Reflecting on the 2024 hackNY Fellowship

Another incredible hackNY summer has come to a close. We recently bid farewell to our Class of 2024 Fellows, a remarkable group of students who brought energy, innovation, and a global perspective to our 15th year of the program.

This year’s Fellowship featured 20 exceptionally talented individuals from 17 universities worldwide. Together, they formed a diverse cohort with a shared passion for technology and a bright future ahead. As they immersed themselves in New York's vibrant tech scene through internships at 18 local companies, our Fellows gained invaluable experience and made lasting connections.

I wanted a place to learn how to use tech for social good, meet other people in tech, and have fun with it. All of those things were satisfied. I also wanted to make sure that even if I didn't have much of a community with the interns I was working with, that I had one in hackNY. That is what happened, and I'm really happy hackNY was able to allow me to grow technically as well as socially.

Gloria Zhu h`24

Hitting the Ground Running

This year started with a jam-packed orientation. Fellows got to know each other, explored their living space, and established a recurring theme of the summer: great food. A new element of the program was dividing the Fellows into four distinct houses. Inspired by my own experiences growing up, I asked our Mentors to select four famous computer scientists to name our houses after. They chose Turing, Johnson, Xia and Lovelace. By learning about each house’s namesake, the Fellows created house flags to represent their micro-communities within hackNY.

Hacking it Out

No hackNY would be complete without a hackathon! At the end of the first week, we introduced our Fellows and alumNY to each other with a day of innovation and collaboration. Thanks to Bowery Capital for providing us with a beautiful venue, the energy was electric as teams created fun projects and integrated themselves into our network of socially conscious alumNY.

Learning from the Best

Throughout the summer, Fellows participated in our renowned Speaker Series. We hosted inspiring leaders from across the tech world, including CEOs, founders, and tech VCs. In a unique twist for this year’s cohort, half of our speaking slots were filled by hackNY alum. Fifteen years after hackNY’s inception, our alumNY have become leading professionals themselves and are committed to giving back to newer members of the hackNY community.

We were delighted to welcome Dan Schlosser & Tom Woolway from Ambrook, Madison Hawkinson, a partner at New Enterprise Associates, Hursh Agrawal, CTO of The Browser Company, Tracy Chou, founder of Block Party, and returning speaker, State Senator Kristen Gonzalez, to name a few of the 20+ speakers who graciously donated their time to share their stories with the Class of 2024. These sessions weren't just about success stories – our speakers shared their struggles and valuable lessons learned, offering Fellows a realistic and insightful view of working in technology.

[hackNY provided the] opportunity to have conversations in real life that you couldn't have otherwise. Like these couldn't have been a series of videos on YouTube. Being able to get people's personal stories, hearing their journeys, hearing their mistakes – all of that was great.

Teresa Mondria h`24

The Fun Didn't Stop There

While work and learning were essential, there was ample time for fun and exploration. Fellows bonded over shared meals, explored iconic NYC landmarks, and participated in weekly social activities organized by each house. From mastering the art of self-hosting to perfecting the craft of tiramisu, Fellow-led workshops added a delightful and enriching dimension to the summer. They even found time to celebrate three birthdays with midnight cake-cutting ceremonies and festive sing-alongs. Eight fellows and one mentor took over the hackNY instagram. The Fellows even supported our alumNY community by attending their music events, and helping me sell out my first pastry popup.

This summer was life-changing (even though it sounds cliché). I achieved all of my summer goals. Changed the trajectory of my life. HackNY was the tech community I was missing. I loved the time I spent learning and having fun with all my roommates. They’ll be lifelong friends.

Robert Sunderhaft h`24

Demo Day: Showcasing Their Talent

As per hackNY tradition the summer culminated in Demo Day, where Fellows proudly presented their learnings to the hackNY community at the Viam office. The energy and innovation were palpable as attendees witnessed the amazing work they accomplished. Each fellow shared in a few moments the things they’d most valued, and accepted a hackNY jacket marking the end of their summers. The recording of our latest Demo Day is up on YouTube and I’ll be revisiting it when I’m looking for inspiration. 

Want to be a part of the magic?

I’m sad to see our Fellows go, but I know they are now part of our vibrant alumNY network. They'll stay connected, keep learning, and continue to make a difference in the tech world. We’ll be opening applications for the Class of 2025 Fellowship soon! Keep an eye on our website and social media for updates.

P.S. Check out our social media pages for more glimpses of the fun and camaraderie from this summer’s program.