1.  Academic Integration
 Student academic performance (grades) and learning
 Enjoyment of subject
 Identify with student role
 Social Integration
 Friendships
 Personal connections with those that share interests
 Enjoyment of the university experience
UMD on Facebook is one tool for improving the number and quality of
peer relationships and students’ enjoyment of the UMD experience.
(To a lesser degree, it also contributes to academic integration.)

2.  App developed by Inigral: Schools App
 Provides a private, branded community for an
institution
 Inigral received a Gates Foundation grant that,
in turn, required Inigral to award up to five
institutions with the Schools App free of
charge for two years

3.  June 2011 – invited all fall 2011 admitted students to
participate plus student leaders and staff
▪ September 2011 - participants were updated to only enrolled students
 Students opt in and select interests and preferences
▪ UMD on Facebook icon appears on personal Facebook page
 What is posted in UMD on Facebook stays in UMD on
Facebook and all users have access to all posts
 The UM Student Conduct Code applies to activities and
interactions on UMD on Facebook
▪ Facebook’s Terms of Use and Code of Conduct also apply

5. Profile – my likes, interests, major,
hometown
Meetups – specific activities
Communities – communities I’ve joined with
links to each community’s wall
People – people who have interests or
affiliations in common with me
Settings – my app preferences

7.  1707 new students joined
 45 student leaders and staff
 15,512 posts
Posts have evolved and reflect changing student needs/interests:
July & August – common interests, roommates, getting
ready, questions about buying books, finding classes and welcome
events
September & October – meeting people, study groups, running
errands
November, December, & January – hockey tickets, registering for
spring classes, textbook swaps, rides home

8.  Measures of quality of relationships with other students
 Satisfaction with experiences with peers
 # of good friends
 Satisfaction with UMD support
UMD on Facebook utilizes an environment students are already familiar with,
Connects students to UMD and to each other before they arrive on campus,
Promotes connections with affinity groups,
Normalizes many of their concerns and experiences, and
Reinforces hallmarks of the UMD experience – a friendly campus with a
strong sense of community.