Tykira Beasley got a taste of success when she participated in the Thurgood Marshal College Fund (TMCF) Pitch 2019 innovation and entrepreneurial competition. The Elizabeth City State University student who is a double major in graphic design and computer programming, was a member of the first place team, developing an app to aid teachers in the classroom.
“It scans student handwriting and the student receives a grade that is linked to the teacher’s external grade books,” explained Beasley, a junior who minors in computer programming.
Held in Durham, North Carolina, earlier this month, the competition is set up for 100 hand-selected Historically Black College and University students from 37 different schools. The teams are comprised of students from different HBCUs.
The competition is held over the course of one week, providing students with what TMCF officials describe as “a very intense week of learning.” The teams were tasked with creating an innovative app aimed at any number of applications.
Originally published May 30, 2019.