ComUniversity

Inspiration

Our inspiration stemmed from the challenges we faced as first-semester students, especially as international students trying to navigate a new environment. We often felt lost and disconnected, struggling to discover clubs that resonated with our interests or to stay informed about events happening around campus. The lack of a user-friendly platform made it harder to feel a sense of belonging, which is so crucial during the initial stages of settling into university life. We didn’t want future students to feel the same sense of isolation or miss out on opportunities to connect and thrive. This app was born out of our desire to create a more inclusive and connected community, ensuring every student, no matter where they come from, can easily find their place and make the most of their Brandeis experience.

What it does

ComUniversity is designed to help students easily discover clubs, events, and resources on campus, creating a more connected and inclusive community. It provides a user-friendly platform where students can explore clubs that align with their interests, view upcoming events, and stay updated with real-time information about activities happening around campus.

The goal is to make it simple for students, especially those who are new or international, to find their place at the university and take full advantage of the opportunities available to them. By streamlining access to this information, the app aims to foster a sense of belonging and make campus life more engaging for everyone.

How we built it

We used Canva to design the dashboard of the interactive events and chat feature as our prototype.

Challenges we ran into

The biggest challenge we ran into is being out of the box as there’s only so much we can change and innovate for a Student Hub platform.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

What we learned

Through this project, we learned the importance of deeply understanding consumer preferences and tailoring solutions to meet their needs. Talking to students and gathering their feedback taught us that every user has unique expectations, and creating something meaningful requires active listening and empathy.

We learned how critical a simple, user-friendly design is for engaging users. A cluttered or confusing interface can discourage people from using the app, no matter how useful the features are. We realized the importance of clear communication and collaboration within a team to align our vision and create a product that could truly help students feel more connected and informed.

What's next for ComUniversity

We hope that ComUniversity’s team would be able to make that dashboard come to life through their algorithm. For future updates, we thought about integrating dining options, social spaces, and academic/career resources. We want to create a hub where students can access everything they need to thrive in college.