SPRINGFIELD — As students, we want to save as much money as possible and that goes for anything like clothes and food, well you’re in for a treat because LLCC and UIS students are offered discounts downtown. This is a new program called UIS and LLCC students Downtown Discounts Program.  

The people responsible for the Downtown Discounts program are State Representative Sara Wojcicki-Jimenez’s, of the Higher Education Student Advisory Committee, and was co-chaired by University of Illinois-Springfield student Kaelen Smith and Lincoln Land Community College student Gabby Jones.  

As part of her position, Wojciki-Jimenez helps the community with issues and ways to help UIS and LLCC students.

Kaelen Smith and Gabby Jones explained why they decided to start Downtown Discounts for LLCC and UIS students.

“It was an idea brought by the student body president to attract the student body to spark the college students at LLCC and UIS,” said Smith.

“At our first meeting we didn’t really have an agenda, we just spoke about what we wanted. A UIS student brought up that they wished there was more of an incentive to go downtown as students. Representative Wojcicki-Jimenez then brought in Lisa Clemmons Stott who’s the executive director for Downtown Springfield Incorporated. From there the program really blossomed,” said Jones.

The stores that are included in the Downtown Discounts program are Springfield Vintage, Custom Cup Coffee, Daisy Janes, the Hoogland Center for the Arts, Jade’s Far East Emporium, The Roost, Wild Rose, Studio 6, Z Bistro and Udder Hut, Jojo’s Street Cuisine, and Recycled Records.

“They are shops and restaurants that are for some afternoon fun,” Smith said.

“Lisa from Downtown Springfield Incorporated became an influential part of the process from the beginning. Also, the student who thought of the idea thought of downtown specifically. We chose to start with these businesses because they are more likely to jump on board. Multiple businesses jumped on immediately wanting to join,” Jones explained as to why downtown businesses were chosen and not other businesses around town.

“It gets more students downtown to the stores and have it more of a habitat for the students and the more students that go to the stores it helps the economic living in the area,” Smith explained how the Downtown Discounts help the businesses that are participating,

“I think these discounts are beneficial for both students and the businesses. I hope that students see these discounts and check out the businesses,” Jones added

Students can receive the Downtown Discounts at the shops by having a Student ID card or students can ask the cashier for the discount. You will see the UIS and LLCC students Downtown Discounts logo in the front of the store window.

The discounts include anything from 10 percent off, buy-one-get-one-free offers, and some stores even have raffles to win for certain items in their stores.

“We’re working with addition of two shops, one is a yoga shop and we’ll add more discounts for students,” Smith said of adding more businesses to the program

“I hope students see a sign that Springfield is a good college town. UIS is a more recent school and LLCC only being a 2-year college having it in an environment worth living so that the students will come back to Springfield after they graduate, if they choose to leave, and can come back and want to still stick around here and have the student body see a sign of being a part of the community,” Smith shared of his hopes for the program.

“I hope students venture downtown more. The downtown area is super cool with a great culture. I hope that students experience this. Our ultimate goal is to find a way to get students to stay after college, or come back if they decide to leave. We hope that this discount card allows students to explore the city more on a budget. Hopefully, they find something they love and decide to stay or come back later in life. Overall, I hope that students use this discount card and explore the town that I love more,” added Jones.

The UIS and LLCC students Downtown Discounts have a Facebook page where you can find more about the stores, deals, and upcoming information about adding stores to the Downtown Discounts program.

https://www.facebook.com/DowntownSpringfieldStudentDiscounts/.

Madison Mings can be reached at [email protected]