WordPress Campus Connect

WordPress Campus Connect, initially launched in October 2024 as a pilot program, is an official global community program designed with the goal of helping the next generation of WordPress users and developers by providing valuable, free, and easy-to-access learning for everyone. The inaugural program, spearheaded by Anand Upadhyay, garnered immense enthusiasm from 400 Indian students who were eager to engage in hands-on WordPress training.

The program hosts events around the world to introduce students to what WordPress can do through engaging, hands-on workshops, classes, and training.

Outlined below is information on how to organize a WordPress Campus Connect Event.

Event Organizers

Organizing a WordPress Campus Connect event is an exciting opportunity to empower students with valuable WordPress skills. You can submit an application to organize through this link.

Here’s what you need to plan:

• Event Format and Naming: Your event should be named after the full name of the educational institution (e.g., “WordPress Campus Connect Ribera del Duero“). Events can be half-day or full-day workshops, or split across multiple days.
• Venue: These events are typically held on campus. When verifying the venue, ensure that proper internet access, screen display, audio, and anything else needed to run the event is included.
• Audience: Focus on educating students, but teachers and faculty can also be included.
• Theme and Curriculum: The organizer can decide on their own curriculum for the event; for example, optional topics include WordPress Basics, themed workshops, or WordPress contributions.
  1. Presentation decks, logos, certificates and other helpful materials are available in the WordPress Campus Connect Organizer Resources folder. This folder also includes resources to pitch the event to your chosen campus.
  2. Learning materials can also be found on Learn WordPress
• Duration: Events can be one-day or split into multiple days.
• Pricing: Events are free for all attendees.
• Branding: Use the unified global branding and logo for consistency. You can find WordPress brand resources on this page, and WordPress Campus Connect brand resources in this folder and Figma file.
• Sponsor Support: Events are covered up to 300 USD by the 2025 Global Sponsorship program, and any further sponsorship funding will need to be raised locally.
• Ask for help: For questions (e.g. logistics, budgeting, local sponsors involvement, certificate, etc.), use the #campusconnect channel in the WordPress.org Slack. This is also where folks are ready to help mentorEvent Supporter Event Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. you for your planned events.
• Application: To organize an event, apply here: Apply to Organize a WordPress Campus Connect Event. Applications are processed according to the WordCamp process. Organizers are requested to use their edu email address. No previous organizing experience is required.

If you’d like additional training on how to organize WordPress meetupsMeetup Meetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook., you can check out our WordPress meetup organizer training course on Learn WordPress.

Event Day Facilitation: Key Considerations

To ensure a smooth and successful WordPress Campus Connect event, consider these key points for event day facilitation:

• Team Assembly: Recruit and organize a team of WordPress experts and session facilitators well in advance. These individuals will be crucial for delivering effective workshops and training. Utilize the WordPress community and local groups to find experienced volunteers.
• Session Schedule and Logistics: Finalize the session schedule and logistical details (room setup, AV equipment, etc.) before the event day. Clearly communicate the schedule to all facilitators and participants.
• Facilitator Briefing: Conduct a briefing session with all facilitators before the event to review the agenda, session content, and any specific instructions. Ensure everyone is familiar with their roles and responsibilities.
• On-Site Support: Have dedicated team members available throughout the event to provide on-site support for technical issues, participant questions, and general coordination.
• Material Distribution: Prepare and distribute all necessary materials (handouts, digital resources, etc.) to participants in a timely manner. Ensure the materials are accessible and easy to understand.
• Engagement and Interaction: Encourage engagement and interaction during sessions. Facilitators should use interactive methods, Q&A sessions, and practical exercises to keep participants involved.
• Feedback Collection: Plan for collecting feedback from participants at the end of the event using this feedback form. This feedback will be valuable for improving future WordPress Campus Connect events.
  1. You can use the browser translation tools to translate the survey to your preferred language.
• Expert Availability: Ensure WordPress experts are available to assist participants with technical issues or advanced questions. Designate specific times or areas for expert consultations.
• Community Building: Foster a sense of community among participants. Encourage networking and collaboration during breaks and group activities.

Post Event

Once the event is over, we highly encourage you to jump into the WordPress.org Slack and share your highlights from the event in the #campusconnect channel. We’d love to celebrate your wins, learn from your experiences, and also help with any future planned sessions.

You can also join your local WordPress meetup group and start a WordPress Campus Connect Student Club on your campus!

WordPress Campus Connect Student Clubs

Campuses that have hosted a WordPress Campus Connect, and those which have not, may form a WordPress Student Club. Forming a WordPress Student Club allows students to sustain on-campus activities and events, encouraging ongoing engagement and education around WordPress. Forming an on-campus club gives students who missed the initial event the opportunity to learn more about WordPress, while also empowering student organizers to grow and build their local, on-campus community group. WordPress Student Clubs may host events like monthly meetups and support recurring WordPress Campus Connect events. 

When submitting the WordPress Campus Connect form there is a question “Would you like to create a WordPress student club site?”. Saying “Yes” to this question signals to the Community Program Managers that you’d like a WordPress Student Club site created for the educational institution where the event is to take place.

To create a new WordPress Student Club, Community Program Managers can create the related site via the same event tracker as the original WordPress Campus Connect event. By default, these sites will have GatherPress enabled so students can create their own, on-campus events. The original WordPress Campus Connect event organizer will automatically be added to the student club site as an Admin.

(For Program Managers) Creating a WordPress Student Club Site

1. Edit a campusConnect event: https://central.wordcamp.org/wp-admin/post.php?post=10575895&action=edit
2. Scroll down to Secondary Site
3. Add the URLURL A specific web address of a website or web page on the Internet, such as a website’s URL www.wordpress.org for the school group (Ex. https://campus.wordpress.org/{city}/{school-name})
4. Update
5. Check the create-network-site checkbox
6. Update

(For Organizers) Once the new WordPress Student Club site is created, the requesting organizer can add the Faculty Member as an Admin, and the Student Organizers as Editors. If the Faculty Member will be adding the Student Organizers later, then instruct them on how to do so. If the educational institution has a mentor, they should also be added to the site as an Admin; otherwise once the site is created the original event organizer will be an Admin of the site.

When creating a new student club, organizers should aim for the following make-up of club leadership:

• Faculty member: Student clubs should include one faculty member in an advisory role on campus. The faculty member should be willing to assist in the club set up, according to any on-campus rules and requirements, and be available for regular check-ins with student organizers to help encourage ongoing event planning, participation, and future mentorship.
• Student organizers: Each club should include at least one to two student organizers. Ideally, having more than one student organizer helps to split the workload and can encourage new student organizers to step into the role as others graduate. Student organizers are expected to host regular WordPress events, encourage awareness on campus, and coordinate with WordPress Community team members for future WordPress Campus Connect events. Organizers are also expected to be familiar with and plan events according to the expectations listed below.
• Other: While not required, some student clubs may find it helpful to create formal or informal roles to help support any ongoing club activities, such as:
  • Designers to assist with promotional materials for on-campus events.
  • Social media and content volunteers to help keep any online presence up-to-date and engaging for the club.

WordPress Student Club Expectations

Kindly be mindful that as members of the WordPress Student Club, you are representing the WordPress community within your campus. Any WordPress Student Club created is done so in agreement with the expectations in this document. With that also comes the following expectations to ensure clubs are inclusive, growth-oriented, and sustainable:

• Follow the WordPress Community Code of ConductCode of Conduct “A code of conduct is a set of rules outlining the norms, rules, and responsibilities or proper practices of an individual party.” – Wikipedia: Clubs are expected to adhere to the guidelines outlined in the WordPress Community Code of Conduct.
• Foster a Learning Environment: Clubs should create an environment that encourages learning and skill development in WordPress. This can involve workshops, tutorials, and collaborative projects. Learning materials can be found on Learn WordPress.
• Promote Collaboration and Networking: Encourage students to collaborate on projects and network with each other and professionals in the WordPress community. 
• Share Knowledge and Resources: Clubs should share knowledge, tips, and resources related to WordPress with their members. This could include sharing articles, plugins, themes, and development techniques. 
• Engage with the Broader Community: Encourage students to participate in the wider WordPress community, such as contributing to WordPress.orgWordPress.org The community site where WordPress code is created and shared by the users. This is where you can download the source code for WordPress core, plugins and themes as well as the central location for community conversations and organization. https://wordpress.org/, attending WordCamps, local meetups and participating in online forums. 
• Provide Leadership Opportunities: Offer students opportunities to take on leadership roles within the club, such as organizing events, leading workshops, or managing club communications. 
• Stay Updated with WordPress Developments: Clubs should keep up-to-date with the latest developments in WordPress and share this information with their members. 
• Be Inclusive and Welcoming: Create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students, regardless of their skill level or background. 
• Host Regular Meetups: Organize regular meetups or events to provide ongoing opportunities for learning and networking. 

Before applying, students interested in forming a WordPress Student Club should check for an existing club on campus and/or a previous WordPress Campus Connect event.

You do not need to have had a WordPress Campus Connect event on campus to start a student club. Simply fill out the form belowreach out to WordPress Campus Connect supporters by signing in to WordPress.org Slack and joining the #campusconnect channel.

Request the creation of a WordPress Student Club

If you have not yet held a WordPress Campus Connect event, we highly encourage you to organize one! Regardless of having an event, you can request for the creation of a WordPress Student Club through the following form.

Getting Support

Students can get support with their Student Club at any time by joining the #campusconnect channel in the WordPress.org Slack. We also encourage students to reach out to their local WordPress meetup group community for mentorship and further resources and support.