Columbus State University alumni and students now have their own networking website. The new tool, CampusTap, enables alumni and students to connect through a secure forum.

“It’s a great resource for alumni who are interested in mentoring current students,” said Katie Evans, Alumni Engagement Coordinator at CSU. “Alumni who are interested in mentoring can sign up, take a personality test and are matched with a current student.”

In addition to the mentorship service, CampusTap allows users to seek career advice, learn about upcoming events and connect with groups of similar career fields or employers. CampusTap was launched to alumni on Sept. 20 and will be available to students on October 11.

The idea for the program was developed in 2016, after the university’s Leadership Institute surveyed 17 local organizations to gain insight into employers’ perspectives about CSU graduates. The results revealed a need for “soft skills” with recommendations to expand opportunities that expose students to the real world. CampusTap seeks to do so by matching students with mentors in their field.

CSU Alumni Association President Sommer Bundy and CSU student Dominique Olagbegi will co-host a Facebook Live event through CSU’s Facebook page at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 12 to demonstrate the features of CampusTap. Bundy and Olagbegi, who were featured in CSU’s fall 2017 alumni magazine, developed a mentorship in 2016 that has helped Olagbegi advance her career in banking.