NJIT Students Shine at Bank of America Code-a-Thon with Innovative Peer Exchange Platform

At the 2nd Annual Bank of America Code-a-Thon, NJIT students made an impression that resonated beyond the competition floor.

Four standout students — Joshua Hernandez (Computer Science), Janina Guarquila (Financial Technology), Luis Duarte (Computer Science) and Layla Rosario (Information Technology) — were selected from NJIT’s top talent to represent the university. Supported by the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) and the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), their diverse perspectives and shared ambition led them a fully-sponsored trip to Bank of America’s global headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Their challenge: develop a working prototype in just five days to address a real issue faced by college students. The result? A peer-to-peer exchange platform designed to let students trade goods or services — such as textbooks in exchange for tutoring — fostering a culture of support, sustainability and community.

Each team member played a critical role: Hernandez led system architecture and core development; Duarte engineered the back-end framework; Rosario guided user testing and interface refinement; and Guarquila served as scrum master, ensuring agile collaboration and clear communication. A highlight of the project was an AI-powered feature that evaluates the fairness of proposed trades, blending ethical considerations with machine intelligence.

Despite last-minute technical challenges, the team successfully delivered a live prototype, an engaging video demo and a polished pitch to an audience of over 80 industry leaders — including the CIO and CFO of Bank of America.

“We joked about tech students acting on camera during our video,” Hernandez shared. “But that icebreaker turned our nerves into confidence.”

Beyond the competition, the Code-a-Thon served as a launchpad. The students explored the Metaverse, toured state-of-the-art facilities like the Security Operations and Communications Center and Cyber Threat Operations Center, and networked with professionals from across the country. For Hernandez, the experience was especially meaningful: He’ll return to Bank of America this summer as an intern.

“I’ve grown technically, but also professionally,” he said. “Pitching to the same company I’ll be working for — it felt like everything came full circle.”

This team both represented NJIT and its values — bold thinking, inclusive leadership and the drive to turn ideas into impact, demonstrating how innovation thrives when opportunity and purpose align.