Hacking Hackathons: Using Industry-Anchored Challenge Events for Student Experiential Learning

The term “hackathon” at the Longo Centre for Entrepreneurship (CfE) is used drastically differently from its traditional usage. Student participants are not expected to hack any technology, nor work in a marathon of consecutive sleepless days. Instead, Longo CfE connects students with industry partners and trains students to innovatively solve problems. The centre works with industry partners to understand their challenges, enabling our team to define a problem that is interesting and relevant to participating students. Students are placed in teams to research the problem, design a solution, and present their ideas back to the industry partner. Longo CfE supports students through this process with workshops on creativity, ideation, pitching, and presentations; mentorship to develop entrepreneurial skills; and introductions to industry partners for advice and feedback.

Innovators

• Lida Anwari, Placement Advisor, Longo Faculty of Business
• Emily Buchnea, Project Manager, Longo Faculty of Business
• Ciara McVeigh, Community Engagement Liaison, Longo Faculty of Business