The 4th annual University of New Mexico-CNM Application Contest wrapped up recently in the UNM Student Union Building with its award banquet. Nearly $10,000 was awarded to the winners.

Kahleck - 'Campus Assistant'
Torran Kahleck presents his app, “Campus Assistant” at Demo Days of the 2017 IT Mobile Apps Contest. Kahleck took home top honors and $5,000 in prize money.

The contest was designed by UNM’s Information Technologies to engage, inspire and to provide students from both schools the opportunity to utilize their creative coding skills to produce an app that provides a notable service to the community and students. The contest also provides a medium for motivated students to potentially commercialize any apps they think are market-worthy.

“It is exciting to realize that we have just completed our fourth annual Mobile Apps contest,” said interim Chief Information Officer Duane Arruti. “This very successful initiative gives students a forum and incentive to put their education and skills to the test and potentially to create a marketable product with which to launch a business. “

They winners include:

  • 1st place, $5,000 – Torran Kahleck, “Campus Assistant”
  • 2nd place, $2,500 – Trace Rucarean, “Saavy”
  • 3rd place, $1,000 – Brennen Berkley, “UNM Course Mate”
  • Women in Technology Award, $1,000 – Rachel Yarrington and Abigail Soward, “Ponatos”
Rucarean 'Saavy'
Trace Rucarean presents his app before the panel of judges at Demo Days of the 2017 IT Mobile Apps Contest. Rucarean won second place for his app, “Saavy."

“The quality of the effort by the students is astounding and I am very pleased to say that the judging gets more and more difficult every year,” added Arruti. “I hope to see even more students turn their ideas into applications in future contests.”

Verizon Wireless, Official Sponsor of the 2017 IT UNM | CNM Mobile Apps Contest, was a proud participant in the annual event.

“For many years we have valued our relationship with UNM and are inspired by the programs made available to students,” said Lance Hymas, managing partner, Strategic Sales for Verizon Wireless. “The Mobile Apps contest is an exciting program that fits in well with Verizon’s initiative of sharing how mobility tools (and apps) are changing the world and the way we do business.

“We know the apps we use are only as good as the network they run on and appreciate this opportunity to Partner with UNM.”

Additional sponsors included: Adobe, Aruba, CenturyLink, Dell, Hewlett Packard, Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Nusenda Credit Union.

Yarrington-Soward 'Ponatos'
Abigail Soward (l.) and Rachel Yarrington won the Women in Technology Award ($1,000) for their app, “Ponatos."