First-year Student Aims to Create 52 Facebook Apps in 52 Weeks

Joshua Schwarz
Joshua Schwarz

New Year’s resolutions can be daunting—really, you have to stick to this for 365 days? But first-year computer science student Joshua Schwarz, originally from Medina, kicked off the year with an even more ambitious resolution than many people: to create 52 applications for Facebook within 52 weeks. And so far, he’s on track to stick to this resolution. So why did he make this his resolution, and how will he keep coming up with new app ideas? Read on to find out.

Q: Where did you get the idea to do 52 weeks of Facebook apps?
A. I’ve shown a couple of people at Case [Western Reserve University] some of the projects on my website, www.amagit.com, that I’ve worked on in the past and gotten good reactions. [A friend] compared me to [inventor and engineer] Nikola Tesla and asked me one day, “Josh, what did you create this week?” Without an answer, I sought one, asking myself, “What can I do that is bigger than the things that I’ve done before?”

I’ve created a few web applications in the past, including three Facebook apps, but I created them and then sort of let them simmer. In other words, I haven’t actively been pursuing new ideas. I decided that I need some sort of long-term dynamic plan to create new things that stays interesting and engaging, so I decided to create 52 Facebook applications in the 52 weeks of 2011. Read more.

 

Campus News

The campus climate survey will close Jan. 31 for faculty, staff and students. Faculty who have not yet responded will receive a final reminder email from Deputy Provost Lynn Singer. Individuals who have not yet responded but have misplaced their survey link should contact the Office of Institutional Research at ofir@case.edu.


 

For Faculty and Staff

The CWRU Employee Wellness Program invites all employees to attend this month’s free cooking demonstration Jan. 26 from noon to 1 p.m. in Nord Hall, room 310. Bon Appetit chefs will show how to easily prepare healthy, tasty soups, and you can sample their creations. Register here.

 

For Students

More than 60 employers will attend the Get Experienced! Internship and Career Fair Feb. 3 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Adelbert Gym. These employers will be looking to hire for internships, practicum and full-time positions. Current students and alumni are welcome to attend.

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Mortar Board National College Senior Honor Society is now accepting applications for admittance. All applications are due by Jan. 30 at 5 p.m. Eligible candidates must have senior standing and be returning in the fall, be in the top 35 percent of their class and be dedicated to service, leadership and scholarship. For more information, contact cwru.mb2011@gmail.com.


 

Events

The Case Police & Security Services Department will host a free self-defense class for women, taught by certified Rape Aggression Defense instructors. The class will be held Wednesday evenings from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Feb. 9 - March 2. The last class will be a voluntary simulation exercise. For more information or to register, contact Sgt. Jeffrey Daberko at 216.368.1243 or Jeffrey.daberko@case.edu. Class space is limited.

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NYSP logoThe National Youth Sports Program and Case Western Reserve University invite faculty, staff and students to attend the NYSP Night at the Q Feb. 13. Leaders and children involved in the program will be recognized at center court that evening, as the Cavs take on the Washington Wizards. Tickets are available at a discounted rate, and a portion of each ticket sold goes directly to NYSP to provide financial assistance to economically disadvantaged families attending NYSP next summer. Tickets range from $26-59 and can be ordered online or by calling John Fouser at 216.420.2187. For more information, email Fouser. If you are unable to attend, contributions are accepted online.

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Case Theatre Society will host a Be the Match registry to raise awareness and help find a bone marrow match for a Case Western Reserve University student’s mother. The event will be held Jan. 28 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Thwing Atrium. Anyone in good health, ages 18-60, can register. For students in the Greek community, attending the event will be 30 minutes of service credit. If you cannot attend, visit www.marrow.org to register on your own.

Jan. 24, 2011

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In the News

Handling Stress to Avoid Return to Smoking: NetWellness

The Plain Dealer, Jan. 21, 2011
Scott H. Frank, associate professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, authored a column with actionable tips to quit smoking.

The Big Problem in Small Business Bank Credit

Bloomberg Businessweek, Jan. 21, 2011
The decrease in bank credit to small businesses during the recession has been so large that it likely will not return to prerecession levels for years, wrote Scott Shane, A. Malachi Mixon III Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies. To get levels back up, policymakers must understand how much the credit has evaporated and why.

Scientists Go Deep Underground to Search for Elusive Dark Matter

The Columbus Dispatch, Jan. 23, 2011
Tom Shutt, associate professor of physics and co-founder of the Large Underground Xenon Detector experiment to detect dark matter, explained the underground search for dark matter. "We are certain that there is either dark matter, or gravity is different on a fundamental scale," he said.

Higher Ed News

The Sinking States

Inside Higher Ed, Jan. 24, 2011
States are spending slightly less on higher education this year than last , and the spending might get drastically cut in the near future, as more than $2.5 billion of the total state spending on higher education came from federal stimulus funds that have now run out.