When Patrick Farrell first attended a hackathon at Stony Brook University, he was still a student at Suffolk County Community College and unfamiliar with the participants. He recalls, “I was nervous. I had to walk around asking people if they needed a teammate. It was a bit intimidating at first.”
That initial experience, HopperHacks, was pivotal for Farrell. After transferring to Stony Brook in Fall 2024 as a computer science major, he engaged in a team project to create a chatbot providing real-time campus dining information. “It made me even more excited to transfer here,” he mentioned.
Farrell continued participating in various hackathons. At Stony Brook's Hack@CEWIT, his team tackled the Softheon-sponsored challenge, creating "Clusteroo," a tool designed for small businesses to use targeted marketing algorithms. This project secured first place and an unexpected opportunity. “One of the companies sponsoring the event was SRC. I didn’t realize software engineers could work in defense, but after chatting with some of their team, I was offered an internship on the spot,” he explained.
Farrell spent the summer in Syracuse, working with SRC and continued part-time work remotely through January. His enthusiasm for hackathons didn't wane as he participated in events at Rutgers, NYU, Georgetown, and UMiami, securing six wins and various prizes.
“Hackathons are about learning, meeting new people, and building things fast. It’s a great environment to grow your skills,” he expressed.
At Stony Brook, Farrell is now a junior and contributes by serving as a teaching assistant and mentoring at the CEWIT High School Hackathon. “It’s great to see younger students getting into this space,” he stated.
Reflecting on his education at Stony Brook, Farrell remarked, “I’ve met students from all over the country at hackathons, and I can confidently say Stony Brook prepares you really well. The classes are tough, but you’re learning what you actually need to succeed out there.”