[flente]

I worked at LivingSocial while Hungry Academy was happening. I believe there were about 15-20 students and they were promised jobs with the company if they successfully completed the program.

Most of what I heard about it was second-hand, so my information may not be entirely accurate. That said, I believe the outcome was pretty mixed. Some of the students did very well and ended up becoming respected members of the engineering org. Others were just OK. A few left for other companies shortly after completing the program -- pretty tacky stuff, since LivingSocial PAID them the entire time they were students. I also heard one or two of them didn't pan out at all and were eventually let go.

I think the primary reason LivingSocial chose not to continue the program was because they started running out of money. The first class finished around the time it became clear that daily deals were not going to be the cash cow that everyone expected. LivingSocial saw their valuation drop dramatically, and started being much more careful about how they were spending money.

I left the company about a year after Hungry Academy ended, so I have no idea where these folks are now.