In an effort to increase campus connectivity, St. Thomas’ Undergraduate Student Government has collaborated with Information Resources and Technology to develop a St. Thomas mobile app called Ellucian Go to launch this month.

After receiving requests from students asking for an easier way to find out when club activities and campus events take place, USG approached IRT with the idea of developing an app, according to former USG president Jenna Johnson.

After months of planning and developing, Web Services manager Jane Beauchamp said IRT hopes to release the app before the end of the semester.

“We figured with the technological era increasing, most people now have smart phones, and an app would be a great way to keep connected on campus,” Johnson said.

Chris Gregg, interim Vice President of IRT said one reason IRT and USG developed the app is to provide information to students in a way they’re used to receiving it—through an app rather than the mobile website.

“A fair amount of content will be the same but through an app, which I think is what people have come to expect to get their information,” Gregg said. “It will be in a way that they prefer.”

Besides connecting students with clubs and events, the free app will also feature a map of campus buildings and parking lots, as well as information about Dining Services, the alumni association, campus news, and sports and will provide access to grades. Gregg said students may be able to register for courses through the app in the future.

Freshman Allison Mathias said she is most excited about the map feature.

“I’m not a very tech-savvy person, but I think it will be extremely helpful,” Mathias said. “I get lost kind of easily even though I’ve been here for a few months, and buildings can get very confusing, so the map will really help.”

Johnson said the map will also be important for prospective students and campus visitors.

“I think it’ll help people find buildings easier, especially incoming freshman if they’re unfamiliar with classes,” Johnson said.

According to Beauchamp, the mobile app is pulling information from the existing mobile website and making it easier to access.

“This mobile app is really going to those other content areas on the website and pulling them into a more succinct compact app,” Beauchamp said. “I would say if someone goes to the Web to look at sports scores, now they can go to the app and look at sport scores.”

Junior Benjamin Johnson said he is looking for simplicity and a way to stay connected to events on campus from the app.

“If it kept up with a calendar of events, that’d be really helpful,” Benjamin said. “Especially like if I wanted to know when a football game was—that’d be perfect.”

Though the first version is being released this month, Gregg said the app will continue to update and evolve via feedback from students.

“We haven’t determined the exact release cycle, but this is the first launch, and it will continue to evolve,” Gregg said. “We will continue over time to develop more mobile-friendly content, and we’ll take feedback from people who have the app and adjust things according to that.”

In addition to IRT continuing to develop the app, users can expect updates from Ellucian Go, which is the company behind Murphy Online. Gregg said IRT chose Ellucian Go because of an already established relationship between the company and the univeristy.

Once it’s released, students with Android or Apple phones will be able to download the app for free. The first time they open it, they must choose St. Thomas from a list of other schools using the app.

According to Gregg, many other schools that use Ellucian Go’s banner system already have the app. Johnson said she hopes it will bind the community closer.

“St. Thomas is actually behind the curve,” Johnson said. “We’re playing the catch-up game, but it should be a great app once it’s released. I hope that it will help keep the student body more connected to the clubs and organizations that are happening on campus and get them better turnouts and increase school spirit.”

Mathias said she thinks that an app is the perfect way to do that.

“The Tommies are a very close-knit group of people, and I think it will just be another way to bring us together,” Mathias said.

Simeon Lancaster can be reached at lanc4637@stthomas.edu.