Why Should I Participate in a Hackathon?

For the past year, I have had the honor of serving as the Company Relations chair for HackViolet. HackViolet, hosted by the Association of Women in Computing (a student run non-profit organization), is Virginia Tech’s 24 hour hackathon that encourages individuals to bridge the gender gap in the technology field. According to a 2025 study by TechTarget, women currently occupy only 27% of tech occupations. Additionally, women are significantly less likely to receive promotions, leadership roles, and overall opportunities. It is significant to have tech organizations and initiatives that focus on bridging this gap. HackViolet took place at Virginia Tech on February 1-2 this year and had 300+ participants, 15 prizes, 7 sponsors, and 17 executive board members. 

Hackathons are a great way to gain exposure and experience in the field of Computer Science. Many students avoid hackathons as they believe you need to know how to code an entire project prior to participating in one. This is a common misconception. Many hackathons, including HackViolet, require no prior coding knowledge and often have workshops that help students build technical skills. 

Many students who attended HackViolet 2025 had never coded a day in their life, and were initially stressed and nervous about being at a Hackathon. After following up with these individuals post-Hackathon, many of them stated that they learned so much and were able to write basic code from the knowledge learned in the workshops. Over a two day period, these students showed commitment and grew to be strong, motivated students. 

Many of these students also stated that they were going to pursue a minor in Computer Science or develop a project to further their skills. Hackathons foster a collaborative environment in which students are able to come together and innovate and code solutions to real problems. 

Additionally, it is a great opportunity to network and meet recruiters in a low stress environment and get advice on how to further your academic and professional career. Many students are able to interact with recruiters at Hackathons, explain their projects, meet them again at their college career fair and be a memorable individual who has shown drive, determination, and motivation. 

As the Company Relations chair, I was responsible for contacting sponsors, conducting sponsorship meetings, planning and preparing sponsor presentations, developing the sponsorship packet, and raising funds for the hackathon. I primarily worked alongside another Company Relations chair, finance chair, and our sponsorship director to attend sponsor meetings, develop materials, and contact company sponsors for the event. As a Company Relations chair, I was able to gain valuable connections to a plethora of companies, improve my communication and leadership skills, and make some pretty amazing friends! If you are looking to start or continue your Computer Science career, consider being a part of HackViolet 2026, whether that is as a mentor, volunteer, participant, or executive board member. It has truly been one of the best learning experiences and I look forward to being on the executive board for HackViolet 2026.