Problem Solved: Programming Contest Tests Students Skills

Problem-solving is a skill college students learn in various settings. Now, Cedarville University School of School of Engineering and Computer Science and Computer Science is offering a campus-wide computer programming competition Saturday, March 25, to help showcase these skills.

The competition, which is open to all Cedarville students regardless of academic major, begins at 9:30 a.m. in Engineering and Science Center Rooms 242 and 243.

“The idea is to give students practice at solving problems,” said senior professor of computer computer science Dr. David Gallagher. “Being successful in this field can’t be accomplished with memorization. It requires excellence when facing new challenges.”

Students will compete in two-person teams and will be given 10 problems to solve in five hours. Awards will be given to the first- and second-place teams based on the number of problems solved while avoiding penalties for incorrect answers.

“An example problem may include students creating a code to find the best way out of a maze,” said Gallagher. “They are required to find the shortest path (the least number of steps) to find their way out of the maze.”

Team members will collaborate with each other using a single keyboard to solve the contest’s problems.

“There’s some good strategy in that,” said Gallagher. “Keyboard management is a very critical part of the contest. The teams who are excellent problem-solvers are able to have one person study problems while the other writes code, ensuring they are both contributing and progressing in the contest.”

The contest has been a staple for the engineering department since it was established in 2002.

The contest shines a light on some of the school of school of engineering and computer science and computer science’s best students. Real-world learning experiences, including the programming contest, co-op program and yearlong senior design experience, bring out the best in students, reflected in the school’s 99.5% job placement rate job placement rate. Students graduating with a degree in computer computer science find employment at companies such as Google, Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin, and attend graduate schools such as the Air Force Institute of Technology, the University of Southern California and University of Illinois.

Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 5,082 undergraduate, graduate, and dual-enrolled high school students in more than 175 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is one of the largest private universities in Ohio, recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, including the Bachelor of Science in computer science science, high graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings, and the #4 national ranking by the Wall Street Journal for student engagement. For more information about the University, visit cedarville.edu.