Students are surrounded by multiple dating apps like Tinder, Grindr, Match.com and Zoosk just to name a few. However, none of them are quite like Bumble.
Bumble is an app used for forming connections across various different platforms. It’s not just a simple dating app anymore.
Bumble has three main sections, Bumble Date, Bumble BFF and Bumble Bizz. Bumble Date is for those looking for their next long-term relationship, whereas Bumble BFF is to find local friends to connect with and create platonic relationships. Bumble Bizz is where different business and professional connections are formed.
A poll done by the the Cigar concluded that 70 percent of University of Rhode Island students don’t use Bumble. In addition, around 82 percent of these students didn’t even know there was three different sections to Bumble and around 76 percent of students haven’t seen any promotional material for Bumble at URI.
Bumble has established a program to reach out to different colleges and universities in the hopes of helping students create proper connections. Marie Gillcrist is a senior public relations major with a business minor, as well as the Campus Director for Bumble at URI for this semester.
“Bumble has opened my eyes to the world of business and how you can be involved in what’s going on around you even when you’re in college and taking classes,” she said. “I loved the opportunity to see what real successful companies are doing and how they’re doing it. Business doesn’t have to be a cutthroat world like some make you think it is. Bumble is all about supporting other companies, diversity, and individuality, which has given me a very hopeful outlook on entering the job market.”
Gillcrist’s job is to spread Bumble’s message of cultivating positive platonic, professional and romantic relationships.
“Bumble’s main mission is to impact and connect people. It’s more than just a dating app,” said Gillcrist. “I think the Bumble presence is growing, not only on campus but everywhere! [We are taking] small steps through spreading our message on campus will help spread it worldwide!”
Gillcrist wants people on this campus to be encouraged to make the first move, to not be afraid of making new connections and forming new partnerships. Gillcrist wants to emphasis how making the first move can impact your social, work and dating lives.
When asked about what brought Gillcrist to Bumble, she mentioned that she knew of what Bumble had to offer in terms of the messages and social aspects that it aligns itself with.
Gillcrist is graduating this semester so her team of current ambassadors are constantly working with URI to bring different programs to the students, some of which include different programs all over campus such as Bumble Date Night, different announcements to come for Bumble Bizz and different opportunities for becoming an ambassador for Bumblea at URI.
If interested, Gillcrist has opened up her email, [email protected], as a point of contact for information about working for Bumble as well as general questions about Bumble, its purpose and its mission.