top of page
Search

From Outdated to Outstanding: CICPSU's Website Rebuild

Writer: Ismail Barton
Ismail Barton
Sep 7
2 min read

Client: St. Mary's College Past Students' Union (CICPSU) 

Project type: Full website rebuild 

Platform migration: Joomla → WordPress



The Backstory


The CIC Past Students' Union has been the home for alumni of St. Mary's College ("the Saints") for years. The organisation reconnects graduates back to the school and to each other. A lot of community sites from the early 2000s, including cicpsu.org, ran on Joomla. Launched in 2005, Joomla was a widely popular content management system. For a while, it worked fine.


Until it didn't.


Plugins that handled core functions started breaking with updates. Security vulnerabilities crept in as the CMS started so show its age. Routine maintenance became a constant game of catch-up. The site was still online, but it was becoming harder to manage, trust, and grow. 

CICPSU originally reached out to IBarton Design Co. to update the existing site. An audit found many problems that would only get worse as time went on. That's when we decided to rebuild the site from the ground up.


Why WordPress


When it came time to pick a new CMS, reliability and future-proofing were what mattered most. WordPress currently powers over 40% of all websites on the internet. Everything from government institutions, Fortune 500 companies and personal blogs. That kind of adoption brings a huge ecosystem. Developers around the world keep the platform secure, up-to-date and well supported.


Switching to WordPress freed CICPSU from the shrinking Joomla ecosystem. It delivered a platform that is secure and built to last.


What We Built


The rebuild wasn't a simple copy-paste of the old site on a new platform. It was a chance to rethink how the CICPSU community actually uses the site. It was an opportunity to make sure the new build could grow with the organisation.


A few of the key pieces:


  • A modern, secure WordPress foundation to replace the aging Joomla install. This immediately fixed recurring plugin breakages and the need for constant security patches.

  • An updated alumni application form.  Past students anywhere in the world can apply to join the CICPSU anywhere, at any time. Admin would be instantly notified for verification and approval.

  • A Hall of Fame section, giving the community a proper digital space.

  • Room to grow, thanks to WordPress' massive plugin library. Features like event ticketing, or alumni networking tools can be added later without a full rebuild.


The Result


The new cicpsu.org is sleek, fast, and secure. Also it gives the union a platform they can actually maintain, with ample room for growth.

Sometimes the website that served you well for years eventually turns into the thing slowing you down. And at some point, another patch simply won't cut it. You've got to rebuild it right, from the ground up.



IBarton Design Co builds and rebuilds websites for organisations and businesses across Trinidad and Tobago and beyond. Have a site that's showing its age? Get in touch.

 
 
 

Comments

bottom of page