Chukwuemeka Mba

Chukwuemeka Mba knows the importance of teamwork. Personal ambition and achievement are components of success, but support is crucial. He attributes his ascent through the hackathon world to his network of friends for inspiring him and helping him reach his goals.

Chukwuemeka is originally from Lagos, Nigeria, but currently lives in Boston. These cities may seem like worlds apart, but one thing has bridged the two: technology. Growing up, a friend with experience in Blockchain convinced Chukwuemeka to get into programming as a path to a bright future. He jumped into Python, and over the next several months created his first web application using Python Django. HTML and CSS were his next stepping stones, and before he knew it, he was developing multiple applications.

Teamwork and networking have been continual allies for Chukwuemeka. As he developed his programming skill set, a friend introduced him to Major League Hacking (MLH), and that experience launched his hacking career. His first hackathon was BC Hacks 2022, where he fell in love with the hackathon environment and how attendees could raise each other up all the way to victory. He says, “I lost a handful of them early on, which was quite discouraging until I won my first. That was when I understood the value of teams.”

In the time since BC Hacks, Chukwuemeka has accomplished so much. He went from a hackathon attendee and open source contributor to a Fellow in the MLH Fellowship. His progression into coaching and mentoring has benefitted many hackers looking for guidance, and the feeling is mutual. As he says, “The hacker community in its entirety has introduced me to wonderful personalities and strengthened my knowledge of the fact that I am not alone. There are many more hackers here that are as enthusiastic about learning and giving back as I am.”

While the community has been instrumental to his success, Chukwuemeka can also thank his personal drive and perseverance for getting him where he is today. His dedication to coding, from teaching himself multiple programming languages to immersing himself in hackathons, has opened new doors for him. He says, “I went from selling groceries at a local store in Boston to winning multiple hackathons. It just goes to show what is possible with a vision.”

This determination can be seen in his approach to the MLH Fellowship. He applied for the MLH Fellowship Prep Program early in his hackathon career and was denied, but he did not give up. He bolstered his hacking resume and re-applied twice, and was finally accepted into the MLH Fellowship program. He does not take for granted the dedication and resilience he showed, and knows that giving back to the MLH community is the greatest gift he can offer in return.

Chukwuemeka is a prime example of harnessing the power of collaboration, but maintaining an exceptional work ethic to carry you to your dreams. Whether he is learning a new programming language or bouncing ideas off of other hackers, he is constantly moving forward and looking for the next challenge. As he states, “Technology as a whole has changed my outlook on life to one of transcendental optimism.” With that attitude, Chukwuemeka’s future looks bright.