SMC Senior Worked the Room Better Than Most

Following the 2026 APEX Showcase, all of the seniors talked up their Capstone projects with family, friends, faculty, and staff who attended the event during a networking hour. One student stood out amongst his peers for his networking ability, and the mystery judges awarded Tyler Dodd the Networking Hour prize.

Dodd and his 70+ classmates set up at tables during the happy hour to discuss their own projects to local business leaders and potential employers. His presentation of his project “Read’y Writers” made the right impression on the judges, and he was named the networking winner, earning the $250 prize.

Honorable mention accolades went to Nick Haithcox for “First Responder Function,” Ben Ohl for “Teach the World,” and Qebin Padilla for “Unfiltered & Unplugged.”

Mystery judges roamed the networking event taking note of the students who best embraced the opportunity to present their projects to everyone. The judges, who were unknown to the students, were Meghan Smith from the Spartanburg Academic Movement, Taylor Dement from OneSpartanburg, and Madison McCall, the 2025 APEX Showcase winner and SMC alum.