Valpo Engineering Students Host Regional Conference

Valpo’s chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers hosted the organization’s annual Great Lakes Student Conference this year, welcoming students from 19 universities to come together to compete in a set of civil engineering-based competitions. The three-day event, held in April, was expected to draw nearly 550 participants.

Students put their skills to the test through a variety of competitions, from constructing concrete cornhole boards, a steel bridge competition, geotech and environmental labs, and a materials competition utilizing the College of Engineering’s strong wall facility.

An annual highlight, the concrete canoe competition was held at Stone Lake in La Porte, Indiana. Each team was challenged to prove that their canoe could be filled with water, pushed below the surface, and resurface within a designated amount of time. Although high winds prohibited the teams from racing, the day was still considered a success, with students having fun and seeing the application of their knowledge.