Overview
Developed a custom PHP and MySQL application for Valdosta State University’s Meet Your Counselor feature, helping prospective students identify the admissions counselor responsible for their geographic territory.
Originally developed as a module on the Office of Admissions homepage, the project evolved into a standalone webpage with its own database-driven search functionality and administrative management portal.
The Challenge
Prospective students needed an accessible way to identify the admissions counselor assigned to their geographic area.
The Office of Admissions also needed a centralized system for maintaining counselor information and territory assignments without requiring developers to manually update website content whenever assignments changed.
The original homepage module provided a starting point but presented opportunities for expanded functionality and a more dedicated student-facing experience.
The Solution
Developed a PHP and MySQL backend application that allows authorized administrators to create, read, update, and delete counselor records and their associated geographic territories.
Connected the administrative system to a student-facing interface that enables visitors to find the counselor responsible for their area.
Expanded the original Admissions homepage module into an independent webpage, introducing additional functionality and improving how counselor information could be accessed and managed.
Continued enhancing the application and its database throughout my tenure at Valdosta State University.
Technical Implementation
The application included five primary components:
- Database architecture: Developed a MySQL-backed system for managing admissions counselor information and geographic territory assignments.
- Administrative portal: Built a PHP interface supporting create, read, update, and delete (CRUD) operations for counselors and their territories.
- Counselor lookup: Connected the student-facing interface to the database so visitors could identify the appropriate admissions counselor.
- Feature expansion: Evolved the original homepage module into a standalone webpage with expanded functionality.
- Ongoing development: Added custom features and maintained the application’s PHP code and database during my tenure at the university.
Outcome
Delivered a database-driven counselor management and lookup application that allowed the Office of Admissions to maintain counselor assignments while helping prospective students identify the appropriate contact.
Expanded the original homepage module into a standalone resource, providing additional functionality for both students and administrators.
The website has since been redesigned, and portions of my original implementation appear to remain in use. I am no longer responsible for maintaining the application, and its current technical implementation has not been independently verified.