NY STEP Alumni Engagement Prototype, to Connect and Inspire!

The Challenge

NY STEP programs have a lot of alumni, and they'd love to help you, as much as eveyrone involved would gain at understanding what everyone's becoming after the program, so you have stronger networks of support! Design a solution that helps the university locate alumni and inspire them to reconnect through mentorship, events, donations, or knowledge-sharing. Cross-disciplinary teams (Computer Science, Design/UX, Marketing, Data Analytics, Business) collaborate to build apps, craft outreach strategies, track engagement patterns, and create incentive models. Address real challenges: difficulty finding alumni, limited motivation to engage, and diverse interests. Prototype human-centered solutions that respect privacy, ensure inclusivity, and build authentic relationships. Deliver a working system with potential to scale campus-wide while gaining hands-on experience in ethical technology design.

Timeline

Challenge Kickoff & Team Formation

Kickoff

Thu, Oct 29, 2026

Official launch of the NY STEP Alumni Engagement Prototype challenge with an introduction to the problem space, team formation across disciplines, and initial brainstorming sessions.

Alumni Research & User Persona Workshop

Mentor Session

Thu, Nov 5, 2026

Teams present their research findings on alumni engagement challenges and develop detailed user personas with guidance from mentors in UX design and data analytics.

Mid-Point Prototype Milestone

Milestone

Thu, Nov 19, 2026

Teams demonstrate working prototypes or proof-of-concepts showing core features like alumni discovery, engagement tracking, or outreach strategies.

Pitch Practice & Feedback Session

Pitch Event

Thu, Dec 3, 2026

Teams deliver practice pitches of their solutions to mentors and receive constructive feedback on presentation, feasibility, and impact potential.

Final Submission & Demo Day

Deadline

Thu, Dec 17, 2026

Teams submit their complete alumni engagement solutions and present final demonstrations showcasing working systems, engagement strategies, and scalability plans.

About This Challenge

Overview: Design a system or prototype that helps the university find alumni and encourages them to reconnect and contribute. The goal is to create meaningful engagement, whether through mentorship, events, donations, or knowledge-sharing, while testing solutions that could scale campus-wide. See the challenge overview here: https://www.renderforest.com/watch-113352486?quality=720 ##Who Is This Challenge For? Computer Science / App Development: Build platforms or apps for alumni engagement Design / UX: Improve user experience for alumni tools Marketing / Communications: Craft messaging and outreach strategies Data Analytics: Track alumni, identify patterns, and measure engagement Business / Entrepreneurship: Create incentive and contribution models The challenge emphasizes cross-disciplinary collaboration for practical impact. ##Engineering / Problem-Solving Mindset Focus on alumni needs and motivations 1. Prototype quick, functional solutions 2. Iterate using real user feedback 3. Combine technology, design, and communications 4. Consider ethics, privacy, and inclusion in all decisions Students learn that human-centered design drives meaningful technology solutions. The Problem Space Challenges to address: Difficulty locating and contacting alumni Limited motivation to return or contribute Lack of awareness about engagement opportunities Diverse alumni interests, locations, and availability Possible prototype ideas: Networking or mentorship apps Gamified contribution systems Personalized outreach and event notifications Dashboards to monitor and target alumni engagement ##Human Interaction and Ethics Handle alumni data with privacy and consent Avoid intrusive or spammy messaging Ensure accessibility and inclusivity Build trust and authentic relationships Engineering decisions must reflect responsible engagement practices. ##Learning Outcomes Hands-on experience in app prototyping and user-centered design Cross-disciplinary teamwork and communication skills Practical understanding of alumni engagement strategies Ethical handling of sensitive data Exposure to real-world project implementation ##Why This Challenge Matters Addresses a long-term campus need Strengthens alumni-student relationships Lays a foundation for sustainable engagement Encourages innovation combining technology, design, and communication