Chamber Ambassadors reviving student discounts

Havre Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors are working with the admissions office at Montana State University-Northern to revive a program that encourages local businesses to offer discounts to Northern students.

Chamber Ambassador Sarah McKinney said the group will unveil the yet-to-be named program at Northern’s student orientation Jan. 8.

“The concept is really just (to) reach out to the students and saying while they are here let’s do something nice for them,” she said. “Let’s encourage them to shop, let’s encourage them to get around the city.”

The discounts, she said, will be available to all Northern students who show a valid student ID.

Individual businesses will decide what discounts to offer, and do not have to pay any fee to participate, McKinney said.

So far, 20 businesses have signed up to take part in the program, she said, while another 20 have said they will sign up, but are still deciding on what discounts to offer.

McKinney said the Ambassadors first discussed bringing back the program in May at their monthly meeting. She said the ambassadors were too busy to get the program in place for the fall semester.

McKinney said she does not know the name of the former program or other details about it.

“We want to revive it and make sure it is really public, and now, with social media, we are hoping to share the information,” McKinney said.

The Ambassadors, she said, are working with Northern’s admissions office about how to reach out to students about the program, such as possibly adding a page to Northern’s website and on social media.

McKinney said the Ambassadors have reached out to Chamber member businesses. Business owners who have not been contacted and are interested in signing up or learning more can do so by calling Chamber Executive Director Jody Olson at 265-4383.