First-ever Teaching City Hackathon Reveals Trent Durham Students’ Competitive Side
Community leaders, entrepreneurs and mentors collaborate to generate innovative student solutions
On International Open Data Day, Trent University Durham GTA students took on an important public policy challenge that hits close to home in the first-ever Teaching City Hackathon.
Hosted by the City of Oshawa, the event called on local post-secondary students to propose solutions to improve residential rental housing in Oshawa, home to the largest population of renters in Durham Region.
“I think young minds who can come in with a fresh slate are very useful,” said Kyle Hrushka, a Hackathon competitor and second-year Business Administration student with a minor in Accounting.
As leader of Team Trent, Mr. Hrushka was joined by fellow students, Halima Mohammadu and Billie Clarke. From Business to English Literature, they combined their knowledge to propose a web-based solution that unites responsible landlords and tenants. From coding, to presenting, writing and researching, the event brought in-demand skills to the forefront.
“Joining forces can uncover opportunity, talent, and shared resources in an integrated network,” reveals Ms. Mohammadu who is studying Business Administration through the Pre-Medical Pathway. “Students can meet their future employer or gain a big takeaway which will create a compound effect upon graduation.”
“It’s a great opportunity to see how your skills are transferable,” said Ms. Clarke, a Philosophy student equipped with an Honours B.A. in English Literature and Certificate in Human Resources Management from the Oshawa campus.
In addition to presenting their work to an expert panel of judges, students interacted with industry, academic and municipal mentors. Trent University Durham GTA is part of a formal Teaching City collaboration with the City of Oshawa. Ryan Sisson, coordinator, workplace partnerships at Trent University Durham GTA helped to coordinate and prepare students for the Hackathon.
The Hackathon Steering Committee, Spark Centre, local entrepreneurs and the winning teams will review opportunities for development of the solutions into potential commercial products which may include further research and exploration for students and faculty. The top placing team earned $1500.00.
Fourth-year Business Administration student, William O’Toole collaborated with UOIT students to form the Trailblazers. They earned third place and a $500 prize. Their solution included consolidation of city data, an interactive map for future tenants and an education and marketing campaign.
“I wanted to gain some practical experience for my future career,” said Mr. O’Toole. “It was an opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills that I learned at Trent Durham on a real-life problem.”