(Courtesy of Touro College) Fifteen students from Touro’s Lander College of Arts & Sciences in Flatbush competed recently in the International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC), New York Regional Division. The students formed five three-person teams, and every team spent five hours huddled over a computer using their programming skills to solve real world problems. ICPC is the world’s oldest, largest and most prestigious programming competition.
“It required creativity, collaboration and the ability to perform well under pressure,” said Touro Professor Yizhak Novick, who coached the teams for the competition and traveled with them to the event at New Jersey Institute of Technology. They competed against teams from Cornell, Princeton, Columbia, NYU and Stevens Institute of Technology, among others.
“The competition was a mini taste of a real job—working on code with a team and all of us collaborating and trying to meet a deadline,” said Hudi Teitelbaum, computer science major and a member of one of the two all-girls teams from Touro. Hudi is preparing for a career in technology.
“When I complete my bachelor’s in computer science, I plan to further my education and earn a master’s degree in cybersecurity. My career goal is to prevent cyberattacks and protect and secure companies, and maybe even the country one day!” said Chana Lavian.
In addition to a frum environment, Touro’s all-women’s program offers a supportive community for women interested in coding and computer science. “At any other college, women technology majors are a minority,” said Teitelbaum.
Moshe Hirsch, who competed on one of the male teams, chose Touro for its computer science department. He is planning for a career in software engineering and development. “I’m learning the exact skills I will need for my future profession,” he said.
The Touro Flatbush teams ranked higher in the competition that the teams representing Queens College, Hofstra, Seton Hall University and the College of New Jersey, and they beat at least one team from Cooper Union, Cornell and NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering.
Professor Shmuel Fink, deputy chair of Touro’s computer science department, coordinated the students’ participation. “We always look for opportunities for students to learn what it is like to be a technology professional. Experiences like ICPC give our students an edge in choosing a career and getting that all-important first job. We are so pleased with their achievements and their ranking in this competition,” said Fink.
Touro’s Lander College of Arts and Sciences in Flatbush offers more than 20 majors and pre-professional options. For more information about these programs visit www.las.touro.edu.
