Through the Alumni Association, Weber State University offers students, alumni and community members the chance to cruise around with a WSU license plate.
The program started in 2000, and WSU now boasts more than 700 drivers who display their school pride and provide scholarship money for students in need through the WSU license plate.
“There are a lot of people out there who would like to support student scholarships and help give back to the campus,” said Amber Robson, the marketing director for the Alumni Office. “This is a very easy and convenient way to do it.”
The license plates are available through any DMV in Utah.
“There is a $25 fee that is due at the beginning,” Robson said. Every year after, when the driver pays for registration, $25 will be added. “The great thing about the $25 is that all of the money goes to scholarships.”
The scholarships provided through the license plate program are available to any eligible student through the Financial Aid Office, but preference is given to students who have ties to alumni.
Margie Esquibel, associate director for the Alumni Association, said that when prospective students fill out their financial aid forms to enter WSU, there is a specific question about their alumni history. When students check the box designating ties to alumni, their information goes to the Alumni Office, which will contact them for more information.
“The board of directors feels that it is important to award alumni members and alumni in general,” Esquibel said.
The license plate program has raised more than $115,000 in scholarships since its implementation.
Robson, a graduate of WSU, has made all of her family get the WSU license plate.
“You get to drive with pride,” she said. “Not everyone can give back in the millions, but we can have millions give back in lower quantities. This is how we help our community. We need to provide options for people to contribute and not limit their pride.”
Tyler Wells, a senior at WSU, said he thinks the donation is a good idea.
“I personally think it’s good because one of my kids may come to WSU in the future,” he said, “and I like the fact that they may get a scholarship from my contribution.”
Wells said he would wait to get the license plate until he has graduated. “It shows what I have done and that I have graduated and that I represent a lot of hard work at WSU.”
Ana Patino, a junior at WSU, said she was not aware that WSU offers a license plate to students and alumni, but had the same feelings as Wells.
“If my kids want to come to WSU, it is great that they could get a scholarship because I am a student,” Patino said.
