Staying in touch with college friends seems like it�s becoming more difficult as time moves on. People relocate, and the demands of family responsibilities and careers quite often leave little time to reminisce about the good old days with friends from the university� that is, until now.

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All University of Houston-Victoria current students and alumni can stay in touch with one another just by registering in UHVconnect�the university�s very own online community.

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UHVconnect was launched on June 21 and currently has over 300 members.

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Keeping in touch with people at UHV is why most have joined this online community, but there�s more good reasons why students and alumni might want to become part of this close-knit community�very soon: members registered by July 15 will have a chance at winning a $250 scholarship or a $100 gift certificate from Best Buy.

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The winners of the drawing will be posted on the UHVconnect Web site on July 16.

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Joining UHVconnect is easy. Students and alumni can visit uhvconnect.org and follow the quick registration instructions.

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In addition to keeping in touch with friends or posting blogs and pictures, members can also announce the arrival of a newborn, a marriage or engagement, or a recent promotion through the site�s Class Notes feature. Everyone who is �connected� can also view job openings in surrounding areas or even post his or her resume.

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John Davis, a 2006 graduate and UHV financial aid accountant, is a member of UHVconnect, and he shared his thoughts on this online community.

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�I think this is something we needed at UHV for a long time,� said Davis. �I�ve made quite a few friends while I was a student, and this is an easy way say hello or to let them know how I�m doing.�

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�It�s good to see that UHV alumni and students now have a way to interact with one another,� said UHV President Tim Hudson. �Students make close friends here�either because of the small, comfortable class sizes or because they share many courses together. And this online community is a good way to maintain these valuable friendships, anywhere in the world.�

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Members can also take part in the �special interest� groups in UHVconnect. Students and alumni can connect themselves with others in the �Year of Graduation� group, share recipes in the �Cooking Connection� or discuss the interpretation of a poem in �Writers Who Write.�