Kevin Chen

As early as elementary school, Kevin Chen was using his tech skills to help teachers with their computers and was their go-to resource for fixing audio and video equipment. In junior high, he volunteered as a library assistant and spent the summer building a computer lab for his school. He wanted to continue working with technology when he got to high school, and despite a policy of only allowing upperclassmen to work as library assistants, Kevin landed the role. He immediately took on the challenge of figuring out the school’s analog to digital media conversion system. “Through all of these experiences,” Kevin says, “I discovered that technology was where I could make a real impact on people’s lives.”

Kevin knew he wanted to pursue a career in technology, but his freshman year at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) found him torn between majors in information systems, computer science, and computer engineering. When his Intro to Computer Science professor mentioned hackUMBC, Kevin decided the worst-case scenario would be extra time to work on his class project. The hackathon ended up meaning much more than that, and Kevin says, “participating in hackUMBC solidified my decision to pursue computer science.”  Since his first hackathon experience, Kevin has participated in many more, including HackHPC.

His experience at hackUMBC introduced Kevin to the hacker community, which has become a central part of his life. “Being a part of the hacker community has taught me some of life’s most valuable lessons,” he says, “and I have learned not to be afraid of making decisions because if they lead to mistakes, it is never too late to fix them.”

As a first-generation college student, Kevin found guidance in the hacker community. The support of his new peers and mentors inspired him to take on leadership roles. He returned to hackUMBC as an organizer, hoping to help other aspiring hackers find their footing. He has since worked as both the External Vice President and Director of hackUMBC, co-founded UMBC Gaming and Esports, and served as a Major League Hacking (MLH) Coach. Kevin believes in fostering an inclusive environment and has tirelessly worked to inspire people of all backgrounds and careers to participate in hackathons. As an MLH Coach, Kevin participates in as many Global Hack Week streams as he can, and often finds himself leading beginner-friendly streams. With MLH, Kevin says he is particularly focused on “breaking down the barriers of entry into the tech space, helping people overcome the feeling that they don’t know anything and won’t fit in.”

Kevin says his journey is only just beginning. He has stayed involved in UMBC’s hacker community by competing in the Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition and working as a Senior Infrastructure Engineer with UMBC’s nationally recognized CyberDawgs team. He has further developed his skills in UX/UI and software engineering through internships with the Maryland Department of Health and investment management firm T. Rowe Price. He continues to help others at his university as the Head Teaching Assistant of UMBC’s Computer Science Department. From hosting Global Hack Week streams to mentoring new hackers, Kevin is constantly looking for ways to welcome more people into the world of hackathons.