Celebrating campus innovation and creativity together

How do you celebrate the diversity of technology studies and clubs on campus? For student club BYTE (Build Your Technical Experience), the answer is to throw a party. Paying homage to an established Toronto industry event, but with a distinctly student focus: the first TMU Tech Week.

Held in February during reading week, the event brought together speakers, workshops and hackathons in a campus-wide celebration of technology, innovation and creativity. Experts from Microsoft, Wealthsimple, IBM and more came to share advice. Students dove in through workshops on topics ranging from AI to CAD design to coding. The result: a resounding success. Over 750 attendees came from 10+ clubs and the general student population, with many calling for it to become an annual tradition.

An event for every interest

An opening ceremony set a high bar. TMU Dean of Engineering, Sri Krishnan, delivered the keynote address, followed by an expert panel. Students mingled and networked into the evening, fuelled by catering from Poulet Rouge and Matcha Moments (students know good food is a must). BYTE also organized an office panel discussion at consulting firm Slalom. The firm's many TMU alumni shared their university experiences and how they broke into the industry. Student clubs showcased their offerings to an audience that stretched beyond TMU itself. Sheridan's IBM Z Association hosted a mini hackathon, and BYTE partnered with Toronto companies AI Collective Toronto and Cognition on a build-a-thon that welcomed industry participants alongside students.

For Areej Ubaid, a second-year computer science student and BYTE's VP of Growth, Tech Week was a major learning curve. But the team came together fast, tackling everything from finding sponsors to booking rooms to lining up speakers and catering. "We went into it not knowing if we would have a turnout at all, so we're really grateful we had a really great turnout. People really seemed to enjoy it, and it was very much a team effort to make it all happen," says Ubaid, acknowledging BYTE President Meet Patadia, who came up with the concept, Head of Strategy Yeji Lee, who guided her throughout the process, and the growth team for their role in organizing partnerships and outreach for the week.

Skills building for organizers

For BYTE members, the experience also built new skills. Ubaid sharpened her collaboration and delegation abilities. She even stepped up as emcee for several panels. "It is a big commitment, and it takes a lot of time and energy. I'm really glad our team is amazing," she says. BYTE has around 35 members, which means everyone has colleagues to lean on. If someone needed a break, others stepped in. BYTE is eager to make TMU Tech Week an annual event, she adds, but equally happy to share the load with other clubs.

BYTE bills itself as TMU's first project-based AI lab, taking on a new project each semester. One past project was an AI app to catch coding syntax errors. Its current project is building what it describes as an Instagram for the TMU community. Structured like a workplace where members take on distinct roles, BYTE is designed to give students real experience collaborating on a team.

Ubaid started joining clubs in her second year. She says they offer both friendships and professional development — at a deeper level than most expect. "You make so many actual connections. You're actually getting to know your team, working with them day in and day out. Unexpectedly, BYTE was a found family for me. I've gotten so close to the people I work with; I know I can rely on them. A lot of my closest friends are from BYTE." TMU Tech Week took the professional development even further. "I have had the opportunity to do all of these amazing things, to host a panel with tech people from IBM, Pfizer and Microsoft. Without Tech Week, I wouldn't have been able to meet these people or talk to them the way that I have."