CALGARY - bowvalleycollege.ca is now the virtual home of many student-focussed features found live at Calgary and Region's One and Only Comprehensive Community College.

"For a person taking that first step towards post-secondary education, access to student-focussed initiatives such as our Prospective Student Centre, Orientation and our Library and Learning Commons," says Sharon Carry, President and CEO, "is now available online at any time night or day. From inquiry to graduation and membership in our Alumni Association, a learner's relationship with Bow Valley College just became more intuitive, thoughtful, and seamless. We've taken a giant leap forward on our promise of any time, any place, any path, any place learning."

With input from the Web 2.0 Advisory Committee and a College-wide web assessment, bowvalleycollege.ca truly represents the diverse range of services and supports offered by the College, as well as the diversity of the College community. Those providing input were unanimous: create a site first and foremost for prospective student, make it easy to navigate, engaging to read, and simple to take the next step of inquiry. Close on the heels of that recommendation was the direction to push information on the many services and supports available to current students and alumni and how best to access them.

bowvalleycollege.ca site features include:

• Separate "gateway pages" specifically geared to prospective students, currents students, alumni, and employers 
• Academic department pages which can be built out over time 
• The addition of a Content Management System 
• Use of videos, testimonials, and banner ads 
• A photo library that highlights the College's redeveloped North Campus 
• Access to a new student awards portal 
• Website specific search 
• Links to social media 
• News archive 
• Events/Calendar listing 
• A searchable directory of more than 700 full- and part-time employees

No website is ever truly complete, so plans are in place to link the College's existing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system to update the CMS with real-time program and course information, as well as build stronger links to other third party applications geared to increasing the ease with which users interact with the site and its many services.

"BVC faculty and staff believe that in everything we do, we're here to help students succeed," says Katherine Cormack, Director Marketing and Communications, Bow Valley College. "Rethinking and transforming bowvalleycollege.ca to serve the user-the future or current learner--is the culmination of a truly collaborative effort that engaged the entire College community and captured imaginations across service areas and functions. It's an honour to give voice to what our colleagues shared with us and to reach out like never before."

The project, completed on time and under budget, was sponsored by Valerie Hoey, Associate Vice-president College Advancement, and led by Dave McLean, Project Lead, and Neil Gilbert, Web Coordinator, under the supervision of Katherine Cormack, Director Marketing and Communications.