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MU merchandise sells for scholarships

By Rachel Tracey, For The Miami Student

As a tool for students and alumni to find Miami University merchandise, ShopMiamiOH.com has found a new way to make those purchases meaningful.

This website, launched a year ago, allows Miami fans to find stores close to them that sell merchandise. People are able to type in their zip code and see a list of stores nearby.

There is a reason behind the buying of this merchandise, though. According to Samantha Stevens, manager of ShopMiamiOH.com, for every purchase of Miami University gear through this website, a percentage goes toward student scholarships.

Fifty percent goes toward a general student scholarship fund and the other 50 percent goes toward the intercollegiate athletic scholarship fund, Stevens said.

This means you are not only buying merchandise to have, you are also helping raise money for scholarships at Miami.

Stevens, who is also manager of Miami University Trademarks and Licensing, is in charge of updating the site to make sure the stores that are on the list are selling Miami merchandise at that time.

"The more Miami merchandise we can sell, the more money we generate for Miami scholarships through royalties," Stevens said. "And my goal is to make it easy for people to find Miami products when they need to."

This website is the middle man between the stores that sell the merchandise and the consumers making the purchase.

ShopMiamiOH.com does not sell gear directly, but provides people with a list of stores that do supply Miami merchandise, Stevens said.

According to Stevens, some of the merchandise through these retailers is similar to the merchandise one would find in the Miami bookstore. There are also other pieces that are new or different from apparel found on campus.

Plans for the website are to continue updating the site with new retailers and new merchandise, Stevens said.

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"Whether it's locating a store near them, via their zip code, or ordering online, now alums and fans have another way to stay connected with the university," Lisa Dankovich, director of university external relationships, said.

ShopMiamiOH.com has a Facebook and Twitter page where they give away product samples and allow people to see what kind of deals they can get on Miami merchandise.

"If fans want something and can't find it all they have to do is send a tweet and they'll have an answer within 24 hours," Dankovich said.

Connect with ShopMiamiOH on Twitter @ShopMiamiOH or on Facebook at "Miami University: Shop Miami."