This past Friday, March 1, CyberHack Club and ACM hosted their first Hackathon of the year at the Bear's Den, Student Activity Center (SAC), Long Island Campus (Old Westbury).

The Capture the Flag (CTF) edition welcomed a diverse array of coding enthusiasts from both Long Island and New York City campuses. It was fantastic to see everyone coming together for this coding showdown, united under the banner of tech passion!

A special thank you to the engineering clubs (United Engineering) for their enthusiasm and for orchestrating a seamless experience. Their dedication to the craft and tech excellence made it all possible. Also, a big shoutout to Prof. George M. Salayka for being the driving force behind this coding adventure!

After hours of coding, the Dean of the College of Engineering and Computing Sciences, Dr. Babak Beheshti, addressed the students and complemented their participation. He commended the participants’ dedication, hard work, and creativity. 

Dean Beheshti also added, “These types of technical and professional activities are not only important for showcasing students’ skills but also for networking, fostering a sense of community, bonding, and having fun.”

Cybersecurity skills were put to the test. As the keyboards rested and the teams presented their work, it was later reviewed by a panel of judges and mentors.

Champions of the CTF Arena… Congratulations!!

1st Place: Team Binergy
Team members: Amir Kimiyaie, Ramin Jalilian

2nd Place: Team HackHustlers
Team members: Vighanesh Gaund, Gunn Aggarwal, Ali Khachab

3rd Place: Team Emerging Noir Tech (ENT)
Team members: Alysar Tabet, Joseann Boneo

Honorable Mention: Team Linux 
Team members: Farhad Safi, Erni Shqerra

Thank you to each volunteer, supporter, and everyone who made this Hackathon an exciting event and a resounding success. Until the next coding adventure, keep coding and securing those digital frontiers!

"As students, we often underestimate our influence on the community. Leading the hackathon with Kelly was a uniquely rewarding experience born out of taking initiative. The hackathon was more than just a competition; it was a chance for students to connect, uniting their passionate minds for technology. It highlighted the profound impact student-led initiatives can have on fostering connections and driving innovation within our community." — Marc Limonta, President of ACM LI Chapter, Information Technology Student

"The hackathon was a great experience for all! The planning process allowed Marc and me to think outside the box, creating a competition where students could harness their creativity and collaboration to push boundaries and embrace the challenges they faced. We witnessed participants learning valuable skills, building connections, and using their determination to achieve success." — Kelly Ong, President of CyberHack LI Chapter, Computer Science Student