Taking advantage of the Walla Walla University Winter Educational Complex pool, the WWU student chapters of student American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) club and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) club came together to host their cardboard canoe building contest.

In teams of two to four, participants created boats out of cardboard, duct tape, and garbage bags in under an hour and a half. The six competing teams were judged not only on how fast they completed the race, but also how long their creation could stay afloat. While this competition was all laughter and fun, ASCE president Natalie Hunter said it also helped participants practice important engineering problem-solving and construction skills.

The collaboration of the two clubs created a fun and social environment that welcomed students from all across the School of Engineering. The competition had quite the turnout and even brought in competitors from outside the department: the winning team consisted of one mechanical engineering major, Aiden Neufeld, two computer science majors, Ian Lasher and Gareth Neufeld, and a business major, Ethan Heinrich. The team created a canoe-like boat that took first in the race and was the only entry to remain afloat throughout the entire competition.

The ASCE club works to create engaging experiences for its members; they host camping trips, stay involved in the community through service day events, and more. ASME club members enjoy numerous social events and exciting contests throughout the year, including the annually anticipated Junk Wars competition put on in collaboration with the Product Design club. Both clubs work to provide opportunities for their members to connect with fellow engineers, both locally and nationally.

To learn more about engineering at WWU, visit wallawalla.edu/engineering.