UIUConnects
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2025 applications coming soon! (win $10k, members only)
Continue to check this page for 2025 startup pitch competition updates!
Workplace is the platform that powers the UIU digital ecosystem; blending the social, community, cultural and professional focus areas of the organization, in a dynamic environment.
Fully developed in 2021 and officially launched in 2022, its objective is to provide a space where members are connected with job opportunities, business products and services, educational resources and most importantly – each other. the workplace platform incorporates a variety of modules such as a business and member directory, job boards, classified ads, e-learning tool, interest groups a chat feature, and many more.
The uiuconnects team routinely organizes national events for members that are in line with the program’s objectives; such as the annual startup pitch competition, 2020 virtual convention speed dating event, training sessions and more. become a member today!
UIUConnects At A Glance
UIU Connects serves as the digital operations and platform management hub for Umu Igbo Unite (UIU), focusing on convention events and professional programs within the organization. Its primary responsibilities include managing the digital infrastructure, supporting the annual UIU Convention, and maintaining platforms that facilitate UIU’s mission to build community connections and professional opportunities.
Platform and Digital Infrastructure Management
Manages key platforms such as Google Workspace, Workplace, ClubExpress, Zoom, Stripe, Smartsheets, Eventnoire, and MailChimp.
Maintains UIU’s websites (e.g., main site, convention site) with backend support from the National Webmaster to keep the content relevant and up-to-date.
Convention and Professional Event Support:
Coordinates elements of the UIU Convention, introducing initiatives like career fairs for the 2025 event.
Supports convention-specific activities, including the Pitch Competition, with a focus on providing value to attendees through networking and professional development.
Adding convention attendees to WHOVA, our primary convention communication site
System Integration and Support:
Manages backend integration across platforms to ensure smooth operations, enhancing member experiences on UIU’s digital platforms.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What platforms does UIU Connects manage?
UIU Connect oversees multiple platforms, including ClubExpress for membership management, Stripe for payments, Smartsheets for task management, and Zoom for meetings, as well as tools like Eventnoire and MailChimp for event registration and communication.
When will I be added to the Workplace after signing up for membership?
New or renewing members are added to the Workplace every Tuesday. After you sign up for membership on our website (supported by ClubExpress), your account will be processed and included in the next scheduled addition.
I’m a member, but I still don’t have access to Workplace. What should I do?
If you have an active membership and haven’t been added to Workplace after the next Tuesday update, please reach out to our support team. We’ll verify your membership status and assist with your Workplace access.
How does UIU Connects support the annual convention?
UIU Connects organizes convention-specific initiatives like the Pitch Competition and is planning to introduce a Career Fair at the 2025 Convention to foster professional networking and growth among members.
Who maintains the UIU website?
The National Webmaster, under UIU Connects, manages backend updates for UIU’s websites and collaborates with the Marketing team to keep the website’s content fresh and relevant.
explore our services
Grow your business. Provides access and public visibility for UIU member and non-member businesses. This module targets Black-owned businesses in the community. Our goal is to build the largest Black-owned and Afro-Caribbean diaspora business directories in the United States. As a UIU member, you have free access to create one business entry for the life of your active membership. Black business owners are free to advertise one business entry for all of 2021. A second business entry for UIU members and non-members (including renewing original non-member entry) comes at a cost/year starting in 2022.
A quick way to connect with fellow members through a social and professional profile, similar to building your LinkedIn. Each member chooses what they would like to make visible; a short bio, contact details, social/professional connections through Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and more. Share a little bit about your interests and start getting to know each member better. Visibility at the National or Chapter level. This is where your UIUConnects journey should start – your member directory update!!
*Members have the ability to opt out of the directory, if desired or choose what info to display, for privacy reasons.
Searching for job opportunities or would like to advertise a job? Look no further than UIU’s jobs board. Members and non-members will have the ability to post jobs that will be visible only to members. As a UIU member, you have free access to create unlimited job postings and access all posted jobs for the life of your active membership. Non-members are free to advertise one job posting for all of 2021. A second job posting for non-members comes at a cost/post.
Want to advertise an event, sell a personal item, search or post a room for rent? Look no further than UIU’s classified advertisements. Members and non-members will have the ability to post classified ads that will be visible only to members. As a UIU member, you have free access to create unlimited classified ads and access all posted ads for the life of your active membership. Non-members are free to advertise one classified ad for all of 2021. A second job posting for non-members comes at a cost/post.
In partnership with the UIUIgbo Language program, UIU provides access to quality educational resources that uplift the Igbo culture. We offer two Igbo language sessions every month- a member-only free starter course on the Igbo alphabets, vowels and consonants, and basic Igbo greetings. The Complete Igbo Language Course (a $199 value on popular educational platform, Udemy), by bestselling Instructor Onyinye Ibelegbu, is presented exclusively to UIU members only. Other perks include course recordings, exercise answers and direct access to the Instructor and other students on the Igbo Language group chat on Workplace, to allow for a more immersive and engaging learning experience. Special arrangements can also be made with the Instructor for a one-on-one, personalized and curated plan.
Take digital conversations to the next level with channel-style group messaging that is spread across interest groups and committees. During member signup, you have the opportunity to opt into diverse interest groups such as professional groups – Business and Entrepreneurship, Engineering and Tech; cultural groups – Igbo Language and Culture; social groups – Travel Save Repeat, Single and Maybe Searching; community groups – Giving Back (UIUCares) and much more. Committee channels are automatically generated for national committees and local Chapter committees that helps focus team management and event planning. Finally you are able to chat with all members nationally, and with your local Chapter general body. Its 2021, so lets customize our avatars and screen names, download the UIUConnects app (iOS and android), and kick off interesting, invigorating and maybe even controversial conversations with connects channels.
The Committees module can be leveraged as both a tool for strategic management of local Chapter and national committees and also providing visibility into the organizational structure and hierarchy of Umu Igbo Unite. Committee members can chat using their autogenerated connects channel. Non-committee members can email committees with any questions or inquiries.
Create discussion topics using the forums module and receive insight from a community of like-minded professionals across the entire organization. Chapter Boards, Committees and the General Body now have a global document repository to enable resources sharing in a quick, accessible and transparent manner.
Volunteering and donations are now fully redefined. Volunteer opportunities are now made visible at a national and local scale, that allows us to better fulfil our civic duties. Hours tracking is an enabled feature in the event we would like to report volunteer hours to employers for certain matching benefits. Donations are also now made easier and specific fundraising goals or targets can be specified. Each Chapter is configured with its own general donations fund that connects directly to the Chapter’s bank account. Custom donation funds can be created for Chapter-specific events and initiatives.
his feature is coming soon. We have an amazing culture and we would love to be able to express this with memorabilia, swag and gear that fully represents us and our people. Tees, hoodies, mugs, umbrellas, pens, notebooks; you name it! Stand out for your Chapter and the organization with curated feature-sets that will speak volumes. Be sure to look out for updates in upcoming newsletters.