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COMPETING FOR EXCELLENCE

Kennesaw State student teams reflect a vibrant culture of innovation

By Kennesaw State University

January 3^rd, 2025

On any given day, students walking past room Q-134 can hear the roar of an engine, the hum of power tools, or excited chatter about securing a sponsor. Inside, members of Kennesaw Motorsports are gearing up for their next competition.

Across campus, members of Kennesaw State University’s chapter of the National Association of Home Builders are preparing for their next competition, meticulously reviewing a new neighborhood proposal.

From electric cars to steel bridges and concrete canoes, there are more than a dozen student competition teams on the Marietta Campus. The teams stem from a legacy of excellence and reflect a vibrant culture of innovation. The students who are part of these teams travel the country to represent KSU as they compete against other universities.

“Students involved in competition teams learn how to implement technical and theoretical knowledge,” said Paul Scarpinato, competition team operations manager and lecturer of mechanical engineering technology in the Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology (SPCEET). “Employers often tell me how much they want to hire these students because they transition so well to the workforce after graduation."

Real-World Learning

COMPETING FOR EXCELLENCE

Many Southern Polytechnic State University alumni recall a time when motorized bathtubs zoomed around the campus. While the races ended in 1991, students still craved an outlet to compete. Thus began SPSU Motorsports, which later became Kennesaw Motorsports following the 2015 consolidation of KSU and SPSU.

Team members design, build, and race a high-performance formula-style car, but Kennesaw Motorsports is not just for engineering majors. It is also composed of students interested in business, marketing, and project management.

“There is something for everyone on our team,” said Tyler Huggins, Kennesaw Motorsports president and mechanical engineering student. “We couldn’t do what we do without everyone bringing their unique skill set.”

Kennesaw Motorsports competes with two vehicles: an internal combustion car powered by a Yamaha R6 motorcycle engine and an electric vehicle powered by a 300-volt battery pack and light aircraft glider motor. Team members produce and assemble vehicle components, optimize the vehicle’s powertrain, validate the aerodynamic package, and design the wiring harness that controls all vehicle sensor systems.

COMPETING FOR EXCELLENCE

Last summer, the team traveled to the Michigan International Speedway to compete in the 2024 Formula SAE and 2024 Formula SAE Electric competitions. Kennesaw Motorsports’ electric vehicle earned first place in the presentation and cost-estimation events. Both cars finished in the Top 20 against schools like Georgia Tech, Auburn, and San Jose State.

COMPETING FOR EXCELLENCE

COMPETING FOR EXCELLENCE

COMPETING FOR EXCELLENCE

COMPETING FOR EXCELLENCE

The road to success isn’t always smooth, though.

“Some of the best experiences I’ve had on this team are when we experienced a failure,” said Steven Tubbs, a mechanical engineering and KSU Journey Honors College student. “Organizations like ours are designed around seeing failures and then analyzing why the failure happened and fixing it. We bond over failure.”

Tubbs recalled a recent competition when a rear wing fell apart in the middle of a race, causing the team to spring into an emergency repair.

“We managed to fix it just in time,” Tubbs said. “That kind of experience is something you can’t replicate. You must be in a high-pressure situation with people you trust, and I think that speaks volumes of the program we have here at KSU.”

Networking and Partnerships

COMPETING FOR EXCELLENCE

In addition to the technical and interpersonal skills students gain by being part of a competition team, the partnerships and networking opportunities take the experience to the next level.

“Networking is key for us,” said Aria Lavender, construction management student and president of KSU’s National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) chapter. “My goal as president is to equip our members with the skills and confidence to make meaningful connections.”

The competition team spends months preparing for the annual International Builders’ Show, where they compete in the NAHB Production Home Building Competition. They are tasked with crafting a proposal for a new neighborhood in an assigned parcel of land, including factors like marketing, home design, risk management, and market analysis.

COMPETING FOR EXCELLENCE

COMPETING FOR EXCELLENCE

Lavender is passionate about ensuring her team is prepared to network, a crucial aspect of International Builders’ Show. She organizes resume workshops and mock interviews with industry experts and faculty members to prepare students for the competition and for careers after graduation.

Locally, KSU’s NAHB students enjoy partnering with groups like Habitat for Humanity for more than just networking.

“We love to partner with them because while it gives us an opportunity to work on a home and meet people in the construction industry, it brings us joy knowing that it will be life-changing for a homeowner in need,” Lavender said. “These partnerships and networking opportunities with industry leaders enhance our students’ educational experiences and pave the way for their future careers.”

Award-Winning Opportunities

COMPETING FOR EXCELLENCE

Exemplifying their dedication to the craft, KSU’s Hydraulic Bike Team recently took home first place in the 2024 Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge Competition.

Adorned in the traditional black and gold, KSU’s bike was built with three wheels, which allow students to use heavy hydraulic components not typically used on standard bicycles.

“All our competition teams continue to excel, and the Hydraulic Bike Team, despite being relatively new, has emerged as a standout,” said Cameron Coates, SPCEET’s assistant dean of operations. “They have done an exceptional job merging critical thinking and technical skills with creative solutions to design and construct a winning device.”

At the competition held in Denver, the team won first place overall and won first in best use of pneumatics, efficiency, and endurance against schools like Texas A&M, California Polytechnic State, and Cincinnati. Teams are challenged to build a hydraulic bike, which uses a pump and motor to propel the bike forward. By pedaling the bike, fluid is pushed toward the hydraulic motor, which spins a drive shaft and generates forward motion.

“Competing was one of the best moments of my life,” said Stefan Glende, team captain and recent mechanical engineering graduate. “It was so cool to meet our peers at other universities and see how they designed their vehicle. It was equally rewarding to see our work pay off by hoisting a trophy in the end.”

Leadership Development

COMPETING FOR EXCELLENCE

One of the most important aspects of student competition teams is the variety of leadership opportunities they provide KSU students.

Nick Farinacci, president of KSU’s Aerial Robotics Competition Team (ARCT) and mechanical engineering student, recently led a restructuring of the team to increase leadership opportunities for members and mirror the structure used in large engineering companies.

“We take pride in our leadership development system, which offers more than 20 leadership positions ranging in discipline and levels of time commitment,” said Farinacci, who is also director of student leadership in the President’s Parliament Scholar Ambassador Program and a member of the KSU Journey Honors College.

The ARCT boasts a full executive board of students who lead engineering, operations, finance, and marketing departments.

“Everyone brings something unique to the table, and our leaders inspire other members of the team to be their absolute best,” Farinacci said. “We strive to create a safe space for all of our members where they can grow academically, professionally, and personally.”

COMPETING FOR EXCELLENCE

COMPETING FOR EXCELLENCE

COMPETING FOR EXCELLENCE

COMPETING FOR EXCELLENCE

The various leadership positions are crucial for keeping members on track as they prepare for competitions, most notably the International SAE Aero Design Competition. The ARCT is responsible for developing advanced aircraft capable of performing a variety of mission requirements, such as supply drops and integrating vertical takeoff with conventional horizontal flight. In addition to mission performance, they are judged on a technical design report and flight demonstration readiness review, which are industry-specific skills engineers must master.

The team and its leaders are being put to the test this year, as they received an entirely new rulebook for the spring 2025 competition.

“Every team around the world has to start at the drawing board and completely redesign their aircraft,” Farinacci. “KSU's ARCT has the best leaders and most hardworking members, and we are ready for this new challenge.”

This article also appears in the fall issue of Summit Magazine.

Footnotes

Story by Abbey O'Brien Barrows and Ana Johnson; Photos by Matt Yung, Darnell Wilburn, and Judy Pishnery; Videos by Matthew O'Neill and Andre Quiles; Page Design by Abbey O'Brien Barrows

FootNotes

Story by Abbey O'Brien Barrows and Ana Johnson; Photos by Matt Yung, Darnell Wilburn, and Judy Pishnery; Videos by Matthew O'Neill and Andre Quiles; Page Design by Abbey O'Brien Barrows

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