The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA, hosted the 2025 AIS Student Chapter Leadership Conference (SCLC) from March 27 to 29. The conference achieved a record-breaking attendance of 265 participants, including students and faculty from 16 universities, along with valued sponsors. This annual event provided a platform for students to engage in workshops, competitions, and networking opportunities with industry professionals.

"We are incredibly grateful to the students, faculty, and sponsors who made SCLC 2025 such a success," said Dr. Gladys Simpson, Associate Vice President of AIS Student Chapters. "Special thanks to The University of Alabama for hosting and to the dedicated student team—Micah Pentecost, Manav Patel, Carson Miller, Helene Renninger, Bailey Liddle—along with Faculty Advisor Jeff Lucas, for their hard work in delivering an outstanding experience."

Workshops and Keynote Speakers

The conference featured a range of interactive workshops aimed at expanding students’ technical and professional skills. Highlights included:

• AI Code Demo: A hands-on session demonstrating how AI models can be built and applied to real-world challenges.
• Unmasking Wi-Fi Risks: A workshop by Abilene Christian University demonstrating the dangers of unsecured Wi-Fi networks and and how to stay protected.
• Do Busy Right: A productivity-focused session led by Dr. Larry Tribble on managing tasks and attention effectively.

The conference also featured keynote addresses from industry leaders:

• Chad Wasserman, CIO of HCA Healthcare, delivered the welcome dinner keynote, sharing insights on growing in the professional journey.
• Josh Jones, CEO of Quanthub, closed out the event with a discussion on AI’s growing impact on information systems and the future of work.

AIS Student Competition Winners

One of the major highlights of SCLC 2025 was the student competitions, where teams tackled real-world challenges in technology and business. Congratulations to this year’s winners:

AI-Driven IT Support and Routine Task Automation Challenge

1st Place: University of Alabama, Team Beacon
2nd Place: University of North Texas, Suraksha
3rd Place: Brigham Young University, Tech Dudes

CGI Full Stack Challenge

1st Place: Brigham Young University, Walit
2nd Place: University of Alabama, MAP
3rd Place: Florida International University, EduSync

HCA Healthcare Challenge

1st Place: Brigham Young University, The Oval Office
2nd Place: Temple University, Augastine Team
3rd Place: University of Alabama, MapAttack

International Paper's Social Impact Challenge

1st Place: Arizona State University, GreenLink
2nd Place: Temple University, LoveHurts
3rd Place: Florida International University, EcoSisters

PNC FinTech Challenge

1st Place: Brigham Young University, Reliarate
2nd Place: University of North Texas, HoliStat
3rd Place: Florida International University, PNC TrustTrack

Post-Quantum Computing Security Challenge

1st Place: University of Alabama, JWJ
2nd Place: James Madison University, Qforce
3rd Place: Florida International University, DCSU Solutions

Celebrating Student Chapter Excellence

Dr. Simpson also recognized outstanding student chapters for their contributions during the 2023-24 academic year. Congratulations to the award recipients! Learn more.

What’s Next?

November 7, 2025: Online Conference and Competition

Later this year, AIS will host our Online Student Chapter Leadership Conference. Experience SCLC virtually with all the benefits of networking and competition from anywhere.

March 26-28, 2026: SCLC 2026 at James Madison University

SCLC 2026 at James Madison University – Mark your calendars for next year’s in-person gathering in Harrisonburg, Virginia!

For more information on student chapters, visit AIS Student Chapters.