What does it actually look like when data meets purpose?
That’s the question four teams of Santa Clara University students set out to answer this spring, when SCU INFORMS partnered with Miller Center for Global Impact to launch its first undergraduate Datathon. Formed just one year ago, SCU INFORMS gives students across majors opportunities to practice analytics, work with real datasets, and build skills they can use beyond the classroom.
Hosting a full two-week Datathon was an ambitious step for the organization. It gave students a chance to work through the same challenges analysts face: cleaning messy data, finding patterns, and explaining recommendations clearly. Rather than working with a simple classroom dataset, participants analyzed real data from Miller Center’s accelerator program and mentor performance metrics to identify patterns, build recommendations, and show how analytics can help mission-driven organizations make better decisions.
A Different Kind of Challenge
The competition brought together undergraduate students, graduate mentors, MIS professors from Santa Clara’s Leavey School of Business, Miller Center representatives, and professionals to create a hands-on learning experience beyond the classroom. The goal was to make analytics approachable for students across backgrounds, including those who had never worked with a real organizational dataset before.
For many participants, the Datathon was their first chance to experience how analytics is used outside the classroom. It challenged students to take what they learn in an academic setting and apply it to a real-life situation with real organizational stakes. Students had to do more than analyze the data. They had to explain what the patterns meant, connect their insights to Miller Center’s needs, and present recommendations clearly.
Ophelia Li, a member of team Moonpies, said, “Using Excel, Google Sheets, Tableau, and Desmos, we examined mentor evaluations and confidence surveys to identify trends and performance differences. The analysis showed us how real data can reveal what makes mentorship more effective.”
What the Teams Found
During the two-week competition, teams moved from raw data to final recommendations. They cleaned and analyzed the dataset, identified patterns, created visualizations, and built presentations that translated their findings for a non-technical audience. The strongest projects explained why the data mattered.
Teams approached the data from different angles, with some focusing on mentor performance and others examining social entrepreneur confidence before and after the accelerator program. Across the analyses, teams found that mentor engagement, trust, and relevant, actionable advice were key drivers of strong mentorship outcomes, while participants showed the greatest confidence gains in fundraising and having support. They also identified opportunities for Miller Center to improve future analysis through stronger survey design, more complete NPS responses, and more specific feedback questions.
Celebrating the Teams
SCU INFORMS is proud of all four teams that participated in the Datathon. Each group brought curiosity, creativity, and dedication to the competition. Their work reflected the drive of Santa Clara students who are committed to using business and technology skills to contribute to the broader community.
Congratulations to Team Moonpies, Ophelia Li, Madison Mun, and Conner Chen, who took first place with a project that judges recognized for combining rigorous analysis with a clear, compelling narrative. Their work demonstrated how the social enterprise could better understand its impact, identify untapped opportunities, and make more informed decisions going forward.
Team Moonpies found that the strongest mentors were not just highly rated overall, but were especially strong in trust, valuable advice, and relevant, actionable guidance. Their analysis also found that the program’s overall Net Promoter Score showed a possible ceiling effect, meaning participants rated the program highly overall, but more specific survey questions may be needed to capture deeper, more honest feedback.
Thank You to Our Partners and Supporters
This event would not have been possible without the support of the Miller Center for Global Impact and the many people who helped plan, mentor, and judge the competition. A special thank you goes to Lynne Anderson for providing the data and to Linda Gentry from Miller Center for coordinating and supporting the planning process.
SCU INFORMS also thanks the graduate student mentors, judges, professors, professionals, and Miller Center representatives who gave their time to support undergraduate learning. Their involvement made the Datathon accessible to students regardless of their technical background and helped create a meaningful learning experience for every participant.
What Comes Next
The first-ever undergraduate Datathon at Santa Clara University showed that student-led analytics can do more than answer technical questions. By tackling an organizational challenge, students practiced the kind of problem-solving SCU encourages: using technical skills with purpose, judgment, and care. Ultimately, the Datathon showed that students can use technical skills not just to analyze problems, but to serve organizations working toward meaningful social impact.
Whether students are experienced coders or new to analytics, SCU INFORMS invites them to get involved and take part in next year’s Datathon.
__________
Photos:
