Members of the Class of 2020 will be the first Stanford graduates to receive a free lifetime membership to the Stanford Alumni Association (SAA). Starting this year, the association will gift memberships to all future graduates of Stanford – the first time doing so in the association’s 128-year history.

The Frances C. Arrillaga Alumni Center is the home of the Stanford Alumni Association. (Image credit: Alex Kekauoha)

According to SAA’s Senior Director of Business Development and Planning Linda Reed, ’87, the change is an effort to further the association’s mission of promoting connections between alumni and the university. The gift also supports the university’s Long-Range Vision, specifically President Marc Tessier-Lavigne’s initiative IDEAL (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access in a Learning Environment).

“We felt that gifting lifetime membership would be the best way to ensure that all alumni can take advantage of SAA’s benefits, regardless of their ability to pay,” Reed said. “We didn’t want anyone to feel like they were missing out.”

As members of SAA, graduates have access to numerous benefits. The organization offers many career and educational services, including career coaching and discounts to test prep services; financial services such as auto loans through the Stanford Federal Credit Union; travel and recreational benefits, including discounted hotel rates and ski lift tickets; and such on-campus opportunities as discounts to sporting and entertainment events.

Reed said that the Class of 2020 and all future graduates will have the same full access to these opportunities as graduates of previous classes, despite the elimination of the membership fee.

“Nothing is changing in terms of the programs and services graduates will be able to access from now on,” she said.

Since its founding in 1892, SAA has been supported by membership dues. Lifetime membership to the organization for last year’s graduates was a one-time fee of $495, or a $550 fee paid in five annual installments. With the elimination of fees, SAA will begin exploring other income streams to make up for the lost revenue.

SAA memberships for the Stanford Class of 2020 will be activated toward the end of the current academic year. SAA will follow up with graduates during spring quarter with details of how to claim memberships.

For a full list of benefits available to graduates, visit the Stanford Alumni Association website.