Hey guys, I want to let you know about the new software U of M Students are now being offered!

At the University of Memphis we as students are offered many different resources so that we may successfully earn a degree using countless types of technology.  It is with pleasure that I recommend a new beneficial resource which the University is offering at no expense to you; we are calling it Student Advantage. Now, upon registering with the university, students will receive access to important Office software including: Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Why call it “Student Advantage”?  As students, professors require that you use software such as this to complete assignments such as essays, presentations, and documents encompassing a lot of data.  By providing this software, the University is giving students a huge advantage by allowing them to flourish in classes which require critical work,  make students more valuable in the working world, and my favorite part, save them a lot of money!

In the first year of their college career, 38% of students will write 10 or more papers, anywhere between 5 and 19 pages; how can a student be expected to write that many papers cramped up in a library late at night? (lafayette.edu)  Instead, the University is allowing its students to download Office Software so that they may work in a more comfortable environment where there is much less inconvenience and stress. On top of that, students will now be able to meet up in a study group at anytime in order to complete group assignments such as PowerPoint Presentations. Through this advantage, students will eliminate a lot of stress and be one step closer to successfully earning their degree.

This opportunity will make you more valuable as an employee as well.  Because you are able to work these programs, you will be able to satisfy requirements at work in an efficient manner, ultimately adding to one’s value in the work world. Microsoft reports that one in four of its enterprise customers have purchased Office 365; why is everyone be buying this software?  The software equips you with tools that will allow you to thrive in countless circumstance, whether they are at home or at work.  It allows you to efficiently look through emails with Outlook, organize information and take good notes with OneNote, create excellent documents using Word, and allows you to manage data and create helpful charts using Excel. Office is a treasured resource which we should all utilize.

Finally, as I am sure you know, Office is not cheap.  For a Microsoft Office 365, you may pay anywhere between $70 per computer or $100 for a limited number of installations; I’m not sure about you but I cannot afford that!  Fortunately the University is equipping its students with these tools for free and I strongly encourage each of you to take advantage of Student Advantage. Here is how you get it: Go to www.memphis.edu/getoffice, and click the orange “Install Now” button.  That is it!

Thanks for checking out the blog, for more helpful tips or advice using any university technology, make an appointment with a Technology Coach like myself at http://memphis.edu/umtech/students/techcoaches/.

Your Friend,

Tyler Stegall