Binghamton University has updated its Facebook page to the Timeline format, with the aim of highlighting the short history of a young university.

Ryan Yarosh, assistant director of media relations, was in charge of this change.

“When Facebook first offered brands the option to switch to the Timeline format, I was really surprised by the number of students, faculty and staff who inquired about when we would switch over,” Yarosh said.

Yarosh and a team of students who worked to format the page used stylized photos, quotes and other content dating back to 1946 to tell the history of Binghamton in a new way.

“We looked at the Timeline as a great opportunity to highlight milestones at Binghamton to tell Binghamton’s story in a creative and engaging way,” Yarosh said.

The website lists milestones such as when the campus moved to its current location, when schools within the University were added and when specific majors and programs were added. It also shares photos from major events that took place on campus.

According to Yarosh, the popularity of the page is growing since its inception in December 2008, and it has been receiving positive feedback from the University’s community.

“I would like to see the page grow dramatically in the coming year, but as we quickly approach 15,000 likes it is now apparent that the Binghamton community has really embraced our page as a vital place to collect and post information about the University,” Yarosh said. “Through this page we have created an online community where fans are able to network, share content and interact with others.”

Traci Ruben, a sophomore majoring in English, said she believes it is a great way to document life on campus as well as view how things were in the past.

“I like the cover photo aspect, as well as being able to look at the past,” Ruben said. “I really enjoy documenting life; I think it’s important. Visual documentation allows for a better recollection of experiences. I always tag Binghamton when I post pictures taken on campus because I like the idea of showing people how I see our school.”

Chris Chin ‘11, said he did not see a big difference in the way the new page will affect him compared to the old one, but does appreciate being able to keep in touch with people.

“As an alumnus, I don’t think Timeline does any more to keep me connected than the old layout does, but Facebook in general definitely helps me stay connected and in touch,” Chin said. “I would have no idea what was going on [if] I didn’t have it.”

Yarosh encourages everyone to like the page in order to stay updated, keep in touch or get a glimpse of the past.

“We look forward to connecting with Binghamton via the Facebook Timeline and as the main admin for this page I promise all fans that we are not about spamming your feeds or posting content, which you will ignore,” Yarosh said. “Our page is really about engaging students, faculty, staff, alumni and anyone who is a fan of Binghamton.”