| | L-R: Conroy Smith, Imran Allie, Kerron Hislop (Chair,USC Computer Science Department) Ayson Baxter and Damion Mitchell |
Team ICAD, a team of four young software developers from USC’s sister institution, the Northern Caribbean University (NCU), recently concluded a successful visit to USC and Trinidad and Tobago, courtesy of USC’s Department of Computer Science. The four members of the team – Damion Mitchell, Conroy Smith, Imran Allie and Ayson Baxter are best known for brining glory to NCU and Jamaica by placing third in the world in Microsoft’s Imagine Cup Competition 2007. This achievement earned them several national awards in their native Jamaica, as well as countless opportunities to travel and motivate other youth like themselves.The purpose of their visit to USC was twofold. In addition to being involved in several motivational sessions with the Computer Department’s students, they were able to facilitate several training sessions with prospective members of the team that will represent USC for the first time in the 2009 edition of the Imagine Cup. Their activities also included demonstrations of their winning software application called CADI – Computer Aided Distance Instruction – at a business conference hosted by the Department of Computer Science, as well as at a visit to the offices of Microsoft Trinidad Ltd. At the local business conference, representatives of some local businesses, with whom the Computer Department has ties, and several members of staff of USC’s Computing and Information Technology were in attendance. After an impressive presentation by team ICAD, several hours were spent in an interesting and at times intense discussion on how the application could be further developed to serve regional institutions, and exactly what the role of corporate citizens should be in partnering with and advancing the agenda of academic institutions. A presentation to representatives of Microsoft T&T was also well received, and it facilitated the development of ties amongst the various institutions represented. One of the highlights of the ICAD team’s visit was their presentation to the students of the Computer Science Department on the last day of their tour. This mini-seminar brought together most of the Department’s Computing Majors and Minors who were treated to a demonstration of the ICAD’s award-winning application. The students also had the opportunity to field questions – technical or otherwise – to the team. They also benefited from several inspirational personal experiences. Students would remember some of the members of team ICAD pointing out certain low-points in their academic careers, and their decisions to use these setbacks as stepping stones to greater achievements. The team’s visit was not all work though. During their stay, they were also able to visit the capital city Port of Spain, take a tour of various areas of interest in Trinidad, as well as get an introduction to some local cuisine including roti, phoulourie, saheena, calalloo and mauby. The Department hopes that the visit of team ICAD has succeeded in inspiring students to dream and then do what it takes to accomplish those dreams. To paraphrase one of the team’s favorite quotes, “Never, never give up – the only person that can stop you is you.”
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