May 20, 2026
Walking into the SheInnovates Hackathon, I wasn't walking in as someone who felt fully prepared — I was walking in as someone who was curious, a little intimidated, and unsure of how capable I was.
Participating in SheInnovates provided a unique opportunity to apply classroom knowledge in a fast-paced, collaborative environment. As a student at SCI, hackathons had always been visible but often felt inaccessible due to limited experience in building independent projects. SheInnovates, however, stood out as a space intentionally designed to support and uplift women in technology, making it an encouraging entry point into this type of work.
The event offered participants the chance to develop a product from the ground up while working alongside peers and receiving guidance from mentors. With support from organizers and industry professionals, including mentors from PNC, the environment emphasized learning, experimentation, and growth over perfection. This structure made it possible to engage with the experience despite having no prior hackathon background.
What drew me in, though, was something more important than experience: it was the space itself. A hackathon that intentionally centered women in tech made me feel like I belonged there before I had even written a single line of code. That sense of belonging, reinforced by supportive organizers and mentors, became the foundation that allowed me to take a risk on myself.
This was my first hackathon. My first time building something entirely from scratch. My first time creating a product that would be judged.
Going in, my team and I didn't even know what direction to take. Should we build something fun, like a game? Something practical, like a lifestyle or beauty app? The possibilities felt overwhelming, especially when I didn't feel fully equipped to execute any of them.
But I leaned on something simple: everyone has a first time.
What helped ground us early on was that we quickly aligned on who we were building for. As my teammate Sam put it, "When we were first brainstorming ideas, we knew the type of audience we wanted our project to be catered to. This made it so much easier when narrowing down our idea and coming up with the specifics"
That shared clarity became our compass.
The project developed during the hackathon, the "Wake Up" app, focused on streamlining the digital news landscape by prioritizing credibility and user engagement. The application aimed to address several key issues in modern news consumption, including the spread of sensationalized information, the lack of contextual understanding, and the gap between consuming information and taking meaningful action.
To address these challenges, the team designed features such as AI-driven news aggregation, credibility assessments that provide transparent confidence indicators, and discussion forums to encourage evidence-based conversations. A distinguishing component of the app, "Em-pact" links, was created to connect users with actionable steps, helping bridge the gap between awareness and engagement without promoting a specific ideological perspective.
Despite a clear vision, the development process presented challenges, particularly in managing time constraints. The scope of the project proved ambitious for a two-day timeframe, and technical decisions, such as incorporating new programming languages and tools, added complexity. While these choices supported long-term learning and efficiency, they also impacted the level of polish achievable within the given time.
No project is built alone, and ours was no exception. What made our team special wasn't just what we each knew, rather it was how we came together.
We brought a diverse range of technical backgrounds to the table, spanning Data Science, Computer Science, Digital Narrative and Interactive Design, and Information Science. As Margaret noted, "Each of our skill sets played a key role, and it all came together to create a fully functional application."
But beyond credentials, it was our personalities and shared experiences that made the collaboration feel effortless. Margaret reflected, "I think our personalities really meshed so well. We were such a creative group, and that's something every project needs.”
Ife echoed this, describing what stood out most about how we worked: "My favorite part of our team experience was really just merging all our different perspectives to build something so impactful and useful. We all had different experiences in our classes and in our work outside of school, and we were all able to contribute that to building this project — and we had fun doing it too."
Sam added another layer to what made our dynamic click: "I think all of us being women of color was such a great middle ground. We all had similar experiences from being on social media and experiencing life, which made contributing so seamless. Plus, us all having majors that tailored toward aspects of the app made us such a diverse but well-rounded team."
We weren't just a group of students thrown together by circumstance. We were a group of women who supported each other.
Our idea tackled real problems: the spread of sensationalized information, the lack of context in news consumption, and the disconnect people feel after reading the news, unsure of what to do next.
It was exciting. It was meaningful. And it was… a lot.
Margaret captured the energy of those early hours well: "My favorite moment was definitely the brainstorming phase. That was the very start of everything, — the energy was there, the ideas were flowing, and it honestly set the foundation for us to build something amazing together."
A particularly critical moment occurred just before the final presentation, when a system error disrupted the application's ability to retrieve live data. Resolving this issue under time pressure required quick coordination and clear task delegation within the team. The ability to respond effectively in this situation highlighted the importance of collaboration and adaptability in high-pressure environments.
For a moment, it felt like we were falling behind.
But luckily, the feeling shifted.
After talking to other teams, we realized we weren't alone, no one had a perfectly polished product. That realization changed our mindset. Instead of focusing on what we hadn't finished, we focused on communicating what our product could become. We leaned into our vision.
As the hackathon progressed, it became evident that many teams were navigating similar challenges. This realization shifted the focus from producing a fully completed product to effectively communicating the concept, purpose, and future potential of the project. Feedback from mentors and volunteers further supported this shift, as their guidance helped refine both the technical and conceptual aspects of the work.
Sam described a turning point that reinforced our confidence: "I always believed our project was a great idea no matter what, because it's something that I believed I needed in my life. But when the prototype started coming together and it was doing exactly what we had brainstormed in the beginning, I was truly surprised — I didn't think we would actually be able to achieve such a challenging and new task."
And that made all the difference.
Beyond the project itself, what stood out most was the atmosphere..
Being surrounded by other women in tech, many of whom I recognized from classes and organizations like WiCS and MAC, was incredibly empowering. It didn't feel competitive in a discouraging way; it felt collaborative, open, and motivating.
The mentors and volunteers reinforced that atmosphere. They made it easy to ask questions, share ideas, and get feedback without fear of judgment. That kind of support made a huge difference in how confident I felt, not just in the project, but in myself.
Ife spoke to the spirit of our team within that environment: "Everyone was very open to each other's ideas. Everyone came with their own skill set, but you also can't miss the part that we're all friends. That's what made our team dynamic work so well."
There were also lighter moments that made the experience unforgettable. Spending the entire day on Saturday working side by side with my team, laughing, cracking jokes, and building something together, it created a sense of camaraderie that made the hard moments easier.
When we presented, our product wasn't perfect. It wasn't fully built out the way we had imagined at the start.
But it didn't need to be.
We had a strong idea, a clear purpose, and a vision for how our product could grow beyond those two days. We showed the judges not just what we built, but how we thought, how we approached problems, made decisions, and adapted under pressure.
Margaret summed up the shift in belief that happened for all of us: "Going into the hackathon, I was just hoping to have fun and gain some experience. I didn't think we had a real shot at winning at first — but once everything started coming together in real life, I was like, wait, we actually did THAT."
Winning the hackathon was an incredible moment. But more than that, it changed how I see myself.
Before SheInnovates, I saw hackathons as spaces I wasn't ready for. Now, I see them as spaces where I can belong, not because I claim to know everything, but because I'm willing to learn, collaborate, and take on challenges that push me outside my comfort zone.
Winning SheInnovates ultimately reflected not only the strength of the project idea but also the team’s ability to navigate challenges, communicate their vision, and work effectively under pressure. The experience demonstrated that success in these environments is not solely defined by a fully developed product, but by innovation, adaptability, and clarity of purpose.
In conclusion, SheInnovates highlights the importance of creating inclusive spaces that encourage participation in technology-driven innovation. By prioritizing support, collaboration, and skill development, events like this enable participants to engage with complex problem-solving in meaningful ways. Experiences such as these play a critical role in preparing students to contribute to evolving technological landscapes while fostering confidence and professional growth.