Parkland College Released New Navigation App
The school launched ParklandGO to help students and visitors navigate the Champaign campus with ease.
Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Language Learning
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Parkland College has officially launched the ParklandGO navigation app, providing digital guidance for the campus in Champaign. The tool offers step-by-step routing to assist students and new arrivals in finding key locations.
Why it matters
The college developed the platform to improve accessibility and help users efficiently navigate campus facilities. It streamlines the experience for students and visitors unfamiliar with the college grounds.
The ParklandGO app features include accessible routes, parking, restrooms, dining areas, study spaces, and bus stops, with the software displaying estimated walking times between campus destinations.
The players
Kristin Smigielski
She served as one of the key leaders responsible for the development and release of the ParklandGO application.
Erik Johnson
He acted as a project lead for the integration and launch of the college's new digital navigation platform.
Mike Behrens
He helped oversee the project that unified multiple navigation proposals into the final campus app.
Parkland College
This educational institution located in Champaign, Illinois, serves as the primary site for the new navigation app.
The details
Users can access the navigation tool via the App Store, Google Play, or the internet to receive precise, step-by-step guidance. The final product was created by combining three separate project proposals that originated in 2023.
Timeline
Three separate app proposals were created during 2023.
The ParklandGO app officially launched on September 28, 2026.
Culture Shift
The launch of ParklandGO reflects a broader institutional shift toward digital-first campus environments, mirroring the adoption of Google Maps Indoor Live View for hyper-local navigation. This move signals a departure from static paper signage toward dynamic, real-time data for navigation.
Students and visitors in Champaign can now save time by using the app to calculate walking routes and find specific campus amenities instantly. The app eliminates the need for manual wayfinding by providing direct digital paths to parking, transit, and study spaces.
The takeaway
Using digital navigation tools can significantly reduce the stress of exploring a new or expansive campus environment for the first time. Students should download the app to their mobile devices before arriving on campus to ensure immediate access to optimized walking routes.
Further reading
For additional insights on campus technology resources, visit the Language Learning section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WCIA.
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