To verify Identity, check Twitter bio: [https://twitter.com/du_web3](https://twitter.com/du_web3)

The DU Web3 Club aims to grow awareness around the technologies at DU university. The team hosted an ideathon / hackathon / competition (with prize payouts) to incentivize students to come learn about this tech stack. This competition was focused on how DAOs can benefit universities and Polkadot was a part of it!
 
**Web3 Club @ University of Denver**
Jeremy Osborne, Club President, Computer Science Student
Matthew Romo-NIchols, Club Vice-President, Business Student
Thaddeus “Peter” White, Club Tech Officer, Computer Science Student

Dan Shields, at Parity, helped to plan the event, **hosted a Polkadot introductory workshop**, and participated as a judge to review the student’s ideas. 

The University of Denver is lacking awareness around web3 technologies. The club also noticed that Polkadot as an ecosystem is trying to grow awareness at the university level and decided to include Polkadot in the event. In order to incentivize students to participate, they paid out and marketed prizes to them. Currently, they are $1,500 short of our set prize goal.

The team brought exposure to Polkadot ecosystem during this competition at the University of Denver, including sessions with students on the Polkadot ecosystem and I believe this should be encouraged and rewarded: especially when the club is in need to cover the completion of prizes for the event. 

At the event, Polkadot participated in the following ways:

- An introductory workshop to Polkadot and Substrate hosted by Dan Shields
- Encourage students to use Polkadot in their DAO ideas
- Place Polkadot’s logo in a location for event attendees to see 

The Polkadot workshop hosted by Dan Shields helped the club create a better event for all attendees. The students participating in the competition were educated on the Polkadot ecosystem and how their DAO idea could utilize Polkadot. 

- Dan Shields Polkadot Workshop. 16 attendees. Attendees were from the University of Denver (DU), as well as attendees from the Denver, Colorado: [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BQQsObPEQyXG52RbP5mL50CZlfvU3vkM/view?usp=sharing](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BQQsObPEQyXG52RbP5mL50CZlfvU3vkM/view?usp=sharing)

- Kickoff sponsor shoutout. A couple attendees via zoom, and about 15 attendees in-person (mostly DU students). Other attendees included an ETHDenver hackathon finalist, ETHDenver steward, Cryptorado members, and one of the leaders of ShapeShift DAO: [https://drive.google.com/file/d/11k7kCxmdL2p2ZUlBlFLtAGbqIFFsCIDN/view?usp=sharing](https://drive.google.com/file/d/11k7kCxmdL2p2ZUlBlFLtAGbqIFFsCIDN/view?usp=sharing)

- Student presentation incorporating the Polkadot ecosystem into their DAO Idea. About 25 attendees received explanation of how Polkadot will benefit their idea. This presentation is recorded: 

a. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Tkul_FME73vpejBuGmF-da9qCAUcUNsG/view?usp=sharing](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Tkul_FME73vpejBuGmF-da9qCAUcUNsG/view?usp=sharing)

b. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DnGisMt3MfLJjeR65w5Xv3s-ybXvpj2m/view?usp=sharing](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DnGisMt3MfLJjeR65w5Xv3s-ybXvpj2m/view?usp=sharing)

To DU Web3 Club: for organisizing an ideathon / hackathon to incentivize students to learn about Web3/blockchain/Polkadot