Amazon hosted an evening advertising its program Amazon Student to Georgia Southern University students in Russell Union on Monday and Tuesday.

“Throughout the year, Amazon Student sponsors giveaways and sweepstakes with prizes from Amazon.com gift cards to a brand-new Audi TT. The program also offers its members exclusive deals on products like Kindle Fire tablets, new-release video games and software,” Ripley MacDonald, director of textbooks at Amazon.com, said.

The on-campus event provided students with the opportunity to win raffled-off items, such as a Kindle Fire and a television. Free snacks and drinks were also offered.

The program was released in July 2010 and was created for college students to offer another, more direct way to save money.

Amazon Student offers a six-month trial that allows students to ship textbooks and other items in two days for free. Students also get email alerts for discounts and promotions.

“One of the best things about Amazon Student is the free two-day shipping. It isn’t very practical to take a week or more to ship textbooks and they give you a tracking number for the orders to keep up with it,” Mitchell Broadrick, senior marketing and management major, said.

After the trial period, the account will upgrade to membership status and costs half the price for Amazon Prime. Prime is $79 per year while Student is $39 per year and renewal is automatic.

“I’ve had Amazon Student for a year and a half and I love it. The people will work with you on a more personal basis and are really helpful,” Adam Clay, sophomore marketing and logistics major, said.

Amazon Student provides several benefits for college students to better the college experience.

Members of Amazon Student have access to the Kindle Lending Library, which provides over 400,000 books to borrow with no due date.

Amazon Student offers unlimited instant streaming on movies and television shows after joining Amazon Prime for $39 per year.

The membership lasts for four years or until the student graduates college, when it will automatically upgrade to Amazon Prime.