NSU’s Graduate School of Computer and Information Science will host the 2012 “ITPalooza —South Florida Tech Holiday Party” on Dec. 12. South Florida Technology Groups will partner together to host a variety of tech meetings, informational discussions, and holiday networking parties — all free and open to the public.
Cristian Castilla, a talent agent with Sherlock Tech Staffing — which is sponsoring ITPalooza, anticipates participants from over 60 South Florida IT groups, clubs, and organizations, and a total of over 1,000 attendees. Castilla said that the event will be a great opportunity to experience the different aspects of the industry.
“There will be educational gains, as well as networking opportunities within the IT community,” Castilla said.
Castilla added that NSU students of all majors, not just those in computer and information sciences, will enjoy the live entertainment, food, and a chance to win many of the prizes that will be given away.
“ITPalooza” will begin at 8 a.m. with an all-day “hackathon”, in which participants can bring their laptops to receive help coding their ideas for Windows 8 or Windows Phone 8 apps.
From 2 to 6 p.m., industry sponsors will hold presentations on technical training in NSU classrooms. Topics will include: “Data Warehouse Architecture”, “Cool Freebies for Social Media Success,” and “Cloud Security Alliance – Running with Scissors”.
Other “ITPalooza” events will include a “job opportunities room”, in which sponsors will promote their company’s hiring needs and meet with prospective candidates; a keynote address and panel discussion with special agents from the FBI Cyber Crimes Division; and an evening concert featuring musicians from South Florida’s IT community.
Levenle Jean-Joseph, events coordinator for GSCIS, said that she is most excited for “the crowd of incoming students and current students to the campus, specifically the College of Computer and Information Sciences.”
April Clark, marine biology graduate student, said, “It sounds like it is going to be a lot of fun and a great way to learn more about computer science. I am also excited for the live entertainment.”
For more information on ITPalooza, including registration and a detailed schedule of events, visit itpalooza.e2mktg.com.
