CATLab Blog
8 Tips and Tricks for Working Remotely
July 8, 2020
After months of working remotely, we may be getting used to engaging with our jobs, schools, and social lives through our computers—but are we using these powerful machines to their full capacity? Today’s post comes from CATLab member Jordan Douthit, who, as both a coder and a creative, has picked up some tips and tricks to make remote work easier, no matter what project you’re working on!
How the Liberal Arts Can Make Us Better Software Developers
July 1, 2020
One of the defining characteristics of Westmont College—and, by extension, the CATLab—is a commitment to the liberal arts.
How to Create a Culture of Collaboration
June 25, 2020
Among the unique challenges that this year has presented, something we have all been navigating is how to stay connected even though we’re apart. A few weeks ago, we looked at how to get a team started in a remote environment. Once you’ve got a team up and running, how do you make sure people can collaborate effectively in spite of the distance?
How We're Reimagining Admissions
June 23, 2020
Since the CATLab is a dynamic program that brings together talent from across disciplines and departments, it’s not always clear to people outside the program what our developers are actually building. This summer, our goal is to make it possible for high school students to apply to Westmont through a custom application process. We’re improving both sides of the process—externally, improving the user experience for high schoolers; and internally, improving the way for admissions counselors and officers to process those applications.
Our Journeys Toward Justice, Part 2: Learning to Listen
June 17, 2020
Our work this summer is inseparable from the unique historical moment in which we find ourselves. At the CATLab, we’ve been exploring these issues both as a team and individually, and we think it’s important to share some of those stories.
Our Journeys Toward Justice, Part 1: Getting Our Bearings
June 16, 2020
Even as we code and write and do art, we have to acknowledge that we don’t do these things in isolation: the CATLab is a program embedded in a certain time and place. More than that, we are all humans whose embodiedness and particularity matter—no one gets to be a human being in the abstract. In the last few weeks, we’ve been sobered by the fact that this is a dark and difficult time. We’ve interrupted our normal projects and processes to take the time to reflect on how to move forward. As our director Zak said: