As an undergraduate and graduate student in computer science, Dylan Jaipersaud ’23, MS ’24, landed a campus job helping develop the interactive Panther Express Shuttle schedule, allowing riders to get real-time information online.
Thanks to the brand-new Panther Express shuttle online schedule, students, faculty and staff who rely on the shuttle buses for trips to local bus and train stations and shopping destinations will no longer have to depend on cumbersome pdf schedules—or phone calls to public safety officers—to catch the shuttle on time. With the interactive shuttle schedule on Adelphi University’s website, our commuter students and visitors headed to Manhattan can seamlessly access weekday and weekend schedules, input desired ride times, and find alerts that may affect their commute—all on their phones or laptops.
Dylan Jaipersaud, who earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Adelphi’s accelerated Computer Science 4+1 program, was instrumental in the online schedule’s development—from its beginnings to production release—as a student employee.
The Digital Design and User Experience (DDUX) team which is now led by Director of Digital Development and User Experience Courtney Scala ‘06 in the Office of Information Technology began to work on the schedule project in 2021 with the University’s Department of Public Safety and Transportation when Jaipersaud joined the team as a student employee after participating in a hackathon at Adelphi.
From Hackathon Winner to Pivotal Member of the IT Team
Dylan Jaipersaud ’23, MS ’24, who graduated with his master’s degree in December 2024, earned both his BS and MS in Adelphi’s accelerated Computer Science 4+1 program
“The topic for the hackathon was to develop a product to improve student life at Adelphi,” he said. “Panther Pathfinder,” his first place- winning project, was a web application to help new students navigate the campus as well as show them shuttle schedules. Impressed, the hackathon judge and former Adelphi IT DDUX director introduced Jaipersaud to the shuttle project team and hired him for the job he was to hold for the remainder of his time at Adelphi.
Jaipersaud was, he said, ultimately responsible for developing “a management tool that allows members of the public safety team to dynamically create and update online schedules and provide service alerts.”
The Adelphi IT team is dedicated to giving students personalized, hands-on experiences with experts in the technology field, helping students to build their resumes and launch their careers in this growing field. So they actively encouraged and supported Jaipersaud throughout the project.
“Dylan played a pivotal role in the platform’s development, building its back-end infrastructure and ensuring seamless functionality,” recalled Christine Katz ’10, senior user experience designer. “He worked closely with both public safety and IT teams to address technical and logistical challenges, helping to create a transformative tool for our community.”
Adelphi web and mobile app developer Ryan Lin, who developed the Adelphi website interface for riders and helped Jaipersaud troubleshoot issues with the management tool, echoed Katz’s praise. “Dylan took on responsibilities ranging from new feature development to bug fixes, ensuring the tool’s reliable performance,” he said. “This has been a long-term, collaborative project where every team member’s input has mattered. Dylan’s work was critical to its success.”
A Transformative Tool for Commuters —and a Career Win
The new interactive schedule for the Panther Express Shuttle is helping Adelphi reach goals set by its Momentum 2 strategic plan. “It supports Goal 3: Smart Growth and Infrastructure by improving campus operations and enhancing user access to critical transportation services,” Scala explained.
Additionally, she noted the new schedule has burnished Adelphi’s reputation for innovation by establishing the University as “a pioneer among higher education institutions in adopting advanced tools for transportation communication.”
For Jaipersaud, who plans to continue to make his way up the “computer science ladder” and eventually become a professor, his four years working on the platform were personally transformative. “The experience of working with Adelphi IT was one of the best a student can get in a university,” he recalled. “Being in control of my side of the project and working as a real web developer in college was a special opportunity.
“It was honestly a gift that I cherish and value highly,” he continued. “It changed the way I saw the industry and improved my skills, both technical and interpersonal. Without the real-world experience I gained from this, I wouldn’t be in the position I’m in today. I’ve left Adelphi IT as an experienced, professional software developer with a big project to back it up.”