Towson University Campus Inquiry

This repository contains my final project for COSC 484. This web application serves as a platform for students to submit requests and connect with counselors. Below are the details and setup instructions for the project.

Technologies Used:

• MEAN Stack: MongoDB, Express.js (with CORS), Angular, Node.js
• Bootstrap (Bootswatch): Used for styling the application
• Nodemailer: Used for sending emails

Project Overview:

The Towson University Campus Inquiry Form facilitates communication between students and counselors by allowing students to submit inquiries and requests directly through the application. Counselors can then respond to these inquiries.

Setup Instructions:

To run the server locally, follow these steps:

1. Define Environment Variables:

   • Create a .env file in the backend directory.
   • Fill in the following variables:

     MONGODB_URI="<Your MongoDB URI>"
     DB_NAME="<Your Database Name>"
     PORT=<Some Port Number>
     EMAIL_ADDRESS="<Your Email Address>"
     EMAIL_PASSWORD="<Your Email Password>"
     

     Note: Ensure that you use an authenticated email address (Outlook or any other service) to avoid any email delivery issues.

2. Install and Run the Backend:

   • Navigate to the backend directory.
   • Use npm instal to install packages
   • Use nodemon to start the server:

     npm install
     cd backend
     nodemon server.js
     

3. Install and Run the Angular Application:

   • Open a new terminal window.
   • Navigate to the tu-campus-inquiry directory.
   • Use npm instal to install packages
   • Use ng serve to start the Angular application:

     npm install
     ng serve
     

4. Open Application:

   • Once both the backend server and Angular application are running, access the application by navigating to http://localhost:4200 in your browser.