(114c) 1 New Notification: Using Facebook to Ease the College Transition and Facilitate Department Communication

Facebook, with over 110 million active users, is an excellent tool for expanding connections. This past summer, Facebook was used as the primary component for the BRIDGE program, which offers an opportunity to ease the transition of incoming freshmen into college life. More specifically, these high school graduates had an opportunity to make connections with their peers prior to arriving on campus in a benign, non-threatening environment. In addition to this role, Facebook has other potential uses for a Chemical Engineering department. First, Facebook can be used as a mechanism to disseminate information quickly. Since classes can be gathered together into one group, department events or feedback surveys can easily be deployed and collected. Another possibility is to use it as a discussion forum for their Chemical Engineering courses. Exchanges on concepts or assigned problems can occur between student to student, or student to professor. Finally, Facebook can be used to stay in touch with alumni. This connection can help lead to a dialogue between the current underclassmen and alumni to initiate discussions on internships and career options at their place of employment.