Get Inside the Network

Most college students have a Facebook account. Even President Destler of RIT has a Facebook account! However, most individuals of previous generations seem oblivious to this new form of communication. Today RIT alumni and parents learned about the perks and advantages of this social networking site: how to create a profile, how to get connected to the RIT alumni network, and how to get connected with RIT staff.

Discussion about Facebook versus MySpace shows that Facebook is favored by most students both for safety and ease of use. It allows RIT to be connected to students, alumni, and staff. This informational meeting taught the RIT alumni how to search for friends by name, E-mail address, college affiliation, and network affiliation.

Joanna Pinero, parent of an RIT freshman, says she has not had a Facebook account for very long. Her purposes are to be connected with her children and other friends from back home. Pinero just recently moved here and felt it would be a good idea to join Facebook. She says it can be "kind of frustrating" but is becoming more comfortable and familiar with it.

Be aware of what you post on your profile if you do have a Facebook or MySpace account and remember that everyone can see what you put online. Concern with social networking for job searches and grad school applications comes into consideration when filtering what is posted and what your profile looks like.

Facebook is a very popular site that continues to grow in popularity every day. The older generations are catching on and learning how to use these sites to get connected.