By Jessica Ganga
Features Editor
The College’s new LionsGate system is making it easier for students to be in the know of whats going on around campus. Below is a section of Alyssa Mease’s 2008 report about how the College had finally jumped on the bandwagon and created a Facebook page. The page was meant to help students, like LionsGate, connect with the campus and find out what is going on.
Although the College is more than 250 years old, administrators are trying to keep as up-to-date as possible with the latest networking trends.
As part of this push, the College developed a Facebook page last spring.
Matthew Winkel, professional Web developer adjunct professor, Matthew Golden, executive director of Communications and Media Relations, and David Adrian, sophomore computer science major, built the site together after Winkel heard about the idea at a conference.
Adrian programmed the site.
“Matt Winkel asked me to make a Facebook application for students. I had learn all of the programming language,” Adrian said.
The project took him almost three months to complete and he currently spends a few hours each week maintaining it.
“Many schools seem to have Facebook pages,” Winkel said. “Before Facebook we had an alumni group two years ago.”
Golden said the fan page first became popular through word of mouth.
The creators relied on students to spread the word about the site and let it build popularity. Now there is a link to the Facebook page on the College’s homepage.
“My career is about engaging my audience,” Golden said, adding that he had been thinking of how new ways to reach students.
“Print and mail is expensive to do, and students spend time on Facebook. We’re giving them the content they want in ways they want to receive it,” he said.
The fan page is holding a contest called “Snap your spirit.” Students are encouraged to send in their photos demonstrating their school spirit. Prizes will be awarded at Homecoming for the best Lions fans.
The site, which is only accessible to students at the College, allows students to connect with friends by searching for people with the same major and class.
There are currently 1,600 fans, but Winkel and Golden expect the number to rise.
“I haven’t accessed (the Facebook application) but I know about it,” Josh Hanke, sophomore math major, said. “I just haven’t spent the timeon Facbook to consider it.” “I would hope that (prospective students) regard the Facebook application as an attractive aspect of the school,” Adrian said.
