Kean University Students Create Business Software Applications
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 23, 2018
UNION, N.J. — Kean University computer science students are creating software solutions for local and regional businesses and nonprofits.
The students are enrolled in software engineering, a junior/senior-level course taught by Patricia Morreale, Ph.D., executive director of the School of Computer Science. In support of their curriculum on Agile Software Development, the students form teams and are assigned to work with clients in designing and developing software systems.
“It is very exciting to watch students take their knowledge from the classroom and work in a real software development environment, with deadlines and new or changing software requirements,” said Morreale. “This class makes great progress in closing the gap for my students, moving them from student to practitioner.”
The student teams worked with FloroStone Realty, Inc. in Roselle, Union County Partnership for Transition in Elizabeth, St. Mary and St. Bishoy Coptic Orthodox Church in Linden, and Kean Career Services on the University’s Union campus.
Agile Software Development requires that developers meet regularly with their clients, create user stories to understand how the software will be used and use feedback from clients to inform each stage of the process, said Morreale.
For FloroStone Realty, the students developed an automated online system for real estate agents to schedule property showings. Specific property details are shared privately and securely, and appointment reminders are used to confirm that the showing will take place as scheduled.
“The new software the students created is saving me so much time and money,” said Grisela Flores, co-owner of the real estate firm. “When we had our weekly meetings, the team seemed so motivated with their project and always had something new to present. They were all eager to understand the process.”
The Union County Partnership for Transition team developed a website to be used as a one-stop shop to provide resources and information to young adults with special needs who are transitioning to a more independent lifestyle.
The St. Mary and St. Bishoy Coptic Orthodox Church team developed a web application in support of different groups and activities at the church.
The Kean Career Services team created a system for booking appointments with Kean’s Career Services group, from both desktop and mobile devices.
“Taking this course provided a great way to emulate what it would be like to work on a software engineering team in the real world,” said senior Carlos Flores of Linden, who is no relation to the FloroStone co-owner. “In classes we traditionally create projects based on the requirements of a professor, so it was refreshing to work with an actual client and deliver a project to them.”
The School of Computer Science is looking for businesses, nonprofits and other organizations interested in being part of future software engineering class projects. To find out more, email compsci@kean.edu.
PHOTO/CAPTION:
(L - R): FloroStone Realty Team, Arian Gonzalez, Katherine Cabrera, Jamaal Mirville, Grisela Flores, Nicole Occhiogrosso, Meghana Kancherla, Joseph Alamo and Carlos Flores.
(L - R): St. Mary and St. Bishoy Coptic Orthodox Church Team, Andrey Suvorov, Kerules Fareg, Fadi Gad Elseed, Jennifer Stone and Ian Brugal.
ABOUT KEAN UNIVERSITY
Founded in 1855, Kean University has become one of the largest metropolitan institutions of higher education in the region, with a richly diverse student, faculty and staff population. Kean continues to play a key role in the training of teachers and is a hub of educational, technological and cultural enrichment serving nearly 15,000 students. The University's six undergraduate colleges offer 50 undergraduate degrees over a full range of academic subjects. The Nathan Weiss Graduate College offers four doctorate degree programs and more than 60 options for graduate study leading to master's degrees, professional diplomas or certifications. With campuses in Union and Toms River, New Jersey, and Wenzhou, China, Kean University furthers its mission by providing an affordable, accessible and world-class education. Visit www.kean.edu.
ABOUT THE SCHOOL OF COMPUTER SCIENCE
The School of Computer Science at Kean offers bachelor’s degrees in computer science and information technology, as well as master’s degrees in computer information systems. Students enjoy small class sizes, individual faculty attention, and the opportunity for undergraduate research experiences and mentoring.
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Margaret McCorry
University Relations
Kean University
mmcorry@kean.edu | 908-737-0583