Hunt College Students Begin 24-Hour Battle of the Brains in Austin
Hunt Insights · Sept. 29, 2026
Hunt College Students Begin 24-Hour Battle of the Brains in Austin
Six Hunt College students joined peers from Hispanic-serving institutions across the country for employer visits, networking, and a 24-hour case competition.
The Big Picture
Six students represent Hunt College in Austin.
Six Hunt College students opened HSI Battle of the Brains in Austin with company visits Monday, Sept. 28.
Andrea Granados Cota, Diego Hernandez, Edgar Hernandez Granados, Edgar Loya, Sergio Cordova, and Valeria Flores joined students from Hispanic-serving institutions across the country, including St. Edward’s University, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, and UTSA.
Why It Matters
One trip can lead to the next opportunity.
Loya attended Battle of the Brains last year and said the experience helped him secure a Dell Technologies internship. He worked in consulting this summer and expects to start Dell’s Financial Analyst Program in early 2027.
“I managed to get the internship from being here through Battle of the Brains last year,” Loya said.
Jesus Rolando Nuñez, Ed.D., assistant dean for applied learning and workforce development, is accompanying the team in Austin.
“Experiences like HSI Battle of the Brains put students in direct conversation with employers,” Nuñez said. “Hunt College helps create that opportunity. We encourage our students to take it further by asking questions, staying in touch after the trip, and encouraging other Hunt College students to seek out similar experiences.”
What Happened
Students move from corporate offices to competition.
Before students began the 24-hour case competition, they toured a series of Austin-area corporate offices, including CrowdStrike and Dell. At CrowdStrike, students toured the office and asked employees about their day-to-day work.
At Dell, Gina Cano, Chief of Staff at Dell Technologies, spoke about representation and the importance of seeing people in roles students may not have imagined for themselves.
She moderated a panel on AI, job searches, networking, mentors, and sponsors.
Monday also included a McDonald’s ownership panel at KMFA Classical 89.5 and the Battle of the Brains welcome event.
Happening Overnight
The clock starts at 7 a.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 29 · 7 a.m.
The students went to Home Depot’s Austin Technology Center to begin the 24-hour case competition.
