In mid-October students in the Center for Data and Society had the opportunity to participate in the 40th Anniversary of the Consortium for Computing Science in Colleges Eastern Regional Annual Conference’s programming contest. Students Chris Velasco ’26, Micah Winters ’26, and Bill Nguyen ’25 tested their programming skills and knowledge against students from a range of colleges and universities. And while the CHC trio was unable to match their fifth-place finish from last year’s conference, the students gained valuable insight nevertheless.
“The trip is really enjoyable; I had a blast going to Gettysburg and competing in the programming competition,” notes Nguyen. “The competition itself was fun, and I really enjoyed the entirety of my time there especially getting to understand more about the technology world to help me figure out what I want to do for my research methods class in the spring.”
Before the programming competition and as part of the conference, the GriffinTech team was able to converse and learn more about the research process, engaging with other students during presentations and poster sessions.
In addition to the student piece of the conference, Andrea Wentzell ’15, instructor in the computer science and information technology degree programs at CHC, presented a “Nifty Idea” talk on the topic of “Neurodiversity and Computer Science: Working with Neurodiverse Students to Accomplish their Education Goals.” The talk discussed the College’s Neurodiversity Initiative and highlighted techniques such as skill-building, self-advocacy, and building safe spaces.
“I was excited about the reception of the Nifty Idea talks,” notes Wentzell. “Afterward, I was able to engage in conversations with students on the neurodiverse spectrum, along with faculty members who are seeing an increase in neurodiverse students in their classrooms.”
In addition to their trip to Mount Saint Mary’s University for the conference, the team also stopped at the Gettysburg National Military Museum for a tour. Thanks to funding from the Tichenor Greer Scholars Program, Wentzell and her students were able to experience the history museum, which outlines the battle of Gettysburg and the overall history of the Civil War.
To learn more about the CCSC Eastern Region Conference, click here.