TSTC and Fort Bend County Health and Human Services partner to provide vaccines for incoming students

(ROSENBERG, Texas) – Imagine sitting in traffic, trying to get home. Hundreds of cars are lined up, all making their way toward a single exit. The road may be wide enough to fit them, but the exit is far from adequate.

They are trapped because of a bottleneck.

The same idea can be applied to entering college. Many potential students want to gain their education and enter the workforce, but the requirements needed to do so can halt many of them in their tracks.

This was the problem that Pat Ortiz, assistant director of Enrollment Services at Texas State Technical College’s Fort Bend County campus, was hoping to solve.

“Every year, near the start of a semester, we run into a bottleneck,” Ortiz said. “For us, it comes down to students’ transcripts and vaccinations.”

Both are crucial to making sure that each student has a smooth and safe transition into their chosen program of study. But without help, obtaining high school and college transcripts can be difficult to manage, and required vaccines such as the one for bacterial meningitis can cost upwards of $200, a hefty sum for incoming students.

To solve the problem, Ortiz, along with the leadership at the campus, coordinated with the county’s Health and Human Services department to host a registration and vaccination event on Friday, July 28.

Incoming students were able to get help on their transcripts and then head down the hall to receive their bacterial meningitis vaccinations, all for free and without leaving the campus.

“Meningitis is one of the biggest diseases for this age group,” said Nichole Brathwaite-Dingle, the deputy medical director at Fort Bend County Health and Human Services. “It’s important to maintain your wellness checks and general health. Part of workforce development is having a healthy workforce, and that applies to students as well.”

Around 20 students signed up for the event. But the actual turnout far exceeded expectations, with several students seen receiving their shots in the clinic at any given time throughout the three-hour event.

Another registration and vaccination event will be held on August 15 from 8:30-12:30 p.m. for prospective students.

“This is a big win for this campus and the enrollment team,” Ortiz said. “We are able to help out a lot of students to achieve their academic dreams.”

Registration for TSTC’s fall semester is underway. For more information, go to tstc.edu.