Website slung for students

By Angela Nicol

An entrepreneurial team of University of Alberta grads, is linking students across the country through its content-driven website, Market Penetration.

Founded by Kingsley Leung, Mel Kuncio and Candace Korchinsky, the company’s purpose is to connect students and give them a sense of community, focusing on student life and facilitating communication between Canadian universities.

"It’s always been about just helping students in general," said Co-founder and Business Marketing Manager Mel Kuncio.

President and Co-founder Kingsley Leung added that the company chose the internet as its medium due to the opportunity for widespread exposure.

"We decided to do a website because the internet now connects the world," he said.

The website, which has been up and running since July 31, gives students a connection to others, information on student life, jobs, news from other universities, and an opportunity to contribute to the site’s internet magazine, MZine. MZine contains contributions from students across the country on topics like education, entertainment, music reviews, fashion, finances, travel, and employment.

Another section, Clickzone, offers links to the top five Canadian sites, and visitors have an opportunity to receive the site’s newsletter by email.

Students can also post messages on an open bulletin board, and chat in a discussion room.

Market Penetration may have much to offer to students, but not in the way of internet shopping like most other university-oriented sites. Kuncio and Leung said that some students are surprised to find that Market Penetration does not do any obvious merchandising.

"When people ask me what the site is for, I tell them three things: information, entertainment, and lots of cool stuff," said Leung.

Market Penetration accepts submissions to MZine by email to the site’s information section.

Penetration can be found at: www.marketpenetration.net.