Featuring a curriculum first pioneered by Cornell engineers, UCode, a national programming education company founded eight years ago, has returned to its roots after relocating its Ithaca classes to Carpenter Hall.
UCode offers a variety of classes that teach students basic programming principles and techniques. But after just a year of operating out of its Ithaca Mall storefront, it moved to the engineering quad as a part of a strategic change.
Based in Hermosa Beach, California, UCode has four locations in the Golden State and one in Ithaca. Accompanying the location change, two Cornell undergraduate students now also serve as class instructors.
According to UCode instructor Reggie Ezeh ’22, one of the main reasons behind the move was to cut costs, boost class enrollment, and strengthen the business’ relationship with Cornell.
“The goal is to have a lot of Cornell faculty and staff bring their children throughout the program,” Ezeh said.
The free classes — which used to cost $50 a month — will be capped at eight students, with priority given to children of the Cornell community.
Students or parents that want to sign up for the classes will have to do so through an app called “teamup.” The first class will be held Wednesday at 4:15 p.m., but many of the spots have yet to be filled, Ezeh said.
While this move has been mostly successful, some lingering worries remain.
“With a space like Carpenter you have to worry about parking — I just hope everything runs smoothly,” Ezeh said.
But Ezeh ultimately expressed hope for the program and its new future on the Hill.
“One of the reasons I loved it at UCode [is because] I built a strong relationship with the students and I hope to see a lot of the[m] returning,” Ezeh said.