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New Program 'Connects' Alumni With Member Discounts

The Sam Houston State University Alumni Association is giving graduates thousands of additional reasons to become a member of the Bearkat network.

The new Savings Connection program will provide alumni association members with discounts to thousands of popular retailers, including clothing, electronics, footwear, dining locations and restaurants, as well as for travel, hotels, car rentals and more.

Through the program, members will follow a link from the association Web site to an Access Development Web site where they can shop online at rates discounted by as much as 50 percent, as well as print coupons to shop in stores. Upon joining the SHSU Alumni Association, members will be given an access code that will allow them to search for vendors and shop.

“There are so many ways people can benefit through this program,” said Kristle Castillo, Alumni Relations assistant director for membership and marketing. “Everything is 10, 15, 20 percent or more off, and you get your membership dues back ten-fold. Even if it’s only $2 or $3 each time, your $35 (membership) will be covered in a year.”

Among the benefits association members will receive include:

Nationwide savings on clothing, electronics, footwear and more at more than 100 popular retailers, such as Target, Eddie Bauer, Foot Locker and Overstock.com;
Up to 50 percent off at thousands of dining locations nationwide from places such as Papa Johns, Cold Stone Creamery and Planet Hollywood;
Discount travel on select hotels, car rentals, cruises and travel packages;
Up to 50 percent savings off of the manufacturer’s price at online factory outlets from top merchants; and
Discounted movie tickets up to 30 percent below box office prices at all major theater chains such as Blockbuster, AMC Theatres and Cinemark.

Discounts vary per vendor, and some require using a special code when checking out. The service also will allow alumni members to compare prices by showing the amount of discount being offered by a business, according to Castillo.

Additionally, Access Development is currently working to add other companies, including Disney and cell phone providers, to its list of businesses offering discounts.

“I think this is the kind of program we’ve been looking for, especially with members who live too far away to attend the alumni events they are invited to with their membership,” Castillo said.

The Savings Connection program is currently being offered as an alumni benefit by a number of universities across the country, including University of Southern California, University of Texas at El Paso, Oklahoma University, Texas Tech University, Brigham Young University, North Carolina State, University of Cal Davis, Colorado State and University of Missouri.

For more information, visit the Alumni Association Web site, at http://alumni.shsu.edu or call 1.800.283.7478.

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SHSU Media Contacts: Jennifer Gauntt
June 8, 2009
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