Abstract:

The proposed presentation will introduce Everconnected (EC), an innovative social media platform revolutionizing human interaction, alongside CampusConnected (CC), a version of EC catering to college and university students. Developed by a multidisciplinary team of educators, psychologists, technologists, communication experts, and neuroscientists, EC harnesses empathetic communication and authentic connections to foster mental wellness. CC, specifically designed for students, functions as a mental health tech platform, facilitating the creation of intelligent peer support networks on a global scale. The presentation aims to spotlight CC's distinctive features, including its secure user-centric design and real-time interactions, engineered to address prevalent social, academic, and mental health challenges among students.

Supported by extant literature, CC's vision underscores the crucial significance of social connectedness for academic success. Research demonstrates the multifaceted nature of achieving academic excellence in university settings, requiring a delicate equilibrium of factors including academic competence, motivation, and social integration. Allen, Robbins, Casillas and Oh's (2008) pivotal study highlights the impact of social connectedness on third-year retention, with academic performance, self-discipline, and pre-college elements playing crucial roles. This theme persists in subsequent research, exploring social networking sites (Raza, Qazi, Umer & Khan, 2020) and online communities in teacher education (Habibi, Mukminin, Riyanto, Prasojo, Sulistiyo, Sofwan & Saudagar, 2018). The research broadens its focus to specific student demographics like graduate and international students, emphasizing the need to address challenges of building social connections in diverse cohorts (Sun, Hall, DeGarmo, Chain & Fong, 2021). It also emphasizes the role of social connectedness in mitigating issues faced by diverse student groups, prompting proactive measures to enhance it within higher education amid challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic (Hasnain & Hajek, 2022). Additionally, investigations reveal a correlation between inadequate social connectedness and the emergence of suicidal ideation and attempts among students. Studies on suicidal ideation mechanisms highlight the salience of robust social bonds in mitigating such tendencies and fostering help-seeking behaviors, albeit with a diminished effect observed among international students. This underlines the necessity for culturally sensitive support structures to effectively address suicidal ideation, advocating for coordinated initiatives targeting social belongingness, accessibility to support resources, and culturally informed approaches to mental health. (Nguyen, Le, Nguyen, Ho, Nguyen & Vuong, 2021; Testoni, Piol & De Leo, 2021). These findings reinforce the urgency to enhance social connectedness, facilitate access to help-related resources, and foster culturally sensitive approaches to mental health in higher education.

Drawing from an in-depth literature review and user needs assessment, this presentation will illuminate CC's innovative solutions to bolster students' social connectivity, academic success, and mental well-being. CC fosters an inclusive digital environment to enrich global university interconnectedness and address students' challenges effectively.

Keywords:

Technology, Higher Education, Social Connectedness, Mental Wellbeing, Campus Life, Academic Success, Students.