Mount Holyoke students tackle the AWS Case Competition

Forty-seven students from Mount Holyoke College formed 12 teams to compete in the College’s inaugural AWS Generative AI Case Competition, an intensive experiential learning opportunity. The challenge tasked 12 student teams with applying their problem-solving and innovation skills to real-world issues, preparing them directly for future careers.

The competition, organized by the College’s Career Development Center (CDC), was held Nov. 13–14. Students were asked to leverage generative AI and Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud technologies to develop sophisticated business and social solutions. At the end of the competition period, each team gave a 12-minute presentation before a panel of judges.

Mount Holyoke teams were asked to design ethical, trustworthy, forward-looking solutions to strengthen information integrity, organizational resilience and public confidence. The grand prize of $3,000 went to the team with the pitch scored highest on, among other things, the innovation, feasibility and ethics of their solution. 

Each team was assigned an AWS coach, who mentored them and supported them in creating their presentations. The competition yielded a wide range of solutions, such as addressing the gap in radiology, stopping the proliferation of false declines with online shopping, detecting misinformation and deepfakes, making AI-assisted decisions and using AI to create more in-depth emergency alert services. 

The interdisciplinary judging panel comprised AWS employees and MHC faculty, including Suparna Roychoudhury, associate provost, associate dean of faculty and professor of English; Kate Lande, professor and chair of economics; and Kathryn A. McMenimen, associate dean of studies, academic dean for seniors and associate professor of chemistry.

Adewale Omoniyi, AWS, Professional Services, Automotive and Manufacturing security leader at AWS, thinks competitions such as these are critical to bolstering confidence in emerging technology. “When students harness generative AI, they don’t just explore theoretical possibilities; they become architects of trust in our digital future,” he said. “Through hands-on experience with AWS technologies and collaborative problem-solving, they develop the critical thinking skills needed to build secure, intelligent solutions that bridge the gap between innovation and trust. This practical engagement transforms students from technology consumers into digital pioneers who can shape industries and empower communities.” 

Alums were also involved in the event: Sara Golon Gladu FP’05, a senior customer solutions manager at AWS, spoke at a computer science lunch and learn on the first day of the conference. The lunch was sponsored by Audrey St. John, professor and chair of computer science at Mount Holyoke. 

At a celebratory dinner on the first day of the competition, President Danielle R. Holley noted that, in addition to this being the first time the event was held at Mount Holyoke College, “we are the first gender-diverse women’s college to participate in this AWS case competition. As usual, Mount Holyoke is leading the way.” 

She continued, “You are seeing a liberal arts curriculum in action; students are using the skills that they’ve acquired across our curriculum to solve real-world problems. The critical thinking and leadership skills that are the trademarks of a Mount Holyoke education will shape the future of work, including the ethical application of generative AI.” 

Keynote speaker Diya Wynn, the responsible AI lead at AWS, was also pleased that the competition was held at Mount Holyoke College. 

“I want to acknowledge what makes you special in this particular moment,” she said to the student competitors. “You are part of a 188-year legacy of women’s education that has consistently proved that when women are empowered with knowledge and opportunity, they don’t just participate in shaping the future; they lead it.” 

“Mount Holyoke has always understood that education is about more than acquiring skills; it’s about developing competence, critical thinking and leadership, as well as [developing the] courage to challenge the status quo,” she continued. 

Winners were announced on Nov. 14. The judges were so impressed with the caliber of the presentations that they decided to grant two new prizes. Alex Davenport ’27, a psychology major, received the Most Valuable Player award for her work with The Ultimate Providers team and received $250. Team SCAM, with team captain Maria Igartua ’27 and team members Amelia Henzel ’27, Cal Smith ’26 and Shane Xie ’27 won the Impact Award for their proposed emergency notification solution, and they received $500.

The Pandas team came in third, for its proposal for “DermaFair: Mitigating Bias in Skin Disease Diagnostic AI.” Team captain Leilani Titus ’26 and students Anika Nazhat ’27, Sasha Cheney-Holub ’28 and Wenjie (Sarafina) Wang ’26 were awarded $1,000. 

The Giggle Mugs team came in second. The team pitched “AI & The Public Good: Using AI to Detect Misinformation Online.” Team captain Kat Sloop ’26 and students Dee Marrero ’27, Lillian Judd ’27 and Zivai Jaravaza ’27 were awarded $2,000. 

The quAry Queens took home the $3,000 grand prize for “Reinforcing Financial Safety with Sentinel.” The team comprised captain Adwoa Owusua ’27 and team members Akosua Aidoo ’27, Amanda Adjei ’27 and Anita Karen Awelana Chiragia ’28. 

CDC staff were thrilled with the competition and hope to make it an annual event. “Having the opportunity to be the first gender-diverse women's college to co-sponsor a business case competition with AWS was an exceptional experience for all involved, representing the Mount Holyoke College community, alums and industry professionals,” said Jaime Grillo, associate vice president for career readiness. “This event successfully embodied the essential foundation and innovative future of career readiness at the College.” 

“The AWS [Generative] AI Case Competition was an incredible two-day experience that brought together 12 teams, with a total of 47 students, from firsties to seniors … representing more than 20 majors! The teams came together to design ethical, forward-thinking AI solutions. It was a powerful example of how the liberal arts foster critical thinking and innovation,” said Whitney Jorns Kuhnlenz, director of external relations and career communities. “This opportunity was meaningful not only for our students but also for the faculty and staff who partnered with AWS to make it possible. We’re thrilled to have hosted this career readiness–focused learning opportunity and hope to welcome AWS back to campus next year.”