Michele Hanley of Vineland Helps Widener Place Third in Software AG's International Student Idea Contest

2014 Jun 9

Michele Hanley, a Widener University Business Informatics junior from Vineland, N.J., recently represented Widener in the first international student idea contest hosted by Software AG's University Relations department. The Widener participants' idea to use Software AG's Presto to enhance athletic performance earned them third place in the international competition, tied with a team from the University of California-Berkeley, and a trip to New Orleans to present their idea at Software AG's Innovation World 2014 conference held October 13-15.

Leading up to their October presentation at the Innovation World event, the Widener team will continue to flesh out the idea to use Software AG's Presto, a real-time data visualization and exploration tool, to predict an athlete's performance, whether in a track and field event or on the basketball court, after analyzing data about the athlete and his or her competitors. Imported data sets may include past performances, training regimens and body composition, among others.

Dr. Yvonne Antonucci, a management professor who mentored the team, said that she hopes this extracurricular project helped the students realize that what they learn in the classroom has real-world applications. "Companies are constantly envisioning how their products can be used in new ways in a business environment," she said. "This project helped the students realize the importance of their classroom learning and the degree they will earn. I think they will further see the relevance of their work when they come face-to-face with many of these companies in October."

Widener University is a metropolitan university that connects curricula to social issues through civic engagement. Dynamic teaching, active scholarship, personal attention, leadership development and experiential learning are key components of the Widener experience. A comprehensive doctorate-granting university, Widener is comprised of eight schools and colleges that offer liberal arts and sciences, professional and pre-professional curricula leading to associate, baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral degrees. The university's campuses in Chester, Exton and Harrisburg, Pa., and Wilmington, Del., serve more than 6,300 students. Widener is proud to be a tobacco-free campus. Visit the university's website, www.widener.edu.