This is CS50, Too

UPDATED: September 19, 2014, at 15:18 p.m.

"CS50 is exceptional for its size, its resources and the cult of personality around its charismatic leader. It is more than just a class at Harvard; it is a cultural touchstone, a lifestyle, a spectacle. This is CS50, and it’s here to stay." By Madeline R. Lear

A course. A cult. A cornucopia of nerd delights. And yet, from a veritable kaleidoscope of differing levels of computer science background, one whole. Inspired by the in-depth coverage in Fifteen Minutes Magazine, this photo essay grapples with the incredible diversity that drives the worldwide cultural phenomenon. This, Too, Is CS50.

"In 2007, Malan’s first year, attendance more than doubled to 282 students. The numbers have since risen steadily to a course-record 889 enrollees this fall, including cross registered non-College students." By Joule P. Voelz

"'CS50 changed my life,' she claims to an eager audience of shoppers ready to believe it." By Joule P. Voelz

"Robert T. Bowden ’13 is one of the most visible members of Malan’s team. He is an affable recent grad who speaks with a careful and bright timbre not unlike Malan’s." By Joule P. Voelz

"With a workload rating averaging a solid 4.0 on the Q Guide, and a difficulty at nearly that mark, CS50 is far from a cakewalk." By Joule P. Voelz

"For some students, and most staff, CS50 is not just a course but a lifestyle and community." By Joule P. Voelz

"But the stardom and spectacle certainly aren’t limited to the celebritized teaching staff and the class’s internet presence; it’s at the core of the course itself. In fact, it’s difficult to cite a CS50 event that doesn’t involve a sensory overload with mountains of food, flashing lights, and blasting Top 40 music." By Joule P. Voelz

"'Quick fix, quick fix!' Malan snaps repeatedly at the production team. This hadn’t happened in the tech run-through in August." By Joule P. Voelz