Student store offers discounted merch to students

By Janaki Venepally     4/1/25 11:37pm

Select merchandise from the Campus Bookstore will now be available to students for a discounted price, according to an Instagram post by the Student Association in collaboration with the Campus Bookstore. Each month, designated “spirit items” will be offered at a 10% discount. For the month of March, the selected merchandise was two blue Rice T-shirts.  

Sam Balakrishnan, a McMurtry College junior, said she was excited about the Rice-branded merch. 

“Everyone should be able to represent their school, especially Rice because we have such a culture of care. I would like to see more programs in the future,” Balakrishnan said.

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The SA created the program in 2024 because they were concerned that current students were paying the same price for merchandise as regular visitors to the bookstore, according to SA President Trevor Tobey.

“We met with [Housing and Dining], and, ultimately, it ended with us having that discussion, and we ultimately got the discount,” said Tobey, a Hanszen College junior. “I’m hoping it’s just a starting point for more.”

Tobey said he wants the program to be a start in making the bookstore more accessible for students. 

“I’m hoping that it will incentivize students to get stuff from the bookstore and make shopping there more affordable … I think this is almost a pilot program for more to come,” Tobey said.

Tobey says the program fits well with their mission of making bookstore items more affordable to students. He also said that by making the merch more affordable, the program will increase student spirit at Rice by creating more engagement with culture and ensuring that the administration can support Rice teams on campus. 

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