Durham College outlines two annual IT student events: expo and 24-hour hackathon

Durham College says it runs two annual events for students in its information technology programs: the DC IT Student Expo, where students present projects, and the DC Hack-a-Thon, a 24-hour team challenge. The college described the events in an Oct. 8 post on its website.

In the post, Durham College said the events are intended to connect students with professionals and community partners and to give them experience with “real-world challenges.”

At the DC IT Student Expo, students present their work and answer questions in what the college called a “professional exposition environment.” Durham College said the format is designed to have students explain their ideas, work with teammates, and communicate with audiences beyond the classroom.

Project areas at the expo include cloud and infrastructure solutions, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, programming, automation and monitoring, according to the college.

The expo also features industry speakers. Durham College said Colin Dhillon delivered the keynote in spring 2026.

Students in Durham College’s Event Planning program supported the planning and execution of the expo, the college said.

Durham College also said the expo includes Best-in-Class awards by program and a Best-in-Show award overall.

The DC Hack-a-Thon is a 24-hour “build sprint” where student teams develop and present solutions to real-world problems, the college said.

Participants use skills such as programming, artificial intelligence, data and cybersecurity to develop and present ideas within a limited timeframe, according to the post.

Industry and community partners take part and provide input on the challenges, Durham College said.