Meditz College Vibe Coding Hackathon Series

The Vibe Coding Hackathon Series represents a groundbreaking initiative that directly addresses one of the most pressing challenges facing liberal arts education today: the perceived "employability gap" between Liberal Arts graduates and the tech-driven workforce. This groundbreaking program, developed through collaboration between the Fredrickson Family Innovation Lab, Fairfield Meditz Career and Professional Development, and Advancement, focuses on "Vibe Coding", a revolutionary approach coined by OpenAI co-founder Andrej Karpathy in February 2025 that is now recognized as Collins English Dictionary's 2025 Word of the Year, to transform Liberal Arts students from passive AI consumers into creators of human-centered, ethical innovation by teaching them to guide AI agents through natural language rather than mastering traditional syntax. Unlike conventional AI literacy workshops that merely teach students how to use AI for general learning, this career-oriented program teaches students to build functional software prototypes (e.g., web apps, interactive archives, digital tools) that serve as tangible portfolio pieces for job applications, directly addressing employers' demands for demonstrable technical competencies while capitalizing on the critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and user-centered design skills that are the hallmark of a liberal arts education.

Ordinary people with little to no coding knowledge have created apps and websites with using vibe coding. A working mom made “Crash Out Diary”, an anonymous venting app where users type out their frustrations, while AI responds with a personalized pep talk or psychological grounding technique. A journalist created “LunchBox Buddy”, which uses AI to analyze a photo of your fridge and generate a meal plan for your family. A biologist vibe-coded a fully functional proteomics data analysis platform in less than 10 minutes, and then published a paper on it.

Beginning with hands-on training on March 17-18 that teaches prompting, testing, debugging, and documentation, continuing through three weeks of optional coding clinics for personalized faculty support, and culminating in the Inaugural Meditz College Vibe Coding Hackathon on April 11 with $2,500 in prizes and judges who provide professional mentorship, this program offers extraordinary opportunities: it generates powerful student success narratives for admissions materials, creates meaningful touchpoints for alumni engagement in their professional expertise areas, positions Meditz College at the forefront of AI-integrated liberal arts education, and produces visually rich content of students building real products and receiving validation from professionals. We believe the series will help establish Meditz College's reputation as an innovator that doesn't just talk about bridging liberal arts and technology—it actually builds the bridge and equips students to walk confidently across it into future-ready careers.

To apply, please go to the event page. Application deadline is Friday, March 6.