Function: Organize
Type: Project
Level: Beginner
Start a student-led WordPress Student Club on your campus where members learn, build, and contribute to the WordPress open-source project. It’s a way to grow the community from the ground up while gaining real-world open sourceOpen Source Open Source denotes software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. Open Source **must be** delivered via a licensing model, see GPL. experience.
Before you start
Complete the common setup first, then:
- Setup: You’ll need to be a current student and able to recruit a Faculty Advisor and at least one other student co-organizer. No tools or software needed at this stage.
- Read: Read through the WordPress Student Club Guide — it covers the purpose, structure, application process, and how clubs are supported after launch.
- Connect: Join #campusconnect on SlackSlack Slack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/ and introduce yourself.
Steps
- Check if your campus already has a club. Ask in #campusconnect before starting from scratch — there may already be a club at your institution, or someone else working on one.
- Form your coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. team. You need at least one Faculty Advisor and two student co-organizers. The Faculty Advisor provides institutional support and continuity, and the co-organizers share the work of running the club.
- Define your initial goals. Decide what your club will focus on for the first 3–6 months — learning WordPress, contributing to the open source project, building sites, or a combination. These don’t need to be perfect, they help the review team understand your plans.
- Submit your application. Follow the steps on the Request the Creation of a WordPress Student Club page. You’ll need to provide details about your team, campus, and goals.
- Attend the onboarding session. After your application is reviewed, your team will be invited to an onboarding session facilitated by the WordPress Campus Connect team. This covers how to structure, launch, and sustain your club.
- Launch your club. Once approved, you’ll receive a dedicated club website, access to learning resources, mentorship, and ongoing support from the Campus Connect team.
Contribution checklist
- Core team formed (1 Faculty Advisor + 2 student co-organizers)
- Application submitted with goals for the first 3–6 months
- Onboarding session attended
- Club launched with support from the Campus Connect team
What happens next
Once your club is running, host regular meetings, explore WordPress through hands-on activities, and encourage members to contribute to the open source project. The Student Club Expectations page outlines the expectations of the Campus Connect team for active clubs.
If your campus has a local WordPress meetupMeetup All local/regional gatherings that are officially a part of the WordPress world but are not WordCamps are organized through https://www.meetup.com/. A meetup is typically a chance for local WordPress users to get together and share new ideas and seek help from one another. Searching for ‘WordPress’ on meetup.com will help you find options in your area. or community, connect with them — they can be a great source of speakers, mentors, and collaboration.
Help
Stuck? Check the getting help guide. Your first point of contact is your Faculty Advisor, then any local community mentor, then #campusconnect on Slack.
Further reading:
– About WordPress Campus Connect Student Clubs
– WordPress Student Club Expectations
– Community Team Blog
