BLACKSBURG, Va., May 1, 2008 – The Institute for Distance and Distributed Learning has selected three finalist student teams in their virtual student center design competition.
Each team’s aim is to provide a virtual community for Virginia Tech’s growing number of distance learning students to engage in the university experience. The virtual space will also meet the academic and student services needs of students while also providing a place for them to network and interact.
The three teams competing in the finals will present their virtual student center designs and demonstrate its functionality before a panel of judges and the university community on May 2 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the Torgersen Museum. Awards will be given following the presentation and the winning student team will earn $5000 for their submission, made possible through support from the Virginia Tech Parent’s Fund. The second and third place teams will receive $500 each.
“The virtual student center should be engaging, entertaining, and offer services and programs that meet students needs, such as meeting online with other students, obtaining academic, career, and financial services, offer presentations and speaker, and be engaged with other university sponsored events,” said Odessa Davis, Institute for Distance and Distributed Learning, student services coordinator and organizer of the competition.
The Virtual Student Center design competition is being sponsored by the Institute for Distance and Distributed Learning, in cooperation with the Division of Student Affairs, and the Graduate School.