ICE Hosts Vaccination Raffle

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When vaccines became available to all adults in Los Angeles and New York, ICE Chairman and CEO Rick Smilow launched a vaccination raffle for students at each campus.

We partnered with , a New York supplier of culinary tools and equipment for chefs and pastry professionals, to offer a variety of products and gift certificates as prizes for voluntary vaccination. Hundreds of students entered the raffle with proofs of vaccination throughout two months, and ICE offices of student affairs drew four winners at each campus in June.

Andrew Reinicke presents his raffle prize.

Culinary Arts students Araceli Contreras and Arisa Slutsky, Health-Supportive Culinary Arts student Jessica Lundquist, and Pastry & Baking Arts student Andrew Reinicke won in Los Angeles, where a Breviile Smoking Gun, L'Equip Filter Pro Table Top Dehydrator and two store credits were awarded. Restaurant & Culinary Management student Juan Ortiz and Culinary Arts students Carolyn Aquino, Hal Bruno and Carolina Montero won in New York, where a Mr. Slice mandolin, One Profi Whipped Cream Maker and two store credits were awarded.

We're excited to see so many students and faculty getting vaccinated to promote safety on our campuses and include information on vaccination access and public safety guidelines in student emails and communications on campus. Los Angeles and New York City restaurant workers became eligible for vaccines in February, when many businesses began mandating, incentivizing or facilitating vaccines for staff.

Juan Ortiz Soler holds his raffle prize.

California and Los Angeles reduced mask mandates for vaccinated people on June 15 (with in response to the delta variant), and about 51% of Los Angeles County residents are fully vaccinated. Los Angele is offering its own to incentivize vaccination. On May 19, New York State adopted the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People (CDC Guidance), with more restrictions lifted on June 15, when the CDC reported 70% of the state's population had received the first vaccine shot.

The New York campus reopened to the public on July 6 with the return of in-person recreational classes and special events. Our Los Angeles campus reopens to the public on July 12 following a summer break.

Explore become a student at ICE with a campus tour by filling out the form here to connect with an Admissions coordinator.