JumboHack 2025 Returns for Second Annual Hackathon

By Daniel Glorioso, E26, and members of the JumboHack executive board

JumboHack, Tufts University's student-run computer science hackathon, wrapped up its second annual event after an exhilarating 48-hour sprint at the Joyce Cummings Center. Held from February 22-23, the hackathon brought together over 300 participants from more than 25 universities nationwide, nearly doubling last year’s attendance. JumboHack 2025  was organized by eight dedicated undergraduates serving on the event’s inaugural executive board: Daniel Glorioso, E26; Elena Jin, A27; Holden Kittelberger, E26; Amitav Nott, E26; Mina Shimada, A26; Kitty Vu, A25; Iris Yang, E25; and Logan Yuan, A27.

Hackathons are fast-paced, collaborative events where participants of varying backgrounds and experience levels team up to rapidly build and prototype new solutions to real-world challenges, often using technology in innovative ways. Throughout the weekend, teams brainstormed ideas, wrote code, and developed projects addressing problems in education, sustainability, and emerging technology.

This year’s event embraced an Alice in Wonderland theme, inspiring participants to push boundaries across five distinct tracks: Mad Hacker (general), Down the Rabbit Hole (beginner), Emerging Tech, Sustainability, and Education. Attendees tackled pressing issues—from improving accessibility in education to designing eco-friendly tech solutions— demonstrating a shared commitment to social good.

The hackathon began with an inspiring opening ceremony featuring remarks from Tufts President Sunil Kumar, who encouraged participants to embrace challenges – and even pitch their project ideas to him. Alumna Ezgi Zeren, E24, now at OpenAI, emphasized the role of emerging technology in innovation by announcing a special donation: one month of ChatGPT+ access for all attendees to accelerate idea development throughout the weekend. Following the keynote address, over 300 competitors in 40 teams dove head-first into coding, design debates, and problem-solving challenges. Hailing from Tufts and other institutions including Harvard, MIT, Brown, Columbia, Wellesley, and NYU, the students raced to bring new ideas to life before the weekend’s end.

Between coding sessions, participants attended workshops led by Tufts student organizations and alumni. Technical tutorials on topics like web scraping and Linux ran alongside career guidance sessions, which offered practical and beneficial insights beyond the classroom. Exclusive items such as keychains and T-shirts added to the excitement, while ample food and drinks kept energy levels high.

By Sunday evening, the impact was clear: project submissions surged 105% over last year, with 39 total projects submitted for judging – a true testament to the growing enthusiasm and passion for computer science within the Tufts community. Notably, a quarter of this year’s submissions came from the newly introduced beginner’s track, which provided a welcoming space for first-time hackers to compete, learn, and grow. After two days of innovation and collaboration, a panel of five Tufts faculty in the Department of Computer Science and ten distinguished alumni recognized five outstanding projects for their technical excellence and social impact:

• TrueCaption: A fine-tuned speech recognition algorithm that enhances captioning for STEM lectures (Best Education Project, Overall Winner)
• GPTgreen: A web extension that displays real-time energy consumption during ChatGPT sessions (Best Sustainability Project)
• Text-to-Braille: A solution that converts digital text to Braille for improved accessibility (Mad Hacker Track Winner)
• Gymbo: A machine learning system that optimizes workout experiences in collegiate gyms (Best Emerging Tech Project)
• TuftsAdvisor: A chatbot integrated with Microsoft Outlook that offers tailored student support (Down the Rabbit Hole: Beginner Track Winner)

Winners received an array of prizes, from tech gadgets to kitchen appliances. The overall winner was selected unanimously by the panel of judges and earned a $500 team prize.

The event’s seamless execution was made possible by the unwavering dedication of JumboHack’s organizing team. The organizers spent the past year securing sponsorships, curating engaging workshops, and connecting with students and faculty from Tufts and beyond. Their year-long commitment to every detail ensured that the hackathon ran smoothly and exceeded expectations. 

Reflecting on the event’s success Head Coordinator Dan Glorioso noted, “Seeing the passion and dedication of participants throughout the weekend was truly inspiring. This year’s event cemented JumboHack as a cornerstone of the Tufts CS community and was an unforgettable experience for all of us. A huge thank you to our judges and volunteers for their support, and to my incredible organizing team for their year of hard work, creativity, and commitment to making this event the best it could be.”

For the organizing board, JumboHack 2025 was more than a competition. It was a celebration of innovation, a chance to collaborate and learn from others, and an opportunity to use technology as a force for social good in the community. As Tufts University nurtures creative minds and fosters community engagement, JumboHack exemplifies what teams can achieve when passion and innovation meet purpose. 

Interested in joining next year’s hackathon or learning more about how you can get involved? Visit jumbohack.org, email the JumboHack organizing board at jumbohack@jumbohack.org, and stay tuned for details on JumboHack 2026!