HackUNCP: Building the Future, One AI Agent at a Time

 On Saturday, March 22, college students from across the state gathered, laptops and caffeinated beverages in hand, to attend HackUNCP 2025, the university’s first-ever hackathon. At fast-paced events like this one, creative minds come together to solve real-world problems, often competing in teams to build software or hardware projects within a short time frame. It’s an intense environment where creativity, collaboration and coding skills are put to the test.

For many participants, this was their first hackathon; for others, it was their first in-person experience. For Najmul Hasan, a junior computer science major and president of the student organization, Ai@UNCP, it was the realization of a long-held vision.

“We've attended many hackathons, and we thought, why not have our own?” Hasan said. “We wanted to create an opportunity for UNCP students and students from other universities to experience this. It’s not only about coding but also allows students to network, learn from others and push their limits." 

With over 100 applicants, only about half were selected to participate, forming teams to compete in five categories: Sustainability, Education, Healthcare, Cybersecurity and Interactive Media. The central theme was “Empowering the Future with Intelligent AI Agents.” After an opening ceremony, teams scattered across campus, transforming classrooms, lounges, and even the dining hall into innovation labs.

Maximus Lang, a sophomore in computer science, had participated in a hackathon before, but never one like this.

“This was my longest hackathon and my first time working with AI agents,” Lang said. “We built an AI chatbot that optimizes students’ schedules based on their course load, study habits and grades. It’s fully functional in demo mode, and with more work, it could be fully integrated with platforms like Canvas.”

Lang said that the experience was even more unique because his team didn’t exist before the event. They were complete strangers who turned their diverse skills into a working Ai project in just 24 hours.

“We all met here. None of us knew each other beforehand. But we had different skillsets. Some in Python, some in front-end HTML development. And somehow, we made it work in the end,” he said. “That’s the magic of hackathons.”

Fardin Samin, a sophomore in computer science with a cybersecurity concentration, said the hackathon was a test of persistence.

“We almost gave up seven different times on seven different occasions,” Samin laughed. “But we always found ways to lift each other up. It was inspiring.”

His team developed an AI-powered academic mentor, a chatbot designed to help students balance their coursework, social life and mental well-being by analyzing schedules and suggesting optimal time management strategies.

“It creates calendar events for you, filling gaps in your schedule with study time, rest breaks and even ‘me time.’ It’s like having a personal advisor that actually understands your needs,” Samin said.

Beyond the projects, participants engaged in tech talks, roundtable discussions, and networking with industry professionals. One of the event’s sponsors was James Freeman, a UNCP alumnus and owner of Emerging Technology Institute. Freeman credited Hasan with inspiring him to join the event.

“This wouldn’t have been possible without Najmul. His passion for AI and innovation is contagious,” Freeman said during the closing ceremony. “I saw some incredible tech today that I didn’t expect to see in such a short amount of time. If you accomplished this in just 24 hours, imagine what you could do in 30 days or with dedicated funding and support.”

By Sunday morning, 12 projects had been submitted for judging after a sleepless night of debugging and refining. The 19 judges awarded prizes based on the best hacks in each category. 

Among the winning projects were a mental health assistant designed to offer real-time support, an AI-assisted fire extinguisher prototype aimed at improving emergency response, and “LiftMate,” an innovative tool to help weightlifters maintain correct form to prevent injuries.  

As students packed up their laptops and exchanged contacts, Hasan reflected on what the hackathon meant for UNCP and his hopes for the future.

“We want this to be an annual event,” he said. “We want more participants, more categories and maybe even a longer hackathon next year. This is just the beginning.”