In an era where artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming every industry, one group of students explored software that could enhance school safety using AI.
The MBS Externship Exchange has partnered with PruTech Solutions, an information technology and business support services organization. Teams of students have researched and created marketing plans for the online software IntelliSafety, which uses AI to improve campus safety.
Two externs, John Makdis and Christopher Di Paolo, presented their findings at EdgeCon 2025.
What is an Externship?
The MBS Externship Exchange provides students the opportunity to work on real-world projects in teams. Since the program started in 2016, the MBS Externship Exchange has partnered with over 175 mentors and 148 partner organizations.
Makdis and Di Paolo served on two different teams completing externships under PruTech during the summer of 2024 and fall of 2024, respectively.
Di Paolo's teammates included Kavya Manduva, Shaheer Saud, Anushka Sinha, Queency Agrawal, Atharva Deokule, Helen Fegadu, and Mansi Patel. Lori Dars and Khalid Mahmood served as the team's MBS advisors, and Erica Andrews, Jay Sheruda, and Birender Saini served as mentors.
Makdis' teammates included Faiza Fairoz, Arpeet Barvalia, Taha Touil, and Prachi Tare. Lori Dars and Randi Fonseca served as MBS advisors, and Jay Sheruda, Birender Saini, Bhyri Phaneendra, Anuraag Sharma, Cathy Calhoun, and Erica Andrews served as mentors.
Reimagining Campus Safety with AI
Makdis and Di Paolo worked on an exciting project involving IntelliSafety, a software solution designed to enhance safety on university campuses. IntelliSafety integrates with existing surveillance systems, such as cameras, microphones, and radar detectors, and uses artificial intelligence to detect security incidents—such as theft—automatically. The software records the event, alerts safety administrators, and sends notifications to students, parents, and the extended community.
For Di Paolo's externship project, PruTech tasked his team with developing a plan to implement IntelliSafety in a higher education institution. The team chose Rutgers University as the model and developed a marketing campaign named "Seconds Matter" to educate the public, parents, and Rutgers students on the benefits of IntelliSafety.
"Our solution was to educate the public, research the compliancy, and help PruTech become more accustomed to university students' point of view," said Di Paolo, an MBS student who graduated with a concentration in Cybersecurity.
However, the project presented a significant challenge: ensuring compliance with legal regulations such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Clery Act.
Through this externship, Di Paolo developed new skills, particularly in legal research. Although Di Paolo has experience conducting research, this project required him to understand legal research to ensure IntelliSafety was compliant with current—and future—laws within the State of New Jersey.
Sharing Insights at EdgeCon
Makdis and Di Paolo were invited to share their work at EdgeCon. EdgeCon 2025 took place in Princeton, New Jersey, and was organized by Edge, a nonprofit technology consortium for education, government, and healthcare organizations. This event brought together thought leaders, innovators, and professionals from across the higher education sector.
"Once we were able to just see others present, I felt way more comfortable," said Di Paolo.
This externship allowed him to improve his public speaking skills, said Di Paolo.
Throughout his externship, Di Paolo received support from a team of mentors who provided invaluable guidance. Di Paolo noted that their support was pivotal in his ability to succeed, especially as the team worked to present at NJ Edge.
Di Paolo shared advice for anyone considering an externship: "Try your hardest. You'd be shocked at what you can learn from a different field, even if it's not your intended field of study."
Di Paolo recognized that the skills he developed in compliance and marketing research could be applied to other areas—including cybersecurity.
To learn more about the MBS externship program, visit our website or register for an informational webinar.