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Appalachia@250: A Social Innovation Hackathon

“Appalachia@250: A Social Innovation Hackathon” is an immersive convening designed to bring together Appalachian GenZ and GenAlpha young people, college students, faculty, filmmakers, journalists, artists, technologists, entrepreneurs and community members to collaboratively imagine a future that benefits Appalachia.  

Register to Attend


Space is limited to ensure a hands‑on, collaborative experience with small teams. Registration is required to reserve your spot.

About the Event

Building on more than a decade of social hackathon experience, this event fosters interdisciplinary imagination, creativity, intergenerational collaboration, and rural futurism.

Participants will work in facilitated teams to explore challenges at the intersection of AI, labor and the future of work, cultural preservation and community resilience, regional opportunity, privacy, safety, and digital wellbeing.

We will also have open-to-the public cultural immersion events on Friday and Sunday for all participants. These include a fashion show, a local artist handmade market, dinner theater with a screening of @250 documentary shorts, and a zine archive exhibit opening and panel.

Join us for a weekend of innovation, storytelling, music, documentary film, fashion, and community‑centered futurism addressing some of the most pressing challenges of our era.

  1. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23

    Immersion and Community Building

    • Pop‑up regional music concert
      123 Pleasant Street in Downtown Morgantown
    • Fashion Show: Wearable art exploring the intersection of tech, humanity, and Appalachian futurism, hosted by YNST with WVU Fashion Design and Merchandising students
      228 High Street in Downtown Morgantown
    • Local Arts Market, visit The Retail Lab, a WVU School of Art and Design student-run storefront that curates and sells vintage, secondhand and repurposed fashion items and original work from artists and designers
      201 High Street in Downtown Morgantown

  2. Saturday, October 24

    Social Innovation Hackathon

    WVU Media Innovation Center, 4th Floor Evansdale Crossing

    • Breakfast & morning gathering
    • Opening panel event and keynote
    • Team assignments and challenge briefings
    • Lightening presentations on AI, labor, culture, and Appalachian/rural futurism
    • Facilitated team work sessions
    • Interspersed panels and hands-on workshops throughout the day
    • Featured screening of the Appalachia@250 documentary
    • Regional Food and Storytelling
    • Concluding remarks and next steps

  3. Sunday, October 25

    Gallery Exhibition

    Appalachia@250 zines exploring identity, place, and relationship to technology/AI

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