Eastern created a way to reward students who participate in the campus community.
EMU launched a new app — called My Eagles Rewards — as part of the My Eagles Rewards program.
Putting effort into a class has obvious benefits, like learning new things and earning a good grade. And now, putting effort into engaging in the Eastern Michigan University community has benefits, too.
The program, which rewards students for everything from attending a football game to meeting with a success coach, lets students earn and track points with the My Eagle Rewards app.
Christine Deacons, director of academic support programs at EMU, said the program rewards students for doing things they need to do to be successful.
“When students are actively engaged […] they persist at higher rates and they graduate at higher rates,” she said.
The app, which can be downloaded in the App Store, lets users track points and provides them with a list of events and prizes.
Deacons said the program proved successful after the first year.
“It went from averaging 250 scans a day at study table to over a thousand scans a day,” she said.
GPS positioning allows students to check in at large events, like sporting events, simply by being there. At smaller events, like the Undergraduate Symposium, students will be able to earn points by walking through beacons. QR code scanning is used to track things like using a study table or meeting with a tutor.
The program was originally developed by the athletics department to reward attendance at athletic events. Deacons asked the department to collaborate with the Holman Success Center in order to reach more students.
Deacons asked other departments across campus to get involved by donating prizes like credit hours, housing and two gift cards to the campus bookstore, each worth $250.
Students can also compete in “Challenge Weeks,” in which big prizes will be given to the top earners. “Challenge Weeks” prizes include tickets to Halloweekends at Cedar Point and to the musical, “Greece,” in Detroit.
Senior Christine Franzen, an animation major, said the new app would make it easier to get involved.
