David Ulloa, 21
David Ulloa: The Hackathon Organizer Championing Tech Talent in South Florida
Meet David Ulloa, a dedicated MLH Hackathon Organizer and passionate hacker from Florida International University (Class of ’25), who is committed to giving back to his community by fostering tech opportunities for underrepresented students. David's interest in technology was sparked by his father's journey in IT and later at Microsoft, showcasing the profound economic impact tech can have. A pivotal moment for David was developing a website for a local climate summit; seeing over 300 attendees register through his site made him realize the immense impact software engineering could achieve. This passion led him to ShellHacks, first as a hacker, director of technology, and finally the organization's president.
Introduced to the tech community through INIT, FIU's student organization behind ShellHacks, David was inspired by the energy of passionate builders. He credits the guidance and mentorship he received through this community for helping him land internships at Microsoft and Google. He will be joining Google full-time after graduation. As INIT’s past president, his focus was on connecting students with internships and preparing them for tech careers. This included bringing over 20 companies to ShellHacks, organizing year-round resume reviews, and project-based programs like INIT Build, which attracts over 120 students per semester.
David stands out for his unwavering focus on helping students in South Florida, where conversations around tech careers are still emerging. He believes in creating a community where students not only build passionately but also uplift and teach one another. His favorite framework is Jax for its minimalist approach to deep learning. He treats GitHub as a social platform—a way to showcase his work and motivate himself to build in public. One fun memory from organizing ShellHacks includes roaming the event in a dinosaur costume and the triumphant (and chaotic) closing ceremony after overcoming numerous logistical hurdles. Outside of tech, David enjoys Jiu-Jitsu, a hobby that helps him balance mental and physical health. Fun fact: his dad's godfather was once the president of Nicaragua!
Quick Facts
David Ulloa, 21
David Ulloa: The Hackathon Organizer Championing Tech Talent in South Florida
Meet David Ulloa, a dedicated MLH Hackathon Organizer and passionate hacker from Florida International University (Class of ’25), who is committed to giving back to his community by fostering tech opportunities for underrepresented students. David's interest in technology was sparked by his father's journey in IT and later at Microsoft, showcasing the profound economic impact tech can have. A pivotal moment for David was developing a website for a local climate summit; seeing over 300 attendees register through his site made him realize the immense impact software engineering could achieve. This passion led him to ShellHacks, first as a hacker, director of technology, and finally the organization's president.
Introduced to the tech community through INIT, FIU's student organization behind ShellHacks, David was inspired by the energy of passionate builders. He credits the guidance and mentorship he received through this community for helping him land internships at Microsoft and Google. He will be joining Google full-time after graduation. As INIT’s past president, his focus was on connecting students with internships and preparing them for tech careers. This included bringing over 20 companies to ShellHacks, organizing year-round resume reviews, and project-based programs like INIT Build, which attracts over 120 students per semester.
David stands out for his unwavering focus on helping students in South Florida, where conversations around tech careers are still emerging. He believes in creating a community where students not only build passionately but also uplift and teach one another. His favorite framework is Jax for its minimalist approach to deep learning. He treats GitHub as a social platform—a way to showcase his work and motivate himself to build in public. One fun memory from organizing ShellHacks includes roaming the event in a dinosaur costume and the triumphant (and chaotic) closing ceremony after overcoming numerous logistical hurdles. Outside of tech, David enjoys Jiu-Jitsu, a hobby that helps him balance mental and physical health. Fun fact: his dad's godfather was once the president of Nicaragua!
