Dillard University’s App Development Challenge will launch in March 2026, and this time, more than just computer science students are encouraged to try.

With a mission to ignite innovation in our campus community, the goal for this competition is to create interdisciplinary teams where students of all majors bring something different to the table.

“We believe that the most impactful campus and community solutions emerge when diverse perspectives collaborate,” said Dennis Sigur, professor of computer science.

The first interest meeting will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 4, at 11 a.m. in PSB 270. First place winners get $2,000, second place will receive $1,500, and third place gets $1,000.

Since 2019, Dillard University has been participating in the HBCU C2 program, a national educational empowerment initiative to bring creative coding experiences and programs to HBCUs.

This partnership has cultivated student achievement in coding and creativity, said Sigur.

Last year, Dillard’s team won 3rd place out of 29 HBCUs in the 2024 App Development challenge. In the next competition, Sigur hopes to grow Dillard’s reputation for technological talent by making sure every student can contribute to it.

The computer science department will host weekly support workshops leading up to the main event to provide guidance on design thinking, user experience principles and coding techniques. These sessions will provide students who are interested with the resources to turn their ideas into innovation.