Discount initiative with local businesses launched
By Avery Slavin
News Editor
Framingham State University has collaborated with local businesses to bring discounts to members of the campus community.
David Halbert, director of external affairs, is introducing the new initiative called Rams Rewards in which students, staff, and faculty can receive discounts and benefits from small businesses in the area by using their FSU IDs.
Halbert said the idea came about after a conversation about community connection with President Nancy Niemi and Vice President of Finance, Technology, and Administration Robert Totino, during which they discussed the success of similar discount programs at other schools.
As a Framingham native himself growing up just down the street from FSU, Halbert said one of his main goals for the program is to get more people in the community knowing about the students, who do not “just exist in a bubble.
“Growing up, the University and the town were kind of parallel to each other. There wasn’t a lot of integration. So, everything we’re trying to do with this program is really about breaking down those barriers.
“We are letting folks know that Framingham State isn’t just a thing that exists up on a hill. It’s a vibrant community of really wonderful people - from our faculty and our staff to our students. They need to be, and we want them to be, invited and welcomed into the community,” Halbert said.
While attending Northeastern University for graduate school, Halbert said their Husky Card program was a similar concept. Students used their school IDs at different vendors in the area to get discounts, or used the money connected to their dining plans.
Halbert said Framingham State has attempted to get this initiative going in the past with little success. It didn’t take off due to FSU’s population being drastically smaller than Northeastern’s.
“You need a separate point-of-sale terminal for vendors. A lot of them just didn’t see the value in putting all this money in a new infrastructure with the student population being what it is,” said Halbert.
The Rams Rewards page on the FSU website displays the list of businesses currently participating in this program, including restaurants and cafes, salons, an auto body shop, a hot yoga studio, and more.
The 22 businesses’ discounts range from 10% off to 30% off, and the list will continue to grow, according to Halbert.
Halbert said another part of this initiative is to bring more pop-up events to the Dining Commons to introduce students to these businesses and explore more of what Framingham has to offer.
The first pop-up event will be taking place on the evening of Sept. 25 with FressCafe, a breakfast and lunch spot located on Concord Street in Framingham.
Julia Sartori-De Boni, manager of FressCafe, said the restaurant has been part of the MetroWest community for over 20 years, with a mission to provide a welcoming environment and serve delicious food.
She added FressCafe’s main goal is to be a place where people can get together and feel more connected to the community.
“We’re proud to be part of the Framingham community and love opportunities to connect with local students and organizations. We’re very excited to participate in this Framingham State event and introduce more students to FressCafe!” Sartori-De Boni said.
Halbert said one of the end goals of these pop-ups is to drive more students to local businesses, and allow them to try different cuisines without a cost attached to it.
Framingham State’s affiliation with Grubhub is also a key part in the Rams Rewards program,
In which students can use their dining dollars on the app to get food delivered straight to their dorms or residences.
Halbert said this option can be helpful for students who may not want to take the trip downtown or are unable to, especially during the quickly approaching winter months.
However, for students who do want to take the trip downtown but do not have the transportation to do so, the Metrowest Regional Transit Authority (MWRTA) launched a new set of routes on Sept. 8 that run through FSU’s campus and go down Route 9.
Halbert said the bus loops are approximately every 15 minutes. Since these services are also free, the MWRTA makes it very simple to hop on and off the buses to get to and from these businesses.
The new MWRTA routes were “serendipity in many ways,” according to Halbert. Introducing these routes coming through campus and down to Route 9 multiple times an hour will make it more convenient for students to get around.
Halbert said he would love to expand the business collaborations to neighboring communities, including Ashland, Natick, and Marlborough.
Senior Andrea Zereski said the initiative is a “great way to take students off-campus and bring them to the surrounding community. The variety of businesses they are partnering with is really good - there is something for everybody.”
Senior Estrella Barbel said she would be more inclined to go to these businesses knowing she can use just her ID to get a discount.
If students have any local businesses they’d like to see participate in the Rams Rewards program, they can email David Halbert at dhalbert@framingham.edu.
