The Association for Computing Machinery Club hosted a hackathon event from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sunday in the Business and Engineering Center.
Computer science students organized the hackathon to assist aspiring students in learning and networking with industry professionals by facilitating learning activities.
Interested students could register online, compete for gift cards, network and get lunch and dinner.
Cathy Sandoval, vice president of ACMC and senior computer science major, said there were concerns about whether people would register and show up for the event.
“As you can see, a good amount of people showed up, but we had more registered, so we were just scared but everything is good,” Sandoval said.
Kairvi Bhatt, senior computer science major, said getting people to sign up for the event was difficult.
“Last year, we only had like, four to three people show up,” Bhatt said. “It was mostly getting people to gain interest.”
Bhatt said attending the event allowed students to gain hands-on experience.
I wish I would have been here sooner to get my internship way earlier and be recognized and just introduce myself earlier.”
— Kairvi Bhatt, senior computer science major
“In the classroom, you can’t get networking experience, like over here, we have industry members just coming here working with you, talking to you,” Bhatt said. “So that’s really hands-on experience that you do not get in the classrooms, especially, you can just build that relationship between you and an employer, and they just recognize you.”
Bhatt said she did not know about Hackathon during her freshman and sophomore years, and it would have helped her for her future.
“I wish I knew that so I could connect better,” Bhatt said. “I got my internship last semester. I wish I would have been here sooner to get my internship way earlier and be recognized and just introduce myself earlier.”
She said the event is different from other computer science events because others do not have hands-on activities or introduce students to ongoing projects in the industry.
It’s the best way to just communicate with people and just you know, coming out of your box and just experiencing something in the outside world.”
— Kairvi Bhatt, senior computer science major
“This is definitely a unique event to attend if you want to learn what’s unique in this industry or what is the latest thing going on here,” Bhatt said.
Experienced professionals led discussions during the event.
John McWilliams, Center for Internet Security instructor, and Abram Devonshire, Information Technology Alliance member, attended the event and split students into teams to help them practice problem-solving skills and practice what they learned.
“It was a little difficult to get industry members like the two of them, showed up because they wanted to work with students,” Bhatt said. “It was difficult to get other members, but we are happy with what we have.”
Evan Scott, sophomore computer science major, said he has been around computers his whole life.
“My dad was an IT person, so he’d bring home old computers and laptops from his workplace, and I would take them apart,” Scott said. “And then, in high school, I took a coding class and then that kind of got me interested. And then again in high school, I took another networking class, and that just got me even more interested.”
This is definitely a unique event to attend if you want to learn what’s unique in this industry or what is the latest thing going on here.”
— Kairvi Bhatt, senior computer science major
Scott said he chose the computer science degree because USI did not offer a programming degree.
He said he attended the Hackathon to get exposure to different roles he could fulfill in the industry.
Scott said the Hackathon gave him the ability to be around other computer science majors while also being able to learn more outside classes.
“It’s the best way to just communicate with people and just you know, coming out of your box and just experiencing something in the outside world,” Bhatt said.