Alumni Association revs up license plate program
<p>The ASU Alumni Association plans to fuel interest in ASU's portion of the state college license plate program by sponsoring a contest to find the most creative personalized “Sparky plate.” The winner of the “What's on Your Plate?” contest will receive $200 in free gasoline.</p><separator></separator><p>Christine Wilkinson, president of the Alumni Association, says the contest is being sponsored to increase awareness of the college license plate program, as well as to improve ASU's standing in the competition among state universities represented by plates. ASU has 8,746 plates on cars in the state, while the University of Arizona 's “Wilbur the Wildcat” is plastered on 11,946 plates. (NAU is third with 1,679 plates.)</p><separator></separator><p>“We know friendly competition can be very motivating, and we want to challenge all Sun Devil supporters to put their spirit where their plate is,” Wilkinson says.</p><separator></separator><p>She says the association would like to break the 10,000-plate barrier by this summer and eventually overtake the Wildcats in the total number of plates.</p><separator></separator><p>The contest also highlights the association's Medallion Scholarship program, which receives funds raised through the license plate program. Seventeen dollars of the $25 fee required to buy an ASU license plate goes directly to the Medallion Scholarship, a comprehensive scholarship program that incorporates components of leadership, scholarship and service.</p><separator></separator><p>Medallion Scholars, who are culled from the ranks of ASU's University Scholarship recipients, are eligible to receive four-year, renewable scholarships worth $2,500 annually.</p><separator></separator><p>The “What's On Your Plate?” contest is open to any Arizona resident who owns a car with a personalized ASU college license plate. Contestants can attach a digital picture of the personalized plate to an e-mail and send it to phxadmin@asu.edu by 5 p.m. on May 31.</p><separator></separator><p>Alumni Association Web site visitors will be able to vote online for their favorite plate after the contest deadline has passed. Web polling will determine the contest winner, who will be announced after July 1. Photos of the winning entry will be published in an upcoming issue of ASU Magazine.</p><separator></separator><p>Wilkinson notes that this was a contest that could be shared with anyone who loves ASU.</p><separator></separator><p>“We welcome entries from staff, faculty, alumni, fans, community members – indeed, supporters of all kinds,” she says.</p><separator></separator><p>For contest details, visit the Web site <a href="http://www.asu.edu/alumni/support/sparkyplates.shtml">www.asu.edu/alumn…;