Wheaton Wire

Issue date: 3/3/10 Section: News

Media Credit: Ellen Goggins '12 / Photo Editor The Bertucci's at Mansfield Crossing is one of the restaurants the SGA has worked with to get discounts for Wheaton students. SGA members will continue to work with other restaurants in Norton and Mansfield to get discounts.

Your Wheaton student I.D. card can save you major cash. The Student Government Association
(SGA) and Student Life are working to extend discounts for students at area businesses, including those in Norton and Mansfield, but also in Boston and Providence.

Leaders of the initiative, SGA Senators Khadiyjah Jordan '11 and Ricardo Bacus '10, plan to provide a list of existing student discounts for all area college students. An example of such a discount is at Providence's Fire and Ice, which offers a 10 percent discount to college students on Mondays.

Jordan and Bacus hope that students will now venture outside the "Wheaton Bubble." They say students often stay on campus, or wander off campus only as far as Sporty's - the Sportsway Cafe.

"It gives students a chance to get outside of the bubble and explore the area and realize that the Wheaton experience isn't about the campus... it's about expanding the campus and getting to know your surroundings," Jordan said.
The same group members are working on providing student discounts exclusive to Wheaton students. The initiative, which started up last year, was scratched for this semester, but with plans to be revisited for the future.

A survey on the SGA Web site allows members of the Wheaton community to vote on which stores and restaurants Wheaton
students and faculty would receive discounts at. Bacus views the information as an integral part of the plan, allowing students
to utilize the program to its fullest.
"Nothing helps us out as much as actually getting information from people," said Bacus.
The group members plan to have a greater number of discounts available by the beginning of the fall semester with a list of the discounted stores finalized by April.
Recently, Bertucci's in Mansfield
Crossing began to offer students a 15 percent discount with their I.D. Bacus views the plan as helping out the business community as well.

"We're pushing for this larger community outreach... so when we're thinking about benefits we're thinking about students and businesses," he said.

The discount program plans to be expanded to other area businesses, as well as those in Boston and Providence.

Another part of the initiative includes providing discounts for the 21st Birthday Program. Headed by Student Life Program
Coordinator Nadia Omar, it would reward those turning 21 with a discount at various restaurants.

The premise behind the program is to have fun, but also be responsible, on one's 21st birthday. Last year, it provided 21-year-olds with $10 off at the Loft or the Lyons Den.

Jordan stressed that these discount programs would be annually renewed, and not disappear
as some initiatives tend to from academic year to academic year.

"There have been discounts in the past that have been lost to the wayside in the past because there hasn't been any communication," Jordan said.

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