Hacking Online Student Connection
How GTPE helps online students build strong educational communities and networks through in-person and virtual engagement opportunities.
When deciding to go back to school, either online or in person, students often weigh the pros and cons of each. Online education, while flexible and supportive of working professionals’ lives, can be perceived as lacking community and engagement opportunities. However, this doesn’t have to be the case when intentionally designed degree programs exist that allow motivated online and hybrid students to be engaged in ways that best fit their schedule and needs.
An Unorthodox Participant
Joe Domaleski, an Online Master of Science in Analytics (OMS Analytics) student, is proof that even non-traditional students can be involved and actively engaged with other learners and university events. Domaleski joined the OMS Analytics program in his late 50s, a decision he made to support his marketing career and business. Despite being a non-traditional participant in campus events, his interest in all things data analytics, machine learning, AI, and Georgia Tech consistently pushes him to engage.
In addition to attending Tech sporting events and utilizing campus as a place to work and study, Domaleski makes it a point to participate in degree-specific events like the end-of-semester OMS Analytics and OMS Cybersecurity meet-ups, the Master of Science in Analytics (MS Analytics) 10th anniversary event, and Georgia Tech Master’s in Analytics nights at the Georgia Aquarium.
Hacklytics
During an event in February, Domaleski met and engaged with a mix of analytics students, including Nayel Noorani, an MS Analytics student. A month later, Noorani and Domaleski decided to team up with Yukti Bishambu and Liza Ghosh, two other MS Analytics students, for the annual Data Science @ GT Hacklytics. As MS and OMS Analytics students, the teammates are all part of the same degree program but receive the content differently. By the start of the event, they were ready to combine their education and varied experiences into an eye-catching data science project.
Hacklytics is a 36-hour hackathon event open to students across the globe, with participants from France, India, and other countries in years past, according to Nikita Agnihotri, vice president of Data Science @ GT and director of Hacklytics. In addition to developing a data science-based project within their chosen category, participants are encouraged to network with both the Hacklytics’ sponsors and other hackers at the corporate sponsorship fair, corporate workshops, challenge events, and mealtimes.
“Obviously, it’s not easy to facilitate meals and challenges for over 500 people at a time,” says Agnihotri. “The goal is for the hackers to take advantage of their time in line to talk and share ideas as they wait. We also have a Discord where hackers can ask for help from each other, corporate sponsors, and mentors.”
Throughout their time together, the team not only focused on their project but spent the 36 hours talking about their classes and getting to know each other better. “I found out all four of us were currently taking MGT 6203 with Professor Lizhen Xu. It was validating for me that I really am getting the same education as the in-person students,” says Domaleski. “We compared notes, and it was directly analogous, a one-to-one correspondence.”
As Agnihotri points out, networking is a primary focus of Hacklytics. Despite the intensity of the event, Bishambu says the Saturday night long stretch was her favorite part: “As the team was working to put the final presentation together, everyone was supporting each other, putting their all into the work. It showed the bond we built over the course of the event.”
When reflecting on the event as a whole and the attendees, Noorani notes, “It was a fast-track introduction to the entire breadth of the data science field. Georgia Tech accumulates people with varied interests and people who are very smart and hardworking.”
Discover Ways to Engage
While Hacklytics is an in-person-only event, Data Science @ GT offers virtual boot camps and is actively discussing ways to expand its offerings to incorporate Georgia Tech’s growing online student body, according to Agnihotri. Online students are already getting involved in the club’s projects and executive team. “We want our members to have a community where they can be online, meet people, and make an impact. I think that level of engagement would be really amazing,” she says.
Being local to campus can be a welcome perk for online students, but for some, attending events in person takes a bit more motivation and planning. Thankfully, Georgia Tech Professional Education’s Student Services team encourages student connection through several touch points. The team hosts Slack channels for students, encourages them to engage with Reddit channels about their programs where local meet-ups are advertised, and form group chats for fast and personal communication. Online and hybrid students also receive a monthly newsletter with information on upcoming events — virtual meetups, Ask Me Anything sessions where students can interact with faculty and each other to discuss trending topics, as well as applicable in-person events like end-of-semester meetups and celebrations. Opportunities to engage with faculty and industry experts are posted in the My Online Success Portal. Domaleski also recommends utilizing social media to connect with Tech organizations, other students, faculty, and staff.
Going back to school as a working professional is a balancing act and building connections with fellow students is part of that balance. Between life, family, careers, and education, the level of engagement each student seeks from their master's program may vary. Luckily, Georgia Tech Professional Education programs are prepared to facilitate a range of student interactions to build strong educational communities and networks. "Be deliberate about meeting people and staying connected," Domaleski says, "it makes the program extra special. Bonus tip: wear your Georgia Tech apparel in your hometown. It's amazing how many people will recognize the brand, allowing you to meet alums and other folks with a Georgia Tech connection."
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