about
Join us for a weekend dedicated to filling the gender gap, exploring technology, and building the next big thing! Our mission is to support and nurture women* in tech by hosting Southern California's premiere all female* hackathon. Expect a weekend full of workshops, mentorship, tech talks, social activities, food, and more! No experience necessary, you just need passion.
*trans and non-binary inclusive
From hardware to mobile, there are so many fields to explore! We want women to explore their ideas and interests, and are looking forward to some amazing projects!
We're all about helping each other grow! We hope to foster a supportive environment so that each participant at AthenaHacks feels welcome and comfortable.
Right now, only 20% of hackathon participants are women. We hope to fill that gap by providing a comfortable environment that is focused on learning and exploring!
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What's a hackathon?
A hackathon is a 24 hour event where students with similar interests come together to work on a project. You can attend workshops, hear from people in the computer science field and network with students and reps from companies! -
Who can attend?
Female* undergraduates and high schoolers are welcome to attend; we'd love to have any males interested in helping our cause and any women in the industry to mentor or volunteer!
*trans and non-binary inclusive -
What are the rules about high schoolers?
If you're a high schooler who will be at least 18 years old by AthenaHacks, you are invited to attend! -
How do I get to USC?
This year we are sending buses to nearby schools. More details will be coming soon so keep a look out. Registering for a spot on a bus will happen after application acceptances go out. -
Do I need to be a CS major or minor?
No! This is the perfect place for any student to create their first coding project. We'll have plenty of resources for beginners to get started! -
How do I apply?
Applications for hackers are open now until Feb 16th. Mentor and volunteer apps will open in January 2020. -
Does this cost money?
Nope! Admission is free and covers overnight stay, food, all the snacks you could ever want, and of course, our sponsors and AthenaHacks will provide you with the free swag!! -
What about travel reimbursements?
Unfortunately, we will not be able to provide travel reimbursements this year. Sorry for the inconvenience :( -
How do teams work?
At most teams can have 4 people. You can have your teammates in mind before the event, or you can find a team during our team formation activity before and after opening ceremony! -
Will there be hardware available?
Yes! Hardware will be provided by MLH. -
Where do I sleep?
If hacking all night isn't your way to go, we'll have places provided for you to catch a few Z's! -
What should I bring?
Remember to bring a valid student ID for admission and anything you need to hack away! -
Is there a code of conduct?
Yes, we want to make AthenaHacks enjoyable for everyone! We follow MLH's Code of Conduct: here. -
Can I mentor or volunteer?
Yes! We welcome all regardless of gender who want to help. We appreciate all who want to support our cause. Mentors help hackers during the event with any technical questions they might have. Volunteers support the organizing team during the hackathon with various tasks. Links for both apps are at the top of the page.
about our keynote speaker
Ruthe Farmer
