Business Community is Vital to Area College Students

Calling all businesses in the Mohawk Valley region. It’s time to prepare for another transformation as more than 25,000 college students are set to return to area campuses.

I invite you to join me in taking this opportunity to welcome these students to our region and  promote the Mohawk Valley and all that it has to offer.                                          

In coming together, we send a strong and unified message that makes these students feel welcome and a part of our community. Selecting a college, moving away from home, and getting established is no easy task. And the more we can help, the better it is for them and us.

Having lived in Poland, N.Y. where I attended Poland Central Schools for 13 years, I left the area to attend Syracuse University (SU). After graduating from SU, I chose to return to the Mohawk Valley to become established and raise a family. Today, I am proud to be employed by Newport Telephone Company where I have worked for 25 years. I want area college students to have the same opportunities that I had.

That’s why the Chamber Alliance of the Mohawk Valley (CAMV) is supporting the Genesis Group College Welcome Initiative. CAMV is encouraging the thousands of businesses that are established here to get involved. 

The College Welcome Initiative asks for area businesses to offer a discount to college students. The business can offer 2-for-1 specials or 10 percent off a purchase. Once enrolled, the business name, contact information, plus its incentive, are listed on a website — CollegeWelcome.org — that is supported by all 11 area colleges. The business receives a window decal that identifies it as a participant of the College Welcome program. The best part is it’s free. All you need to do is let us know you’re interested, complete a short form with your information, and you will quickly be enrolled.

The College Community Network includes Colgate University, Empire State College, Hamilton College, Herkimer County Community College, Mohawk Valley Community College, Morrisville State College, the Pratt Institute, St. Elizabeth College of Nursing, SUNYIT, USC The Business College, and Utica College. The colleges are doing their part to inform students about College Welcome and the discounts they can receive. We need the business community to step up and do its part by helping to make college students feel welcome and a part of the Mohawk Valley region.

Education is “big business” in our region. It’s actually a billion-dollar industry employing several thousand people. The business community can benefit by participating in the College Welcome Initiative. Students are going to need service on their vehicles, haircuts, and food, like a slice of pizza. Offering them a discount and making them feel welcome, will go a long way in making a connection between our students and area businesses.

The Chamber Alliance of the Mohawk Valley encourages you to get involved. You can sign up by visiting www.CollegeWelcome.org or contacting the Genesis Group at (315) 792-7187, or email: info@TheGenesisGroup.org.

The Chamber Alliance was established in 1997, advocating strength in unity for the Mohawk Valley of Central New York. The Chamber Alliance of the Mohawk Valley includes chambers from the Boonville Area, Camden Area, Clinton, Herkimer County, Kuyahoora Valley, Marcy, New Hartford, Greater Oneida, Rome Area, Trenton Area, and affiliate partners: Oneida County Tourism, Mohawk Valley EDGE, Leadership Mohawk Valley, and The Genesis Group.       

Leslie Irwin is the president of The Chamber Alliance of the Mohawk Valley.