Software Development Students Prepare for HackU 3
Key Takeaways
ECPI University software development students gained practical competitive experience at HackU 3, a two-day hackathon where teams from 11 Virginia colleges collaborated to design innovative applications. The event provided mentorship opportunities and networking with industry professionals, offering winners three-month incubator programs at local startup accelerators.
- HackU 3 competition took place February 12-13 at Dominion Resources national headquarters with participants from 11 Virginia colleges and universities
- Team ECPI comprised high-performing Computer and Information Science students expected to graduate that year
- Event provided real-world software development experience through collaborative app design and technical problem-solving
- Daniel Burke, ECPI alumnus and Dominion Resources mobile developer, served as team coach with weekly preparation sessions
- Winners received awards plus three months of mentoring and workshops at Hatch startup incubator in Norfolk, Virginia
Team ECPI is comprised of an all-star slate of outstanding Computer and Information Science students, all of which are expected to graduate later this year.
- Sam Brogan – Software Development, 3.99 GPA
- Ryan Wharton – Software Development, 3.99 GPA
- Bill Jordan – Software Development, 3.96 GPA
- Ronald Payne – Software Development, 3.66 GPA
- Andre Mikkelsen – Software Development, 3.60 GPA
The two-day event, scheduled for February 12 -13, is designed for students to gain real world software development experience by collaborating and designing functional games and apps. This year, the teams are being asked to design an app that will enhance the lives of students, on campus or off. Essentially, the app must do something to improve a student’s performance, study habits, activities, or lifestyle.
Daniel Burke, an alumnus who earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at ECPI University, is the team’s coach and currently works for Dominion Resources as a mobile developer. He’s been meeting weekly with the team to help them prepare for the competition. “I’ve really enjoyed coming back here and working with these students,” he says. “I was in their shoes not long ago, so it’s fun to be involved in their professional development. This is an excellent opportunity for them to build something that could lead to an even greater opportunity after graduation. It could be a job or a chance to start a business. There’s a great deal of entrepreneurial activity out there in the marketplace revolving around app development.”
Last year’s team won most the “Most Innovative Award,” developing an app to replace the CAPTCHA challenge-response test that authenticates whether a computer user is human or not. This year, winners will receive not just an award but also three months of mentoring and workshops at start-up incubator Hatch in Norfolk, Virginia. Everyone at ECPI University is very proud of this year’s student team and wishes them great success!
Are you are interested in learning more about a career in Software Development? Contact ECPI University and find out more about the Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer and Information Science with a concentration in Software Development program TODAY! It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!
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