Projects

Location: Not accessible

Created: December 2005

Supporting Technology: PHP, MySQL

UPAC Concerts is a committee within the Rensselaer Student Union that is responsible for booking talent and facilitating concerts on the RPI campus. I have been the publicity director for UPAC Concerts for about two years, and we needed a new website that would reflect a smooth, clean image and provide information to the student body about upcoming acts and how they could get involved with the group. Dwindling membership and campus interest spurred the need for this infrastructure.

One of the main events held each year is the Battle of the Bands, which showcases student bands. In recent years, it has gotten increasingly difficult to find acts on campus to take part in the event. Therefore, the biggest design feature of the new website is the "Band Members" section which serves as a bulletin board for on campus bands and musicians. Anyone can go in and create a profile with up to date contact information. Bands can list the types of musicians they are looking for, and musicians can list the instruments that they can play. Once a user is registered, they can click on "Match Me" to find the profiles of others who fit what they are looking for, or they can simply search profiles based on any criteria. We hope that once students start to use this feature, it will facilitate growth in the RPI music community.

This site was developed as a final project for a class called Information Systems. I worked with another student, Rich Palmer, to develop the requirements and overall site plan, and worked on my own to write all of the code and design the look and feel. It was the first time I used PHP to develop a site, so the process also included learning the language, mostly through the use of online references and tutorials. The photo album and officers sections are both still under development. The photo album will serve as a collection of pictures from our events throughout the year, and the officers section will enable authorized committee members to make updates to the site (such as contact information, adding photos, updating events) without having to manipulate any of the code.