SUSTown, conceived in 2020 by Wanli Zhong and Yechun Ruan, is a testament to our passion for connecting the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) community from the past to future. Initially just an idea when we were less tech-savvy, it has now blossomed into a thriving platform that bridges gaps between international students, graduate students, undergraduates, faculty, and alumni.
Our journey officially began in May 2022, with the initial release of SUSTown on November 27, 2023. Within just two days, we had over 1500 people registrations, a testament to the need for such a platform. We identified key challenges:
- SUSTech's growing population has outpaced traditional group chats, making it difficult to serve students and staff effectively, let alone include alumni.
- Popular platforms like WeChat and QQ are not universally used by all community members.
- International students rarely use existing information groups for inquiries.
Addressing these issues, SUSTown was developed with unique features, including bilingual support, compatibility with both QQ and WeChat, and a 'Delegator' feature, enhancing user experience.
SUSTown isn't just another platform, it's a tailored solution for SUSTech. We've long envied the active online communities of other universities and aimed to create something similar for our alma mater. This is more than just a project, it's a passion to fill a void we've observed at SUSTech.
As the admin of information groups for almost three years, Wanli have never monetized these platforms or accepted advertisements. All expenses were borne personally, and the current operational model was developed single-handedly. Similarly, SUSTown is not about profits (though it aims for sustainability), it's about creating the best possible platform for our community. Every feature is developed with you in mind.
We invite you to join and use SUSTown. If you're passionate, help us build a better community. If you have the skills, join us in development. While there are many platforms out there, SUSTown stands out in its dedication to solving the unique challenges of SUSTech.
SUSTown may not be perfect, but it's charming and fun in its own right. It's not just about features or content, it's about being a platform with you, me, and everyone contributing to its growth.
