After six months of forming ideas, building concepts and developing an application for Adobe AIR, the three teams of 12 finalists not only were successful on the MU campus but some were able to score internships and jobs to start their careers.
WALLOWR
Danny Beard, Master of Science in Computer Science
“It was a plan to win, the whole time we did stuff so we’d be able to win the contest. If it was just us doing this on our own, we probably would have spent more time."
"The decisions we made were always made so that we’d be able to win. I mean, obviously we were able to make a good product in that process, but I think that if we didn’t have this contest pushing us…
“I think it helped all three of us kind of, if this had never happened because we got so many different opportunities and it helped us realize the kind of opportunities that really are out there. You know, I think you hear these dream, these stories, this kid, Mark Zuckerberg at Harvard, he made Facebook while he was at college and now he’s a billionaire, I’m sure.
"It helps this think like and I think us as a team, we talked about, we want to go forward ideally, we’d like to start a company to make money together. I think this kind of helped us realize that.”
CONTRIBUTR
Jonathan Coffman, Bachelor of Journalism
“The Adobe AIR contest began as part of my senior capstone project but very quickly evolved into a very big and important aspect of my final semester at MU. I have an entrepreneurial spirit and the contest allowed me to use that in an effective and useful way to further the practice of journalism.”
“I graduated with multiple job offers and decided on a position that will allow me to develop social-media based applications at the network level for the Public Broadcasting Service based in Arlington, Virginia.”
RUBIK
Mi Li, Master of Arts in Journalism
“I think it’s a win-win-win situation for both the users, journalism and the business people.”
“Well, for me it was just experience. I mean as a journalism student that always thinking of something struggling in the market nowadays. But, for me invention, or creation is kind of not my thing…I probably would not have the courage to participate in such a competition. But, because of this kind of required thing, I’m glad that I participated, because I just enjoy the process of making something true, my idea can be invented, or can be practiced through the technology part and the engineering can change the world and he [Sandeep] can make it accomplished. So, it’s just to feel like, okay, this is something I didn’t think I could have accomplished before, but I did…Like the first month we won one of the top three positions of 13 teams. That is surprise to me, I just thought it was a course requirement.”
“After this competition, I learned lot including marketing, journalism, and technology. And I feel like I’ve become a tech savvy person now, and recently begin to follow all the latest in the industry trend. It’s really helpful for my future career, because I kind of brought in my view and now I can, like this summer the internship with bizjournals, American City’s Business Journals, what I’m doing now will work with new media satellite social networking and blogging. These things I learned from this competition. I didn’t learn a lot before, but now after this, I think it’s really helpful for my future career.”
You Li, Master of Arts in Journalism
“I liked the publicity of this whole thing, it’s just amazing, you know. It just makes us feel like celebrities, we never thought it would be, I mean like clicking our pictures.”
“And, also you even launched a Web site, and have a page just for this whole thing, I mean all the other, also the online vote, too, together it buzzed up this whole thing. That idea is really, really brilliant. I mean, you can join the eyeballs of almost all of the people on the campus were interested in this.”
Suddenly, we all felt celebratory.
“Knowing three good friends and accomplishing some things that I originally think I couldn’t accomplish.”
Sandeep More, Masters of Science in Computer Science
“It fetched me an internship, with Garmin International.”
“I was working on the design and I submitted the design to the Adobe Development Achievement Awards and I am selected in one of the semi-finalist. The competition was held over the 30 nations, worldwide.”
Bandhana Katoch, Master of Business Administration
“I think I enjoyed the process and it was this project which led me to learn Dreamweaver which because of this I’m designing a Web site now. And, I think that’s going to be a strength now, so I don’t regret it, it was an amazing experience. It was different, because I’m not intimidated by meeting people or meeting people from outside my comfort zone and people don’t challenge me with their knowledge either, because I feel they are good at something, I’m good at something.”
“I got a grade out of it. I got a full-time job in University here and in my interview they asked me a question, “Tell us one time when you did some entrepreneurial spirit project?” And I came up with Adobe and since we got this project it was a good thing. And I think they liked the variety in my interview, because I was from a biology background and did research for a long time, six or seven years, then did a business and then got into Adobe, so for them it was a good thing that I am not intimidated by exploring a new venue in my career and that was a positive feedback which I got from my interviewers in my office. That was one great aspect of this thing. And I’m planning to take part in next competition, which is from AT&T just because I’m not intimidated by this project. So, I think it is a great thing for me, personally.”
Because of the proven success of the first RJI Student Competition there are expectations to continue the project and collaborate with other programs on campus.
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