Discover CATLab
Meet your next hire
Make Space to Innovate
We help you create the space to learn from fellow technologists and system thinkers. Whether you hire a CATLab intern to work through your company's backlog, attend the Impact Conference to connect with industry thought-leaders, or give a Tech Talk to grow your company's influence, the Center for Applied Technology is ready to help you innovate. How can we work together?
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Mission Statement
We seek to enhance relationships in the Westmont community through the innovative use of technology.
Learn about the promising young professionals working for CATLab this year!
The Center for Applied Technology seeks to enhance relationships in the Westmont community through the innovative use of technology. One of the main ways we accomplish that goal is through CATLab: our summer program where we partner with students to build the college's critical technological infrastructure and prepare the students for success in industry.
Learn about innovations in technology and Salesforce while enjoying the sunny Santa Barbara weather!
Testimonials
“Going with interns that know the system was actually a more cost-effective route than hiring somebody that didn’t really know a system but had to be there full time. It was an easy pitch from a cost perspective. We needed something, and Westmont came with people that knew the system. All the pieces really worked together.”
—Avery Cloutier, Business System Manager at The Thornhill Companies
“I was pleasantly surprised with Kimberlee’s ability to work on her own. I felt like we were able to get her up to speed on the projects, and she could run with it...To be able to have an intern who can work in a different city and be productive and be a self-motivated worker was really impressive.”
—Andrew Clark, marketing manager at RDN
"CATLab prepares students to the point where “with [their] skill sets right out of college, [they] could come in for an internship for a few months and change how we do business in a very transformative way.”
—Ian Monsma, program manager at RDN
"CATLab is a very effective program to help the Westmont students deliver from day 1 when they join tech teams in the industry. I am grateful to partner with CATLab and Zak Landrum."
—Rohit Malik, Software Engineering Manager at AppFolio
Curious about CATLab? Check out our blog!
Our Journeys Toward Justice, Part 1: Getting Our Bearings
Read MoreJune 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:
A Lament and Response
Read MoreJune 4, 2020
In the past few days, the CATLab has been taking time to listen, learn, grieve, and take action regarding the tragic realities of racial injustice thrown into sharp relief by the killing of George Floyd and too many others. This devastation has forced us to take a hard look at the brokenness in our world and in ourselves. We at the CATLab want to lament, and we want to stand with our Black brothers and sisters, who have experienced racial injustice and systemic oppression for generations.
Building Tenacity in the Time of Covid
Read MoreMay 27, 2020
Here at the CATLab, our theme for this summer is tenacity. As we strive to remain authentic, curious, and committed, we know that we need to meet the circumstances of Summer 2020 with a special sense of determination. What are some ways we can build that determination and tenacity? Some of our teammates shared their reflections.
4 Keys to Successfully Launching a Team Remotely
Read MoreMay 20, 2020
In the past few months, we’ve all had to make adjustments to the way we live and work. But as we head out of crisis mode and into summer, we need to figure out how to move beyond maintenance and into innovation. But launching a team remotely is a fundamentally different challenge from shifting to remote work during an emergency. As business and systems analyst Kim Shifley observed,
3 Characteristics of Successful Student Developers
Read MoreMay 14, 2020
Our team this summer includes some familiar faces, but also some new ones! Sophia, Talia, and John are just three members of our team, but they reveal some important qualities of what it takes to be a successful student developer.
Enabling Impact 2019 Recap
Read MoreAugust 25, 2019
Earlier this month, the CATLab had the privilege of hosting the third annual Enabling Impact conference at Westmont College, which focused on Salesforce, artificial intelligence, and future technologies for higher education. The event’s intimate size made for focused discussions and quality connections. Most importantly, it provided a space for conversation, inspiring people to continue to seek innovation.
