Interactive virtual tour offers connectivity, visibility for UAA
by Michelle Saport |
In late August, the University of Alaska Anchorage unveiled a new, interactive virtual tour that allows interested parties to explore the UAA campus from the comfort of their home.
The mobile-friendly tour is facilitated through a well-known virtual experience platform called YouVisit. UAA staff members began consultative work with YouVisit early in the summer and commenced with production through June and July.
"We know the internet is the number one place students are going to start the college search process, and this tour brings that search alive," said Lora Volden, associate vice chancellor for enrollment services at UAA. "Much more dynamic than flat photos, the virtual tour allows prospective students to really start to see themselves at UAA."
The Fine Arts Building is one of 18 stops on UAA's new, interactive virtual tour that allows interested parties to explore campus from anywhere.
UAA's experience features five different student tour guides who lead the user through campus, introducing key buildings and facilities along the way. At each stop, the guides highlight key resources, interesting facts and important information. Many of the tour stops are 360-degree images that allow users to fully immerse themselves in the campus, creating a genuine virtual reality experience. Additionally, all 18 tour stops feature media galleries that include photos, videos and 360-degree images to supplement the main tour experience.
The utility of UAA's virtual tour extends beyond just that of an innovative marketing tool. The tour helps break down geographical barriers that have historically prevented some prospective students in remote and rural parts of Alaska from exploring the UAA campus. This project contributes to statewide initiatives aimed at increasing access to higher education in Alaska, especially among rural populations.
Geser Bat-Erdene, current UAA study body president, is one of the five student guides featured in the tour. An international student from Mongolia, Bat-Erdene believes the tour has immense value when it comes to reaching prospective students outside the Anchorage area.
"If I had the opportunity four years ago to [feel] as if I'm standing, for example, in the Student Union, I wouldn't have any hesitation to choose UAA [or] come and choose Alaska," said Bat-Erdene in an interview with a local news outlet.
Many of the tour stops, including the Student Union, are 360-degree images that allow users to fully immerse themselves in the campus.
As Bat-Erdene alluded to, the implementation of such an immersive virtual experience could have a significant impact on UAA's out-of-state student population. Prospective students from around the globe can now tour the UAA campus and visualize themselves at the university without having to travel thousands of miles to do so. In addition, the tour includes a stop for the state of Alaska, which showcases the outdoor experiences and urban amenities available to UAA students.
Paired with a recent emphasis on strategic recruitment initiatives, the virtual tour could have a profound effect on the university's enrollment numbers.
"This has the potential to really change things in terms of enrollment both in state and out of state," said Volden. "This tool allows us to show off UAA and Alaska, which helps us reach new audiences and continue to diversify our student body."
View the new virtual tour and explore the UAA campus at uaa.alaska.edu/visit.
"Interactive virtual tour offers connectivity, visibility for UAA" is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.