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The Independent Student Newspaper at Boston University

The Daily Free Press

The Independent Student Newspaper at Boston University.

The Daily Free Press

The Daily Free Press

BU juniors Luca Piekarski (left) and Loup Wang (right) collaborated with Wang’s high school friend and University of Alabama senior Vance Spears (middle) to create Ascendia, a job-searching platform specialized for college students. Set to launch by the end of May, Ascendia uses artificial intelligence to make the job and internship application process more efficient.

BU students turn internship chaos into code with new AI platform ‘Ascendia’

By Samantha Genzer, Managing Co-Editor May 15, 2025
After applying to internships and jobs last summer, Boston University juniors Loup Wang and Luca Piekarski found the process frustrating and inefficient, which inspired them to find a solution. The two teamed up with Wang’s high school friend, University of Alabama senior Vance Spears, to create their own solution: Ascendia, a web-based platform that uses artificial intelligence to help college students navigate and personalize the internship application process.
The feed in the Sway app. Sway is an app where each day users post one song and can view, like and dislike the songs posted by their friends, allowing users to discover new music.

‘BeReal for music’: BU student develops song sharing platform to ‘Sway’ your music taste in new directions

By Lauren Albano, Editor-in-Chief May 2, 2025
Boston University senior Zane Mroue considers his music taste “very niche” compared to his friends. He tried to search for other users online who share his preferences, but he found them difficult to find using Spotify and other existing platforms.
Rashik Hossain. Hossain is a graduate student at Boston University and an intern at MeaVana. COURTESY OF LAUREN STUDIOS

Browser extension MeaVana seeks expansion on college campuses, focuses on personalized experience

By Mohan Zhang May 2, 2025
When opening a new browser tab, Shiv Dutt saw an opportunity.  Dutt is the founder and CEO of MeaVana, a fast-growing Google Chrome extension that allows users to customize their dashboard to their needs.  
Nahid Bhadelia speaks at an introductory conference at Boston University Center for Computing and Data Sciences. Biothreats Emergence, Analysis, and Communications Network officially launched April 24 during the conference. COURTESY OF CENTER ON EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES

A new BEACON for global health set to launch in Boston

By Samantha Genzer, Managing Co-Editor April 29, 2025
As diseases spread faster across borders, a team of scientists, engineers and public health experts launched a first-of-its-kind, open-source global surveillance platform to detect emerging biothreats. The Biothreats Emergence, Analysis and Communications Network, or BEACON, officially launched April 24 during an introductory conference at Boston University Center for Computing and Data Sciences. The platform is based at Boston University’s Center on Emerging Infectious Diseases and developed in partnership with the Hariri Institute for Computing and Data Sciences at BU and HealthMap at Boston Children’s Hospital.
From left to right, Wilmer Castro, Liam Henson, Rafaele DiMaggio, Axel Bautista-Tienda, Ken Miao. DiMaggio and Bautista-Tienda created “Marmon Cheesers” a few weeks before Marmon 2024 to sell grilled cheeses, helping partygoers who face difficulties getting food and water during the event. COURTESY OF MARMON CHEESERS

The MarMon Cheesers prepare for Marathon Monday 2025, brings business to Allston

By Brontë Massucco April 17, 2025
While procrastinating for an exam one night, now seniors Rafaele DiMaggio and Axel Bautista-Tienda theorized that they could make money from selling grilled cheeses on Pratt Street, an area known for its fraternity presence. DiMaggio and Bautista-Tienda decided to bring a modified version of that idea to life for Marathon Monday 2024 by selling grilled cheese and pizza out of the Gardner Court Apartments — locally known as “G-Court.”
Madeleine’s Candy Shop owner Madeleine Brason. Madeleine’s Candy Shop, located at 47 Clarendon St., is a pick-and-mix candy shop selling a variety of Swedish candies. COURTESY OF MADELEINE BRASON

Got a Swedish sweet tooth? New South End candy shop has something for you

By Brian Chan and Julia Hendler April 17, 2025
Madeleine Brason never planned to open a candy shop — let alone one that would draw lines of people down the street just days after opening. Two months into running her South End storefront, the 29-year-old founder of Madeleine’s Candy Shop is still catching her breath.
Computer Junkyard creators Jared Pincus, Jordan Pincus and Allan Pincus (left to right). Players race to build a computer using interlocking game tiles in the board game “Computer Junkyard.” COURTESY OF LAUREN HARRIS-PINCUS

‘A family of collaborators’ programs success for new Computer Junkyard board game

By Lauren Albano, Editor-in-Chief April 8, 2025

When Jared Pincus was only a few years old, his father, Allan Pincus, fixed up an old computer and gave it to him to play with. Allan was mesmerized by young Jared’s ability to latch onto the mouse and...

Boston Globe Media CEO Linda Henry shares insight on business, journalism, sports at Questrom event

Boston Globe Media CEO Linda Henry shares insight on business, journalism, sports at Questrom event

By John Tatum April 7, 2025
In a 60-person capacity room, 120 people registered to hear from Linda Henry, CEO of Boston Globe Media and co-owner of Fenway Sports Group April 1. The event, which was the sixth talk in the Questrom Summit Series, gave attendees the opportunity to hear first-hand about Linda’s business expertise. 
Pavement and Nud Pob Thai Cuisine locations on Boston University’s East Campus. Businesses like Pavement and Nud Pob reflect on their respective changes five years after the COVID-era. RACHEL FEINSTEIN/DFP PHOTOGRAPHER

Restaurants on campus reflect on changes post-pandemic

By Isabelle Zhang April 4, 2025
When the COVID-19 pandemic broke out in March 2020, Noodle Street Manager Chris Chan started sewing face masks for his employees out of his own cut-up clothes. Noodle Street, located on Boston University’s East Campus, had been serving customers for over two decades until the pandemic forced it to close for six months. It joined the 44% of Massachusetts small businesses in the area that closed amidst strict lockdown policies.

Sales veteran brings hands-on approach to new Innovation & Entrepreneurship class

By Mohan Zhang April 3, 2025
After spending 30 years of his career in sales, Tom Meusel is sharing his passion for the discipline with Boston University students. Starting in fall 2025, Meusel will teach QST SI 348: The Fundamentals of Selling: Strategies and Tactics under Innovate@BU. The course is open to innovation & entreprenuership minors, Questrom minors and Questrom innovation and entreprenurship concentrations, according to an email sent to Innovation & Entreprenuership minors.
Boston University students Shiyan Liu (left) and Uriel Choi (right) pose with food they made for their pop-up café. The café, which was hosted in BU’s Student Village I, served homemade matcha drinks and baked goods. LAUREN ALBANO/DFP PHOTOGRAPHER

BU students turn Instagram food series into pop-up café

By Samantha Genzer, Managing Co-Editor March 25, 2025
Boston University seniors Shiyan Liu and Uriel Choi took their online food series “Sip & Savor” from social media to reality, hosting a café pop-up in Student Village I March 22. The event featured handcrafted matcha drinks and pastries, allowing dozens of students to sample creations seen on Liu and Choi’s Instagrams.
Orobor founders and Boston University tennis players Jakob Esterowitz (left) and Jonah Dickson (right) pose with tennis strings they collected. The company converts used tennis strings into recycled polyester suitable for clothing manufacturing. COURTESY OF JAKOB ESTEROWITZ

BU tennis players’ startup brings sustainability from tennis to textiles

By John Tatum March 21, 2025
Jakob Esterowitz and Jonah Dickson were doubles partners on the Boston University men’s tennis team before they ventured into a new kind of partnership: co-founding a startup.  Esterowitz, a sophomore in the College of Engineering, and Dickson, a master’s student studying global marketing management at the BU Metropolitan College, founded their startup, Orobor, during fall 2024. 
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