Middlesex College Student Earns National Computer Technology Award

Middlesex College sophomore Dhruv Sethi, of Woodbridge, has been named a national Terry O’Banion Student Technology Award winner for his dedicated work in software development from The League for Innovation in the Community College. Sethi, the Student Developer Champion, received $1,000 with the award and will be honored at a ceremony in San Antonio, Texas.

“I have observed his talent and his potential since he arrived at Middlesex College,” said Middlesex College Computer Science Professor Dhruv Chunawala, who nominated Sethi for the honor. “I can tell by interacting with him that he is definitely an achiever and a scholar. He deserves this award.”

The Terry O’Banion Student Technology Awards honor students with a career interest in a technology field who demonstrate a passion for technology, a commitment to their education, and financial need.

“We are so proud of Dhruv’s accomplishment, which is a reflection of the critical thinking and technical skills that are nurtured at Middlesex College,” said Middlesex College President Mark McCormick. “This is a national award that recognizes the best and brightest in a highly competitive field. The connection Dhruv has made to the community and the faculty is inspiring and will leave lasting positive effects on our College community.”

Sethi moved to Middlesex County from New Delhi, India, when he was 16 and graduated from Woodbridge High School. He enrolled at Middlesex College and has maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA majoring in Computer Science.

He has served as president of the Computer Science club on campus, helping it grow into the biggest club at Middlesex College with over 100 students, and organized workshops to educate fellow students about GateHouse software platforms, Google Cloud, Python, and other web development software.

Sethi was part of Middlesex College’s award-winning team at HackTCNJ 2024, hosted at The College of New Jersey, where students constructed a working inflatable cylindrical robot, the Expand-a-Conda, that could be used to tunnel inside the rubble of fallen buildings and find survivors. Fluent in three languages, he also participated in the Princeton Transfer Scholars Initiative, earning credits at Princeton University while expanding his knowledge of technology. Sethi plans to apply to Princeton and other four-year colleges, crediting Middlesex College for his strong foundation.

“At Middlesex College, I had the privilege of learning in small class sizes where I could interact one-on-one with professors and seek help outside the classroom. I found a welcoming community here and made friends who supported me through my transition as a freshman,” Sethi said.

Sethi is also one of 20 students nationwide selected as a member of the 2025 All-USA Academic Team, which recognizes high-achieving college students who demonstrate outstanding intellectual achievement, leadership, and community and campus engagement with a $5,000 scholarship.