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A Kentucky State University computer science graduate student recently participated in the IBM HBCU hackathon in North Carolina.

Alexandra Stanford, a graduate student from Country Club Hills, Illinois, attended the intensive HBCU coding event.

Stanford said participants must come up with an idea with a group of four other people, code it, and present the project within a 28-hour time frame.

“We coded for 28 to 30 hours, presented the project in front of a panel for 20 minutes and then individuals were chosen for interviews based on how we performed throughout the event,” Stanford said.

Stanford said she was chosen for an interview and later took a final coding assessment.

Along with preparing on her own with a list of material to learn beforehand, Stanford said Dr. Clifton Wise and Dr. Jens Hanneman helped her prepare for the hackathon by providing practice materials and information about what IBM was looking for.

“Dr. Hanneman in particular has been an amazing influence on my graduate career as a whole and has helped me build my own development skills outside of the classroom probably more than he knows,” Stanford said.

Stanford said she hopes the experience leads to a job offer from IBM, but if not, she said she will continue her graduate assistantship in athletics and her freelance career in graphic design and app development.

Stanford said the staff in athletics, the computer science graduate program professors and students and members of the art department have all played huge roles in her success.

Stanford was a member of the women’s basketball team during the 2015-16 season during her undergraduate career.

Stanford is one of many scheduled to graduate Friday, Dec. 14 from Kentucky State University. For more information about commencement, click here.