Various members of our QUEST community are involved in technology-centered organizations campus-wide. Of these technology organizations, Technica and Bitcamp, two well-known hackathons, boast QUEST commitment. From directors to new members, I was able to hear from a couple of QUEST students about their experiences thus far.
Technica is the largest hackathon in the world for underrepresented genders and is organized annually by University of Maryland students! Typically, it is held each October on the University of Maryland’s campus and recently it has been facilitated in a hybrid model, so members can participate online or in person. Bitcamp is another amazing hackathon organized by University of Maryland students and is typically held in the University of Maryland’s Xfinity Center each April. In both of these hackathons, participants of various experience levels can get exposed to technical concepts, meet other hackers, and receive mentorship!
Jules Parra is a junior from Cohort 35 majoring in Information Systems. Since joining Technica in the spring semester of their freshman year, Parra has moved through various leadership roles from Technology Organizer to Technology Co-Director and now their current position of Co-Executive Director. Before becoming an organizer, Parra attended Technica as a hacker in 2017, during their sophomore year of high school! Parra has also recently joined Bitcamp as their 2022 Sponsorship Organizer. Through their experiences on these boards, Parra emphasized growth in the following skills: technical, design (UI/UX), product management, leadership, planning, delegation, and professionalism. Nonetheless, their favorite part of these organizations is the community it creates. “Everyone is just lovely, it feels like a family and working towards one big event together really bonds everyone. I’ve made several close friends through the years and working together is just a dream”, says Parra.
Jules Parra (Cohort 35) and the 2021 Technica Director Team
Anson Chen is a senior from Cohort 34, double majoring in Computer Science and Mathematics. He has been involved in Bitcamp since 2020 and Technica since 2021 and is currently a Tech Director for Bitcamp. The main takeaway from his experiences on these boards is that “running a great event is all about building a great team.” Trusting each teammate and delegating larger tasks has allowed for not only a successful but also enjoyable event planning experience. His favorite experiences have been staying up late on the day of the event with other organizers, filling tasks, and having a good time while doing it.
Anson Chen (Cohort 34)
Rae Wu is a sophomore from Cohort 37, double majoring in Computer Science and Mathematics. Joining in the fall of 2021, Wu is currently a Technica organizer on the design team and worked on the video team the previous year. Since joining Technica, they have learned how to do collaborative creative work and about how much effort goes into putting on these large-scale hackathons. Their favorite aspect of Technica is its holistic experience; “Other hackathons I go to or have gone to have more “grindset” vibes– you go in, you hack, stay up all night and become grumpy and sleep-deprived, but I think Technica uniquely crafts other experiences apart from coding away for hours at your computer.”
Jules Parra (middle) and Rae Wu (right) at 2021 Technica
Amanda Liu is a sophomore from Cohort 37 majoring in Computer Science. On both Technica and Bitcamp boards, Liu serves as an Experience Organizer. As both Bitcamp and Technica hackathons are open to thousands of participants, she has learned much about organizing large-scale events and delegating tasks amongst a large team. Nonetheless, her favorite experience remains “bonding with my fellow organizers, both during organizing season and on the day of the hackathon.”
Amanda Liu (Cohort 37)
Through these leadership experiences in Bitcamp and Technica, QUEST students have been able to further their creative, technical, and leadership skills – all while finding a community on campus. Great work!