Gift cards were also awarded to students who showed off their Hackathon experience of learning, collaboration and fun on social media, including winners from Spelman, Grambling State University, Rust College and Florida A&M University
TICODE made a big comeback, competing last year but not placing within the top five finalists. This year, TICODE competed with returning team members Devin Brown, Khadari Johnson and Khaylah Rose joined by first-timers Brandon Newton and Mahlangu Nzunda. All are either junior or senior computer science or computer engineering majors who cited cohesive teamwork as a factor in their win, plus confidence in their coding abilities to create a real-world application called SOAR.
SOAR is a travel assistant app that would streamline the airport experience, “from check-in to post-flight assistance, reducing queues, offering clarity and providing crucial support during unexpected circumstances,” according to TICODE’s presentation. In essence, customers should literally be able to “soar” with ease and convenience through their travel experience.
Rose, a JSU junior from Hollywood, Florida says, winning this year’s Hackathon puts her a major step closer to her career as a computer engineer.
“In a field that constantly changes, winning shows how flexible I can be when it comes to technology and innovation,” said Rose.
“This competition has literally challenged me on all aspects of the tech industry: from business to technology to creativity, winning has motivated me to learn exponentially.”
Additionally, Southern University’s “The Coders” were selected as Judge’s Choice. Their team, along with Morgan State University’s Hax Lab, rounded out the top five finalists who presented a three-minute pitch before judges and the crowd of hundreds of HBCU students, tech leaders and Black Enterprise staff. The judge’s pick for “Best Technical Solution” also went to JSU while “Best Pitch” went to Morgan State’s Hax Code. Each of these team members won Beats Pro and iPads, respectively, courtesy of BE.
“It wasn’t just a Hackathon: there were resources, mentors and professional engagements that reassured me that I belong in tech,” said Florida Memorial junior computer science major Jabulani Mzee.
“This is Florida Memorial’s first year, but it most certainly won’t be the last –we had a blast.”
Gift cards were also awarded to students who showed off their Hackathon experience of learning, collaboration and fun on social media, including winners from Spelman, Grambling State University, Rust College and Florida A&M University. Follow highlights from the event by following BE on Instagram and by using the hashtag #behackathon across social media platforms.
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Source: Black Enterprise
