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This post shares the experience ofJos Velasco, a first-time mentorEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. in theWordPress Credits program, and what his cohort revealed about how mentorsEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. and students navigate their first open-source contribution together. As the program grows, stories like this help us refine how we onboard, scope projects, and connect students to the wider community.
The WordPress Credits program pairs students with community contributors who guide them through their first open-source contribution. The framework is simple on paper: a mentor, a student, an immediate contribution opportunity, and a finish line. In practice, every cohort surfaces something new about what makes the program work.
This is a look at one mentorโs first cohort: three students, three different paths, and a few takeaways that other current and future mentors will recognize.
The cohort
Jos took on three mentees, all new to open-source contribution. Before choosing a contribution path, students complete an onboarding phase on Learn WordPress, with curated lessons, Playground sandboxes, and quizzes.
That onboarding phase is solid, but it can take longer than expected, both for students and for mentors. Thereโs a lot of material, and the schedule needs to flex around real lives. The trickiest part isnโt the curriculum: itโs the balance every mentor has to strike between enabling studentsโ potential and not doing the work for them. Open sourceOpen SourceOpen Source denotes software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. Open Source **must be** delivered via a licensing model, see GPL. isnโt an obligation. Part of mentoring is helping students want to contribute, by showing them why it matters and what they get out of it, rather than pushing them through a checklist.
Each of the three students landed in a different place.
Gabi: Photos as a creative outlet
Gabi Hawkins works as an IT technician moving toward web development. She chose Photos, which wasnโt directly tied to her career path but suited who she is: a visual person drawn to front-end work. Her submissions reflect that, a Japanese pagoda lit at night, jellyfish in deep blue water, koi beside a rock-lined path. Not test shots. Photos from someone with an eye.
A small, instructive snag: Gabi met her project requirements on time, but her certificate was delayed because she filled out the feedback form using a different email than the one on her WP Credits profile. The course system didnโt detect her completion. A small reminder for mentors and students alike to double-check that emails match across systems, especially when graduation is on the line.
TโKai Monet is a full-time student and a full-time mom of a newborn. Her schedule was, predictably, unpredictable. She originally chose Themes and switched to Photos when time was tight, a smart pivot. What stood out wasnโt her output, though, but how she participated.
She attended a WordPress meetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. at 2:30 a.m., not because she couldnโt sleep, but because she was already up with the baby and decided to make the most of it. She wrote about it as if it were the most reasonable thing in the world. And in a global, async community, it kind of is.
This is one of the most important things any new contributor can internalize: the conversation will happen across time zones, and showing up in the rhythm that works for you is showing up.
Noah: Finding a meaningful path, not just a completable one
Noah Mobes spent real time early on looking for a path that felt meaningful, rather than the easiest one to finish. After working on Good First Bugs for CoreCoreCore is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress., he landed on WordPress Playground blueprints, small files that spin up pre-configured WordPress environments instantly, with no hosting required.
He created blueprints for Hello Dolly and Disable Comments, opened pull requests in the official GitHubGitHubGitHub is a website that offers online implementation of git repositories that can easily be shared, copied and modified by other developers. Public repositories are free to host, private repositories require a paid subscription. GitHub introduced the concept of the โpull requestโ where code changes done in branches by contributors can be reviewed and discussed before being merged by the repository owner. https://github.com/ repository, and reached out to the pluginPluginA plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party. authors. The PRs werenโt merged before the program closed, but he documented his process and delivered a wrap-up presentation on WordPress.tv. His own framing: โthis is certainly not the end for me in the WP ecosystem.โ That attitude, and the documentation trail he left, is exactly what sustainable contribution looks like.
This plugin continues to be an inspiration for where to start extending WordPress
The moment that mattered most: reaching out directly
While TโKai was submitting photos, several werenโt getting approved. The Photo Directory has real standards around quality and description, and queues get long when many students are finishing at the same time or when big events collide.
Sharing links and documentation didnโt move things. What did was going to the Photos Team page, finding the most active moderators listed there, and reaching out directly.
That message reached Michelle Frechette, who has contributed over 360 photos to the directory and has been part of this community for years. She responded immediately, explained exactly why the submissions werenโt passing, and offered to review TโKaiโs photos before she sent more.
That single conversation did what weeks of links hadnโt.
This is the lesson worth leading with for every new contributor: the WordPress community has no boundaries. People will help if you reach out to them. Not eventually, not after a queue, not via a form. Directly, by name, in the open.
What weโd change: scope projects around what teams actually need
The โ30 photos to the Photo Directoryโ framing comes from how WP Credits structures its immediate contribution opportunities: each participating team defines a minimum deliverable that signals the student has made a meaningful, complete contribution, 30 CC0-licensed photos for the Photo Directory, a theme review for the Themes team, a Good First Bug worked on during a Bug Scrub for Core, and so on. That baseline matters. It gives students something concrete to aim at, gives mentors a way to measure progress, and gives each contributing team a consistent definition of โenough.โ So this isnโt a critique of using a number as a goal.
But going through the cohort surfaced a hunch worth sharing. From experience organizing meetupsMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. in the LATAM community and producing video, it often feels like organizers are short on the kind of CC0 imagery they need: photos for event pages, social posts, recap posts, banners. So one alternative framing for the photo path could be: contribute photos that WordPress meetup organizers can actually use. Thatโs not a researched conclusion, just a sense from being on the organizer side of things.
Whatโs more interesting is where that hunch points. In a recent conversation, Isotta floated a bigger idea worth surfacing here: what if we asked the Photo Team, and other contributing teams, what kinds of contributions they actually need right now, and turned those into specific tasks for students?
Thatโs a meaningful shift. Instead of each team defining a generic minimum (any 30 photos, any theme review, any Good First Bug), teams could periodically share a short list of what would be most useful at a given moment, photos of specific subjects, theme reviews in a particular categoryCategoryThe 'category' taxonomy lets you group posts / content together that share a common bond. Categories are pre-defined and broad ranging., bugs in a specific component. Mentors and students could then choose from that list, knowing the work has a clear downstream use.
The finish line stays. The direction sharpens. And students learn the most important habit in open source: thinking about who will use your contribution before you make it.
This is a conversation worth opening up to the wider team. If youโre a contributing team repTeam RepA Team Rep is a person who represents the Make WordPress team to the rest of the project, make sure issues are raised and addressed as needed, and coordinates cross-team efforts. and have thoughts on what your team would surface as โhigh-impact tasks for students right now,โ the comments below are a good place to start.
Takeaways for current and future mentors
A few things worth carrying into your own cohort:
Lead with the community early. Donโt wait until something gets stuck to point students toward direct outreach in SlackSlackSlack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/, on Make blogs, and on team pages. The lesson โyou can just ask someoneโ lands better when itโs framed as a first move, not a rescue.
Talk to the team your student is contributing to. Beyond the minimum deliverable, ask the contributing team what would be most useful right now. A short conversation at the start can turn a generic quota into a project with a clear downstream use, and gives the student a real audience to design for.
Respect async as the default. Your students may show up at 2:30 a.m. their time, on a Saturday, between feedings, between shifts. That counts. Build your check-ins to accommodate it.
Help students find meaning, not just completion. The most durable contributions come from students who chose a path because it mattered to them. Give them room to explore early, even if it costs a week.
Sweat the small operational details. Email mismatches, profile inconsistencies, missing form fields, these can hold up certificates and graduation. Catch them at the start.
Document the wrap-up. A blog post, a WordPress.tv presentation, a profile update โ documenting the journey turns one studentโs experience into a resource the next cohort can learn from. Noahโs wrap-up is a good example of what this can look like.
And of course, thanks to Gabi, TโKai, and Noah for trusting the program with their first open-source contribution, and for letting their experience help shape what comes next.
Are you mentoring, or thinking about it?
If youโre a current WP Credits mentor with stories of your own, what worked, what youโd change, what surprised you, drop a comment below. The more cohorts we document, the better the program gets for everyone.
If youโre considering becoming a mentor, the Mentor Guide is the right place to start. The interest in this role continues to grow, and thatโs a good sign of where WordPress is headed.
The WordPress Campus Connect (WPCC) program has been growing steadily, with around 3 to 4 applications coming in each week, and the time it takes to move an application from โsubmittedโ to โyouโre approved, hereโs your event siteโ has stretched to days, sometimes longer. Most of that wait isnโt the decision itself, itโs the manual steps around the decision: vetting against the checklist, writing the notes into the tracker, triggering the email, creating the site. @_dorsvenabili and I are working on cutting that wait by automating the parts that donโt need a human touch.
Hereโs what weโre building, and why each piece matters. We hope to be able to achieve all our dreams listed below.
Automated first pass on the vetting. Today every application is read by a program supporterProgram SupporterCommunity Program Supporters (formerly Deputies) are a team of people worldwide who review WordCamp and Meetup applications, interview lead organizers, and keep things moving at WordCamp Central. Find more about program supporters in our Program Supporter Handbook. who walks through the criteria and writes notes into the tracker. The criteria are documented well enough that an agent can do most of that first pass, and a vetter can pick up from there. The agent (already built by @piyopiyofox and being tested by @clk87) will run hourly, leave its notes in the existing โAdd Private Noteโ field, and move the application to a new โNeeds Actionโ status so the right person knows itโs ready for human review.
A simpler status list for Campus Connect. WPCC currently uses the full WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what theyโve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. status list, which has eighteen statuses, most of which donโt apply to a campus event. Weโre trimming the Campus Connect list to eight statuses that match the actual lifecycle: Needs Vetting, Needs Action, Needs More Info, Approved For Pre-Planning, Declined, Canceled, WordCamp Scheduled, WordCamp Closed.
Automatic actions when an application is approved. When a program supporter moves an application to โApproved For Pre-Planning,โ a follow-up organizer email goes out with instructions on how to proceed, the site is created and its url shared with the organizer, an admin notice appears on the post, and an audit log entry lands in the private notes field. Today those are four separate manual steps that happen in different windows.
A small change to the application form. Applicants will need to read and check a box acknowledging the WPCC organizer agreement before submitting, should their application be approved. Checking the box is treated as equivalent to signing the agreement.
The technical breakdown lives in the tracking issue we filed: WordPress/wordcamp.org#1714. It covers the six steps weโll land in order, the dependencies between them, and the open items where we still need final copy.
Weโll post follow-ups here as the project progresses and as we learn from the first batch of applications that go through the new flow. If youโve vetted WPCC applications recently, or if youโre a Campus Connect organizer whoโs been on the receiving end of the wait, your feedback would help us a lot. Please drop questions, concerns, or ideas in the GitHubGitHubGitHub is a website that offers online implementation of git repositories that can easily be shared, copied and modified by other developers. Public repositories are free to host, private repositories require a paid subscription. GitHub introduced the concept of the โpull requestโ where code changes done in branches by contributors can be reviewed and discussed before being merged by the repository owner. https://github.com/ issue or in the comments below.
On April 20th, over 60 students from Krakรณw high schools โ VIII LO and XVIII LO โ took part in the WordPress Academy.
This pilot project of the Polish WordPress community, carried out in collaboration with Klaster Zabลocie, aimed to introduce young people who had created projects (websites) at school to the WordPress environment and answer their questions.
The event was organized by members of the WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what theyโve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Europe Local Team โ Sebastian Miลniakiewicz (Local Team Lead), Katarzyna Krรณwka (Local Team), Magdalena ลlฤzak (Local Team), Dawid Urbaลski (Local Team), and Krzysztof Radzikowski (Communication, PR & Marketing Team), who introduced the students to the WordPress ecosystem and its community.
Katarzyna Krรณwka showed how to get started with WordPress and how to configure it properly.
Magda ลlฤzak covered SEO and accessibilityAccessibilityAccessibility (commonly shortened to a11y) refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design ensures both โdirect accessโ (i.e. unassisted) and โindirect accessโ meaning compatibility with a personโs assistive technology (for example, computer screen readers). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility). She showed what to do to make the studentsโ projects visible in search engines and LLMs, and how to make website content accessible to every user.
Krzysztof Radzikowski then focused on the hugely popular topic of AI and how to use it when working with WordPress, highlighting things like native AI integration in WordPress.
Dawid Urbaลski demonstrated โ through a live coding session โ that WordPress development is possible using AI, meaning WordPress can be used not just for building websites but also for other things, like creating custom blocks orโฆ building a game.
Finally, Sebastian Miลniakiewicz, the event organizer, encouraged the students to visit WordCamp Europe and present the results of their work.
And there will be plenty to present. The students are working on at least 7 projects/websites:
A new school website to replace the current one
A thematically related site about the schoolโs patron, Stanisลaw Wyspiaลski
Board game and video game enthusiasts are preparing their project
Mythology fans are finishing work on their website
Because WordPress isnโt just a content CMS, another team is developing a flashcard app to make learning easier
Those who want to visit Krakรณw again after WordCamp Europe will be able to use a website dedicated to local events (concerts, fairs)
And since life isnโt just about education or sightseeing but alsoโฆ the necessity of eating, sweet-toothed visitors will find a cookbook waiting for them!
The whole event lasted over 5 hours. There was no shortage of questions and consultations, which the students will use to finalize their projects. And during the break, delicious pizza โ for which we thank Krakรณw Miasto Startupรณw.
We hope this wonโt be a one-off initiative, and that weโll meet again in Krakรณw soon to talk about WordPress with young people who, as we can see, know exactly how to use it to pursue their passions.
One of the most consistent things I hear from educators, community organizers, and WordPress professionals who want to bring WordPress education to their institutions and communities is some version of the same question: where do I start?
They have the knowledge. They have the motivation. What they often lack is a clear, structured pathway to go from โI could teach thisโ to actually teaching it.
The WordPress Facilitator Training Program is our answer to that question.
What It Is
The WordPress Facilitator Training Program is a free, open, community-powered program that equips people to teach WordPress topics to others. It is designed for anyone who wants to facilitate WordPress learning: campus educators, community organizers, freelancers, developers, designers, or anyone else who knows WordPress and wants to help others learn it.
There is no application process. No gatekeeping. No prerequisite credential. The resources are free, openly accessible, and built around the spirit of open sourceOpen SourceOpen Source denotes software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. Open Source **must be** delivered via a licensing model, see GPL.: knowledge is not a scarce resource, and the more people who can teach WordPress well, the better WordPress is for everyone.
The program has three components:
Self-guided coursesย on Learn.wordpress.orgWordPress.orgThe community site where WordPress code is created and shared by the users. This is where you can download the source code for WordPress core, plugins and themes as well as the central location for community conversations and organization. https://wordpress.org/ that build the knowledge facilitators need to teach a given topic
Facilitation guidesย that provide a practical, session-by-session framework for delivering 2 to 3 day workshops, written for people with no prior teaching experience
The WordPress Facilitator Training Program Playbook, which orients facilitators to the program, explains what is in it for them, and gives them everything they need to get started
What We Have Built
The first topic available in the program is Leading WordPress Education Programs: a 9-module, 41-lesson self-guided course covering open source foundations, WordPress basics, contribution pathways, and all three WordPress Education Programs (WordPress Credits, Campus Connect, and Student Clubs).
A fullย 2-3 day workshop facilitation guideย with timed agendas, facilitator talking points, hands-on participant activity sheets, and reference appendices. This is a downloadable document which is available on the course page.
WordPress Education Programs are growing. Campus Connect events are happening at institutions around the world. WordPress Credits is bringing university students into the contributor community. Student Clubs are forming on campuses that never had a WordPress presence before.
Sustaining and scaling that growth requires more than a central team. It requires a distributed network of facilitators who are confident, prepared, and equipped to bring WordPress education to their communities independently.
The WordPress Facilitator Training Program is the infrastructure for that network. It is how we go from a program that depends on a small number of people to one that can grow wherever there are people willing to teach.
It also creates a genuine opportunity for facilitators themselves. Institutions, bootcamps, and companies increasingly need qualified people to deliver WordPress training. Facilitators who build a track record through this program position themselves for those opportunities. And as the WordPress ecosystem continues to develop credential pathways, such as the AI Leaders micro-credential piloted earlier this year at https://wordpress.org/news/2026/02/ai-leaders-credential/, facilitators who complete the relevant courses will be positioned to earn credentials that carry real professional value.
Where It Is Headed
The topic library is just beginning. The first course covers WordPress Education Programs. Future topics will draw from the broad range of WordPress skills and knowledge areas already represented on Learn.wordpress.org, as well as new courses developed specifically for the facilitator program. Every new topic that gets a well-designed course and a strong facilitation guide is another topic that community facilitators anywhere in the world can teach.
If you have expertise in a WordPress topic and are interested in contributing a course or facilitation guide, the WordPress Training Team at https://make.wordpress.org/training/ is the right place to connect.
We Want Your Feedback
The Leading WordPress Education Programs course is publicly available now and under active review. If you explore it, we would genuinely love to hear what you think. A few questions we are actively looking for input on:
Is the course content clear and accessible for a beginner-level educator?
Are there topics or lessons you feel are missing or underrepresented?
Does the course give you enough to feel prepared to facilitate a workshop on these topics?
Beyond the course itself, we are also interested in feedback on the program structure:
What topics would you most like to see added to the facilitator program?
What would make this program more useful to you in your context, whether that is a campus, a MeetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook., a bootcamp, or a company?
Are you interested in participating in an internal dry run of the 2-3 day workshop? If so, please note that we are actively looking for volunteers for this step.
The WordPress community has always grown because people show up, share what they know, and help others do the same. This program is an extension of that. We are building something that should not belong to one team or one organization. It should belong to the community.
We are just getting started, and we would love to have you be part of it.
Welcome to the Monthly Education Buzz Report, your go-to source for highlights and updates on the WordPress Campus Connect, WordPress Credits, and WordPress Student Club education initiatives within the WordPress community. This report aims to celebrate, promote, and inform individuals across the WordPress community and beyond about the diverse educational endeavors underway.
WordPress Campus Connect
March was a landmark month for WordPress Campus Connect (WPCC), with events reaching new countries and one of the largest recap articles in the programโs history going live. The programโs impact numbers page was also updated this month, giving organizers fresh data they can use in their own presentations and pitches to institutions.
Completed Events
WPCC KIST College, Kathmandu, Nepal
WordPress Campus Connect arrived at KIST College in Kathmandu with a full day of sessions and workshops. @utsavsinghrathour led a talk on careers in WordPress, followed by hands-on workshops from @codersantosh and Saroj Khanal. Students were engaged throughout the day, and many have already expressed interest in continuing their WordPress journeys and building a stronger community on campus. Organizers thanked Regan Khadgi and the KIST College team for their support in making the event run smoothly.
WPCC Keiser University, Nicaragua โ First WPCC in Nicaragua
The very first WordPress Campus Connect event in Nicaragua took place at Keiser University, bringing a packed agenda of sessions to students in the region. @roblesloaiza (Rita Robles Loaiza) traveled from Costa Rica to speak, sharing her expertise with local students. @alexcu21 provided key support with logistics and on-the-ground execution. Lead organizer @sion99 shared the best outcome: students left so inspired that theyโre already planning to form a WordPress Student Club and are looking into joining WordPress Credits.
WPCC Career Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan โ First WPCC in Pakistan
On February 28, Career Institute in Faisalabad hosted the first-ever WordPress Campus Connect event in Pakistan. Lead organizer Abdul Rahman Pomy brought together more than 90 students and 11 hosts, including speakers, organizers, and volunteers, after a month of preparation and dozens of planning meetings. Jesse Friedman from wp.cloud joined as chief guest via video call, and @devmuhib (Muhibul Haque) served as event mentorEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues..
The event featured sessions from speakers Arfan Ashraf, Qammar Zaman, Usama Ijaz, and Waleed Tahir, covering WordPress fundamentals and career paths. Organizers Adnan Hyder, Sohail Anwar, Irfan Shafi, Muhammad Ikram, and Hamza Ejaz helped coordinate the day, with volunteer Abu Hurrairah supporting on the ground. Certificates included printed advice from WordPress community members Mary Hubbard, Rae Morey, Jeff Starr, Faraz The Web Guy, Chris Badgett, Anne McCarthy, Rich Tabor, and Miriam Schwab. The team is now looking ahead to establishing a WordPress Student Club at Career Institute. Photos and a video recap are available.
Event Highlights: WPCC Jinja 2025 Recap
The comprehensive recap for WordPress Campus Connect Jinja 2025 was published on WordCamp CentralWordCamp CentralWebsite for all WordCamp activities globally. https://central.wordcamp.org includes a list of upcoming and past camp with links to each. this month, documenting Africaโs first and largest Campus Connect program. Over a five-month period (with a two-month break for national holidays and elections), the WordPress Jinja community visited 12 campuses across Eastern Uganda, reaching 1,293 students and 81 educators. Led by @mohkatz (Mohammed Kateregga), the program brought hands-on WordPress workshops directly into classrooms using mobile ICT labs and local technology partners.
Student WordPress clubs were formed at multiple schools during the program, and these clubs will now serve as satellite communities of the WordPress Jinja MeetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. while being gradually formalized through the WordPress Student Club program. The next milestone for the Jinja community is WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what theyโve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Jinja 2026, tentatively planned for September 2026.
The team recognized their mentorsEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues.@piyopiyofox (Destiny Kanno) and @mosescursor (Moses), along with supporters including @webtechpooja (Pooja Derashri), Harmony Romo, @peiraisotta (Isotta Peira), @thehopemonger (Arthur Kasirye), @clk87, and @muddassirnasim (Nasim Miah).
Also in Uganda, WPCC Lira became the third WPCC event series in the country and the first in Northern Uganda โ a sign that the programโs footprint in East Africa continues to expand.
Scheduled and Upcoming Events
Several WPCC events are currently underway or confirmed for the coming weeks:
More events are in planning stages across Indonesia, Brazil, and other regions. Interested in organizing or supporting an event? Join the #campusconnectSlackSlackSlack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/ channel.
Other WPCC Program Updates
Mentor program transition. The WPCC-specific mentor program has been retired and merged into the broader Event Supporters program. Eligible WPCC mentors are being onboarded as Event Supporters, and WPCC mentoring responsibilities now fall under the same framework used for WordCamps and other WordPress events. A new handbook page on Mentoring Campus Connect Events was published alongside this change. This streamlines the process, reduces complexity, and builds a more scalable support structure as the program grows.
WPCC Office HoursOffice HoursDefined times when the Global Community Team are in the #community-events Slack channel. If there is anything you would like to discuss โ you do not need to inform them in advance.You are very welcome to drop into any of the Community Team Slack channels at any time.. Campus Connect Office Hours are now taking place in the #campusconnect Slack channel, giving current and potential organizers dedicated time to ask questions and share experiences.
WordPress Credits
The WordPress Credits program saw significant growth in March, with new institutions joining, new course formats launching, and continued momentum among students and mentors.
Program Numbers
66ย active mentors
292ย students currently in the program
8ย graduates to date
18ย partner institutions, across Asia (2), Europe (12), and North and South America (4)
New Partner Institutions
Ten new institutions joined the program this month, more than doubling the programโs institutional footprint. The full list of current partners:
University of Pisa (Pisa, Italy)
Fidรฉlitas University (San Josรฉ, Costa Rica)
Franz Tamayo University / Unifranz (Santa Cruz โ Cochabamba, Bolivia)
Riga Nordic University (Riga, Latvia)
Ahmadโs Education (Dhaka, Bangladesh)
Krakow University of Economics (Krakow, Poland)
Cracow University of Technology (Krakow, Poland)
Central New Mexico Community College (Albuquerque, New Mexico, US)
IES Azarquielย (Toledo, Spain)
Creative Campus โ Universidad Europeaย (Toledo, Spain)
Drew Universityย (Madison, New Jersey, US)
Escuela de Arte Toledoย (Toledo, Spain)
Escuela de Arte de Huescaย (Huesca, Spain)
ERAP Research and Learning LLP (Kolkata, India)
Juraj Dobrila University of Pulaย (Pula, Croatia)
Escuela de Arte de Zaragozaย (Zaragoza, Spain)
IES Venancio Blancoย (Salamanca, Spain)
Zaragoza Dinรกmicaย (Zaragoza, Spain)
Spain now accounts for the largest regional cluster, with seven institutions across Toledo, Huesca, Zaragoza, and Salamanca. This growth reflects the strong engagement from Spanish WordPress communities who have been active in both Campus Connect and Credits.
New Course Formats
Two new course formats launched on Learn WordPress this month:
WordPress Credits โ Self-onboarding Pilotย โ A self-paced onboarding experience designed to let students work through the initial program steps independently before being matched with a mentor.
WordPress Credits โ 50 hoursย โ A condensed version of the program structured around a 50-hour contribution commitment.
These new formats expand access and flexibility for students and institutions with different scheduling needs, making it easier for more people to participate.
Student Spotlight: Self-onboarding Pilot
Out of 10 students from Krakow University of Economics who started the self-onboarding pilot, six are about to complete onboarding and will be introduced to their mentors soon. One student has already decided to contribute to the Community team. One participant shared this feedback:
โIโm already more than halfway through the onboarding โ itโs really enjoyable to go through! A big plus is definitely the simple vocabulary and the fact that I can come back to the course anytime, at any stage.โ
Early results like these suggest the self-paced format is working well for students who benefit from a flexible, go-at-your-own-pace approach.
Mentor Huddles
Two WordPress Credits Mentor Huddles were held in March, timed for different regions:
These regular meetings give mentors a space to share updates, troubleshoot challenges, and coordinate across time zones.
New Sponsor
Smarthost.pl has decided to support the WordPress Credits program and will offer students a domain plus one year of free hosting. This sponsorship is currently being added to the WordPress Credits page. Smarthost.pl joins WordPress.comWordPress.comAn online implementation of WordPress code that lets you immediately access a new WordPress environment to publish your content. WordPress.com is a private company owned by Automattic that hosts the largest multisite in the world. This is arguably the best place to start blogging if you have never touched WordPress before. https://wordpress.com/ and Weglot as program sponsors, providing practical tools that help students build real WordPress projects during their contribution work.
WordPress Student Clubs
The WPCC Jinja recap highlighted a key development for WordPress Student Clubs: the student clubs formed at multiple schools during the Jinja Campus Connect series are now being gradually formalized and onboarded through the WordPress Student Club program. Each club has its own leadership and faculty support and will function as a satellite community of the WordPress Jinja Meetup while operating independently within their schools.
In Nicaragua, students who attended the first WPCC at Keiser University are already organizing to start their own WordPress Student Club. Similarly, the team at Career Institute in Faisalabad, Pakistan, has plans to establish a club on campus as a next step after their successful Campus Connect event.
These developments point to a healthy pattern: Campus Connect events are creating a pipeline of student energy that flows naturally into ongoing Student Club activity.
Other Happenings
New Course: Leading WordPress Education Programs
The Leading WordPress Education Programs course is now live on Learn WordPress. This course is designed for people who want to lead, facilitate, or support WordPress education initiatives, providing guidance on program structure, community engagement, and practical implementation.
These resources, produced by @devmuhib (Muhibul Haque) and @sumitsingh, are a practical toolkit for any organizer setting up an event website using the WordPress BlockBlockBlock is the abstract term used to describe units of markup that, composed together, form the content or layout of a webpage using the WordPress editor. The idea combines concepts of what in the past may have achieved with shortcodes, custom HTML, and embed discovery into a single consistent API and user experience. Editor.
Impact Numbers Updated
The WordPress Campus Connect page on WordPress.orgWordPress.orgThe community site where WordPress code is created and shared by the users. This is where you can download the source code for WordPress core, plugins and themes as well as the central location for community conversations and organization. https://wordpress.org/ was updated this month with current program impact numbers. Organizers can now reference these figures directly in their own presentations and outreach materials when pitching Campus Connect to institutions and partners.
As WordPress Campus Connect (WPCC) events have continued to grow and mature, so have the processes and documentation that support them. When WPCC was first introduced, we created a separate, WPCC-specific mentorEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. program to meet an immediate need. At the time, information was limited and we needed a focused group to help define, document, and guide this new event format.
Today, that is no longer the case.
With stronger processes, clearer documentation, and an established foundation for supporting WPCC events, we will be retiring the WordPress Campus Connectโspecific mentor program and integrating its responsibilities into the existing Event Supporters program.
Why Weโre Making This Change
Over time, we found that maintaining a separate WPCC mentor group:
Created the perception that WPCC events are fundamentally different from other supported event types โ which is not the case.
Introduced additional process layers on top of an already well-established mentorship structure.
Limited opportunities to leverage the full strength and experience of our broader Event SupporterEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. team.
WPCC events are simply another important event format within our community. By integrating WPCC mentorship into the Event Supporters program, we can:
Ensure more sustainable growth for WPCC events.
Empower more contributors to support these events.
Reduce unnecessary process duplication.
Strengthen consistency across event mentorship overall.
What This Means
The WPCC-specific mentor program will be dissolved.
Eligible WPCC mentorsEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. will onboard as Event Supporters.
WPCC mentoring responsibilities will now be handled within the Event Supporters framework.
Documentation & Resource Updates
To support this transition, documentation has been updated and integrated into existing resources:
Additionally, available WPCC resources will continue to be integrated into established handbook pages as needed.
We believe that dissolving the separate WPCC mentor group and strengthening our existing Event Supporters program is the best path forward. This change allows us to streamline processes, reduce complexity, and build a more resilient and scalable support structure for WordPress Campus Connect events.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to building and mentoring WPCC events thus far โ your work laid the foundation that makes this transition possible.
Bringing WordPress Campus Connect to Malaysia marked an important milestone for open-source education and community-driven learning in the region. On 3 January 2026, the first-ever WordPress Campus Connect event in Malaysia was held at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Johor Bahru, welcoming students, educators, organizers, mentorsEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues., and volunteers for a day dedicated to learning, collaboration, and open-source exploration.
WordPress Campus Connect is part of the WordPress Education initiative, designed to help students learn by doing โ building practical skills with WordPress, understanding open-source values, and exploring career pathways through community-led learning. Hosting this initiative at UTM provided a meaningful opportunity to connect academic learning with real-world digital experience.
Preparing for the Event
Preparation for the event began with close collaboration between the organizing team, volunteers, and mentorEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues.. The goal was to create an inclusive and beginner-friendly environment where students could engage with WordPress beyond theory and gain practical insights into how open-source communities function.
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia supported the initiative by providing the venue and encouraging student participation, making it possible to host the first Campus Connect event in the country. Organizers and volunteers worked together to ensure smooth coordination across registration, logistics, audio-visual support, and on-site engagement.
The event was supported by WordPress Community Sponsors, with funding assistance of USD 300 used for printing, swag, refreshments, and other essential arrangements. We are thankful to the global sponsors who continue to enable community-led learning initiatives across the WordPress ecosystem.
Website Setup
Organizing the first WordPress Campus Connect event in Malaysia also provided valuable insights into the operational aspects of running a community-led education event. These learnings may be helpful for future Campus Connect organizers.
Website Setup and Design
The event website was designed following the same standards used across other WordPress Campus Connect events. Organizers should note that the Campus Connect website environment follows WordCamp.org guidelines, meaning:
The website must be built using GutenbergGutenbergThe Gutenberg project is the new Editor Interface for WordPress. The editor improves the process and experience of creating new content, making writing rich content much simpler. It uses โblocksโ to add richness rather than shortcodes, custom HTML etc.
https://wordpress.org/gutenberg/ (BlockBlockBlock is the abstract term used to describe units of markup that, composed together, form the content or layout of a webpage using the WordPress editor. The idea combines concepts of what in the past may have achieved with shortcodes, custom HTML, and embed discovery into a single consistent API and user experience. Editor)
Page builders or additional plugins are not available
While this may feel limiting at first, it encourages thoughtful design using coreCoreCore is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. WordPress tools. The dashboard experience is identical to a WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what theyโve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. site, including access to sessions, speakers, organizers, volunteers, and sponsors.
A ticketing page was also enabled, allowing students to register and โpurchaseโ free tickets through the official system, helping organizers manage attendance in a structured way.
Although the setup has constraints, there are still many creative possibilities within Gutenberg. For new organizers, it is recommended to allocate sufficient time for design planning and collaborate closely as a team when structuring the website.
Venue Coordination with the University
Securing the venue required working through the universityโs official venue approval process, similar to how venue agreements are handled for WordCamps. This step is essential for scheduling a Campus Connect event officially.
The venue contract process has recently been improved, with options for both paid and free venue agreements, making it more flexible for universities and organizers. Completing this process correctly is a critical milestone before confirming the event date.
Design and Printing Resources
Most of the official design assets are available through Figma, including:
Logos (multiple formats and print-ready versions)
Posters and covers
Presentation slides
Certificates
Wappu illustrations
Sticker-ready logo variations
The organizing team customized these assets to suit the local event while maintaining the official branding. The design kit also helped guide color selection, which was used consistently across digital and printed materials. Having ready-to-use logo variations made printing stickers and materials much easier.
Issuing Certificates of Participation
All participants received e-certificates of participation following the event. For many students, this recognition carried meaningful value, not only as proof of attendance but as acknowledgment of their first engagement with the global WordPress community.
Several students shared that receiving the certificate increased their confidence and motivated them to explore further involvement in open-source initiatives and future WordPress events.
Behind the Scenes
The success of the event was made possible by a dedicated organizing team led by Mohammad Ibrahim as Lead Organizer, with Nasim Miah serving as Co-Lead. The organizing team also included Yves Tan, Kamil Sharip, Eric Low, Teh Yong Li, Peng Hao and Ts. Chan Ler-Kuan, who collectively supported planning, logistics, sessions, and community coordination.
A committed volunteer team supported the event throughout the day, assisting with registration, attendee support, floor management, audio-visual operations, photography, and logistics. Their efforts ensured a welcoming and well-organized experience for all participants.
Student Engagement and Activities
The event received over 100 registrations, with 54 students attending in person on 3 January 2026. Participants represented five different countries, creating a diverse and inclusive learning environment.
Throughout the day, students actively participated in Q&A sessions, interactive discussions, and the quiz segment. Many attendees stayed after sessions to speak directly with speakers and organizers, asking follow-up questions about WordPress development, UIUIUI is an acronym for User Interface - the layout of the page the user interacts with. Think โhow are they doing thatโ and less about what they are doing. design, freelancing opportunities, and career pathways.
The quiz session generated high energy and enthusiasm, with students competing enthusiastically and celebrating the top performers and lucky draw winners.
This milestone at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia demonstrates how community-driven education can create meaningful learning experiences and lasting connections for the next generation of digital creators.
In the past two years, the WordPress Community has launched a handful of education initiatives. These initiatives are designed to help introduce, onboard, and educate students into the WordPress open sourceOpen SourceOpen Source denotes software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. Open Source **must be** delivered via a licensing model, see GPL. project.
Programs like Campus Connect and WordPress Student Clubs offer students the opportunity for hands-on learning with WordPress, through workshops or ongoing meetupsMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. on campus. WordPress Credits, a contribution-focused initiative, offers onboarding and mentorship that helps learners satisfy academic requirements while directly contributing to WordPress.
Since their launch, these initiatives have grown from the communityโs dedicated efforts, whether thatโs organizers bringing Campus Connect to their local communities or experienced contributors sharing their knowledge as mentorsEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. in the WordPress Credits program.ย
Connecting with educational institutions
There are a number of ways to get involved with these programs, including program support and mentorship. Additionally, spreading the word to other educational institutions is an excellent way to help raise awareness and expand outreach to students.ย
If youโre interested in supporting the education initiatives through expanding their reach, here are some ideas to consider:ย
If you already host your local meetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. or WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what theyโve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. on a school campus, consider sharing these programs with your contact. These programs are flexible and designed to help accommodate new organizers and small teams.
Are you connected to a school or other educational institution? Whether a teacher or an active alum, warm introductions can be a helpful way to help start any conversations around bringing these programs into the classroom.ย
Explore ways to integrate student participation into existing local events, whether thatโs sharing an upcoming meetup with your local college or inviting student volunteers into your community events. You never know who you will inspire to create the next student group!
I want to help, but what should I say?
A good place to start is with the WordPress Education page, which offers a helpful overview of all community education initiatives. You can also use the template below for inspiration:ย
Hi [Name],
[Insert a short summary of your connection to the institution and why you wanted to reach out.]
WordPress is an open source software that powers roughly 43% of the web. The WordPress community recently launched several education initiatives that focus on providing students with hands-on learning experience in WordPress. These programs include:
WordPress Credits โ a contribution-based program where students from partnering institutions receive onboarding, mentorship, and guidance as they directly contribute to the WordPress project.
Campus Connect โ a hands on, on-campus workshop event or series led by experienced WordPress contributors or faculty.ย
WP Student Clubs โ student-run WordPress meetups that regularly host on-campus events, providing ongoing education and leadership experience for students.
Each of these initiatives provide great opportunities for students to grow their WordPress experience, while also building transferable skills in a global open source community. If youโre interested in any of these programs, let me know and I can help connect you to the right teams to talk about next steps!
Letโs connect!
If youโre interested in helping to connect these initiatives to other institutions, reach out in the comments or in the wpcredits or campusconnectMake Slack channels with any questions. Together, we can chat through ideas on the best way to approach educational connections and brainstorm ways these programs might fit into your local schools, event series, or communities.ย
Welcome to the Monthly Education Buzz Report, your go-to source for highlights and updates on the WordPress Campus connect, WordPress Credits, and WordPress Student club education initiatives within the WordPress community. This report aims to celebrate, promote, and inform individuals across the WordPress community and beyond about the diverse educational endeavors underway.
17 more events are currently in the planning stages! We are actively working to expand our global reach and bring more educational opportunities to students worldwide. Come find us in the #campusconnect Slack channel.
Event Highlights
WordPress Campus Connect continues to grow globally, with multiple successful events, new resources, and increased community engagement this month.
WordPress Campus Connect Cumilla Housing Estate School & College (Comilla, Bangladesh)
Organizers hosted WordPress Campus Connect โ Cumilla, welcoming 60+ students to explore WordPress and open sourceOpen SourceOpen Source denotes software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. Open Source **must be** delivered via a licensing model, see GPL..
The session covered:
An introduction to WordPress and open source collaboration
A hands-on โBuild Your First Websiteโ workshop
Contribution pathways and career opportunities in the WordPress ecosystem
A closing ceremony with certificates and recognition for top participants
Organizers reported that students were highly engaged throughout the event, showing strong interest in continuing their learning journey.
Campus Connect โ Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology (RUET)
On 11 December 2025, organizers successfully organized WordPress Campus Connect โ Rajshahi (RUET), with 95+ students participating.
The event focused on:
Open source contribution pathways
The evolution of WordPress and the role of GPLGPLGPL is an acronym for GNU Public License. It is the standard license WordPress uses for Open Source licensing https://wordpress.org/about/license/. The GPL is a โcopyleftโ license https://www.gnu.org/licenses/copyleft.en.html. This means that derivative work can only be distributed under the same license terms. This is in distinction to permissive free software licenses, of which the BSD license and the MIT License are widely used examples.
Hands-on WordPress website building
WordPress in the age of AI
Ways for students to stay connected with the WordPress community
Organizers reported that the atmosphere was energetic and collaborative, with students actively engaging throughout the sessions.
Interactive WordPress sessions and hands-on workshops
Building websites without coding
Learning about career opportunities in web development, UIUIUI is an acronym for User Interface - the layout of the page the user interacts with. Think โhow are they doing thatโ and less about what they are doing./UXUXUX is an acronym for User Experience - the way the user uses the UI. Think โwhat they are doingโ and less about how they do it., QA, digital marketing, and open-source contributions
Community engagement, networking with mentorsEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues., and practical guidance for contributing to the global WordPress community
Campus Connect Kaliro (Uganda, 2025)
Successfully conducted with 110 students, facilitated by @Stephen Dumba, @Ssebuwufu Moses, and @Mukalele Rogers.
Activities included:
Interactive WordPress sessions and hands-on workshops
Knowledge sharing and practical guidance for building websites and exploring open-source contributions
Community engagement, peer collaboration, and mentorship
Despite network challenges, the event was full of energy and excitement, with organizers stating that students expressed joy and enthusiasm, and many shared positive recommendations for future sessions.
This month marked several exciting milestones for the WordPress Credits program, reflecting continued growth in mentorship, partnerships, and student participation.
We successfully hosted our first WordPress Credits MentorEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. Huddles, creating a new space for mentors to connect, share experiences, and strengthen support for students contributing to WordPress. You can read more about the initiative in the recap post: https://make.wordpress.org/community/2025/12/12/wordpress-credits-mentor-huddles-dec25/
The program was also spotlighted globally, with Universidad Fidรฉlitas from San Josรฉ, Costa Rica featured as a Spotlight of the Week (SOTW) 2025: https://wordpress.org/news/2025/12/sotw-2025/
Mentor capacity continues to scale. The program now has 50 active mentors, including 22 newly onboarded in the past month, significantly expanding our ability to guide and support students throughout their contribution journey.
Educational partnerships are expanding as well. Cracow University of Technology joined the program, bringing us to 7 partner institutions across 3 regions.
Student engagement remains strong, with 99 students actively contributing through the WordPress Credits course:
WordPress Campus Connect is growing, and we need community support to advance key initiatives. We are seeking assistance in the specific areas detailed below. If you are interested in contributing, please comment on this post or reach out to the team in the #campusconnectSlackSlackSlack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/ channel.
Campus Connect MentorEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues.
Campus Connect Participant
Documentation
We require assistance with reviewing and creating content:
Education Handbook: Review for clarity of instruction and identify opportunities for improvement.
Community Handbook Program ManagerProgram ManagerProgram Managers (formerly Super Deputies) are Program Supporters who can perform extra tasks on WordCamp.org like creating new sites and publishing WordCamps to the schedule. Pages: Review for clarity of instruction and identify opportunities for improvement.
Draft WPCC Office HoursOffice HoursDefined times when the Global Community Team are in the #community-events Slack channel. If there is anything you would like to discuss โ you do not need to inform them in advance.You are very welcome to drop into any of the Community Team Slack channels at any time. e-guide
Resources Page: Draft a new page in the Education Handbook that includes direct links to essential resources for organizers (e.g., pitch decks, logos).
