Student Ambassadors at Somerset Community College have been serving in a unique COVID-19 era project –one aimed at helping a group of people that might get overlooked during the vaccination effort.
Getting an appointment for COVID-19 vaccinations can be a time-consuming and frustrating experience. If the person trying to get an appointment is a caregiver for someone nearing the end of their life, that tension can be multiplied many times over.
Melissa Winstead is coordinator for the Student Ambassador program at Somerset Community College. She said the ambassadors got a request for help from Robin Tarter, vice president of the board of Hospice of Lake Cumberland.
“She was interested in scheduling COVID vaccine appointments for caregivers and was having a hard time doing that," said Winstead. "You know finding a location that had the vaccine available. And also when she called they were on hold for a really long time."
Winstead said in three weeks’ time the ambassadors scheduled 22 appointments for the first dose and more than 30 appointments for the second dose of the vaccine for caregivers of hospice patients.
“Well, we’ve been a little bit restricted this year because of the COVID guidelines and this was something they could do from their home," said Winstead. "And it was a good experience for the ambassadors and we’re so thankful they had the opportunity to work in that capacity.”
The SCC Student Ambassadors are chosen through a selection process that requires an interview with a staff and faculty committee and having a 3.0 GPA.
