Student Government Association creates campus-wide Discord server, builds online community

Student Government Association Senior Representative Bailey Fulkerson has created a discord server meant to serve as a hub for online campus resources and community.

Discord is a messaging platform that allows voice, video, text and image-based communication. Originally made for social gaming, the app allows users to share tailored messages and information through forums known as channels. Texas Wesleyan's newly created server, named "Ram Central", is complete with over 20 tailored channels ranging from campus news hubs, virtual study rooms and even a pet gallery where users can share videos and photos of their pets.

"As a freshman coming into this school, I did have a hard time trying to find different resources. I always had to go to different websites and apps to try and find them," Fulkerson, a senior education major, said. "I figured if I made something that everything could be posted on... that might make it easier for new students and also for our current students."

The server is open to students, faculty, staff, alumni and wider community members. When logging on, users are asked about their connection to the university and how they intend to use the server -- socially, academically, for entertainment purposes, for information or all of the above.

First-year biology major Jules Pittman, a members of the TxWes Esports team and an experienced Discord user, says the server may give students unlikely friendships.

"It could give others, including myself, a chance to talk to students over a variety of different majors when we typically wouldn't cross paths," Pittman said.

The server currently has 44 members; Fulkerson says she has a goal of reaching 100 before the end of the semester.

To prevent online abuse and spam, Fulkerson aims to appoint two moderators. In addition, the server is complete with Discord's AI bot Dyno, renamed Willie on Ram Central, to detect misconduct. Users in violation of the server guidelines could receive muting, suspensions or permanent bans.

Executive Director of Student Development & Strategic Initiatives and founder of Texas Wesleyan's Esports program Eugene Frier knows first-hand how online social gaming platforms like Discord can be harnessed to cultivate campus community.

"Any medium that allows easier communication between students has the potential to develop a more closely knit campus community," Frier said. "The big thing is whether there is already a large enough Discord user base on campus."

More than just a social platform, Ram Central also has channels reserved for sharing employment opportunities on and off campus and self-promotion of student businesses and services.

Assistant Director of TxWes Esports Michael Nguyen says he has personal experience with forming real-life relationships through Discord and even recruiting players to the Esports program through the platform.

"I've formed relationships on Discord that directly correlated to forming a strong relationship on campus," Nguyen said. "Most of the players I work with I met on Discord originally, and we have great relationships now."

To join Ram Central, click here.