Using UC MasterCard Causes Great Things to Happen

Most alumni retain a certain amount of “alma mater affinity” — they realize their university will always be a part of them, and vice versa.

These alumni also recognize the ongoing importance of providing scholarships to deserving students to enable their higher education and inspire their excellence.

For UC graduates, these two truths converge most notably through the UC Alumni Association’s affinity programs, which make valuable services available to alumni while funneling many of the resulting revenue dollars toward funding student scholarships.

Here’s how it works:
• UCAA has agreements with a diverse family of business partners to offer alumni a range of services, including the UC credit card and other financial services, insurance programs (home, life, health, disability, auto, dental, even pet insurance), computer equipment, loan consolidation, and UCAA-label wine.
• Alumni can feel confident in purchasing or using these services because the providers can leverage great volumes of business (UC is one of many university partners), and the marketplace has strengthened the product offerings. Further, UCAA has researched them thoroughly and vouches for their quality.
• A percentage of the revenues derived from alumni purchasing these services is returned to UC with the expressed purpose of funding an array of student-focused initiatives. Scholarships are a big part of that.

The greatest contributor to this process is the UC MasterCard, available as either a credit or debit card through Fifth Third Bank. Cards carry the customer’s choice of UC branding or the C-paw logo.

Another primary source of scholarship funds is the UC License Plate available to Ohio drivers. Plates with the C-paw logo are available year-round — not just when your existing plates expire — and $25 of the $35 special-plate fee goes directly to fund the UC Alumni Association’s Legacy Scholarships.

“With the UC MasterCard and the UC License Plates, the ‘affinity’ term takes on additional meaning,” said Bob Dobbs, UC Alumni Association board president. “Not only does the university receive funds as a result of UC alumni and friends taking advantage of these opportunities, but as Bearcat alumni and fans, we all like to display our pride. What better way than by making credit or debit card transactions, or by driving around?”