With a new discount program, Dartmouth students can save at stores and restaurants in Hanover and all over New England.
The multi-colored Student Advantage card replaced the Student Assembly Gold Card this year. Many shops in Hanover offered a 10 percent discount to users of the Gold Card.
But the Student Advantage card, which was funded by the Student Assembly over the summer, offers savings at 27 shops in Hanover and six shops in Lebanon and West Lebanon.
In addition, the card can be used to obtain discounts at more than 750 retailers in New England, said Ray Sozzi '90, who is the founder and president of Student Advantage.
"People are more happy with the Student Advantage card than they were with the Gold Card," said Jesse Russell '96, chair of the Summer Assembly projects committee.
Russell worked with Hosea Harvey, the co-chair of the Assembly's Project Committee this spring and Assembly President Nicole Artzer '94 to produce the card.
"Dartmouth's student government was the only place I have dealt with that bought a discount card for its entire student body," Sozzi said. "Most schools just buy them for the incoming class."
The Assembly chose to use Student Advantage because the company offered to produce the card for less than the Student Assembly could have produced it, Russell said.
"With Student Advantage, we're able to get more expanded service for half of the cost," Harvey said.
Because he produces the same card at many other schools such as Harvard, Boston University and the University of Vermont, Sozzi said he is able to cut deals with chains and provide other services, such as discounts on airfare and car rentals.
Student Advantage can also make the deal more attractive for the vendors because the company provides perks like colorful stickers to place in windows and a large advertising base, Sozzi said.
The company negotiated with businesses for the Dartmouth Student Advantage card, printed and delivered it, Russell said.
Merchants in Hanover said students are using the Student Advantage card more than they used the Gold Card last year.
"People are able to find the card in their wallet much easier because of the colors," said Sonya LeMay, manager of Hanover Hardware. "So they are using it more than they used the Gold Card."
But Hanover merchants paid different prices to participate in the Student Advantage program.
Videosmith in the Galleria is participating in the program free of charge this year, General Manager Ron Doody said.
In contrast, Eastman's Pharmacy on Main Street is paying $70 to participate, according to Christy Ghardi, a clerk at the pharmacy.
Sozzi declined to comment on the differences in the arrangements he reached with area businesses.
Student Advantage also redesigned and produced the Hanover dining guide.
This year's dining guide includes more Upper Valley restaurants, as opposed to the 1992 "Chez SA" dining guide, which only listed restaurants in Hanover.
Harvey said Student Advantage designed and produced the dining guide for much less than the Assembly could have.
Russell said the Assembly has been pleased with the job done by Student Advantage and expects to use the company again next year to provide both the discount card and the dining guide.
Student Advantage will either provide new cards for upperclassmen or create stickers that students can put on the card to update the expiration date, Sozzi said.
