Lt. Governor’s 6th Annual Computing Challenge Recognition Ceremony

Press release

Caption: From left, Westover School (Middlebury) students Nadia Sackey, Chanel Thompson and Kaytin Grande talk with Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz about their project. Quinnipiac recently hosted the Lt. Governor’s 6th Annual Computing Challenge recognition ceremony and student showcase.

HAMDEN, Conn. – Quinnipiac University’s School of Computing and Engineering hosted Connecticut Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz’s 6th Annual Computing Challenge recognition ceremony and student showcase on May 30.

The special event brought together state, industry, organization and educational leaders to recognize 50 students in grades 3 through 12 for their innovative “Coding for Good” projects, selected among more than 569 submissions from individuals and teams. This year’s statewide coding competition asked students to create applications designed to inspire health and wellness.
Each year, the Lt. Governor’s Computing Challenge reaches teachers and their students across the state with assistance from the Connecticut Department of Education, through partnerships with Infosys Foundation USA and ReadyCT, and through sponsors including this year’s presenting sponsor, Amazon.
As a leader in higher education and technology education in the state of Connecticut, Quinnipiac School of Computing and Engineering is working with partners like ReadyCT to help meet the state’s workforce challenges of tomorrow, said John Bau, assistant dean for student experience and career development.
Quinnipiac hosted the ceremony and showcase for the first time this year due to its strong partnership with ReadyCT, Bau said.
“Quinnipiac has long been a partner of ReadyCT to help introduce school-age students to the fun of STEM-based careers,” Bau said. “Being able to host the Computing Challenge Ceremony and Student Showcase helps Quinnipiac to cement its place as a higher education leader for Connecticut’s workforce development.”
ReadyCT deputy director Sheryl McNamee said showcasing the students’ innovative work at the School of Computing and Engineering aligned with the forward-thinking, collaborative spirit of the Lt. Governor’s Computer Challenge and its supporters.
“An event like this, that is looking to elevate computer science education and computer science opportunity, takes a lot of thinkers. It takes a thought partnership; and that’s what we have with Quinnipiac University’s School of Computing and Engineering, with our state Department of Education, and with our sponsors who are making the investment because they understand computer science education is integral to the workforce they want,” said McNamee.
In a video message, Connecticut Commissioner of Education Charlene Russell-Tucker said the state faces a growing workforce demand in vital industries from healthcare to information technology, making student engagement in computer science and exploring technologies shaping the future more important than ever.
Speaking to students, parents, teachers and program partner and sponsor representatives in the Mount Carmel Auditorium on May 30, Bysiewicz thanked Quinnipiac for hosting the recognition ceremony and student showcase.
“We so appreciate your willingness to have the Computing Challenge Recognition event in your space; and we hope that many of the young people who are here today will one day enroll in the Quinnipiac School of Computing and Engineering. It’s a beautiful campus to study at,” said Bysiewicz.
Bysiewicz was pleased to share that this year’s challenge drew double the number of schools and student participants over the previous year.
“The students that you see here today are literally the cream of the crop, because they are 50 out of almost 1,000 students who participated, and for that we are so very proud of them,” Bysiewicz said. “I just want to encourage you to keep studying computer science and STEM fields. We need so many computer science professionals, and no matter what career you ultimately choose, computer science is going to be really important to your future.”