Cal Poly’s Journalism Senior Project: Public Relations Practicum (JOUR 415) is taking the reins in running Camp PolyHacks, an annual weekend-long hackathon, for the first time in the event’s history.
Hosted from Jan. 24-25 at the Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship HotHouse, student groups will design a project that aligns with their track and values while working alongside community partners. Registration is free and open to all majors.
The journalism seniors enrolled in JOUR 415 have spent the past quarter developing, planning and marketing Camp PolyHacks under the guidance of journalism professor Kim Bisheff.
Group categories include news and information, food insecurity, mental health and loneliness, and cities of the future, according to Bisheff.
When designing their projects, students will have the opportunity to create professional relationships with local organizations and receive personal mentorship.
“[Community partners] get to provide their own feedback with each project that’s going to be on that track and help elevate it to properly understand its problem space,” said Kat Smith, a journalism senior currently enrolled in the course and project manager for Camp PolyHacks.
Historically, Camp PolyHacks had been organized by students in the Cal Poly Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship. However, with previous advisors unable to organize the event this year, leadership transitioned to the journalism department.
The organization and production of the event spans between two quarters. With the fall quarter cohort of students finished with their 10 weeks of planning, Bisheff looks forward to welcoming a new set of students in winter quarter to execute the final production of Camp PolyHacks.
“Now that we’re at the end of the quarter, we have a solid plan in place and we really hit our groove,” Bisheff said. “A lot of students I think are invested enough at this point that they want to help see it through.”
Prior to taking the course, none of the students involved had experience participating in or organizing a hackathon, Smith said.
“It’s really interesting to immerse ourselves in an experience that we’ve personally never really been a part of, and I think that bringing us closer together is getting to know each other on a difficult level,” Smith said.
As preparation for the event wraps up, Bisheff believes that this year’s Camp PolyHacks holds value for all students.
“All I had to do was offer up a project and [students in JOUR 415] applied all the skills that they’ve been acquiring over the past however many years they’ve been at Cal Poly,” Bisheff said. “They just ran with it. It made me so proud of them and this program.”
