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Hundreds of local high school students attend USF’s Big Data Day

By Keith Morelli

TAMPA (Dec. 2, 2016) -- Hundreds of students from nine Hillsborough County high schools spilled into the University of South Florida this week to participate in the Muma College of Business Big Data Days.

The students, deemed the best and brightest in their computer science and technology classes, spent half the day touring the campus and participating in exercises, listening to presentations and discussing aspects of various computer-based professions.

Students came from Bloomingdale, Plant, Alonso, Durant, Newsome, Sickles, Spoto, Middleton and Hillsborough high schools. The event was co-sponsored by JP Morgan Chase, Florida High Tech Corridor and Sykes Enterprises and coordinated by the USF's Information Systems Decision Sciences department in the Muma College of Business.

"Anytime we can offer a chance for tomorrow's best young minds to come and visit and get a better understanding of their chosen fields of study," said USF's Muma College of Business Dean Moez Limayem, "we're going to do it.

"To host some of the brightest students in the region benefits everyone," he said. "The students get a first-hand look at what we offer in the way of information-science education and the university courts some of the most capable students in the region, who when they enroll, will make our already-impressive programs that much stronger."

The objective of the event was to introduce high school seniors to educational opportunities in the fields of information systems and business analytics and to give the students a glimpse of what USF can offer them on their paths to success.

Students attending mostly were enrolled in high school courses such as AP computer science, technology support, web development and information technology.