<![CDATA[Ramblin’ Hacks: College of Computing Hosts Inaugural Hackathon]]>

Though the College has long supported hackathons organized by student groups and independent teams, this event, dubbed Ramblin’ Hacks, was the first to be exclusively organized and hosted by the College.

“This was a big deal,” Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education Olufisayo Omojokun said. “It’s the first time the College has put its resources—people, funding, everything—behind a hackathon from start to finish.”

Industry partners were crucial to the event’s success. Sponsors included Elevance Health, Goldman Sachs, U.S. Soccer, GEICO, FanDuel, Microsoft, and The Trade Desk. These companies provided valuable support through the Corporate Affiliates Program (CAP).

“Ramblin’ Hacks 2025 was a huge success in bringing together top talent and industry innovation. It was exciting to see so much interest from our corporate partners. I’m proud of the wide-ranging set of challenge tracks we helped curate,” Corporate Relations Manager Alyshia Lenoir said.

Lenoir, who initially proposed the idea for a student-organized hackathon, played a key role in expanding it into a College-wide event.

The College’s Constellations Center for Education in Computing also supported the event by recruiting several local high school students and running a separate coding session in partnership with the United States Soccer Federation.

A Community-Driven Experience

A conversation between student leaders and Aarush Yadav, a first-year student and veteran hackathon winner, sparked the idea for Ramblin’ Hacks. When Yadav sought funding to attend a hackathon at Rutgers University, where he ultimately won, the conversation turned to the possibility of hosting a hackathon at Georgia Tech. That idea quickly gained traction and evolved into Ramblin’ Hacks, which brought together 31 student teams for a weekend of innovation and collaboration.

Yadav played a key role in the planning team, saying, “It was amazing to see our hard work finally materialize. Participants worked tirelessly over the weekend to create incredible projects and win amazing prizes. I’m looking forward to executing Ramblin’ Hacks in the years to come.”

Omojokun highlighted Yadav’s dual perspective as both a student and a competitor.

“He wasn’t just a participant; he helped build this with us. It made a real difference to have a student who knows what success looks like from the inside,” Omojokun said.

Director of Community and Student Enrichment Troy Peace emphasized this and how the event brought together students with varying experience levels.

“We had students who had never been to a hackathon before sitting next to people who had already won several,” Peace said. “That kind of atmosphere builds confidence and community.”

Ekta Raj, a computer science major, called Ramblin’ Hacks “one of the best” hackathons she’s attended, praising the event’s structure and collaborative atmosphere for how easy it was for teams to work together.

Looking Ahead

Student Organization Manager Oniecia Henry reflected on the event’s success, saying, “The creativity, the collaboration, the support from our partners all came together in a meaningful way. I think this is just the beginning of something much bigger for the College of Computing.”

Looking to the future, Omojokun shared plans for a credit-based engagement system to track student participation in College events, such as hackathons and workshops. This system could influence funding and support, and the credits could then be factored into budget decisions and funding opportunities through Pitch Thursdays.

“Imagine a world where your club’s participation directly influences the support you get from the College,” Omojokun said. “It’s a way to reward students who are actively building this community.”

As Ramblin’ Hacks sets the stage for future events, the College is committed to expanding these experiential learning opportunities, linking problem-solving, corporate collaboration, and student initiative.