Dining, calendar apps win at Bryant’s App-a-Thon

By Emily Greenhalgh
PBN Web Editor
Twitter: @EGreenhalgh

SMITHFIELD – Campus dining and calendar apps took home prizes at the inaugural Bryant University App-a-Thon on April 18.

Proposed by Bryant senior Sarah Rubel – vice president of the university’s Collegiate Entrepreneur’s Organization – the competition challenged students to design mobile apps that would thrive in the Bryant University environment.

Bryant Eats, an all-in-one app for campus dining, earned top marks along with Bryant Bits, a campus event app. The two were chosen from eight proposed ideas.

“Preparing students to put their ideas into action is a Bryant hallmark,” said University President Ronald K. Machtley. “Bryant has long been recognized as a technology innovator, and we’re continuing this tradition with our commitment to building these apps and making them available for our community. Everyone involved with the App-a-Thon did a great job.”

Bryant Eats will let students check food service hours, menus, nutritional information as well as rate meals and offer dining reviews. A “traffic cam” will even let students keep a birds-eye on dining hall crowds.

The other winning app, Bryant Bits, will offer a searchable, customizable calendar of campus events. It will send reminders and integrate with social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.