Simran Bhatia, president of the International Students Club (ISC) sent the following message to students on July 22:

Hello everyone,
 
I hope you and your loved ones are doing well. My name is Simran Bhatia, and I am the president of the International Students Club (ISC). ISC is the largest community representing the international students on campus. We promote and support cultural and social activities that represent diverse cultures shared by its members. Our mission is to support the local and international students and help them integrate into the campus community through various events and involvement in activities throughout the year, uniquely the Celebration of Nations!
 
I am happy to validate that S&T intends to safely resume in-person teaching, learning, residential life, and other activities for the fall 2021 semester. For the same reason, I, along with the other campus leaders, strongly encourage you to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Getting vaccinated will be our key to returning to a normal semester this fall as well as engaging in community involvement activities.
 
If we reach our goal of 85% of students who have reported their COVID-19 vaccinations, we will resume all normal activities with no limitations. This would mean that classes, meetings, and campus events would take place safely. 
 
If you want to be vaccinated and are not sure how to proceed, you can find vaccines at your local pharmacies or doctors’ offices. You can also visit the  CDC’s site for more information: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/How-Do-I-Get-a-COVID-19-Vaccine.html
 
How can your vaccination be counted towards our goal? Please make sure you upload your COVID-19 vaccination cards onto your student health portal so that we can get an accurate number. You can report your vaccination record at the following link: mst.studenthealthportal.com. The best place to locate our current campus guidance is coronavirus.mst.edu. For current CDC guidance, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html.
 
Let me assure you that everything we are doing is aimed at reopening the campus as safely as possible. I am confident that the ingenuity and resilience of Miners will position us to overcome all the challenges and move forward together. Together, we can educate the next generation, provide innovative solutions to pressing challenges, and establish new ways to share knowledge. Thus, let us be vigilant and hold each other accountable for a safer environment. Let us come together because our collective actions can help prevent the spread of this disease. 
 
With best wishes for your health and safety,
 
Simran Bhatia
ISC President
sjb4f3@mst.edu