It’s not often that students in Bascom Hall know what other student are doing across campus, let alone in the South Pole. But that’s exactly what #UWRightNow aimed to do all day Wednesday.
University communications created the website, which allowed any member of the UW community to tweet, e-mail or upload a YouTube video detailing what they were doing at that moment.
UW Communications Media Relations Director Dennis Chaptman said his department created the program as a fun way to build community at the end of the semester.
“So often on university campus, people live in their own little silos and they don’t see the totality of campus,” Chaptman said. “This is one way to share the culture, to share what’s going on on campus, to share the experience of being on campus.”
The 24-hour initiative launched at 12 a.m. Wednesday morning. By the end of the day, university communications had posted more than a thousand of the most creative contributions on its website.
Some featured posts included pictures of students studying abroad, a video of people bowling in Union South, or simply a student venting about another late night at College Library.
Chaptman said it was gratifying to see the tremendous response from students and faculty from around the world, portraying how far reaching the university is.
“When you bring [people] all together like this, you really realize the impact of the university and how much people love being in Madison; love the terrace, love the traditions and that’s what’s coming through loud and clear in this project,” he said.
Highlights of #UWRightNow
@Wienermobile: “Carl Mayer, a @UWMadison grad in 1925, created the @Wienermobile in 1936. Today we have 3 Badgers still riding shotBUN! #UWRightNow” 10:36 a.m.
@DanielPeterson: “Proud to have a degree from UWBackThen, one son attending #UWRightNow, another son going to UWThisFall and a third son hoping for UWin2015” 12:23 p.m.
@WJJansonJr: “Walking to class listening to Shakira trying to convince me that her hips don’t lie. #uwrightnow” 4:05 p.m.
@cpaverill: “As a kid I wanted to have friends from all over the globe. Because of #UWMadison, I can visit friends in 5 continents. #amazing #UWRightNow” 8:21 p.m.
