The Rutgers hackathon, known as HackRU, is a student-run competition that showcases the deep hacker culture in central New Jersey. Organized by the Undergraduate Student Alliance of Computer Scientists (USACS), the event focuses on providing an educational experience rather than just offering prizes. The 130 attendees, including students from Rutgers and other universities, submitted hacks addressing various problems, with first-time hackers taking home a prize. The top three teams were announced, with HackRU 2023 winners creating innovative applications such as Dumb Phones Turned Smart, a smartphone-like app that allows users to access weather and movie information without a phone. The event is shaping up to be an important bridge between the New York and Philadelphia tech scenes, with HackRU 2024 already being planned.