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Students
Pace Students Build Real-World AI Solutions at IBM Hackathon
On December 5, 2025, IBM partnered with the Seidenberg School’s Pace Data Science Society to host a full-day hackathon at Pace University. The event opened with remarks from IBM technology leaders Jonathan Hill (Technology Executive Leader), Rich L’Insalata (Executive IT Architect), and Lindsey Sample (Technology Sales Leader), who introduced students to IBM’s AI workflow tool, Watson Orchestrate. The presentation included a practical demonstration of how the tool automates routine tasks, connects applications, and enables users to build streamlined workflows without advanced coding.
More than 15 IBM mentors were on-site to support student teams throughout the day, helping them explore real-world applications of Watson Orchestrate across four use cases based on actual Pace University web services. As teams analyzed their scenarios, developed ideas, built prototypes, and presented their solutions, their work showcased a range of inventive approaches and thoughtful problem-solving grounded in teamwork and technical skill.
A panel of judges—including Dean of the Seidenberg School Li-Chiou Chen, Pace University’s Interim Provost Jonathan Hill, Alex Weisman, and Seidenberg professors Jonathan Lee, Soheyla Amirian, Krishna Bathula—reviewed the final presentations and commended the teams for their clear communication, thoughtful effort, and effective problem-solving.
After a full day of collaboration and problem-solving, the top three teams included Team 6 (Melody Nguyen, Sofia Furda, Omari Nasir, and Ulyana Shyrokaya), who took first place; Team 12 (Raja Palagummi, Pranjali Changadkar, Aarian Varma, and Vishnu Sai Reddy) in second; and Team 1 (Nisarga Vishwamanjuswamy, Utkarsh Yadav, Palakben Shah, and Niharika Jagadeesh) in third.
The hackathon provided students with hands-on experience using professional tools and meaningful opportunities to engage with industry experts. By working through real challenges with guidance from IBM mentors, participants gained insight into how classroom concepts translate into practical solutions—highlighting the value of Pace’s experiential learning model and the strong industry partnerships that make these opportunities possible.
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