AST: Galaxy

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Galaxy Program

The AST Galaxy is a program to recognize surgical technology educators (Stars) who promote their students’s future success in the field by encouraging membership in their national professional organization – The Association of Surgical Technologists.

Galaxy Stars receive special recognition throughout the year and at our annual national conference and forums, and their schools receive a gift certificate from Amazon.com.

Download:
Galaxy Explanation Flyer

Galaxy Student Roster

This roster is necessary for cross-checking applications from students who do not indicate the name of their school when applying for AST membership. Filling out this roster will also ensure that schools and educators are properly recognized as Galaxy Award winners.

How Do I Qualify?

If at least 75% of your graduates in 2008 join AST, you will become a Star in AST’s Galaxy. If your school includes AST membership as part of students’s tuition and mails one check with student membership applications, your school will automatically qualify for Galaxy. A minimum class size of four student members is required. If your program graduates multiple classes annually, AST will average the individual classes over the year and, in April, if at least 75% have become student members, we’ll make you a Star.

AST’s database now tracks student memberships based on school and graduation date. If your school is one of several campuses, please make sure your students specify the campus and school name on their student membership application. If students mail applications to AST separately, this ensures they will be coded to your program.

AST offers special student member pricing for individuals and groups of 10 or more students. Please visit the Renew/Join page for a description of the special Gold and Silver membership packages for students only.

Program Year

The AST Galaxy program runs annually from January through December. Memberships must be received by December 31, 2008 to qualify for the 2008 rewards.

Recognition

AST will recognize as Galaxy Stars all instructors who are involved in promoting AST membership. If your program qualifies (75% of the class) and has several instructors for the class, all will receive recognition in The Surgical Technologist journal, Instructors Newsletter and on the AST web site.

Plus, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that your graduates started their career with the best resources at their disposal, thereby multiplying their chances of success.

Rewards

AST will also award Amazon.com certificates (based on number of students) to qualifying schools. Because we realize that larger programs have multiple teachers to accommodate the number of students, AST will award additional Amazon.com certificates based on the number of student members per program (based on ARC-ST PIN*).

Number of AST Student Members	Reward
4 – 20	one $50-Amazon.com gift certificate
21 – 35	two $50-Amazon.com gift certificates
36 – 50	three $50-Amazon.com gift certificates
51 or more (same PIN)	four $50-Amazon.com gift certificates

* To be eligible for the AST Galaxy, educators must be from schools that are accredited by or are in the process of becoming accredited by CAAHEP. The ARC-ST PIN is the school code assigned by ARC-ST and is provided in the PAE application that is sent to each accredited program.

We appreciate all you do to promote AST and the profession of surgical technology.

Thank you!