Webster Thailand thriving

I joined Webster University Thailand (WUT) in Fall 2002 as a full time undergraduate and graduated in Fall II (December) 2005. In the three and half years that I spent at WUT, I have seen it evolve remarkably.

Webster Thailand Student Council (WTSC) - the student government body - is comprised of volunteers (students) who commit themselves to working towards the betterment of campus life. Like any other democratic system, WTSC is headed by four Officers, who are elected by the members of the Council. Organizing cultural events such as the Collage of Cultures and the Food Fair; community service events like Band Aids and First Aids sessions; student-orientated activities such as overnight fieldtrips, fundraisers, Sports week, operating a store, and hosting various parties like the Ice Breaker Dance and Halloween Rave are the main features of the WTSC.

Between February 7-13, 2005, WTSC organized the Tsunami Relief Week. A total amount of more than 81,000 Baht (US$ 2,025) was raised, through which the WTSC sponsored the construction of water tanks for a school affected by the Tsunami in Southern Thailand.


Band AIDS, a musical concert for raising AIDS awareness among the local community was organized on September 10, 2005. The concert showcased the talents of eleven bands, with professional as well as university student musicians. Through its stalls and donations WTSC raised 34,000 Baht (US$ 850), which was donated to the Thai Red Cross Society's AIDS Project on eve of World AIDS Day on December 1, 2005. Band AIDS was covered by the Hua Hin Today, English newspaper and Channel 4, a Thai TV station. Band AIDS was one of the biggest events undertaken by the WTSC and as a student stated "Band AIDS was probably the biggest and most successful Webster event yet."


International Food Fair is an annual event at WUT now. Every year students from various nationalities get together and cook the delicacies from their own countries. But on April 22, 2005, it was not only food but music too. 29,000 Baht (US$ 725) was raised through food sales which was later donated to the WUT Music Society to purchase music equipments.


Another annual feature at WUT is the Collage of Cultures - a cultural extravaganza in which students exuberate the different cultures in Webster and display unity in diversity. On December 10, 2005, the 3rd annual Collage of Cultures was organized by the WTSC. A fashion show featuring traditional and innovative wear, musical performance as well as cultural dances. A new addition this year was faculty awards. Faculty awards were divided in the following categories: Entertaining, Helpful, Party Animal, Strict, Stylish, and Websterite.

The WTSC redesigned the student lounge giving it a more casual and personal look with signatures of all present and new students from Spring 1 2004. On October 10, 2005 the WTSC Store was inaugurated. The store provides students with the opportunity to purchase stationary and Webster merchandise. Over the years the WTSC has organized overnight educational fieldtrips to Phuket, Kanchanaburi, Chiang Mai, Sukhothai, etc.

WUT donated quilts and kerosene stoves worth more than 40,000 Baht (US$ 1,000) to the victims of the South Asian Earthquake in Pakistan .

An internal campaign promoting WUT Values was executed to create awareness among students. Values like Student Centered, Quality Driven, Internationally Focused, and Real World Experience were promoted.

A new soccer field was inaugurated in 2005. This was possible through donations from students and friends of Webster.

Several company visits were organized by different academic departments for students. EURO RSCG, Amarin Publishing, United Nations Headquarters, Procter and Gamble, Citibank Research, Stock Exchange of Thailand, Samart Group, and UNESCO were visited by students. Various guest lecturers were invited to WUT to share their experience with students – Ben Mast, Brenda Bence, S. P. Hozy 'Penny', Andrew Klukowski and several other speakers from American Chamber of Commerce are a few to mention.

The beach cleanup and Sand Sculptor contest was organized by the Special Events class. The beach clean up made it to the front page of the Bangkok post, leading English newspaper of Thailand.

Photographs taken by the students of the traditional black and white photo class were exhibited twice at Starbucks and once in Hilton Resort and Spa in Hua Hin over the years. These exhibitions give a platform to the students for displaying there talent to the public.

A new prototype for the student newspaper was designed in order to reposition community image. By the end of Fall 2004, the WUT community met CHAI. It was the new student newspaper of WUT. The first time in the history of WUT, a colored student newspaper was printed.


WUT's web site (http://www.webster.ac.th/) got a makeover. Since the web site revamp in December 2004, the monthly hit counter, more than doubled itself from 8,000 to 20,000 visits monthly and since then it increased ever since. The web site offers additional features along with complete and up-to-date information aided by an easy navigational system.

The computer network has been an issue of constant debate at WUT. Poor computer resources and slow internet speed was the problem. But in 2005 WUT bumped up its IT. Internet bandwidth was increased from 768 kbps to 2mbps. Separate internet servers were setup for students and staff to distribute resources efficiently and increase internet speed. Wireless Internet was introduced. Students can now use internet almost anywhere in the school without connecting any wire. New computers were installed in the library and media lab. A new video lab equipped with Apple Computers was accomplished.

Two new certificate programs - Professional Writing and Buddhist Studies - were also added in the array of academics programs offered at WUT. In order to relax the mind, Modern Dance, Yoga and Meditation classes were also offered from time-to-time. And all the above was under the supervision of Rector Kit Jenkins. She has been providing constant effort to support the development of WUT. Members of the WUT community are also to be praised. There is potential and capabilities among the students, all we have to do is to find the opportunity and help WUT grow more.