Benefits of Membership
Members of the WMU Alumni Association have access to a variety of benefits, programs and services. Membership dues support the Association and enable it to serve the University in many ways including legislative advocacy and support of enrollment efforts. Membership dues also enable the Association to provide you with programs and services that support students and alumni, many of them are listed below. Association members can take pride in knowing membership dues enable the Association to make a difference to WMU, its graduates and its students. Click here to become a new member or to renew your membership in the WMU Alumni Association today.
Membership in the Association is also an expression of pride and it keeps graduates connected with fellow alumni. Also, your membership helps to secure and enhance the University’s ranking in U.S. News and World Report’s rating of top national universities because alumni participation is a factor in that listing.
Based on a recent opinion rendered by a major international CPA firm on the tax deductibility of membership dues, we are pleased to inform you that effective for the payment you made after July 1, 2008, annual membership dues paid to the WMU Alumni Association can be considered tax deductible as a charitable contribution for federal income tax purposes. We do advise you, however, to consult with your tax advisor to be certain that this applies to your particular circumstances.
What Association members can do:
- Connect with current WMU students through The Mentor Program to discuss career
opportunities and issues facing college graduates after graduation.
- Collaborate with other members as Bronco Legislative Network volunteers for the
betterment of the University and its students, past, present and future.
- Participate in the nomination process for Alumni
Association awards, and help identify members for the
association's board of directors and leadership.
- Share time, energy and expertise as volunteers for regional and/or constituent
programs, and as legislative advocates.
The WMU Alumni Association supports the
University in a variety of ways including:
Association Services and Benefits:
- WMU Online
Alumni Community - reconnect with former classmates, maintain a blog, join groups, create a permanent e-mail address and more.
- Free E-mail Forwarding - All registered users of the WMU Online Alumni Community may create an @wmualumni.com e-mail forwarding address.
- Student
Recreation Center - members may join at the student rate.
- Publications - members receive all issues of Accent
on Alumni, the Association's newsletter, and @WMU, our monthly electronic
newsletter and WMU Magazine.
- Priority
Invitations - discounted fees for members to events sponsored by
the WMUAA.
- Insurance Programs - Health/Life and Home/Renters/Auto insurance programs administered through American Insurance Administrators
(AIA) and Liberty Mutual.
- Dental
Plan - the AlumniDent insurance plan provides immediate
coverage for preventive, diagnostic and restorative services. Use any dentist you choose!
- Legacy
Scholarship - only children, stepchildren, grandchildren, stepgrandchildren, or siblings of WMU alumni are eligible to apply.
- Library
Access - use anything within
the library while on the premises. Members living within
a 50-mile radius may checkout books with the following: picture id,
proof of residency, proof of SS# (should be in the database). Members with a Ph.D. from Western have the right to
a lifetime library card.
- Bronco
Jobs - access to career services and assessments
including an online job search database. Provided through Career &
Student Employment Services.
- Miller Auditorium - discounts to select shows for Association members.
- Online Shopping Discounts - discounts up to 40% on movie tickets, theme parks, hotels, ski resorts, Broadway shows, sporting events, family events, online shopping and more. Members save up to 40% on entertainment, travel and shopping through "Working Advantage". Members may e-mail the WMUAA for the required ID number.
- WMU
Book Store - 10% discount for members on merchandise excluding textbooks
and calculators. Discounts also apply to purchases through WMU
Online.
- University
Bookstore - 10% discount for members on general merchandise excluding
textbooks, calculators, software.
- Spirit Shoppe Discount - 10% discount on
merchandise for members.
- Hotel
Discount - available at Choice Hotels, including
Clarion, Comfort Inn, and more. Members please call 269-387-8777 or e-mail us for discount codes.
- Car
Rental Discount - discounts at Alamo, Budget, National,
Avis, Hertz, and Auto Europe. Members, please click
here to request car rental discount codes.
- The
WMU Visa® Platinum Card - this No Annual Fee card offers
you the choice of two programs and the choice of two custom-designed
WMU cards.