What is HackViolet?
HackViolet is hosted each year by The Association for Women in Computing at Virginia Tech. It is a Hackathon that focuses on creating a space in which students can feel comfortable exploring their passion for computing. HackViolet’s mission is to break down the obstacles that women and minorities experience in the technology industry and educate others on how to become more inclusive.
Details for HackViolet 2024
HackViolet 2024 will take place on February 3rd-4th on Virginia Tech’s campus. This year, the event will be fully in-person to encourage collaboration among students. The Hackathon is open to all Virginia Tech students who are 18 years or older and enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program. There are no major restrictions and even if you don’t have computing experience, you are still welcome to attend. For students new to coding, there will be mentors and workshops available throughout the Hackathon to teach you the basics of computing. Visit HackViolet’s website to register for their 2024 Hackathon.
Awards for This Year’s Hackathon
For the 2024 Hackathon, there will be five different awards that students can receive which include first and second place prizes for the best overall teams, first and second place prizes for the best hack to support women, and lastly best team for first time hackers. In order to be eligible to win an award, students must be in teams of 2-4 people. On the day of the event students will be able to form teams with other hackers through activities that The Association of Women in Computing will be hosting.
How To Get Involved With HackViolet
HackViolet currently has applications open to become a judge or mentor for this year’s Hackathon. You can find the application on their website. Judge and mentor spots are open to professors, teaching assistants, Virginia Tech alumni, company representatives, and students who have coding experience. Judges' responsibilities will include ensuring that hackathon projects by students are fairly evaluated based on the category and rubrics that they have been assigned. Mentors will have the responsibilities of offering advice to participants and answering student’s questions during the event. Volunteering to become a judge or mentor is a great way to help students learn more about hacking. Mentors have the opportunity to advise students on ways to improve their projects in addition to guiding students who haven’t had the opportunity to code. It allows mentors to not only help students to learn the basics of coding but also for them to gain volunteering experience and share the passion for coding with others.
If you are interested in becoming part of HackViolet’s executive team, applications will be out in the spring of 2024. The positions available include Executive Directors, Sponsorship Director, External Operations Director, Internal Operations Director, Marketing Director, Company Relations Chairs, Judging Chairs, Events Chair, Technology Chair, Finance Chair, Mentorship Chair, Logistics Chair, Graphic Design Chair, and Webmaster Chair. Members of HackViolet’s executive team are responsible for attending all meetings in regard to the Hackathon, participating in discussions, meeting deadlines, and fulfilling the responsibilities for their designated roles in the organization.
