Three CSE students from the Society of Competitive Programmers (SCP) won third place in the 2024 International Collegiate Programming Contest for the Southeast Region held on February 24, 2024 in Miami. The students are Yernar Sadybekov (Sophmore, Computer Science), Mirshokhid Okilbekov (Junior, Computer Science), and Chau Le (Junior, Computer Science).
ICPC is the oldest and most prestigious programming contest in the world. First started in 1970, when the first competition was hosted by the Alpha Chapter of the UPE Computer Science Honor Society. It quickly spread in the US and Canada, fostering problem-solving aptitude, creativity, innovation, and the ability to perform under pressure.
“I joined SCP as a faculty advisor in the Fall of 2021 because of my experience in training ICPC contestants in my previous institution.” said Associate Professor of Instruction, Mauricio Pamplona Segundo. Founded in January 2018 by four USF Students, SCP was created to increase USF's national reputation as a hub for creative student innovators.
Since its inception, the team has traveled both within Florida and across the country to compete at numerous competitions, marking the first such experience for many members of the club. “Getting involved in competitive programming was like diving into a treasure trove of puzzles for me, fueled by my love for unraveling the mathematical mysteries behind complex problems and my sheer excitement for coding," said Chau Le (Junior, Computer Science), part of the winning team.
“SCP attracts the best thinkers and coders, so it is a great environment to be a part of. Over the last few years, I have conducted technical sessions, practice contests, and internal qualifiers to assist USF students in becoming increasingly more competitive,” said Professor Segundo.
“I am immensely grateful for the unwavering support and guidance of our coach, Mauricio, whose dedication and mentorship played a pivotal role in our success. I also want to extend my heartfelt appreciation to my amazing teammates, Yernar and Mirshokhid, whose passion, resilience, and teamwork were truly inspiring. Moreover, none of this would have been possible without the incredible platform provided by the USF Society of Competitive Programmers," said Chau Le.
Participation in this event was made possible by the generous contributions of Computing Partners Program (CPP) members. Learn more about the CPP here. Learn more about ICPC here. Learn more about the Society of Competitive Programmers here.