Southeast Missouri State University’s HackLabs teams had a standout weekend at the AI Vibe-Coding Hackathon this November, securing three podium finishes across multiple challenge categories. The teams competed against universities across the region, demonstrating strong technical skill, teamwork and real-world software problem-solving.
HackLabs earned two second-place finishes and a third-place finish, marking one of the program’s strongest showings to date. Students participated in a variety of fast-paced challenges designed to simulate real-time threats and incident-response environments, experiences like what they’ll encounter in software engineering and technical innovation roles.
The SEMO competitors included applied computer science master’s students Ajender Gajarla, Krishna Thakar, Kalyan Ganala, Hemanth Kumar and Praveen Kumar Koppula; cybersecurity student Kourtney Stewart; and Marvin Chaudhary, a computer science major and president of SEMO HackLabs.
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“We built seven software solutions in 22 hours,” said Marvin Chaudhary, a computer science student and club president of SEMO HackLabs. “We had to prioritize our time, even sleeping in shifts so we could move fast and build intelligently. Beyond technical skills, the experience strengthened our teamwork, communication and technical storytelling—skills that matter as much as code in the industry. We’re proud of how we represented SEMO, and we’re excited to keep building on this momentum.”
Hemanth Kumar emphasized how the team found its rhythm under pressure.
“Amid all the hackathon chaos, discovering that shared wavelength as a team was our biggest win,” said Hemanth Kumar. “We didn’t just understand the problem statements; we synchronized with them. That made winning feel achievable."
HackLabs is part of SEMO’s growing computer science and technology ecosystem, which offers students opportunities to compete, conduct research, earn industry-recognized certifications, and gain experience that directly aligns with workforce needs.
“This win validates that SEMO is producing students who are not only technically capable, but also innovative and industry ready,” said Chaudhary. “Placing amongst larger institutions and even professional teams shows that SEMO’s computer science students are competitive on a regional level.”
The teams will continue preparing for upcoming events this spring as SEMO expands its computer science and technology programs and alumni network in the rapidly growing information security field.
“This competition helped strengthen our credibility, grow our network and open doors to partnerships with local tech companies and startups,” said Chaudhary. “We hope this attracts students who might have felt intimidated by coding. We want to show that with modern tools, teamwork and creativity, anyone can build impactful software.”
If you’re ready to become an award-winning hackathon champion, visit semo.edu/computer-science.