WEST HAVEN, CONN — June 1, 2009 – On Friday, May 29, the University of New Haven (UNH) launched the first web-based, 360-degree virtual tour in Connecticut, and is the sixth institution in the U.S. to offer a “next generation” virtual-campus tour experience on their website: www.newhaven.edu/virtualtour. The project is the latest in a string of social-media and web-recruitment projects at University of New Haven, including Facebook, YouTube, Zinch and Twitter, and powered by YourCampus360.com, an integrated-media company in Massachusetts.
The UNH YourCampus360 tour includes a virtual walking tour where students can “walk” on a path through campus and view 360-degree panoramic shots of UNH facilities. While viewing sites along the tour, visitors can explore specific areas in detail by linking to additional photos or videos.
According to Gil Rogers, associate director of admissions and enrollment technology and coordinator of undergraduate electronic recruitment at UNH, while many institutions offer web tours with photos and possibly a “video visit” of campus, only a select few now offer a virtual environment for students to get a true feel for the campus and view in detail all of the amenities they are interested in. “The YourCampus360 tour offers an abundance of benefits for all sorts of potential students,” Rogers says. “Now students from across the country and around the globe can experience our campus-24/7, 365 days a week-without the financial burden of a plane ticket.” He adds that any prospective students can take an in-depth look at the campus so they’ll be better prepared for a campus visit, and see things that a typical, on-site tour doesn’t have time to cover, including facilities specific to a student’s major. In addition, students can follow up an in-person visit to campus with a YourCampus360 tour, “revisiting” specific programs.
A leader in experiential education, the University of New Haven is experiencing a historic and nationally recognized surge in enrollment. Founded in 1920, the University provides its students with a unique combination of solid liberal arts and real-world, hands-on professional training. UNH is a private university with an 80-acre main campus. The University has an enrollment of more than 5,200; approximately 1,700 graduate students and more than 3,500 undergraduates, 70 percent of whom reside in University housing. The University offers more than 80 undergraduate degrees and more than 25 graduate degrees through its five colleges, in fields such as sports management, nutrition, forensic science, music and sound recording, engineering, computer science and criminal justice. University College at UNH develops programs and courses to meet the emerging educational and training needs of educators, businesses and public and social agencies, focusing on academic excellence, convenience and flexibility. University of New Haven students study abroad through a variety of distinctive programs.
