Samyok Nepal grew up in small-town Brookings, South Dakota. Without the big-city amenities so many are used to, he spent his free time tinkering with gadgets and machines. Before being accepted to a bachelor’s program in computer science at the University of Minnesota, Samyok had no formal computer science education. When he started learning coding online during his junior year of high school, Samyok discovered he could use his curiosity and drive to create things that made a difference in the world. “I was hooked,” he said.

While Samyok didn’t start developing software until his junior year, his talents still had an outsized impact on his high school community before graduation. One of the first projects Samyok created was Bobcat Notify, an app that sent reliable emergency alerts to students, staff, and parents, which was downloaded over 2,000 times, more than double the number of students in the school!

Seeking to develop his skills further, Samyok and his sister registered for their first hackathon, Sonoma Hacks. Not only did their project win, but Samyok was motivated by the environment of  like-minded individuals who were all passionate about technology. During his gap year between high school and college, Samyok became an active member of the hacker community, and has since competed in more than 20 hackathons. He has submitted winning projects at several hackathons, including HackMIT, HackNYU, TAMUhack,and HackUIowa, as well as hackathons centered on social good like Hacking 4 Community and Santa Clara University’s Hack for Humanity. In addition to developing his technical skills, Samyok credits hackathons with enabling him to build a network of like-minded individuals who he can turn to for support and mentorship.

Samyok says he is not sure he would ever have left his hometown if he hadn’t been exposed to the hacker community. He believes hackathons and his career in computer science have given him the ability to climb the socioeconomic ladder. In addition, Samyok says, “being part of the hacker community has given me a sense of belonging.”

“Recognizing my privilege and the opportunities that have been afforded to me,” Samyok says, “I have made it my mission to help others in the hacking community.” At HackUIowa and HackNYU, Samyok helped his team of inexperienced hackers win first place, and says they have all since found their own footing in the tech industry. At the University of Minnesota, Samyok has worked hard to drive hackathon engagement among students—this year alone, his university is sending 16 students to LA Hacks. Samyok is also organizing the University of Minnesota’s first novice hackathon, which will take place this academic year.

Through his work with Social Coding at the University of Minnesota, Samyok led a team in building Gopher Grades, which allows students to view unbiased grade distributions and class ratings when building class schedules. It has been used by more than 30,000 students to conduct more than two million searches. In his role as lead, Samyok has brought eight freshmen onto the team this semester, guiding them through web development. He is also heavily involved with Code the Gap, where he volunteers as a mentor, teaching coding to between 15 and 20 underprivileged middle school and high school students. During his gap year, Samyok founded the Dakota Debate Institute, a non-profit dedicated to expanding accessibility in high school speech and debate. With each new organization he creates or partners with, Samyok strengthens his impact on individuals and the hacker community as a whole.