CampusTours.com, a nationally recognized college admission Web site, has awarded Wittenberg University its “4-Star Virtual College Tour” award. As part of this recognition, Wittenberg will be featured on the CampusTours.com Web site for the month of October.
“The Wittenberg University virtual tour is an excellent presentation that conveys the unique aspects of the institution in a way that is simultaneously informative and entertaining,” according to the press release posted on CampusTours.com.
The new virtual tour debuted on Wittenberg’s Web site in April, giving the world a glimpse into the sights and sounds of life on campus. In addition to photos, the tour offers video clips, an interactive map and actual students serving as online tour guides.
What makes Wittenberg’s new virtual tour unique is that it was almost completely designed, written and implemented by Wittenberg students. In a collaborative effort between Wittenberg’s Office of University Communications and Office of Admission, students were selected, supervised and directed by Bob Rafferty ’02, the university webmaster, to create a unique experience that represented in a dynamic and engaging way all that Wittenberg University has to offer.
“We put a lot of time into the development of this tour,” Rafferty said. “It is great to know that we are being recognized for that work.”
The primary audience for the virtual tour is prospective students, but other interested parties can get a good overview of Wittenberg’s active campus environment as well. Web statistics indicate that the online tour has received more than 10,000 hits in the six months since it was launched. The Wittenberg University Web site averages nearly 4,000 unique visitors a day and has had more than 600,000 unique visitors since April.
“While there is no substitute for a personal campus visit, the virtual tour is a wonderful opportunity for prospective students to see the beauty of our campus as well as our exceptional academic, residential, athletic and recreational facilities,” said Linda Beals, interim director of admission. “It is my hope that in addition to showcasing our great campus, this tour demonstrates how talented and creative our students are,” she added.
“Our diverse student body makes Wittenberg University a unique place to live and learn, and this online tour does a good job bringing that experience to a great audience.”
Founded in 1996, CampusTours.com has been recognized by such media outlets as the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal,Time Magazine and the New York Times for its leadership in the development and promotion of virtual college tours. To take Wittenberg’s award-winning virtual tour, log on at www.wittenberg.edu
