2008 Woodie Awards
Engineering students take learning and competing off road
Allan Lewis
Issue date: 9/13/07 Section: News
Meet Cougar Baja, a team of mechanical engineering students at SIUE who design, plan, fund and fabricate off-road vehicles.
The goal of the fully student-run organization is to enhance education through hands-on application and to promote education outside the classroom, stressing teamwork to area high school students.
"We build vehicles from scratch and manage the project ourselves," Cougar Baja Co-Captain and Business Manager Miles Musick said. "Students also handle the business side of the project along with fabrication and marketing."
This summer, Cougar Baja placed 81st at the 2007 Society of Automotive Engineers, or SAE, Baja Rochester World Challenge held at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York. The event pitted the team against 140 other entries from across the country.
"This is our first year doing this," Musick said. "We consider our showing very successful being this is the first time we have seen other cars in competition."
Cougar Baja worked with a $6,000 budget on their car showcased in Rochester, much less than other schools, according to Musick.
"Our placement doesn't seem too great, but we are proud of the work we did considering some schools had $30,000 budgets on their vehicles."
All vehicles in competition are required to use the same 10 horsepower Briggs and Stratton engine, according to SAE guidelines.
Aside from competition, Cougar Baja is also a part of a community outreach program aimed at relaying the importance of science and real-world application to area high school students.
"We are very involved in the community," Musick said. "We go out to area high schools to promote sciences, math and engineering and help kids realize that what they are learning today will be valuable for the rest of their lives."
"If our time helps inspire just one person to become something great, to strive for lofty goals, then it is time well spent," Justin Schnitker, Cougar Baja co-captain and fabrication manager, said.
With increased involvement within the community, Cougar Baja plans on continuing efforts to create awareness for math and sciences among high school students in the Metro East. A much larger goal the team will focus on involves promoting communication and teamwork.
"Engineering is not something all kids are interested in," Musick said. "I am willing to bet whatever profession a student will chose, teamwork will play a vital role."
In the upcoming year, Cougar Baja plans on competing at events in Peoria and Cooksville, Tenn.
"This year we hope to place in the top 40 internationally," Musick said. "We will be working with a $9,000 budget this year to help us accomplish that goal."
Schnitker added that competition only makes up a small portion of the organization's agenda.
"The competitions are only a small part of what we do," he said. "Helping young people raise their potential is something I take pride in."
The goal of the fully student-run organization is to enhance education through hands-on application and to promote education outside the classroom, stressing teamwork to area high school students.
"We build vehicles from scratch and manage the project ourselves," Cougar Baja Co-Captain and Business Manager Miles Musick said. "Students also handle the business side of the project along with fabrication and marketing."
This summer, Cougar Baja placed 81st at the 2007 Society of Automotive Engineers, or SAE, Baja Rochester World Challenge held at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York. The event pitted the team against 140 other entries from across the country.
"This is our first year doing this," Musick said. "We consider our showing very successful being this is the first time we have seen other cars in competition."
Cougar Baja worked with a $6,000 budget on their car showcased in Rochester, much less than other schools, according to Musick.
"Our placement doesn't seem too great, but we are proud of the work we did considering some schools had $30,000 budgets on their vehicles."
All vehicles in competition are required to use the same 10 horsepower Briggs and Stratton engine, according to SAE guidelines.
Aside from competition, Cougar Baja is also a part of a community outreach program aimed at relaying the importance of science and real-world application to area high school students.
"We are very involved in the community," Musick said. "We go out to area high schools to promote sciences, math and engineering and help kids realize that what they are learning today will be valuable for the rest of their lives."
"If our time helps inspire just one person to become something great, to strive for lofty goals, then it is time well spent," Justin Schnitker, Cougar Baja co-captain and fabrication manager, said.
With increased involvement within the community, Cougar Baja plans on continuing efforts to create awareness for math and sciences among high school students in the Metro East. A much larger goal the team will focus on involves promoting communication and teamwork.
"Engineering is not something all kids are interested in," Musick said. "I am willing to bet whatever profession a student will chose, teamwork will play a vital role."
In the upcoming year, Cougar Baja plans on competing at events in Peoria and Cooksville, Tenn.
"This year we hope to place in the top 40 internationally," Musick said. "We will be working with a $9,000 budget this year to help us accomplish that goal."
Schnitker added that competition only makes up a small portion of the organization's agenda.
"The competitions are only a small part of what we do," he said. "Helping young people raise their potential is something I take pride in."
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