Students looking down the road to graduation, or those who have already walked it, should consider applying for membership in the CSUN Alumni Association.

The Association offers a variety of membership benefits, and the price for entry isn’t too staggering. Beyond the obvious requirement of being a graduating student (or having graduated already) membership will cost $20 a year. There is also the option of buying a lifetime membership for $500.

Now, some quick math will tell you that $500 equates to 25 years of individual yearly payments of $20. So, if you really plan on boasting CSUN alumni status for 26 years or more, then that is the way to go.

What you are really in for isn’t just the prestige of membership though-it is the benefits that come with it. You can tell someone they are a member of the Alumni Association all day, but what they really want to know is “Well, what does that do for me?” Apparently, there is a little more than the average social advantages and mixers being offered here.

The first thing worth noting has got to be the potential scholarships you qualify for. Currently you can receive up to $1,500 in rewards for three separate scholarships. The First Generation Scholarship is for students who are the first in their family to attend a four-year university. Then there is the Legacy Scholarship, for children and grandchildren of CSUN alumni. Finally, as an incentive for students who have already graduated to join the Alumni Association, there is the Graduate Student Scholarship-for students who attended CSUN as undergrads and plan to continue their pursuit of higher learning at CSUN at the graduate level.

There are also benefits that are designed to save you some money in relatively practical ways. Once you are a member of the Alumni Association, if you then apply to Blue Shield within 90 days of your graduation date, you are automatically accepted (regardless of pre-existing conditions) to a short term medical plan (30-180 days). Additionally, Liberty Mutual offers alumni members 10 percent off their auto, homeowner and renters insurance rates for a 12-month span.

The only thing to complain about has already probably become obvious to you. Both the medical plan and the insurance discount have expiration dates attached to them. As they are, it might be enough to persuade you to join up with the Alumni Association for one year of membership, but afterward will probably depend on what other benefits are offered.

These other benefits are hardly selling points on their own, but as a package may incite you: a CSUN Alumni email account, subscription to the CSUN alumni newspaper, “discounts” on hotels and rental cars, Matadors Community Credit Union, CSUN Alumni Visa Card, and 10 percent off wedding photography by Ultimate Exposures.

Last, but perhaps most intriguing, comes the benefit of receiving “members only” invitations to alumni sponsored events-where being a member promises you and your guests discounts.

All in all, if you’ve got $20 to spare, you may want to give membership a try, though holding off on that lifetime purchase is advised until you’re positive it is worth the investment.

For additional information regarding the CSUN Alumni Association, or to become a member, you can contact Shellie Hadvina, Associate Director of CSUN Alumni Relations at (818) 677-2137 or you may email alumni@csun.edu.