Brandeis Alumni, Family and Friends

Campus Hackathon Brings Alumni and Students Together for Friendly Competition, Innovation, and Fun

March 10, 2025

As competition judges and professional recruiters, alumni play unique role in annual hackathon.

On a recent January day, a small group of Brandeis students were hard at work in the Farber Library developing a searchable database of prosthetics for a local health nonprofit. Elsewhere in the room, another group was building a new online platform for career and professional development opportunities in media. A third group was designing a new app to leverage artificial intelligence to connect donors with food banks. 

These were just some of the projects undertaken by students during DeisHacks, the annual hackathon sponsored by the Brandeis International Business School and now in its 8th year. The event is more than a student favorite. Every year, alumni play a critical role as judges and mentors. This year, 10 alumni returned to campus to mentor competing student teams and recruit emerging talent for their companies. 

During the hackathon, students address specific problems or needs identified by local nonprofits –14 organizations participated this year. Although hackathons are typically technology-focused events, DeisHacks is open to not only computer-science enthusiasts but also students of other majors. Critical-thinking and problem-solving skills are the only requirements.

“DeisHacks embodies what makes Brandeis unique – bringing together innovation, social impact, and interdisciplinary collaboration to tackle real-world challenges,” said Ian Roy ‘05, Executive Director of Design and Innovation and the Robert I. Mallet Senior Lecturer in Engineering and Business. 

According to Roy, who co-founded DeisHacks, hackathons are about more than finding solutions. At Brandeis, they also encourage participants to think critically, work across disciplines, and apply technology for meaningful change. 

“Alumni bring continuity to that process, reinforcing the idea that you don’t have to choose between seeking professional success and making a difference in society,” he said. “You can, and should, do both.”

By staying engaged — as mentors, judges, sponsors, or collaborators — alumni ensure that DeisHacks continues to be a resource for connecting emerging talent with the expertise and support to turn bold ideas into reality.

Darren Deng MSF’22, MBA’24 was one of four alumni judges at this year’s hackathon. He notes the event “empowers students to become problem-solvers and changemakers, no matter their major, program or background.”

“It provides a unique opportunity to collaborate, innovate, and create real-world impact,” he says. “As a Brandeisian, staying engaged through initiatives like this is not just about giving back—it’s about fostering a culture of curiosity, resilience, and social good that defines our community. It’s a privilege to support and inspire the next generation of innovators who will continue to make a difference.”

Jacob Smith ‘21, a computer science major who mentored one of this year’s winning teams, agrees: “DeisHacks is a source of motivation for students. It is different from classwork. Its focus on social justice and nonprofits — identifying a problem in the community and creating a solution — is unique. The experience contributes to student portfolios, which are critical for landing a job, without taking up too much time, but it is also just really fun.”

Smith served as an advisor to students working on the project e-Nable, a searchable prosthetics catalog that took home a prize. Team members learned how to work together and delegate tasks. They also explored how to distinguish viable solutions from those that are safe to abandon. 

A panel comprised primarily of alumni judged the projects for their originality, functionality, impact, potential for implementation, and presentation. Teams competed for one $1,000 and three $500 prizes. 

Smith, a software engineer at Recorded Future, a cybersecurity firm based in Somerville, Mass., also used DeisHacks to recruit potential future employees. Happy to discover that three of his current colleagues are alumni, he knows firsthand that a Brandeis education — with its impressive mix of science, research, and the liberal arts — is the perfect background for work in his field. He was eager to introduce participating students to Recorded Future and share available opportunities with them. His company has already received several applications. “For alumni, mentoring and advising is a great way to give back, to be part of the community and stay connected, and there is no better place to recruit for exceptional talent than Brandeis,” said Smith. 

“I see alumni involvement as a critical bridge between students and the broader world, providing mentorship, networks, and lived experience that amplify what students can achieve,” said Roy. 

DeisHacks has received accolades beyond campus and the alumni community. “I was inspired by the ideas the students came up with for our local nonprofits. It’s refreshing to see that type of brainpower,” said Waltham mayor Jeannette A. McCarthy. “They combined heart with brains to achieve truly wonderful results. This event goes to show that the types of things being done at Brandeis opens doors for students and their community.”