Huston-Tillotson University Students Joy Itodo and Ayomide Isinkaye Win 3rd Annual HBCU C2 App Design Challenge with “RAMCore”
Monday Apr, 07 2025
Austin, Texas April 7, 2025 – Huston-Tillotson University (HTU) is proud to announce Joy Itodo and Ayomide Isinkaye as the first-place winners of the 3rd Annual HBCU C2 App Design Challenge, a featured event at HTU’s Artificial Intelligence and Innovation Conference (AiCON) 2025, held on April 2nd.
Joy Itodo, a junior Computer Science major, and Ayomide Isinkaye, a sophomore majoring in Computer Science and Mathematics, captivated the judges with their innovative app, “RAMCore.” This app, designed to streamline campus life, serves as a centralized hub for essential student resources, addressing the challenges faced by both on-campus and off-campus students.
“RAMCore was inspired mainly by our immediate community—our fellow Rams,” said Ayomide Isinkaye. “We wanted to make life easier for our community and lessen the burden by putting a lot of essential resources in one place, a one-stop shop for almost everything a Ram needs.”
Joy Itodo echoed this sentiment, stating, “We recognized the challenges faced by off-campus students and those who stay on campus and wanted to create a platform to make life easier for them. We saw the need for a centralized app with essential features to improve accessibility and convenience.”
Ayomide Isinkaye, hailing from Ekiti State, Nigeria, is a W.E.B. DuBois Honors Scholar, recognized on the Dean’s List and Honor Roll. He aspires to become a versatile Data Scientist/Engineer and dreams of working for Salesforce. Beyond coding, he enjoys diving into mythic fantasy series and binge-watching shows like “Wheel of Time.” “I enjoy coding because it constantly makes me think of creative ways to make the world better, even if it’s helping just one more person at a time,” Ayomide shared.
Joy Itodo, originally from Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria and of Benue State heritage, is also a W.E.B. DuBois Honors Scholar, Dean’s List, and Honor Roll recipient, and a 2025 HBCU Battle of the Brains 2nd Place Winner. She aspires to be a Software Engineer, with a dream of working for a company like Meta. Her passions include reading Nigerian romance novels, binge-watching series like “The Vampire Diaries Universe,” and enjoying the music of Asake. “I enjoy coding because it challenges my creativity and encourages me to think outside the box,” Joy said.
This challenge, supported by the Apple Community Education Initiative, empowers students to excel in the technology sector. Through rigorous training academies, HTU faculty guide students in developing and implementing coding projects using Apple’s Everyone Can Create and Everyone Can Code, focusing on iOS App Development with Swift. Building upon the success of previous years, students will once again create original app prototypes designed to tackle real-world challenges, competing for valuable scholarships.
“The HBCU C2 App Design Challenge is a pivotal event that not only highlights the exceptional talent of our students but also underscores our commitment to fostering diversity and innovation within the technology industry,” said Dr. Jennifer P. Miles, Vice President for Student Affairs and HBCU C2 Program Manager. “This initiative provides our students with invaluable hands-on experience and empowers them to become future leaders in STEM, significantly impacting their academic and professional success.”
The HTU community congratulates Joy and Ayomide on their outstanding achievement and wishes them the best as they advance to represent Huston-Tillotson University at the national HBCU C2 App Challenge hosted by the HBCU C2 Hub at Tennessee State University.
AiCON 2025 promises to be a transformative experience, uniting students, faculty, and industry professionals to explore the forefront of artificial intelligence and technological innovation. #HBCUAiCON #HTHBCUC2 #EveryoneCanCode #EveryoneCanCreate
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About HBCU C2
HBCU C2 is a national teaching and learning initiative that empowers any HBCU to bring coding and creativity experiences and program opportunities to their home campus and community. HBCU C2 promotes innovation, educational equity, and aims to address community challenges using app design and Apple’s Swift programming language.
The HBCU C2 community is committed to creating opportunities that will diversify the tech workforce by removing barriers, innovating STEM education, and developing life-long learning pathways. C-squared HBCUs engage in this effort with key industry partners so that our contribution leads to a more skilled, diverse workforce pipeline for high-demand technical and creative careers. Learn more about the HBCU C2 at https://hbcuc2.org/.
About Huston-Tillotson University
Huston-Tillotson University, the first institution of higher education in Austin, Texas, has roots dating back to 1875. Huston-Tillotson University is an independent, church-related, historically Black, four-year liberal arts institution located on a 23-acre tree-lined campus near downtown in East Austin. Huston-Tillotson University’s mission is to nurture a legacy of leadership and excellence in education, connecting knowledge, power, passion, and values. The University offers associate and master’s degrees in addition to Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in more than 19 areas of study. Huston-Tillotson University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
