Transforming campus connections with an innovative student-developed app – The Overlap Success Story

Successfully coordinating events and meetings demands a blend of patience and exceptional communication skills. Enter Overlap – a potential game-changer in the realm of organizing and communicating meeting times and events. This innovative solution is the result of the efforts led by Noah Hubbard, a senior Finance major from Clemson University’s Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business, in collaboration with his dedicated team from the College of Engineering, Computing, and Applied Sciences.

The idea of Overlap stems from Hubbard’s experiences during his first year at Clemson University. When Hubbard started his Clemson Journey in August 2020, campus life looked significantly different than in previous years. The pandemic changed how schools worldwide operated daily. Restrictions were mandatory, limiting social interaction and preventing students from meeting others even while living on campus.

Hubbard fondly recalls his first year as a Clemson student but distinctly remembers how limited his social life was for the first couple of months. Even after pandemic restrictions were lifted, Hubbard observed how many of his classmates still chose to remain in their dorm rooms rather than socialize. He realized this was, in large part, due to the fact they did not have the opportunities to foster friendship during those first few weeks of school. Seeing a need for something to encourage people to connect, the idea for Overlap was born.

Hubbard’s vision for Overlap started with the premise of bringing people together, “While many software sites for students lead to increased screen time and isolation, Overlap is designed to bring people together, encouraging real-world meetings and connections.” The website application would take multiple user schedules into account to coordinate the most convenient meeting times. Overlap would minimize the time spent to organize meetings, allowing groups to spend the majority of time together working and engaging in conversation.

With an idea and leadership experience ready to be used, a solid team was the next challenge. Hubbard enlisted help from lifelong friend and User Experience Designer Joe Johnson, who oversaw the development of an intuitive and user-friendly interface. Then, David Bootle, a current sophomore in the Computer Engineering program, joined the team and brought the interface to life by seamlessly blending technical and creative skills. Karthik Nedunchezhiyan, who recently graduated from Clemson with a Master’s in Computer Science, ensured the site was secure and reliable while maintaining quality performance. After years of production and valuable feedback from Clemson organizations, Overlap officially rolled out to the public in January 2024.

When asked about his inspiration to develop a website application, Hubbard credits Greg Smith, a professor at Clemson, as a source throughout the Overlap development process. Smith teaches a class appropriately named “How to Start a Start-Up,” which Hubbard enrolled in during his sophomore year at Clemson. Within the course, students learn about topics ranging from minimal viable products to problem-solving the issues that accumulate while creating a start-up business. This was an essential course for the development of Overlap, as many of the models and principles taught in the class were crucial in the steps taken to create the app.

Hubbard and his team take immense pride in what they have created. Since its rollout this year, Overlap has received glowing reviews from clubs and organizations across campus. Overlap has the versatility to elevate Clemson organizations, research, and influence with its streamlined, accessible interface. The future of Overlap looks bright, and the impact it could have is even brighter.

The Overlap team plans to continue development and respond to feedback as it is received. Anyone can start using Overlap for free by going to the Overlap website. To learn more about the product, visit the team’s LinkedIn or Instagram.