Purdue offers benefits to
seniors
By Sarah Szczepanski
Assistant
Features Editor
Purdue seniors are eligible to receive more than
just a diploma and a bill for their student loans after graduation day;
the University offers much more.
First-time degree holders are eligible for a free
one-year membership to the Purdue Alumni Association. Besides an opportunity
to join the John Purdue Club, members of the association have the opportunity
to purchase discounted temporary healthcare for students that are looking
for or are between jobs. Members can also purchase discounted healthcare
if they are, or will be, self-employed.
Included in this membership is one free year of
the Purdue Alumnus, a magazine that comes out six times a year.
Also available are job search opportunities, such
as Purdue ProNet, which is a free service where members put their information
into a large database that potential employers browse.
The Purdue Alumni Association gives members the
chance to network with other graduates through the alumni clubs in 125
cities worldwide with membership in each ranging from 30 to 500 people.
A Purdue graduate looking for a job in San Francisco
could check the network and find other alumni in the area to get job-hunting
suggestions from or to find a group of people to spend time with, according
to Denise Buhrmester, director of membership and marketing for the association.
"They can get whatever they want to get out
of the club," she said.
Kathy Matter, public relations director for Purdue
Bands, said Purdue encourages her organization and others within the
University to make a niche in the association. Each University department
or organization has its own way of remaining in touch with its grads.
Purdue Bands have an alumni newsletter, FanFare, and events such as
Jazz on the Hill, a concert where alumni play with students.
"There are a lot of efforts to keep in touch,"
she said.
Grads staying in the area can still use the Recreational
Sports Center for a daily cost of $4 with the purchase of a $2 Alumni
Card, and Boiler Bucks can be used until they run out.
May graduates will not be able to use their University
e-mail accounts or access their Web pages after October, but alumni
can always request transcripts for free using SSINFO.
Grads can do this by entering their social security
number as their login, and entering the last password they used for
PUCC.
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