Noah Hyams: Behind Swipe Me

Swipe+Me+is+a+mobile+app+that+matches+students+with+students+who+have+extra+meal+swipes.+

Yasmin Gulec

Swipe Me is a mobile app that matches students with students who have extra meal swipes.

Spurthi Kontham, Contributing Writer

Steinhardt alumnus Noah Hyams may have graduated last spring, but his dedication to the NYU student community is still as strong as ever. Having previously gained recognition for his innovation Studor — an app that matches students with potential tutors within the student community on demand to circumvent the hassle of office-hours and busy academic centers — Hyams has now invented yet another app to aid the lives of busy and broke college students: Swipe Me.

Swipe Me is a web-based application — meaning no download necessary — that connects hungry students with students willing to barter off their extra meal swipes. The app is a genius solution to many problems: the all-too-familiar dilemma of dozens of meal swipes going to waste at the end of every semester and the very real food insecurity of students across the NYU campus and the city alike. But Hyams has a vision that speaks to more than that — he dreams of using his applications and his new platform, Studango, for mobile and online apps to enhance college experiences, to strengthen the NYU student community and college communities everywhere, from within.

Hyams personally believes that the dining halls are a crucial hub of NYU culture — he finds it to be one of the only social places on campus where NYU students from all across campus can be found in one setting. He wanted to take advantage of the setting and create a way for students to casually meet one another, find others who share their interests or even have a conversation with someone they would not otherwise encounter in their own busy schedules. Swipe Me is also an initiative to give back — not only does it save wasted meal swipes but Hyams insight from working on sustainability initiatives showed him that this could reduce food costs and wastage.

Swipe Me connects to your Facebook account and prompts you to answer a few questions such as why you are using Swipe Me, your major and minor (if any) and a description of yourself. It then matches you with two other users a day, who are offering what you are seeking. There is also a chat feature on Swip eMe, as well as a Marketplace where meals can be traded for anything from haircuts to a hug or a chance for friendship.

Hyams truly wishes that Swipe Me, Studor and Studango are helpful to NYU students and become an integrated part of the community. Check out his apps and give them a try yourself. You can check the free web service Swipe Me: swipemeapp.com.

A version of this article appeared in the Monday, Sept. 18 print edition. Email Spurthi Kontham at [email protected].