GSU-Share

Introduction

Welcome to GSU Share, an innovative platform designed to assist Georgia State University students in uncovering and utilizing the wealth of free resources available on campus. The project aims to bridge the gap between students and the abundance of resources often unknown or overlooked, thereby enhancing their college experience and contributing to their success.

How GSU Share Solves the Problem

At GSU Share, we believe in the power of knowledge. By increasing awareness and facilitating access to available resources, our objective is to empower students in maximizing their college experience fully. The website serves as a comprehensive guide for students, providing essential information on campus resources and guidance on how to make the best use of these offerings.

Examples of How GSU Share Can Assist Students in Succeeding

Centralized Resources: Creating simplicity by aggregating all resources in one easily accessible place.
Financial Aid: A comprehensive database of all free resources available on campus.
Academic Support: Tailored resources for specific class registrations and academic tips and tricks.

Objectives

The primary goal of GSU Share is to provide a platform for both students and staff to share their experiences and knowledge regarding the free resources available at Georgia State University. The ultimate aim is to foster a supportive and collaborative community at GSU, facilitating mutual success and growth among students.

Our Goals and Objectives (Before Starting)

Design and develop a user-friendly website enabling easy access to campus resources (Completed).
Enable resource sharing among students, faculty, and staff through a user-friendly interface (Completed).
Ensure the website is secure, reliable, and scalable (Completed).
Promote the website and increase user engagement through effective marketing strategies (Work in progress).

Features

Responsive Design: Sections include the home page, login/signup, additional resources, about us, privacy policy, contact us, and terms and conditions.
Security Measures: Robust security features, form validation, and user account privacy considerations.
Resource Categorization: Organized resources into distinct categories for easy navigation.

Main Sections of the Website

Home Page: An overview of available resources and the latest updates.
Login/Sign Up: User authentication and account creation.
Other Resources: Highlighting additional on-campus and external resources.
About Us Page, Privacy Policy, Terms and Conditions: Essential information sections.
Profile Page for Founders/Developers: Demonstrating transparency and founders' profiles.
Contact Us Page: Providing contact details for queries and suggestions.

Demonstration

Description	Screenshot
Home Page: The landing page of the website, providing access to available resources.
Resources Page: A dedicated section showcasing available resources and services offered.
Admin Resource Page: A page for administrative resource management and control, only available from an authorized admin account.
User Login Page: Authentication page allowing users to access their accounts.
Login Validation: Validation checking process for user login credentials, making sure only a valid email and password can be queried. Notifies the user if the login is incorrect.
User Registration: Registration page for new users to create an account.
Portfolio Page: Showcasing portfolios of our team.
SVG Logo: Displaying the project logo in SVG format, so it is infinitely scalable and uses rich text. This logo was created completely via code.
Privacy Policy Page: Page detailing the privacy policy and terms for platform users.
Terms of Service Page: Page outlining the terms and conditions for platform usage.
About Us Page: Informational page about the platform and its creators.
Copyright Page: Page specifying copyright information for the platform.
Contact Us Page: A short page providing contact details and support options, as it is required for web apps.

Quick Start Instructions

Installing Flask: Execute the following command to install Flask:
```
pip install Flask
```
Installing pymysql: Use the following command to install the pymysql module:
```
pip install pymysql
```
Navigate to Project Directory: Open your terminal or command prompt and change the directory to the GSU-Share project folder.
```
cd path/to/GSU-Share
```
Start MySQL Server: Begin your MySQL server using XAMPP or through the command line if MySQL is installed separately.
Run the Application: Execute the main.py file to start the Flask application. (This will only work if your PATH is set up correctly on Windows. Otherwise try C:/Python/python.exe main.py)
```
python main.py
```
Access the Application: Once the server is running, access the application through your web browser or via a command line browser.
```
curl http://localhost:5000
```

Short-term and Long-term Plans

Short-term Goals:

Collaboration with Georgia State University Administration for integration into the official university website.
Expansion of features to better serve the needs of students and staff.
Promotional and marketing activities to increase platform visibility.

Long-term Vision:

Nationwide Expansion to other colleges and universities.
Rebranding and customization for different institutions.
Universal access to resources to empower students across the country.

Technologies Used

Front End

HTML 5
CSS 3
JavaScript
Bootstrap

Application Layer

Python Flask

Back End

MySQL

Other Tools

GitHub for version control

Contributions

Amanuel Alemayehu: Main Designer (UX/UI), Application Layer Integration
Sagar Patel: UX Designer, Database Layer Management, Version Control Manager
Joshua Olawole: UX Designer, Content Management
Kaleb Befekadu: UX Designer, Project Management

SagarPateI/GSU-Share