This Valentine's Day, students can log on to www.connectionu.com and mingle on the message board or find some new screen names for their buddy list.
Since the beginning of Fall Semester, www.connectionu.com has been visited by more than 500 Ball State students, creator and graduate student Gary Bontrager said. Bontrager said he created the site to increase communication on campus.
"Ball State doesn't have anything like this," Bontrager said. "I think it would be nice for students to meet other people out there. Sometimes people get stuck in their own little worlds and never get beyond that."
Bontrager said the site looks similar to a dating service Web site, but he envisions more.
"That's why we have a message board and chat," Bontrager said. "If we get more people to communicate with each other, we'll have more unity."
Sophomore Kelly Hake said she posted her picture out of boredom, and within a week, seven boys messaged her. After they asked about her major and hobbies, Hake said the conversation ran dry.
"There were no meaningful conversations," Hake said. "After a while, I got sick of people IMing me and having nothing to talk about."
Another student has plenty to talk about, using the site to discuss issues at the university.
Freshman Anthony Lovechio said he doesn't use the site for dating and believes the site could be beneficial to new students.
"They can get to know people on campus," Lovechio said.
Lovechio hasn't set up any face-to-face meetings yet, but said he was planning on it, he said. "I would probably just meet them somewhere at Ball State."
Hake said she received several dinner invitations at the Student Center, but didn't go.
"That would've been weird," Hake said.
Signing up for the site's basic package is free, but to receive members' contact information, a monthly fee is charged. Most members sign up for the free service, which allows them to post basic information such as age, height and location. After a month, they're barred from the message board and chat.
"It's only $1.95 per month, but I'm cheap," freshman Andrea O'Connor-Wild said. "I'm kind of seeing someone, so I actually haven't been on in a while."
A three-month subscription costs $4.95 and a year costs $14.95.
"The goal was to make back the money I had paid out of my own pocket," Bontrager said. "I haven't made a profit at all, not even close."
Freshman Niccole Riehle said www.connectionu.com is more of a matchmaker than a friend connection. Riehle said because she's in a relationship, people haven't talked to her.
"I think two guys have, and that's it," Riehle said. "I haven't made any new friends."
Bontrager said he plans to give the site a new look after completing his master's degrees in Adult Education and Executive Development.
"At this point in time, it's going to look like a dating site," Bontrager said.
The site was designed for the Ball State Community, but Bontrager said he would like to expand to other campuses.
He has already contacted Indiana and Butler universities about joining and plans to advertise in their residence halls soon.
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