Engineering Student Development and Retention Through Addressing Grand Challenges

The 2022-2023 ENG.A.G.E program at Oregon State University consisted of two sectors of students: Victory Garden and Space Race. Over the two-semester program, Victory Garden investigated improving a tractor for low-income farmers. Each sub team worked on a different component. These components were reinforcing the rear axle, creating a sickle bar swather mount, and creating a mechanism to raise and lower the bar mount. The other project, Space Race, followed a similar structure. They worked closely with the High-Altitude Liquid Engine rocketry team on creating and designing new parts for their full-scale launch. These sub teams included Flight Control Mechanisms, On board Camera systems/Ground Stations, Simulation, and Fluid Systems.

The purpose of these projects was to give students firsthand experience within the various fields of engineering and to provide hands on learning so they may implement all they had learned so far. Within the program, there was overwhelming success. There were weekly assignments and meetings for the respective sectors to keep the students on track with their progress. At the end of each semester a showcase was held for faculty and other students to see all that had been accomplished. Individual sub teams successfully accomplished their goals; Victory Garden was able to implement their solutions in real life, and Space Race held many successful launches of their Level 1 rockets leading to numerous rocketry certifications. Due to the ENG.A.G.E program, many of these students went on to join Rocketry and other humanitarian clubs and capstone projects for the 2023-2024 school year.