NCR launches new social networking site to help foster greater sense
of community

The National Capital Region (NCR) has launched a social networking site, hokies.ncr.vt.edu, designed to support our graduate programs, to help graduate students connect, and to let prospective, current and former students interact with one another and with faculty and staff. Hosted on Ning.com, the site is managed by the Graduate Students Services Office (GSSO) and has features similar to Facebook, allowing members to share images, create blogs, chat, post events, and create groups and threaded discussions, etc. Unlike Facebook and other mega-sites, though, hokies.ncr.vt.edu is a controlled-access site, so new members have to be approved before they can get beyond the main page.  

“In the NCR, dispersed geographically and with so many part-time students, we have a very hard time fostering a sense of community and taking advantages of the benefits that come from that community, “ said Nick Stone, deputy director, National Capital Region Operations, who spearheaded this project. “This new social network is a great way to do that, and I encourage everyone to join.”

To join the network, go to the main page at hokies.ncr.vt.edu and click on “Sign Up” in the upper right.  Once you’re approved, go to the site and update your personal information (use the “Settings” link in the upper right) in your profile and privacy settings. Then, suggests Stone, “upload content, join a group for your program (or create one if it’s not there), and respond to what others are doing.”

Ideally, the site will encourage NCR students and prospective students to connect with one another and to discover more about Virginia Tech programs in the region. It is also a place for posting other kinds of information that doesn’t easily fit into the NCR website format. For example, users can post information about community events outside of the university that might be of interest to others, available job opportunities, etc.

The site has been built with the support of the graduate school and Tech’s NCR operations office, and has been a team effort involving the GSSO, graduate students, faculty and staff.  “This is somewhat of a collective experiment,” said Stone, “and we really welcome feedback. Users should feel free to let us know what works, what doesn’t, and how we can improve the site.  The network itself is a great way to do that.”

Posted March 26, 2009