CS Lab

The primary resource used on campus is a 25 seat computer lab with new (summer 2007) workstations. These computers are equiped with Unix (Redhat Linux) operating systems. They also can be booted into Windows. They have 19 inch flat-screen monitors and are connected to a local server.

Programming Contest
Computer Science students have the opportunity to participate in programming completions, which can be a lot of fun--ask anyone who has participated.

Most competitions use a similar format: each team is provided with a single computer and a stack of problems; whoever can write programs solving the most problems in the allotted time wins. For teams solving the same number of problems, the times at which the solutions were submitted are added together--plus a penalty for each incorrect submission on those problems--with the tie going to the lower total time.

Wheaton students compete in annual contests organized by ACM and by ACCA. We also sometimes join competitions hosted by other schools in the region.

ACM Intercollegiate Programming Competition

The ACM competition is international in scope, with hundreds of schools participating. The first round for us is the Midwest Regional contest, which is held at several different locations, usually in early November. Top finishers in the regional competition advance to the International Finals. (Wheaton was first in the region and represented to the finals in 1995.)

ACCA Contest

The Associated Colleges of the Chicago Area (ACCA) sponsors a competition among its members each winter.

The ACCA competition includes a novice division for students in their first year of computing course work, and so it is a great place for beginners to get some experience.

Sign-up for teams typically will be at the beginning of the spring semester.

Internships and Research

Wheaton is located near Illinois high tech center.  Students have done internships at companies like Lucent Technology along with a number of startups from people who left Lucent.  A number of students do internships closer to their home as well.  

Wheaton is also close to both Fermi and Argonne National Labs.  Argonne has opportunities both for summer research internships and co-op programs.