Retiring the WordPress Campus Connect–Specific Mentor Program

As WordPress Campus Connect (WPCC) events have continued to grow and mature, so have the processes and documentation that support them. When WPCC was first introduced, we created a separate, WPCC-specific mentorEvent Supporter Event Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. program to meet an immediate need. At the time, information was limited and we needed a focused group to help define, document, and guide this new event format.

Today, that is no longer the case.

With stronger processes, clearer documentation, and an established foundation for supporting WPCC events, we will be retiring the WordPress Campus Connect–specific mentor program and integrating its responsibilities into the existing Event Supporters program.

Why We’re Making This Change

Over time, we found that maintaining a separate WPCC mentor group:

  • Created the perception that WPCC events are fundamentally different from other supported event types — which is not the case.
  • Introduced additional process layers on top of an already well-established mentorship structure.
  • Limited opportunities to leverage the full strength and experience of our broader Event SupporterEvent Supporter Event Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. team.

WPCC events are simply another important event format within our community. By integrating WPCC mentorship into the Event Supporters program, we can:

  • Ensure more sustainable growth for WPCC events.
  • Empower more contributors to support these events.
  • Reduce unnecessary process duplication.
  • Strengthen consistency across event mentorship overall.

What This Means

  • The WPCC-specific mentor program will be dissolved.
  • Eligible WPCC mentorsEvent Supporter Event Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. will onboard as Event Supporters.
  • WPCC mentoring responsibilities will now be handled within the Event Supporters framework.

Documentation & Resource Updates

To support this transition, documentation has been updated and integrated into existing resources:

Additionally, available WPCC resources will continue to be integrated into established handbook pages as needed.


We believe that dissolving the separate WPCC mentor group and strengthening our existing Event Supporters program is the best path forward. This change allows us to streamline processes, reduce complexity, and build a more resilient and scalable support structure for WordPress Campus Connect events.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to building and mentoring WPCC events thus far — your work laid the foundation that makes this transition possible.

Bringing WordPress Campus Connect to Malaysia: A Milestone for Open-Source Education at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

Bringing WordPress Campus Connect to Malaysia marked an important milestone for open-source education and community-driven learning in the region. On 3 January 2026, the first-ever WordPress Campus Connect event in Malaysia was held at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Johor Bahru, welcoming students, educators, organizers, mentorsEvent Supporter Event Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues., and volunteers for a day dedicated to learning, collaboration, and open-source exploration.

WordPress Campus Connect Universiti Teknologi Malaysia 2026 group photo
WordPress Campus Connect is part of the WordPress Education initiative, designed to help students learn by doing — building practical skills with WordPress, understanding open-source values, and exploring career pathways through community-led learning. Hosting this initiative at UTM provided a meaningful opportunity to connect academic learning with real-world digital experience.

Preparing for the Event

Preparation for the event began with close collaboration between the organizing team, volunteers, and mentorEvent Supporter Event Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues.. The goal was to create an inclusive and beginner-friendly environment where students could engage with WordPress beyond theory and gain practical insights into how open-source communities function.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia supported the initiative by providing the venue and encouraging student participation, making it possible to host the first Campus Connect event in the country. Organizers and volunteers worked together to ensure smooth coordination across registration, logistics, audio-visual support, and on-site engagement.

The event was supported by WordPress Community Sponsors, with funding assistance of USD 300 used for printing, swag, refreshments, and other essential arrangements. We are thankful to the global sponsors who continue to enable community-led learning initiatives across the WordPress ecosystem.

Website Setup

Organizing the first WordPress Campus Connect event in Malaysia also provided valuable insights into the operational aspects of running a community-led education event. These learnings may be helpful for future Campus Connect organizers.

Website Setup and Design

The event website was designed following the same standards used across other WordPress Campus Connect events. Organizers should note that the Campus Connect website environment follows WordCamp.org guidelines, meaning:

  • The website must be built using GutenbergGutenberg The Gutenberg project is the new Editor Interface for WordPress. The editor improves the process and experience of creating new content, making writing rich content much simpler. It uses ‘blocks’ to add richness rather than shortcodes, custom HTML etc. https://wordpress.org/gutenberg/ (BlockBlock Block is the abstract term used to describe units of markup that, composed together, form the content or layout of a webpage using the WordPress editor. The idea combines concepts of what in the past may have achieved with shortcodes, custom HTML, and embed discovery into a single consistent API and user experience. Editor)
  • Page builders or additional plugins are not available

While this may feel limiting at first, it encourages thoughtful design using coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. WordPress tools. The dashboard experience is identical to a WordCampWordCamp WordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. site, including access to sessions, speakers, organizers, volunteers, and sponsors.

A ticketing page was also enabled, allowing students to register and “purchase” free tickets through the official system, helping organizers manage attendance in a structured way.

Although the setup has constraints, there are still many creative possibilities within Gutenberg. For new organizers, it is recommended to allocate sufficient time for design planning and collaborate closely as a team when structuring the website.


Venue Coordination with the University

Securing the venue required working through the university’s official venue approval process, similar to how venue agreements are handled for WordCamps. This step is essential for scheduling a Campus Connect event officially.

The venue contract process has recently been improved, with options for both paid and free venue agreements, making it more flexible for universities and organizers. Completing this process correctly is a critical milestone before confirming the event date.


Design and Printing Resources

Most of the official design assets are available through Figma, including:

  • Logos (multiple formats and print-ready versions)
  • Posters and covers
  • Presentation slides
  • Certificates
  • Wappu illustrations
  • Sticker-ready logo variations

The organizing team customized these assets to suit the local event while maintaining the official branding. The design kit also helped guide color selection, which was used consistently across digital and printed materials. Having ready-to-use logo variations made printing stickers and materials much easier.

wordpress campus connect universiti teknologi malaysia printing

Issuing Certificates of Participation

All participants received e-certificates of participation following the event. For many students, this recognition carried meaningful value, not only as proof of attendance but as acknowledgment of their first engagement with the global WordPress community.

Several students shared that receiving the certificate increased their confidence and motivated them to explore further involvement in open-source initiatives and future WordPress events.


Behind the Scenes

The success of the event was made possible by a dedicated organizing team led by Mohammad Ibrahim as Lead Organizer, with Nasim Miah serving as Co-Lead. The organizing team also included Yves Tan, Kamil Sharip, Eric Low, Teh Yong Li, Peng Hao and Ts. Chan Ler-Kuan, who collectively supported planning, logistics, sessions, and community coordination.

A committed volunteer team supported the event throughout the day, assisting with registration, attendee support, floor management, audio-visual operations, photography, and logistics. Their efforts ensured a welcoming and well-organized experience for all participants.


Student Engagement and Activities

The event received over 100 registrations, with 54 students attending in person on 3 January 2026. Participants represented five different countries, creating a diverse and inclusive learning environment.

Throughout the day, students actively participated in Q&A sessions, interactive discussions, and the quiz segment. Many attendees stayed after sessions to speak directly with speakers and organizers, asking follow-up questions about WordPress development, UIUI UI is an acronym for User Interface - the layout of the page the user interacts with. Think ‘how are they doing that’ and less about what they are doing. design, freelancing opportunities, and career pathways.

The quiz session generated high energy and enthusiasm, with students competing enthusiastically and celebrating the top performers and lucky draw winners.

This milestone at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia demonstrates how community-driven education can create meaningful learning experiences and lasting connections for the next generation of digital creators.

[Update] 2026 WP Community Team Reps voting ends

First, the current Team Reps of 2026 would like to thank each one of you for voting. Voting has ended.

You made your voices heard and participated in voting.

Your selection of the two new nominees means they will join the Team Reps in 2026.


What happens next?

  1. The Voting Process has ended, and we are counting the votes to ensure everything was done correctly and fairly.
  2. The next steps are contacting the nominees who have the highest votes. We will ask them again. We want to know if they are willing to accept the role. They would represent the WordPress Project’s Community Team in 2026.
  3. Once they accept, we will announce who they are to the entire community. We will arrange a series of Hand-offs and Onboardings for them.

#community-management, #community-team

Monthly Education Buzz Report – January 2026

Welcome to the Monthly Education Buzz Report, your go-to source for highlights and updates on the WordPress Campus connect, WordPress Credits, and WordPress Student club education initiatives within the WordPress community. This report aims to celebrate, promote, and inform individuals across the WordPress community and beyond about the diverse educational endeavors underway.

WordPress Campus Connect

Stats to date

  • Completed Events: 24
  • Students Reached: 3565 (+170)
  • Institutions visited: 48 

Scheduled events: 7

18 more events are currently in the planning stages! We are actively working to expand our global reach and bring more educational opportunities to students worldwide. Come find us in the #campusconnect Slack channel.

Event Highlights

WordPress Campus Connect continues to grow globally, with multiple successful events, new resources, and increased community engagement this month.

  • Campus Connect UTM (Malaysia, 2026)
    • 51 attendees
    • First-ever WordPress Campus Connect event held in Malaysia
    • Hosted at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM)
  • Program Highlights:
    • Introduction to WordPress and open-source collaboration
    • Knowledge sharing across students, developers, and educators
    • Community networking and contributor engagement

Other Program Updates

WordPress Credits

The WordPress Credits program continues expanding across institutions and regions with strong academic integration and partnership growth.

  • Fidélitas University (Costa Rica)
    • WordPress Credits is now a mandatory component of the Technology and Society course
    • 158 students enrolled in the current cohort (completion expected in May)
    • 5 teachers are being trained to serve as mentorsEvent Supporter Event Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. for their students
  • Spain – Vocational School Expansion
    • Partnerships signed with 2 new vocational schools
    • 5 teachers at one institution being trained as mentors
    • Program will support:
      • 4 student cohorts (~70 students)
      • Approximately 8,500 contribution hours
      • Timeline: late February – June
  • New Institutional Interest
    • 8 new applications received from institutions across: Spain, Cambodia, Chile, India, & Bangladesh.
  • External Feature
    • WPBakery published an ExcerptExcerpt An excerpt is the description of the blog post or page that will by default show on the blog archive page, in search results (SERPs), and on social media. With an SEO plugin, the excerpt may also be in that plugin’s metabox. Talks episode about WordPress Credits featuring Ivana Cirkovic, Isotta, Maciej and can be watched here.

WordPress Student Clubs

Strong participation and energy set the tone for continued workshops and hands-on learning ahead.

  • WordPress Student Club GWECA — Second Official Event
    • The club hosted a learning session combined with a WordPress Website Challenge kickoff.
    • Activities included:
      • Mini-quiz competition covering WordPress basics, themes, and plugins
      • Discussion on pluginPlugin A plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party functionality and website enhancement
      • Introduction to the upcoming Website Challenge: Students will recreate and redesign a real website using WordPress
  • Two new student clubs were created, bringing our total to 12.

Get Involved

See something in the community that should be noted here or in a future newsletter? Comment below!

Stay tuned for next month’s update!

WordPress Campus Connect: January 2026 Feedback Highlights

Howdy Community Team and our hardworking WordPress Campus Connect Organizers!

To date, WordPress Campus Connect (WPCC) events have reached students across 9 locations worldwide, including Kolhapur, Zamboanga, Kathmandu, and more.

We’ve collected organizer and attendee feedback to help improve future events and scale WPCC’s impact. Here’s what we learned:

What’s Working Well

  • Hands-On Learning Drives Engagement: Students built live WordPress sites, explored hosting, and learned career opportunities in WordPress — particularly impactful for first-time learners.
  • Skilled Facilitators Make a Difference: Facilitators were highly rated for expertise, helpfulness, and ability to answer questions effectively.
  • Institutional Partnerships Matter: Schools with prior event experience saw smoother execution and higher participant engagement.
  • Community Growth: WPCC continues to reach students unfamiliar with WordPress, helping expand the ecosystem globally.

Challenges & Patterns

  • Technical Infrastructure: Internet speed, local installations, and domain claiming caused delays in multiple events. This is a recurring issue across regions.
  • Content AccessibilityAccessibility Accessibility (commonly shortened to a11y) refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design ensures both “direct access” (i.e. unassisted) and “indirect access” meaning compatibility with a person’s assistive technology (for example, computer screen readers). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility): Beginners found some sessions fast-paced; more scaffolding is needed for first-time learners.
  • Event Messaging & Participation: Some local communities didn’t fully understand the event’s purpose, leading to lower participation.
  • Post-Event Follow-Up: Students expressed interest in long-term engagement, such as monthly meetupsMeetup Meetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook., campus clubs, and multi-day workshops.

Next Steps & Action Items

To make future WPCC events even stronger, we should focus on:

  1. Technical Preparedness: Mandatory pre-event tech checks, minimum infrastructure standards, and alternative setup guides.
  2. Better Planning & Timelines: Shorter approval timelines and clear scheduling guidance to avoid conflicts with academic calendars.
  3. Enhanced Participant Experience: Beginner-first content, more hands-on time, competitions, and improved physical setups.
  4. Community Engagement: Clearer messaging for students, educators, and local WordPress communities to boost attendance.
  5. Post-Event Continuity: Developing follow-up roadmaps, WordPress student clubs, and pilot multi-day events.
  6. Streamlined Administration: Faster certificate approvals, standardized reporting, and centralized post-event documentation.

Key Takeaway: WPCC continues to deliver strong educational value and community impact. By addressing recurring technical and engagement challenges, we aim to turn these events into sustainable pathways for students to explore WordPress and the wider open-source ecosystem.

Thank you to all organizers, facilitators, and participants who make these events possible! Your feedback is invaluable in shaping the next round of WPCC events.

If you feel you have the bandwidth to tackle any of these follow up tasks, please feel free to comment on this post or reach out to Destiny directly in the Make WordPress SlackSlack Slack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/..

Vote for our WP Community Team Reps for 2026

Thank you to everyone who participated in the nominations process for the 2026 team reps! It’s now time to cast your vote to decide who will take on this important role this year. (view @webtechpooja‘s nomination post here).

What do Team Reps do?

Team reps act as facilitators. They serve as communicators, helping the team stay organized and connected with other parts of the WordPress project. They guide discussions, support contributors, and make sure the team is aligned with overall project goals.

How to vote?

Voting is anonymous. Please use the form below to send your choice:

When voting, you vote for up to 2 of the nominees.
Voting Open: 9 February 2026

Voting Closes: 24 February 2026

Your Nominees:

Mary Mojisola Job@Maryjob

Lidia Arroyo Vargas@Lidia

Mariano Pérez Caro@mpc

Luis Miguel Climent@lmcliment

Alex Cuadra@alexcu21

Juan Hernando@ciudadanob

#community-management, #community-team, #team-reps

Community Team Meeting Agenda for 05 – February -2026

The Community Team chat takes place on the first Thursday of every month in the #community-team channel on SlackSlack Slack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/.

This meeting is meant for all contributors on the team and everyone who is interested in taking part in some of the things our team does. Feel free to join us, even if you are not currently active in the team!

Asia-Pacific / EMEA friendly meeting:Americas friendly meeting: You will find a preliminary agenda for the meeting below. 

If you wish to add points to discuss, comment on this post or reach out to one of the team reps: @adityakane@Arthur@Shusei, or @webtechpooja. It does not need to be a blog post yet, the topic can be discussed during the meeting nevertheless. We use the same agenda for both meetings.

Check-ins: Program and Event Supporters / Contributors

  • What have you been doing and how is it going? 
  • What did you accomplish after the last meeting? 
  • Are there any blockers? 
  • Can other team members help you in some way?

Highlights to Note

Here are a few things everyone should be aware of.

2026 Big Picture Goals: Our Focus on Meetups

Community Education Initiatives: Help grow connections with educational institutions

Call for Scholarship Sponsors: Support Student Participation through WordPress Campus Connect

New: Request a video message from Matt for your WordCamp
Bringing Back Women-Centric WordPress Events for International Women’s Day

Call for Volunteers: Support Our Education Programs

Big Picture Goals for 2026

Open Posts

Check out these new and ongoing discussions needing review, feedback, thoughts and comments.

Reporting

Open Floor

This is your chance to discuss things that weren’t on the meeting agenda. 

We invite you to use this opportunity to share anything that you want with the team. If you currently have a topic you’d like to discuss, add it to the comments of this post and we will try to update the agenda accordingly.

Hope to see you on Thursday, either in the Asia-Pacific / EMEA (12:00 UTC) or Americas-friendly version (21:00 UTC) of the meeting!

#agenda, #community, #meeting-agenda

Call for Scholarship Sponsors: Support Student Participation through WordPress Campus Connect

WordCampWordCamp WordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Asia 2026 is getting ready to welcome contributors, creators, and community organizers from across the region. This year, we’re excited to highlight a growing focus on education and student engagement in the WordPress project.

As part of that effort, we’re piloting a WordPress Campus Connect Scholarship to support students who have participated in Campus Connect events and continued their journey in the WordPress community. We’re now looking for sponsors who would like to help make these scholarships possible.

About the WordPress Campus Connect Scholarship

The WordPress Campus Connect Scholarship is designed to:

  • Support student attendees at WordCamp Asia who were introduced to WordPress through Campus Connect events
  • Recognize students who have continued contributing or staying engaged with the community after their event
  • Provide an opportunity for students to attend WordCamp Asia who might otherwise be unable to join

For this pilot, the scholarship will focus specifically on WordPress Campus Connect event participants. Students will be nominated by Campus Connect organizers, rather than applying directly.

A small selection panel from the community will review nominations and select recipients based on:

  • Demonstrated enthusiasm for WordPress and contribution potential
  • Ongoing engagement after Campus Connect (meetupsMeetup Meetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook., contributions, student clubs, etc.)
  • The potential impact of attending WordCamp Asia on their growth and involvement in the project

What the Scholarship Covers

Final details will depend on confirmed sponsorship, but the scholarship is expected to support:

  • Travel assistance (e.g., regional economy airfare or equivalent transport)
  • Accommodation for the duration of WordCamp Asia
  • A WordCamp Asia ticket.
    We are aiming to support up to three WordPress Campus Connect students in this first year.

Sponsorship Opportunities

We are offering two lightweight sponsorship options, designed to be significantly smaller than standard WordCamp sponsorship packages, while still providing meaningful impact and visibility.

1. WPCC Scholarship Partner

Sponsorship amount: $3000 USD

Partner-level sponsors typically help fund one or more full scholarships, depending on final travel costs.

Recognition may include:

  • Logo and name displayed on the WordCamp Asia closing ceremony slide, alongside Diversity and Kim Parsell scholarship acknowledgments
  • Logo and name in the community blog post announcing the WPCC scholarship recipients
  • Recognition in Campus Connect/community updates related to the scholarship and student stories
  • Option to share a short, one‑sentence sponsor statement in the recipient announcement post (subject to WordPress community guidelines)

2. WPCC Scholarship Supporter

Sponsorship amount: $1000 USD

Supporter-level sponsors contribute partial funding toward one scholarship; multiple supporters may collectively fund one or more student recipients.

Recognition may include:

  • Name listed (text only) on the closing ceremony slide with scholarship acknowledgments
  • Name included in the recipient announcement post, as part of “This scholarship was made possible by contributions from…” acknowledgments.

All final sponsor benefits and presentation will follow WordCamp Asia and WordPress community guidelines and will be confirmed with the organizing team.

Why Sponsor the WPCC Scholarship?

By sponsoring the WordPress Campus Connect Scholarship, you will:

  • Help remove financial barriers for promising student contributors
  • Support the growth of new contributor pipelines through Campus Connect initiatives
  • Align your brand with education, mentorship, and long‑term sustainability of the WordPress project
  • Be visibly recognized during WordCamp Asia and in public communications about scholarship recipients

How to Express Interest

If your company (or you, as an individual) is interested in sponsoring the WordPress Campus Connect Scholarship for WordCamp Asia 2026, please:

  1. Fill out the sponsor interest form
  2. Indicate:
    • Whether you are interested in being a Partner or Supporter
    • Any internal timelines/constraints we should be aware of
  3. We’ll follow up with you regarding:
    • Availability of Partner/Supporter slots
    • Final sponsorship amount and details
    • Next steps in the WordCamp sponsorship process

Please note that submitting the form does not guarantee inclusion as a sponsor; final decisions will depend on timing, capacity, and alignment with WordCamp sponsorship guidelines.

Timeline

  • Sponsor interest period: open now, with priority given to sponsors who express interest within the next two weeks.
  • Student nomination & selection: handled separately through Campus Connect organizers and the scholarship selection panel.
  • Public recognition: sponsors will be acknowledged during the opening and closing ceremony and in the recipient announcement post published shortly after the selection.

If you have questions about the WordPress Campus Connect Scholarship sponsorship, please let us know in the comments below or reach out to @anandau14 or @piyopiyofox on SlackSlack Slack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/..

Thank you, @piyopiyofox, for planning and structuring the sponsorship plans for the WordPress Campus Connect Scholarship.

Monthly Education Buzz Report – December 2025

Welcome to the Monthly Education Buzz Report, your go-to source for highlights and updates on the WordPress Campus connect, WordPress Credits, and WordPress Student club education initiatives within the WordPress community. This report aims to celebrate, promote, and inform individuals across the WordPress community and beyond about the diverse educational endeavors underway.

WordPress Campus Connect

Stats to date

  • Completed Events: 18
  • Students Reached: 3230 (+350)
  • Institutions visited: 41 (+4)

Scheduled events: 3

17 more events are currently in the planning stages! We are actively working to expand our global reach and bring more educational opportunities to students worldwide. Come find us in the #campusconnect Slack channel.

Event Highlights

WordPress Campus Connect continues to grow globally, with multiple successful events, new resources, and increased community engagement this month.

  • WordPress Campus Connect Cumilla Housing Estate School & College (Comilla, Bangladesh)
    • Organizers hosted WordPress Campus Connect – Cumilla, welcoming 60+ students to explore WordPress and open sourceOpen Source Open Source denotes software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. Open Source **must be** delivered via a licensing model, see GPL..
    • The session covered:
      • An introduction to WordPress and open source collaboration
      • A hands-on “Build Your First Website” workshop
      • Contribution pathways and career opportunities in the WordPress ecosystem
      • A closing ceremony with certificates and recognition for top participants
      • Organizers reported that students were highly engaged throughout the event, showing strong interest in continuing their learning journey.
  • Campus Connect – Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology (RUET)
    • On 11 December 2025, organizers successfully organized WordPress Campus Connect – Rajshahi (RUET), with 95+ students participating.
    • The event focused on:
      • Open source contribution pathways
      • The evolution of WordPress and the role of GPLGPL GPL is an acronym for GNU Public License. It is the standard license WordPress uses for Open Source licensing https://wordpress.org/about/license/. The GPL is a ‘copyleft’ license https://www.gnu.org/licenses/copyleft.en.html. This means that derivative work can only be distributed under the same license terms. This is in distinction to permissive free software licenses, of which the BSD license and the MIT License are widely used examples.
      • Hands-on WordPress website building
      • WordPress in the age of AI
      • Ways for students to stay connected with the WordPress community
    • Organizers reported that the atmosphere was energetic and collaborative, with students actively engaging throughout the sessions.
  • Campus Connect Kathmandu (Nepal, 2025)
    • Successfully conducted across four local colleges in Kathmandu, engaging 350 students in total. Partner schools included Texas International College, Phoenix College of Management, Aadim National College, and Southwestern State College.
    • Activities included:
      • Interactive WordPress sessions and hands-on workshops
      • Building websites without coding
      • Learning about career opportunities in web development, UIUI UI is an acronym for User Interface - the layout of the page the user interacts with. Think ‘how are they doing that’ and less about what they are doing./UXUX UX is an acronym for User Experience - the way the user uses the UI. Think ‘what they are doing’ and less about how they do it., QA, digital marketing, and open-source contributions
      • Community engagement, networking with mentorsEvent Supporter Event Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues., and practical guidance for contributing to the global WordPress community
  • Campus Connect Kaliro (Uganda, 2025)
    • Successfully conducted with 110 students, facilitated by @Stephen Dumba, @Ssebuwufu Moses, and @Mukalele Rogers.
    • Activities included:
      • Interactive WordPress sessions and hands-on workshops
      • Knowledge sharing and practical guidance for building websites and exploring open-source contributions
      • Community engagement, peer collaboration, and mentorship
    • Despite network challenges, the event was full of energy and excitement, with organizers stating that students expressed joy and enthusiasm, and many shared positive recommendations for future sessions.

Other Program Updates

WordPress Credits

This month marked several exciting milestones for the WordPress Credits program, reflecting continued growth in mentorship, partnerships, and student participation.

WordPress Student Clubs

  • A new student club was created, bringing the total number of student clubs to ten.
  • The WordPress student guide for student club organizers is now available here.

Get Involved

See something in the community that should be noted here or in a future newsletter? Comment below!

Stay tuned for next month’s update!

#education-buzz

New: Request a video message from Matt for your WordCamp

We’ve seen an uptick in requests for recorded video messages from Matt for WordCamps and community events. To make this easier and more consistent, we’ve created a simple request process.

Organizers can now apply for a short recorded video from Matt. These are intended as a community shoutout and may include brief comments or Q&A, depending on availability.

How it works:

  • Events must be on the official WordCampWordCamp WordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. schedule and at least 8 weeks out
  • Requests must come from WordCamp organizers
  • We cannot accommodate every request, so priority will be given to milestone events such as first-time WordCamps, anniversaries, or significant community moments

Going forward, this option will also be included in event organizer emails so the process is clear and consistent.

If you have a scheduled event and want to apply, you can do that here:

Thanks for helping us keep this scalable and fair while still supporting WordCamp communities worldwide.