Microsoft might seem focused on its "smoked by Windows Phone" campaign or its big upcoming Nokia Lumia 900 launch, but scrape beneath this glossy surface and you'll discover some interesting work carried on without the typical pizzazz of the marketing world. Ben Lower, a senior product manager for Windows Phone, is behind a number of efforts that focus on student developers and involve a significant amount of investment from the company. Competitions like XAPFest, Imagine Cup, and Big App on Campus have all raised awareness of Windows Phone amongst students, but do these efforts lead to reward for Microsoft? With games developers displaying a lack of interest in Windows Phone, will Microsoft's students bring new hope to its mobile platform?