A new partnership between George Mason University and Fairfax businesses offers discounts to the Mason community and expands the customer bases of area merchants.
The Patriot Perks program began in August with predominately City of Fairfax businesses participating but has expanded to include more Fairfax County businesses as well. The program now includes more than 100 businesses and is onboarding new members weekly.
“That communicates to me that local businesses value the university’s presence and our belonging in the community and want to see us in the city doing business with them,” said David Atkins, executive director for Mason Business Partnerships and Licensing. “This is another step to help create that synergy and positive relationship between the two.”
The Mason employee discount page that formerly was available through the Human Resources website has been folded into Patriot Perks to consolidate the discounts offered to Mason students, faculty and staff, alumni and retirees. There are nearly 20 discount categories listed on the website, as well as information about upcoming Mason events for visitors of the site to see.
Patriot Perks has collaborated with area business groups such as the Fairfax City Economic Development Authority, Old Town Fairfax Business Association and the Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce.
Jennifer Rose, executive director of the Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce and a former Mason adjunct professor in the School of Integrative Studies, coordinated a webinar for merchants to discuss the benefits of the Patriot Perks program.
“We are fortunate to have Mason in our backyard and to have so many members of the Mason Nation living and working in our community,” Rose said. “The Patriot Perks program is a great way for our business community—many of whom are Mason alums—to support the Mason Nation and have the extra marketing support from Mason to get in front of literally tens of thousands of potential customers. It is a win-win situation for all of us!”
About 50 attendees recently took advantage of Patriot Perks at a local restaurant for a Mason basketball game watch party. With the men’s and women’s Atlantic 10 Conference basketball tournaments in March, there likely will be many such gatherings at restaurants participating in Patriot Perks, Atkins said.
Mason has scheduled its SpringFest 2022 event for April 19 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Merten Hall Lawn and will invite Patriot Perks members to the Fairfax Campus along with campus businesses to engage with the Mason community. A similar outreach event is scheduled for College Colors Day on Sept. 2.