First Year Design Challenge Showcases Creativity, Innovation, and Technical Skills

Jasmyn Yun preparing to test her bridge.
October 05, 2026
Rhonda Young |School of Engineering & Applied Science
sensors competition
Samuel Stantsiyer and Allen James presenting their sensor solution.

The School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) celebrated the completion of its First-Year Design Challenge on Saturday morning during Gonzaga University's Fall 2026 Family Weekend. The Design Challenge provides students with the opportunity to apply design thinking in the first weeks of their college experience. First-year students were invited to choose from three design experiences:

  • Build the Fastest Ride – design and 3D print a spring-powered car.
  • Sensors for the Common Good – create an innovative sensor-based solution that addresses a real-world need.
  • Bridge the Gap – design, analyze, 3D print, and test a truss bridge in the lab.

Students had the opportunity to work individually or in teams and could participate in one or multiple challenges. Throughout the competition, workshops provided participants with technical skills, design guidance, and project support. The challenge culminated on Saturday as students presented their work to audiences of family members, friends, and fellow students. Teams showcased their sensor-based solutions, tested their vehicles for speed and distance, and had their bridges evaluated for both aesthetics and structural performance. Seventy-five students registered for the Challenges and two teams for the car challenge, 8 teams for the sensor challenge, and 28 teams for the bridge challenge competed.  First year student Rocco Quilici said his biggest takeaway from the challenge was that "3D printed material is a lot stronger than I thought.  Having never 3D printed anything before this, I didn’t know how thin and weak I could make parts before they fail.”

 Fastest 3d printed car
Matthew Maillette racing his spring powered car.

First-Year Design Challenge relied heavily on the support of the Cadwell Maker Center Coordinator, Daniel Clark. He and his team of student employees worked tirelessly behind the scenes, with the center's 3D printers running around the clock in preparation for the event. Faculty members who provided workshop support included Dr. Gina Sprint (Computer Science), Dr. Alireza Toghraee (Mechanical Engineering), and Dr. Joshua Schultz and Dr. Rhonda Young (Civil Engineering). The competition was coordinated by Drs. Gina Sprint, Rhonda Young, and Mark Muszynski, along with Dean Jennifer Shepherd and Assistant Dean Joan Sarles.

The First-Year Design Challenge gives students an opportunity to apply engineering concepts from the very beginning of their academic careers while building technical skills, creativity, teamwork, and confidence. The projects presented on Saturday demonstrated both the ingenuity of Gonzaga's newest engineering and computer science students and the collaborative spirit that defines the collaborative spirit that defines SEAS.

The following students were presented with competition trophies by Dean Jennifer Shepherd:
 Winners of the fastest car
Build the Fastest Ride – 1st Place: Rocco Quilici, Luke Nist, and Simon Scruggs; 2nd Place: Matthew Maillette
Sensor Winners
Sensors for the Common Good – 1st Place for Watch Dog – A video-based AI system for campus security: Samuel Stantsiyer and Allen James; 2nd Place for Front Bumper Sensor – a retro-fit sensor to detect curbs in front of a vehicle : Jonny Germanovich; 3rd Place for Blind Sighted 3000 – a sensor equipped hat to help blind people navigate their surroundings: Benjamin Sagerser and Steven Rolan
Bridge Contest
Bridge the Gap – 1st Place: Jordan Janicki; 2nd Place: Seth Prentice; and 3rd Place: Isaac Sielaff and Calianha Staskal
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