NC State Student plans to upstart social network

Have you ever wanted to find a way to connect with students who share similar interests? Ever wanted to hold a pick-up basketball game, but didn’t have enough people to play? Well, one NC State student plans to change that after he launches his social media network on September 15th.

Malique Booker plans to launch a social networking site entitled Groupsity.com. Groupsity.com will be a social networking site in which NC State students will be able to log on and connect with other members of the community who share their interests and hobbies. It will also be an outlet where students can promote meetings and create study groups.

According to Booker, he was inspired to create this website because it was partially a way to make a little extra money, but more so a way to create a business of his own. “I am a person who doesn’t really like to work under anyone,” Booker said.

Booker also says that he wants “to create a social networking site to keep students active,” and to make sure that they are not spending all day on the computer wasting time on other social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. “Also, when many students move off campus they lose some of the connections that they use to have on campus and stop being as involved as they were beforehand,” Booker explains.

Groupsity.com will feature 100 different areas for students to browse. The target audience is any NC State student who wants to get out of their residence hall or apartment and do something constructive. However, Booker did mention that he wants to make sure that it is a website in which African American and other minority students can benefit from. “Sometimes it really gets to you, when you’re in a class and you look around and you see little to no one who looks like you.”

Booker also plans to go around to different classes on campus and speak with students about his site. He plans to speak with classes and on panels. He has also garnered support from faculty and staff such as Dr. Karen Young, Interim Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs and Director of Undergraduate Programs. The new social networking site will also open up career opportunities for students as well. Booker and his staff are actively looking for new students who have experience in web design to join the staff. He hopes that he will be able to speak with students in other colleges such as the Poole College of Management which offers an entrepreneurship program.

“If I can do it, anyone can do it. I want to show everyone, including African American males, that anything is possible,” said Booker.

The initial release of the site will be a beta version. If you are interested in being on the initial list of invitees for the test version you can contact Malique Booker at mdbooker22@aol.com in September.