DSU students develop website for Hudson Fire Department
June 4, 2026
Students in Dakota State University's CIS 123: Problem Solving & Programming course partnered with the Hudson Fire Department to develop a website designed to improve communication with residents, promote department events, and provide easier access to important community information.
The project was completed by students Kate Teunissen, McKenzie Calderwood, Eliza Oltmanns (Alexandria, S.D.; business administration - marketing major with a minor in art), and Lily Williams (Jordan, Minn.; digital content creation major). The class, taught by Dr. Mohammad Tafiqur Rahman, assistant professor in the College of Business & Information Systems, is built on an experiential learning approach, which encourages students to apply classroom concepts to real-world challenges facing local organizations.
Rather than assigning hypothetical projects, Rahman, who holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Information Systems, asks students to identify community partners and develop solutions that address actual needs.
"Students learn concepts in the classroom, but they also need opportunities to apply those concepts in real-world settings," Rahman said. "When students work directly with clients, they learn how to gather requirements, communicate professionally, solve problems, and deliver a product that serves a real purpose."
Rahman said the approach benefits both students and community organizations.
"My goal is to help students gain experience working with real clients while supporting organizations in our communities," he said. "The students benefit from the experience, and community partners receive solutions that help them achieve their goals."
The Hudson Fire Department presented a unique opportunity for the team. Located in a rural community with a population of just over 200 residents, the volunteer department serves a large coverage area and works closely with neighboring emergency response organizations. The students identified opportunities to improve access to information, support community outreach efforts, and provide residents with a central location for department resources.
The resulting website includes pages dedicated to department history, staff information, fundraisers, controlled burn reporting resources, and community contacts.
For Kate Teunissen, a production animation major with a minor in computer graphics design from Hudson, S.D., and a member of the fire department, the project addressed a need she witnessed firsthand.
"Many grants now expect organizations to have a website that provides information about their services and operations," Teunissen said. "Smaller departments often don't have the resources to build and maintain a professional website, which can make it more difficult to pursue certain opportunities."
The website also addresses communication challenges the department experienced through social media alone.
"Sometimes information on social media can be difficult to find or may resurface long after an event has passed," Teunissen said. "We wanted to create a reliable place where residents could find current information, learn about department events, and access resources related to fire safety and controlled burns."
Teunissen said the project helped her better understand the importance of a strong online presence for emergency services organizations.
"I realized how much information and how many resources fire departments need to share with their communities," she said. "It's important that residents have access to accurate information when they need it."
McKenzie Calderwood, an animation and digital content creation major from Prattsburgh, N.Y., shared how the project provided an opportunity to apply newly developed programming skills while working with an actual client.
"This project was different from a typical classroom assignment because it offered an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in web development," Calderwood said. "We were able to work with real clients that had a need for our specialized services while gaining experience that will help us in our future careers."
Designing for a rural audience required students to think carefully about accessibility and usability.
"The biggest challenge in designing for a rural community would have to be accessibility," Calderwood said. "We needed to create something that was functional, easy to navigate, and provided the information community members needed."
Throughout the semester, students met with fire department leadership and members, gathered feedback, revised designs, and incorporated new information into the project. The experience provided insight into professional project management while reinforcing technical skills in web design, programming, and user-centered development.
The students hope the website will help residents stay informed about weather-related events, community activities, department fundraisers, and fire safety information while providing resources for individuals planning controlled burns.
The project reflects DSU's emphasis on applied learning experiences that prepare students to enter the workforce with practical skills, professional experience, and a deeper understanding of how technology can address community needs.