DEVELOPMENT OF A WEP-BASED ALUMNI NETWORKING SYSTEM FOR MOUNTAIN TOP ALUMNI

ABSTRACT The rapid expansion of university alumni communities and the increasing demand for digital engagement tools have made it essential for academic institutions to adopt modern solutions that foster sustained relationships with their graduates. This project focuses on the development of a web-based alumni networking system, titled MTA Connect (MTA-c), tailored specifically for the alumni of Mountain Top University (MTU). The primary objective of the platform is to provide a unified, user-friendly, and secure environment where alumni can register, manage their profiles, reconnect with former classmates, access job opportunities, view shared updates, and participate in a growing digital community. The system was developed using the MERN stack — a combination of MongoDB, Express.js, React.js, and Node.js — which ensured high performance, modularity, and scalability. The project followed the Agile software development methodology, allowing for iterative implementation, continuous testing, and incremental improvements based on user feedback. System features were designed to reflect the real-world needs of MTU graduates, as identified through informal interviews and observation of alumni interaction patterns. Core modules include user authentication, profile management, an alumni directory, a job board, a post feed, and a photo gallery. RESTful APIs were used to handle communication between the frontend and backend, while JWT (JSON Web Token) technology ensured secure authentication. Testing was carried out at multiple levels — unit, integration, system, and user acceptance — to guarantee the reliability and usability of the system. Feedback from test users highlighted the simplicity and responsiveness of the platform, confirming its alignment with user expectations. The results of this project demonstrate that even without a complex administrative backend, a focused and well-designed alumni platform can significantly enhance connectivity and engagement within the university community. MTA Connect offers a strong foundation upon which future features, such as admin controls, event registration, donation tracking, or mobile integration, can be built. This system is not only a final year academic submission but also a scalable solution that Mountain Top University can adapt to meet long-term alumni engagement goals.