical outreach. The college enrolls more than 3,600 students and offers 10 undergraduate degree programs, nine graduate degree programs and four certificates across six departments: Nursing, Nutrition and Health Care Management, Public Health and Exercise Science, Recreation Management and Physical Education, Rehabilitation Sciences, and Social Work. The college’s academic programs are located in the Holmes Convocation Center on App State’s main campus and the Levine Hall of Health Sciences, a state-of-the-art, 203,000-square-foot facility that is the cornerstone of Boone’s Wellness District. In addition, the college supports the Appalachian Institute for Health and Wellness and has collaborative partnerships with the Wake Forest University School of Medicine’s Physician Assistant Program, UNC Health Appalachian and numerous other health agencies. Learn more at https://healthsciences.appstate.edu.
About Appalachian State University
As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.
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