2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

In recent years, hackathons have gained significant prominence as a platform for students to gain real-world experience in computer science. However, not all university campuses offer equal opportunities for students to participate in such events, leading to disparities in practical exposure. For instance, students at our own undergraduate and graduate degree institution have not been organized to attend hackathons. These events foster a unique blend of creativity, problem-solving, and teamwork, which are fundamental skills in the tech industry today.

This paper presents a case study aimed at addressing this issue by creating a hackathon on our campus. While the effort was initiated by faculty members, the goal was to have the event be student driven with the faculty providing support and oversight. This paper will discuss how the student community was engaged in organizing the event and created four working groups (logistics, operations, finance, and marketing) to accomplish the monumental task of creating a hackathon in a twelve-month span of time. This paper will additionally discuss the various offices and groups that were engaged as part of making this effort possible. We will then conclude by discussing the student learning outcomes of organizing this event.

By sharing our experiences and insights in this study, we aim to empower educators and students to create hackathons on their campuses, enriching student learning through hands-on experience, collaboration, and engagement with the broader tech community. Through this case study, we also aim to provide insights into the practical challenges and successes of creating this type of event on our campus.