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Computer Science Professor and Students Release New Well-Being App

CONWAY, Ark. (April 7, 2022) — Hendrix College computer science professor Dr. Mark Goadrich and his students have recently released Good Vibes, a new app for iOS and Android that helps users track their moods and get inspired.

Good Vibes users can input their mood throughout the day, track their mood history, and see the mood of the last fifty users. Each time a user enters their daily mood, they receive an inspirational quote to motivate them. The app also contains other helpful well-being resources. Learn more here.

“It has been a wonderful journey working with these students through the complete cycle, starting with a project idea in a mobile development course last year, building the UI and backend framework, learning the details of Flutter and its widget system, and finally multiple iterations of testing and debugging,” said Goadrich. “I’m so proud of their work and hope people find it useful!”

“Working on Good Vibes was a great experience,” said Andrew Eveld ’22, a computer science major. “Working as a team to create a production ready mobile app brought us all some amazing learning opportunities.”

“I thought that the beta testing process and the process of getting Good Vibes approved by the Google Play and App Store were both exciting challenges for us as a team,” said Eveld, who has also interned with Acxiom Corporation and PNC Bank as a Hendrix student. “I’m excited to see people’s response to this app that we have all worked very hard on for the past year.”

Eveld’s classmate Andrei Stoyanow ’22 agreed.

“Being able to work on a project that was originally a class project from a group of students like myself and build it up to a fully-fledged application that anyone has access to is an amazing experience,” said Stoyanow, a computer science major. “It’s a lot of fun to work with classmates and learn new things while making a product that you want people to enjoy, a perfect bridge connecting my experiences in school to the work force.”

The app’s development and launch was supported by the Julia Mobley Odyssey Professorship, which Goadrich currently holds.

Holding the Mobley Odyssey Professorship also helped Goadrich form Disco Tray Studios, a community-focused software development initiative at Hendrix (“Disco Tray” is a reference to a beloved Hendrix community tradition in the campus dining hall). The group was formed in July 2020.

This project aims to empower students in developing interactive educational games, apps, and websites for social good and provide opportunities for students to execute and complete longer-term software development projects that support the technological needs of the local community.

In addition to Goadrich, Disco Tray Studios collective members include:

  • Ian Campbell ’23
  • Connor Escajeda ’23
  • Andrew Eveld ’22
  • Ivy Jackson ’21
  • Lucy Lyon ’23
  • Vi Nguyen ’22
  • Innocent Nsabimana ’21
  • Jonathon Qualls ’24
  • Griffith Samore ’21
  • Andrei Stoyanow ’22

Other Disco Tray Studio projects include My Life in Months, Astronomical Bodies, ChemSim, Climate Goes Political, and @itsmaya.

About Hendrix College

A private liberal arts college in Conway, Arkansas, Hendrix College consistently earns recognition as one of the country’s leading liberal arts institutions, and is featured in Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About Colleges. Its academic quality and rigor, innovation, and value have established Hendrix as a fixture in numerous college guides, lists, and rankings. Founded in 1876, Hendrix has been affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1884. To learn more, visit www.hendrix.edu.