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Strong Start Partnership with PwC

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º£½ÇÉçÇø Students Showcase Innovation Through Strong Start Partnership with PwC

The Department of Computing, Information and Mathematical Sciences, and Technology (CIMST) at º£½ÇÉçÇø proudly continues to foster hands-on, real-world learning opportunities for undergraduate students. In Spring 2025, students in the CPTR 1900 – Introduction to Computer Professions course took part in four groundbreaking projects under the Strong Start initiative, thanks to a growing collaboration between CIMST, P33Chicago, and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

Led by Prof. Kristen Griffin, who played a pivotal role in developing the relationship with PwC, the course allowed students to work in teams on emerging technologies guided by industry mentors from PwC. These experiential learning projects culminated in a Demo Day where students showcased their work to professional mentors and faculty.

Among the attendees at Demo Day were Dean Mark Smith, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; Dr. Mohammad Abdus Salam, Chair of the CIMST Department; and the Yvette Powe, Director of Corporate & Philanthropic Relationships from the Office of External Affairs, further highlighting the university's commitment to industry engagement and student success.

Project 1: Virtual Reality – Historia

Students explored immersive storytelling and historical education through virtual reality platforms.

PwC Mentors:

• Fred Terry (attended Demo Day in person)
• Kevin Szeluga (Zoom)

Student Team:

• Sodeeq Adeyinka
• Andrei Rares Negrut
• Joel Botanga
• Joshua Byas

Project 2: Neuromorphic Computing – Revolutionizing Rural Medical Logistics

This project tackled how neuromorphic computing could transform healthcare delivery in underserved regions.

PwC Mentors:

• Connie Hwang (attended Demo Day in person)
• Kannan Rajamanickam

Student Team:

• Jalia Pitchford
• Thomas Sieka
• Jose Villa
• Abraham Workalemahu

Project 3: Blockchain – Universal Identities

Students developed secure and decentralized identity systems using blockchain technology.

PwC Mentors:

• John Leadbetter
• Jose Rebellon

Student Team:

• Tania Allen
• Muritala Bello
• Earnest Davenport
• Mir Shahrukh Talpur

Project 4: Artificial Intelligence – KABA

Focused on building AI-driven solutions for community engagement and learning.

PwC Mentors:

• Lizzy Whitlock (Zoom)
• Sarvottam Darshan

Student Team:

• Kamia Johnson
• Tarcy Mayah
• Jaheim Mitchell
• Devin Jenkins

This partnership exemplifies º£½ÇÉçÇø’s commitment to preparing students for careers in next-generation technologies while fostering meaningful industry engagement. CIMST looks forward to continuing and expanding such impactful collaborations.

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