SUNY Upstate Medical University now has its first emergency contraceptive vending machine thanks to two medical students at the university who helped spearhead the project. The students recently explained why they worked so hard for this on a college campus.

“This is Levonorgestrel, which is commonly known as the 'Plan B pill,' or the 'morning-after pill.' It is most effective when taken 72 hours after unprotected sex,” said Serena Schmitt, a SUNY Upstate Medical University student.

She and Olivia Preston spent the last year and half working with the NY Birth Control Access Project to install the first emergency contraceptive vending machine at a SUNY school.

“The first time I found out about this concept, I saw it happen at Boston University and it was published in the news about them opening their vending machine,” Schmitt recalled.

For many students, the only way to access an emergency contraceptive is from a pharmacy, which may be uncomfortable and not always affordable. Schmitt and Preston wanted to change that.

“We started off by looking up other campuses that have done this to see how they went about it; also, checking up on the laws in New York state to make sure that all of that was sound," Preston said. "Then we started by petitioning the students and getting student support to see if this was something that the campus wanted, and we got a decent number of signatures.”

They received approval from Upstate’s Student Government and funding for the start-up costs. Keeping the contraception affordable was their main priority.

“We really wanted to make sure it was something medical students could afford since we’re putting it in a medical school,” Preston said.

Students can purchase the pill for $10. The vending machine is located inside the campus library, where students have 24-hour access. Preston said they are calling it the Student Wellness Vending Machine because that’s what reproductive health is, a part of wellness.

“That’s why we decided to put it alongside things you get over the counter: [acetaminophen, ibuprofen, diphenhydramine.] Getting those things, none of that is shameful or stigmatized,” Preston said.

“We hope to take notes on everything we’ve done, take notes on everything we’re doing moving forward so now that we figure it out, these other schools don’t have to," Schmitt said. "We can just tell them exactly what we did, and if they want to do it to, it’s a pretty easy process.”