Some student entrepreneurs have given Quinnipiac students a way to save money, all while helping a good cause.

Senior Todd Scherzer, an entrepreneurship and small business management major, has orchestrated an advertising magazine that gathers local merchants from the Hamden area to offer discounts to QU students.

A year ago, while taking SB 222, Scherzer had this idea and began to research it. With the help of Melissa Dudra, Erica Latimore, Robyn Conlon, SIFE and Alpha Kappa Psi, the project was underway.

The idea was to create a magazine that could manage all of the menus that students get slipped under theirs doors daily, and find a way to reduce the enormous amount of money that they spend outside of the school.

Scherzer went out to the shops of Hamden to find sellers willing to participate in his endeavor. He said that many merchants, including Si Mangia, were more than happy to participate.

The ads ranged in cost from $375 to $1,500, depending on the size. Once these were gathered, the magazine began to take its form.

Nancy Cunningham, who runs the independent printing company Campus Copy (located beneath the Registrar and Faculty Office Building), gave the entrepreneurs a discount on printing QU Life Around the Town Book.

By allowing this undertaking, Scherzer says Quinnipiac has proven itself to be very timely and provides for the needs of QU students, local businesses and the children of greater New Haven.

This last point relates to what Scherzer is most proud of – where the money from this project will be going. Schooner Sound Learning is a New Haven based non-profit that provides marine education and leadership programs for disadvantaged youth. Schooner is also working with Quinnipiac to allow students with work-study to be able to get paid for working at Schooner.

The magazines will be handed out in the residence halls by RAs, so all students will be able to take advantage of the initiative of some QU entrepreneurs.