The Washburn University Student Computing Association has been helping Computer Science students connect with each other, projects and internships. Due to the pandemic, face-to-face meetings were ceased, and were briefly held virtually. Most of the students that were part of the association graduated or left in the beginning of the last year, and since it’s a student-run association all of its meetings were put on a year-long hold until now.

“The goal of WUSCA is to get students involved outside of their class, to get them to mingle with faculty and with each other, to explore and try new things and hear from new voices,” Hauptman said.

We all know that studying outside of class is important, and Dr. Hauptman explains that the student associations are fundamental to help students have some engagement with the content of their learning in the real world.

“I find that the students that do the best are the ones that are going beyond the assignments from the lab and lectures, and trying new things,” Hauptman said.

That’s where the association comes in, bridging the gap between classroom learning and real world applications. When asked about new endeavours and plans for the association, Hauptman explains that he plans for WUSCA to become a member of the Association for Computer Machinery, a renowned international learned society for scientific and educational computing. To become a member there are several requirements that need to be met.

“We’re just not there yet. We need a few more members to be able to apply,” Hauptman said.

Being a member of ACM will allow students to connect to a professional organization, participate in events and competitions.

Aayush Nanju, a freshman Computer Science major, describes his expectations and how he believes the student association could help him connect with professionals and opportunities.

“Being able to meet people who are working as software developers and engineers, and pick their brain is a way to get a good sense of what’s ahead. Access to internships and information from potential employers is also something I’m looking for,” Nanju said.

The WUSCA website and social media are not currently updated, but meetings are being held every first Friday of the month, with the next one being on Nov. 5, 2021. For more information, students can reach out to the department, and WUSCA members can contact Dr. Hauptman directly.
You can find more information here: https://www.washburn.edu/academics/college-schools/arts-sciences/departments/computer-information-sciences/student-activities.html

Edited by: Katrina Johnson
Edited by Ellie Walker