SAN LUIS OBISPO – Evernote is sponsoring Cal Poly’s first “Hackathon,” a 24-hour, nonstop event designed to spark students’ technological creativity Feb. 15-17. 

Led by Cal Poly graphic communication Professor Lorraine Donegan and computer engineering senior Kevin Sutardji, the event will bring together students in graphic communication, art and design, engineering, computer science, science and mathematics, business and marketing, architecture, agriculture and other disciplines to pool their creativity and entrepreneurial spirit to build mobile apps and websites.

“This is an exciting opportunity for students from every major on campus to bring their talent and creative ideas to the table to produce a product in a short amount of time,” Donegan said. “The level of expertise Evernote is providing is exemplary, and students will gain valuable experience working with their team.”

The Hackathon will kick-off in Cal Poly’s Bonderson Engineering Center at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15, with students meeting and forming teams. The 24-hour event will begin about 9 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 16. Teams will have a few hours to prepare their pitches, which will begin at noon.

The Hackathon is open to all Cal Poly students with an interest in building apps or websites to improve the university, community and society in general. More information can be found on the website for the event: http://calpolyhackathon.eventbrite.com.

Participation categories include: Designer/User Experience, Developer/Engineer, and Ideas/Other. Spectators and members of the press are invited to watch the team presentations at noon on Sunday. Registration is required.

Experienced mentors and speakers will be on hand during the weekend to help participants understand and use key technologies for building apps and websites. Judges from Evernote and other Silicon Valley tech firms will provide feedback and determine the best and most creative apps and award prizes. 

“This is an exercise in team-building, networking and entrepreneurship and can possibly lead to start-ups by students,” said Harvey Levenson, head of Cal Poly’s Graphic Communication Department. “What Lorraine Donegan has brought to the university epitomizes Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing educational philosophy and what makes Cal Poly students uniquely qualified to enter their chosen fields.”

To become an industry sponsor, contact Donegan at [email protected].