Alumni Association Platform for a Local College

Abstract

This project aims to design and develop a digital Alumni Association Platform for a local college to enhance communication and interaction between alumni, students, and faculty. The platform includes features such as alumni registration, login, event announcements, and a searchable alumni directory, all accessible through a clean and responsive interface. It is developed using Flutter for cross-platform compatibility and Supabase as the backend for data storage and authentication. The system addresses common issues such as manual data handling and lack of structured alumni engagement. Initial testing showed that the platform is user-friendly and meets the basic requirements for maintaining alumni relations. This paper outlines the design, implementation, and testing process, highlighting the potential of digital tools in improving alumni connectivity at the institutional level.

Introduction

In the digital age, strong alumni relationships are crucial for institutional success. Alumni serve as brand ambassadors, mentors, and contributors to academic and career development. However, many smaller colleges still rely on outdated tools (e.g., spreadsheets, printed directories) for alumni engagement, leading to inefficiencies and fragmented networks.

To address this, a custom Alumni Association Platform was developed using modern, cost-effective technologies (Flutter for frontend, Supabase for backend) to provide a centralized and user-friendly space for alumni interaction.

Project Features

• Core Functions: Alumni registration, profile management, event listings, real-time notifications, discussion boards, and job announcements.

• Technology Stack:

  • Frontend: Flutter (cross-platform for web and mobile)

  • Backend: Supabase (open-source alternative to Firebase)

  • Database: PostgreSQL (structured for fast queries and scalability)

  • Authentication: Role-based access via Supabase Auth

• Security: HTTPS encryption, token-based authentication, and fine-grained access controls.

Literature Review Highlights

• Reconnectify (Buvana et al., 2024): A user-friendly platform enabling alumni engagement through real-time interaction and secure data handling.

• Wang & Zhang (2019): Integrated media like mobile apps and social media significantly enhance alumni engagement, transparency, and accessibility.

• Alumni Connect Hub (Sawai et al., 2024): Modular system that centralizes alumni data and provides real-time participation analytics.

• AlumiConnect (Kathanea et al., 2024): Emphasizes two-way communication between alumni and students, supporting mentorship and professional growth.

• Others (Ahire, Pawar, Joshi, etc.): Highlight the importance of user experience, blockchain for security, scalability, and mobile responsiveness.

Proposed Methodology

System Design

• User Interface: Clean and responsive (Flutter)

• Backend: Supabase with real-time database, secure API endpoints

• Modules: Alumni directory, event calendar, announcements, career forums

Key Functionalities

• Real-Time Notifications: Via in-app alerts and email

• Role-Based Access: Differentiated features for alumni, students, and administrators

• Advanced Search: Enables users to find alumni by year, profession, location, or expertise

Data Privacy & Security

• All data is encrypted and transmitted securely.

• Access to operations and data is controlled via roles and database-level policies.

Conclusion

Conclusion

This paper aims to present a comprehensive alumni networking platform that enhances the connection between alumni and the institution. The system is designed to facilitate seamless communication, interaction, and engagement among alumni and current students in a secure and user-friendly environment. By implementing modern technologies such as Supabase and a scalable database structure, the project ensures data integrity and smooth content delivery.The platform encourages alumni to share insights, experiences, and opportunities, thereby contributing to the academic and professional development of students. It creates a virtual community that maintains long-term relationships between alumni and the institution beyond graduation.This project lays a solid foundation for future development in alumni management systems. Future work can involve integrating advanced features like job and internship portals, real-time event notifications, and video conferencing tools for virtual reunions and mentorship programs. One potential area for future enhancement is the integration of AI-powered analytics to better understand alumni engagement patterns and deliver tailored content automatically.Additionally, multilingual support and a mobile-friendly interface can further increase accessibility and usability across diverse user groups. The system can be a cornerstone in building a connected and supportive alumni community, fostering a culture of giving back and lifelong engagement with the institution.

References

[1] Buvana, M., Hemalatha, J., Abinaya, S., & Hemavarshini, R. (2024, November). Reconnectify: An Alumni Association Platform. International Journal of All Research Education and Scientific Methods (IJARESM), 12(11). [2] Wang, J., & Zhang, Z. (2019). Research on Alumni Resources Development and Alumni Association Work in Colleges and Universities under \"Integrated Media\" Environment. Madison Proceedings. [3] Sawai, P. P., Chambhare, P. V., Jaysingpure, A. N., Karhe, A. G., Rathod, D., &Gulhane, V. S. (2024, February). Alumni Connect Hub: A Comprehensive Alumni Management System. IJIRID, 3(1). [4] Kathanea, S., Dandgea, E., Sahua, V., Shapanea, K., Zaidia, J., &Mathaneb, R. (2024, November). AlumiConnect: Building Bridges Between Alumni and Students. International Journal of All Research Education and Scientific Methods (IJARESM), 12(11). [5] Singer, T. S., & Hughey, A. W. (2003). The Role of the Alumni Association in Student Life. New Directions for Student Services, 2002(100), 51–68. [6] Murugan, P., & Sathya, V. (2024, April). Student Alumni Connecting Website. IJNRD, 9(4). [7] Ahire, K. R., Deshmukh, A. S., Sarode, R. S., Shirore, S. P., &Pagare, S. M. (2024, May). Alumni Tracking & Interaction Platform. IJIRID, 6(5). [8] Rajini, S., Prasad, H. B., & Singh, U. A. (2023, August). Alumni Management and Networking System. 2nd International Conference on Advancements in Electrical, Electronics, Communication, Computing and Automation (ICAECA). [9] Patil, S. S., Bhasme, A., Bobade, P., Barkade, A., & Pore, P. (2023, April). AlmaHub: An Engaging, Supportive Alumni-Students Interaction Platform. IEEE 8th International Conference for Convergence in Technology (I2CT). [10] Pawar, R. B., Wakchaure, M., Nawale, S., Dani, T., & Kunte, N. (2024, April). An Engaging, Supportive Alumni-Student-College Interaction Platform Using Flutter and Blockchain Technology. IJIRMPS, 12(2). [11] Lacasandile, A. D., Altuna, R. B., Nova, A. C., Diaz, L. P., Gunay, K. R., & Balbuena, A. E. A. (2024, July). Fostering Alumni Involvement and Professional Advancement: A User-Centric Perspective on the National University Alumni Portal. 2023 IEEE 15th International Conference on Humanoid, Nanotechnology, Information Technology, Communication and Control, Environment, and Management (HNICEM). [12] Joshi, A., Mahmud, M., & Ragel, R. G. (2023). IIITA Alumni Connect: A Community Platform to Bridge the Gap Between Alumni, Students and Faculty. In A. Agrawal & P. Goyal (Eds.), Information and Communication Technology for Competitive Strategies (ICTCS 2022) (Vol. 623). Springer, Singapore.

Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Prakriti Vishwakarma, Prof. Preeti Vipin Jog, Saloni Wani, Yatendra Singh. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.