Biology

The WKU Office of Creative Web Services in conjunction with the Division of Enrollment Management is launching a custom Facebook application for incoming students.

The “WKU on Facebook” app will be made available by invitation only, beginning on May 16, to students admitted into the Fall 2012 semester.

The release of the app comes on the heels of the success of the “WKU Class of 2015” student Facebook group that gained more than 1,400 members, or nearly one-third of the freshman class.

“We recognize the importance of being available for students and we strive to reach out to them using the communication tools that they use every day,” said Corie Martin, WKU Manager of Creative Web Services. “The unity displayed by the Class of 2015 inspired us to find a more effective way to use Facebook so that our students would get more out of the experience. This new app enables them to connect with one another on a safe and more personal level and encourages them to connect with their classmates and to stay in school when times get tough.”

The WKU on Facebook app enables students to choose from hundreds of categories of interest including residence hall, hometown, major, student activities, and personal areas of interests like entertainment, religious preferences and more. Students can easily meet other students who share similar interests, thus building a support network of friends before they arrive at campus in the fall. In addition, WKU faculty and staff members are active in the group by answering questions and helping students in their transition into life as college students.

“The WKU on Facebook app will be beneficial to students because they will have the support of fellow students, as well as faculty and staff right at their fingertips, all in one location,” said Katie Corbin, campus administrator for WKU Housing and Residence Life.  “Whether they want to meet up with a group of people to study, borrow some milk, or ask questions about a service on campus, they’ll be able to find what they need. Only WKU students and staff can access the app, so it’s a safer way to network within the WKU system. Overall, the app focuses on the whole student, not just their academic or their social lives. It’s a more holistic approach to networking in higher education.”

The WKU on Facebook app will initially be released to the incoming freshmen, but all students will be invited to join the app when they return in August for the fall semester.

Contact: Creative Web Services, webservices@wku.edu