Freshman business administration major Logan Smiley has been working on designing and co-launching a phone app since the summer of 2017. BriskList is a college-friendly reading app that comes in two parts.

The first function allows the user to browse articles via Google, save an article and set a reminder on one’s phone to read it. By setting a reminder that is connected to the app and articles, users are able to avoid pile-up with their assignments. A “delete timer” and “automatically delete” option are available in the app as well.

Smiley explained that BriskList is made for college kids by college kids, assuring that it will be useful. Although it is not completed and ready for the public yet, Smiley said it is finally starting to become viable.

With the help of Smiley’s good friend, Michael Bouril of Penn State, the app is in the process of being revamped. The two plan to add a note-taking feature, a split-screen mode, and make it easier to use with search engines besides Google Chrome. “We think Google is the easiest to use with it so we built it on that platform,” according to Smiley.

The second part involves a website. Before explaining further, Smiley asked, “Have you ever been in class [having an open discussion] and the discussion turns political? And you kind of don’t know what’s going on because you don’t do any research on it? There’s always that one kid who knows what he’s talking about…” Smiley continued to explain that students do not like to feel ignorant. “Nobody wants to be ill-informed on something that everyone thinks is important.”

To prevent this ignorance, the website aspect of BriskList contains reputable sources for five categories. The list has “college-friendly” sources that cover current events, pop-culture, sports, and more. With this feature, the user is able to inform themselves quickly and accurately because of the easy accessibility.

There is a wide range of possibilities, as Smiley describes. Anyone can learn about  “new tax returns or Lebron James” in a few short steps. For the most part, the sources are unbiased and fact-checked.

The design of and idea for the project came up in a family discussion, and Bouril helped make it happen with his coding and programing experience. Smiley gives credit to Bouril, assuring that Bouril brought BriskList to life.

Smiley and Bouril do not plan on selling the app to users, but possibly to businesses who are capable of expanding this service. According to Smiley, BriskList is something people should download on their phones because it is important to be informed and stay that way. BriskList is an opportunity to learn about current events with an open mind.