TU’s Family Network opens new Family Portal website

By Kyle Hobstetter on May 31, 2017

Sending your child to college can be a difficult. It’s even more difficult for families to know what’s going on with their students on campus.

That’s why the Towson University Family Network and New Student Programs have partnered with CampusESP to launch a new “Family Portal” website to serve as a one-stop shop for families looking to stay involved with their student’s campus life. 

The new “Family Portal” website will launch on June 1, and is a free service to use for all Towson University families.

“We think this is a good opportunity for families who want to stay connected to what’s happening on campus," said Sylvester Gaskin, assistant director of New Student Programs and university liaison to the TU Family Network. "This website will allow them to support their student, whether they are close or far away and is a great way for families to stay engaged with the campus community.”

After signing up with the website, families will be able to access all of Towson University’s resources and news in one place. The site will also maintain an up-to-date schedule of all the events happening at TU. The website can also be customized to fit a user's preference and will feature information based on their interests. 

Signing up with the “Family Portal” will also allow families to receive an e-mail newsletter and access a blog that will allows families to communicate with one another. The newsletters come at a frequency the families choose (daily, weekly, monthly) and will bring all of the news and information from Towson University straight to their inbox. 

With several different ways to share information, the Family Network believes it will be easier for families and their students to stay informed about what is happening at Towson University.

“We’re trying to pull resources together on one simple platform for families to find it,” Gaskin said.“We’re seeing that families are looking for more information, because their students are contacting them and saying 'I'm looking for this resource.'

“We want to have everything on one site, so it will be easy to find what you’re looking for.”

The idea for the “Family Portal” came about when the TU Family Network were trying to find ways to stay engaged with families aside from Orientation and Family Weekend.

That’s when they met with CampusESP, an EDTech start-up that works with universities to design a platform that provides information and guidance for families and their students.    

A benefit of working with CampusESP was the start-up's existing relationship with the university as a part of the TU Incubator.

As a university-integrated business incubator, TU Incubator uniquely serves both regional and local startups as well the Towson University community by providing business support and networks to seed early stage companies that have a viable plan for growth.  

Learn more about entrepreneurship at Towson University and the TU Incubator   

So, when the Towson University Family Network and New Student Programs asked CampusESP for help, the start-up jumped at the chance to help reach TU families.

"We're excited to be a part of Towson University's efforts to strengthen their New Student Programs," said Dave Becker, co-founder and CEO of CampusESP. "The Towson University Parent & Family Experience recognizes the role that parents and families play in student success. Leveraging CampusESP technology, Towson University will be able to provide information to parents, so that they can better advise and support their students."

This story is one of several related to President Kim Schatzel's priorities for Towson University:  BTU: Partnerships at Work for Greater Baltimore.