On December 5, 2025, IBM collaborated with the Seidenberg School’s Pace Data Science Society to organize a hackathon at Pace University. The event began with remarks from IBM technology leaders Jonathan Hill, Rich L’Insalata, and Lindsey Sample. They introduced students to Watson Orchestrate, an AI workflow tool that helps automate tasks and connect applications without requiring advanced coding knowledge. The demonstration highlighted how this tool can be used to create efficient workflows.
Over 15 IBM mentors assisted student teams during the event. The students worked on real-world scenarios drawn from Pace University web services, using Watson Orchestrate as the basis for their solutions. Teams analyzed use cases, built prototypes, and presented their ideas by the end of the day.
A panel of judges—including Dean Li-Chiou Chen, Interim Provost Jonathan Hill, Alex Weisman, and professors Jonathan Lee, Soheyla Amirian, and Krishna Bathula—evaluated the presentations. They praised participants for clear communication and effective problem-solving.
The winning team was Team 6 (Melody Nguyen, Sofia Furda, Omari Nasir, Ulyana Shyrokaya). Team 12 (Raja Palagummi, Pranjali Changadkar, Aarian Varma, Vishnu Sai Reddy) took second place. Team 1 (Nisarga Vishwamanjuswamy, Utkarsh Yadav, Palakben Shah, Niharika Jagadeesh) finished third.
The hackathon gave students practical experience with professional tools and opportunities to interact with industry professionals. By addressing real challenges under mentor guidance, participants learned how academic concepts apply in practice. This reflects Pace University’s focus on experiential learning and strong industry relationships.
