Competition Teams & Clubs
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Join a Competition Team or Club with Liberty’s School of Engineering (LUSE)
Enhance your educational experience with competition teams and clubs at LUSE. Get to know other students while integrating your classroom learning into real engineering projects.
Engineering Competition Teams
ASCE Concrete Canoe
Paddles up! The American Society of Civil Engineers Concrete Canoe Competition is an elite project to design and construct a river-worthy canoe from concrete. Strong and agile, this canoe will be tested for maneuverability and speed as it is rowed by team members in slalom and sprint races. Through the course of this competition, team members will develop and test a lightweight concrete mixture and design a hydrodynamic canoe hull to compete on race day. Individuals are exposed to multiple elements of concrete design including mixture proportioning, lightweight reinforcement methods, and formwork construction. Additionally, team members will conduct strength tests on concrete specimens and expand their knowledge of material mechanics. As a staple of civil engineering programs across the nation, the ASCE Concrete Canoe Competition provides hands on experience in the world of construction management and builds awareness of the versatility of concrete. Furthermore, the team strives to implement the University’s Creationeering model with excellence to engineer innovative designs, foster professional and efficient team dynamics, and rely upon the Creator for inspiration!
Faculty Sponsor Dr. Vadnal jvadnal@liberty.edu
Captain Colby Field cfield5@liberty.edu
Co-Sub Captain Yiseul Choi ychoi28@liberty.edu
Co-Sub Captain Jarred Preston jpreston16@liberty.edu
Human Powered Vehicle Challenge
In this ASME competition, the Human Powered Vehicle Challenge team works together to design and manufacture a vehicle that is powered solely by the rider of the vehicle. The vehicle must meet requirements specified by the competition, such as being able to withstand a certain top, side, and roll over force, reaching a certain speed within a specified time frame, turning within a specified radius, transporting a specified object, and being able to navigate different competition obstacle courses.
The team consists of seven different sub teams that new members can join. These sub teams are the frame, fairing, steering, drivetrain, electrical, safety, and report. All sub teams work with the project manager, design lead, and manufacturing lead to design, analyze, manufacture, test, and improve the vehicle for the competition.
Liberty Universities Human Powered Vehicle Challenge team has had a successful history. In 2019 they place 5th out of 30 teams, in 2020 they placed 5th out of 30 teams again, and in 2021 they placed 4th out of 70 teams. HPVC primarily accepts mechanical, electrical, and industrial engineering majors, however all engineering majors are welcome to join the club. The team currently consists of approximately 30 members and continues to grow.
Club Manager Julia Martiny jtmartiny@liberty.edu
Club Advisor Patrick DaCosta pdacosta@liberty.edu
Manufacturing Lead 1 Josh Ingram jiingram@liberty.edu
Manufacturing Lead 2 Morgan Stalker mstalker@liberty.edu
Design Lead Jonathan Niell jneil9@liberty.edu
Steering Subsystem Lead 1 Taylor Panatana tapanatana@liberty.edu
Steering Subsystem Lead 2 Arianna Verbosky averbosky@liberty.edu
Faculty Sponsor Professor Ziebart cziebart@liberty.edu
Aerodynamics Sub Team Lead Jonathan Peters jwpeters@liberty.edu
HPVC 1and 2 Sub Team Lead Ryan Peters rdpeters@liberty.edu
Drive Train Sub Team Lead 1 Justin Paul mpaul25@liberty.edu
Drive Train Sub Team Lead 2 Natasha Carpenter necarpenter@liberty.edu
1 and 2 Safety Sub Team Lead Julia Safron jgsafron@liberty.edu
1 and 2 Sub Team Lead Ben Lukasiak blukasiak@liberty.edu
1 and 2 Report Sub Team Lead Elias Pagurko epagurko@liberty.edu
1 and 2 Purchasing Lead Elizabeth Wiese bwiese@liberty.edu
Baja SAE challenges engineering students to design and build an off-road vehicle that will survive the severe punishment of rough terrain and in some competitions, water. As in real work situations, these future engineers work together as a team to discover and resolve technical challenges in design, test, and manufacturing, as well as business issues. The most rugged of all the competitions, Baja SAE also gives students the first-hand challenge of pursuing their passion while managing real-life demands and priorities. Each team’s goal is to design and build a prototype of an all-weather, rugged, single-seat, off-road recreational vehicle intended for sale to the nonprofessional weekend off-road enthusiast. At Liberty’s chapter of Baja SAE, the mission is to not only produce the best vehicle possible but also take it to the competition yearly and perform to a high standard. The team is built to give students hands-on experience, that allows them to successfully collaborate on a team, gain management skills, focus on a final goal, and provide work that gives glory to God.
Faculty Sponsor Dr. Medina hmedina@liberty.edu
Frame/Design Team Lead Elijah Reeves emreeves@liberty.edu
Brakes Team Lead Wyatt Joyner wjoyner1@liberty.edu
Team Captain Josh Ivins jpivins@liberty.edu
Powertrain Team Lead Nick Reber nreber@liberty.edu
Suspension Team Lead Hannah Tamura hetamura@liberty.edu
Assistant Team Captain Chandler Whitley cgwhitley@liberty.edu
Steering Team Lead Elizabeth Diamond epdiamond@liberty.edu
Industrial Team Lead William Hitchcock wahitchcock@liberty.edu



Liberty Motorsports is a competition team competing in the Formula SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) Electric Competition in Fontana California. Formula SAE is a collegiate design challenge in which university students are tasked with designing and manufacturing a Formula One-style race car that they will compete with universities from around the world in events testing speed, durability, endurance, cost, and creativity. Formula SAE Electric cars are capable of 0-60 mph in under 3.5 seconds thanks to the instant torque from the electric motors. Liberty Motorsports consists of over fifty students from multiple disciplines including mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer engineering, business marketing, project management, and strategic communications. Our team has established strategic partnerships with Hendrick Motorsports, Lynchburg Machining, Systems Engineering and Manufacturing, and Blue Origin to help make this program possible. Liberty Motorsports strives to uphold a culture of excellence and inspire innovation in order to develop the next generation of high-performing engineers who honor and glorify God.
Faculty Sponsor Dr. Medina hmedina@liberty.edu
Aerodynamics Team Lead Aaron Young ayoung117@liberty.edu
Suspension Team Lead Amy Washburne awashburne@liberty.edu
Electrical Team Lead 1 Colby Davis cddavis23@liberty.edu
Electrical Team Lead 2 Curtis Mason cbmason@liberty.edu
Team Captain Emily Schneidau ejschneidau@liberty.edu
Brakes Team Lead Aaron Clayton apclayton@liberty.edu
Simulation and Analysis Team Lead Isabelle Ambrose iambrose@liberty.edu
Business Team Lead Anna Satagaj amsatagaj@liberty.edu
Manufacturing Team Lead Josh Ingram jingram@liberty.edu
Development Lead Jacob Walker jcwalker4@liberty.edu
Technical Director Donald (Trip) Meredith drmeredith@liberty.edu
Frame and Ergonomics Team Lead Patrick DaCosta pdacosta@liberty.edu
Powertrain Team Lead Logan Yoder lmyoder@liberty.edu
Competition Coordinator Matt Nenninger mnenninger@liberty.edu



Liberty Orbit
Liberty Orbit is a program that focuses on the study of space in low-Earth orbit. This research involves the research, design, and manufacturing of ThinSats and CubeSats to be sent into space to collect data, anywhere from 100-800 km. We have a partnership with NASA and the Virginia Space Grant Consortium that allows our team to launch from NASA Wallops to low-Earth orbit as a free-flying satellite or to the International Space Station. Our team gains hands-on experience in building small scale satellites through our sub-systems, which consist of casing and integration, communications and sensors, a science payload, and power. Our main goal is to bring experience to students, expand our understanding of space, and bring glory to God in doing so with our small-sat constellation.
Faculty Sponsor Marc Jantomaso mjantomaso@liberty.edu
Lead Design Engineer Gabe Stach glstach@liberty.edu
Lead Project Manager Sophya Hergenreter sjhergenreter@liberty.edu
Lead Manufacturing Engineer Brendan Riding bmriding@liberty.edu
Liberty Rocketry is a Competition Team developing the nation’s most advanced sounding rockets. We are designing, manufacturing, and launching custom solid motor launch vehicles and scientific payloads to 10,000 ft. as part of the Spaceport America Cup. As part of our team, you can work in: rocket engine design; aerodynamic design; flight computer and scientific payload design; and recovery systems. You will be able to follow your work from the design table, to manufacturing, to the launch pad. We are giving students hands-on technical experience that will prepare them for the workforce and bring glory to God.
Faculty Sponsor Marc Jantomaso mjantomaso@liberty.edu
Manufacturing Lead Joshua Mack jimack1@liberty.edu
Design Lead Cole Derosett caderosett@liberty.edu
Project Manager Daniel Hembree dchembree@liberty.edu
Aerodynamics Team Lead William Nagelkirk wnagelkirk@liberty.edu
Payload Team Lead Luke Steiner lsteiner6@liberty.edu
Theme Park Engineering Competition Team
TEA@LU Description
TEA@LU is a chapter of the Themed Entertainment Association’s NextGen program of collegiate competition teams focusing on engineering and design in the amusement and theme park industry. TEA@LU competes in the Ryerson Invitation Thrill Design Competition (RITDC), where engineers focus on different design and engineering challenges all relating to the theme park industry. TEA@LU also focuses on original coaster designs using both engineering and rollercoaster design software, with plans to develop a fully functional, 3d printed rollercoaster.
Liberty University’s Theme Park Engineering club and competition team focuses on all aspects of engineering theme park attractions and rollercoasters. As a competition team, we compete in the Ryerson Invitational Thrill Design Competition, which focuses both on the technical and creative sides of theme park engineering, including force analyses, vector, force and geometric-based coaster design, and structural engineering. In addition to competition, we will boast an array of unique coaster designs that will be designed and built by students. Ultimately, our team strives to infiltrate the theme park industry as a force for God and works to put Him first in all we do. Liberty University Theme Park Engineering is also partnered with the Themed Entertainment Association as an official NextGen Club.
Faculty Advisor Marcos Lugo mlugo7@liberty.edu
President Jordan Stewart jastewart10@liberty.edu
Design Leader Shelton Ware sware25@liberty.edu
Vice President Josiah Brower jgbrower@liberty.edu
Faculty Sponsor Dr. Bae kkbae@liberty.edu
Project Manager Sam Conway saconway1@liberty.edu
Team Lead Nathaniel Huggins nqhuggins@liberty.edu
VEX Robotics is a nationally recognized robotics competition in which students present innovative solutions to complex problems. Our Robotics Team uses VEX V5 materials and competes with other universities to prove themselves. Our team helps students develop problem-solving skills, teamwork, and creative thinking. Building these robots requires members to be flexible in their approach to design, as solutions often do not work the first time. Overall, VEX provides students with an opportunity to have fun building, innovating, and competing in a challenging environment that aids them in developing and honing their engineering skills.
Faculty Sponsor Dr. Bae kkbae@liberty.edu
President Morgan Stormer mbstormer@liberty.edu
Treasurer Grace Brammer gmbrammer@liberty.edu
Vice President Grant Hundley gdhundley@liberty.edu
Secretary Danny Lumpkin fdlumpkin1@liberty.edu


Engineering Student Clubs
“The word of God is alive and powerful. Sharper than any two-edged sword.” Each time we read God’s Word, there is growth and new understanding. Scripture memorization in Abide 15:4 provides a setting to not only read, but to dive deeply and know one passage or book, understanding the context of each verse. Meeting for an hour once a week, Abide 15:4 is a Bible memory club focused on giving students the opportunity to grow together in their faith through immersion in the Word. Abide gives students the structure to help them reach their memorization goals. We provide each student with an accountability partner and track each student’s goals to optimize their results. We want to meditate on the word, so that it shapes our thoughts, guards our heart, and influences every decision we make. Students will be provided a setting and a community where God’s word is the focal point of our lives. Each meeting is comprised of three sections: socialization/games, recitation of verses, and a devotional. Previous semesters (Fall 2021) we memorized Matthew 2 & 3 by Christmas with birth of Christ, and (Spring 2022) we memorized the ending of Matthew 27 & Matthew 28 by Easter with the Easter story . Each semester, we organize a Bible recitation event during club meetings in order to encourage and celebrate those who have committed the time and scripture to memory. We look forward to seeing you there!
President Elizabeth Wiese bwiese@liberty.edu
Vice President Ian Rankin irankin@liberty.edu
Director of Communication Isabella John iejohn@liberty.edu
Director of Marketing Makena Joseph mjjoseph@liberty.edu
Faculty Sponsor Prof. Elke Cox eecox@liberty.edu
Civil Engineering Student Club (CESC)
The purpose of CESC is to inform, engage and develop student’s interests in Civil Engineering. This student chapter seeks to provide outlets where students can exercise and challenge their innovative ideas outside the classroom (community service, national competitions, missions’ trips), offer sources for networking and connections, and present guest speakers to inform members on different opportunities in the Civil Engineering field
Faculty Sponsor Dr. Vadnal jvadnal@liberty.edu
President Assistant Luke Knodel ljknodel@liberty.edu
President Lydianna Notheis lnotheis@liberty.edu
Vice President Connor Rothermel crothermel@liberty.edu
Chaplain Joshua Whitaker jdwhitaker@liberty.edu
Engineering Missions and Research Club (EMRC)
The Engineering Missions and Research Club (EMRC) aims at providing students opportunities to combine their engineering skills with relevant research and their passion to serve, in order to advance solutions for the less privileged. It is a platform for students to steward their God-given passions, interests, and skill sets for the global advancement of God’s kingdom. The club strives to produce humanitarian and sustainable solutions in critical areas such as food, water, energy, communication, or shelter, while utilizing local resources. Some of the club’s projects have involved researching, prototyping, and manufacturing medical prosthetic components, a low-cost brick press, a solar power grid for a church in Venezuela, and a water detection system to help drill wells in Uganda.
Faculty Advisor Dr. Marcos Lugos mlugo7@liberty.edu
Vice President Arianna Verbosky averbosky@liberty.edu
Treasurer Jeremiah Isaacs jdisaacs@liberty.edu
Moth Trap Team Lead Isaac Liu iliu@liberty.edu
President Caleb Schaible caschaible@liberty.edu
Prosthetics Project Lead Jared Marshall jdmarshall2@liberty.edu
Power Grid Team Lead Santiago Segura-Suarez sesegurasuarez@liberty.edu
Sponsor Tate Fonville (Grad Student) tfonville1@liberty.edu
Co-lead Carson Farmer cfarmer6@liberty.edu
Faculty Sponsor Dr. Wayne Strasser wstrasser@liberty.edu
High-Performance Computing Computer
The High-Performance Computing Club serves to encourage students in the fields of engineering and computing to develop skills relevant to High-Performance Computers (HPC) such as Linux, data management, parallel programming, and simulation software. The short-term goal of this club is to teach the members how to build a computing cluster, set up the operating system, and run simulations. The HPC Club will begin by first teaching students how to use HPC clusters optimally. These projects will be simple, such as: calculating digits of pi or calculating prime numbers. The purpose of these first projects is to educate more students on how to use high-performance computing. Parallel to these educational tutorials, we can have more experienced students run more complicated projects on the cluster. Eventually, we want to do actual groundbreaking research, such as scientifically proving the events in genesis or training Artificial Intelligence, however before we can run, we must walk.
Faculty Sponsor Dr. Tuzi ftuzi@liberty.edu
Vice President Aaron Beckley abeckley@liberty.edu
Software Team Lead Kolton Musgrove kgmusgrove@liberty.edu
President Sarah Hodges sehodges@liberty.edu
Secretary Sam Miller smmiller22@liberty.edu
Treasurer Simeon Frenz sfrenz@liberty.edu
Liberty Space
Liberty Space is a Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS) Chapter. SEDS is an international student organization whose purpose is to promote space exploration and development through educational and engineering projects. SEDS is fostering the development of future leaders and contributors in the expanding space industry.
Faculty Advisor Marc Jantomaso mjantomaso@liberty.edu
President Cole Derosett caderosett@liberty.edu
Vice President Daniel Hembree dchembree@liberty.edu
Secretary Sophya Hergenreter sjhergenreter@liberty.edu
Treasurer Rozani Theron retheron@liberty.edu
Our mission as the Liberty Women in STEM Club is to build a community that fosters relationships characterized by mutual encouragement and holistic growth among women in STEM fields as we seek to honor Christ through our career pursuits. Most of our meetings feature women who have walked this path before us and can offer advice on how to live a godly life as women in STEM fields. We also provide the opportunity to make connections with other female students in STEM majors. Our goal is to provide a space where we can complement the naturally competitive nature of STEM majors with a community that emphasizes gospel-centered friendships. As this community continues to flourish in our club and at Liberty, our hope is that the gospel will transform the way that we relate to one another so that our daily way of life will bear witness to the watching world of the goodness of God both now and in our future careers.
President Emma Anderson elanderson3@liberty.edu
Faculty Sponsor Dr. Kimberly Mitchell kamitchell@liberty.edu
Liberty University’s Renewable Energy Club is dedicated to educating students on the unique and interesting world of Renewable Energy Technologies, including Solar, Wind, Geothermal, and Kinetic energy generation. This club participates in events and competitions throughout the year and provides students a place to discuss and design new projects and ideas.
Faculty Sponsor Dr. Eldredge tveldredge@liberty.edu
President Emilie Hatton echatton@liberty.edu
For engineering students to have an outlet to learn how to build and control robots, to have fun, to meet other engineers, to gain exposure to different technologies, and to allow them to apply what they have learned in the classroom to real-world experiences.
Faculty Sponsor Dr. Bae kkbae@liberty.edu
Secretary Danny Lumpkin fdlumpkin1@liberty.edu
President Morgan Stalker mbstormer@liberty.edu
Treasurer Grace Brammer gmbrammer@liberty.edu
Vice President Grant Hundley gdhundley@liberty.edu
SWE seeks to encourage young women to achieve their full potential as Christ-centered students in their calling as engineers and leaders. In this pursuit, we dedicate our time and service to help promote the values, knowledge, and skills of aspiring young women in the engineering and technology fields. Our meetings accomplish this through speakers, career-building workshops, and conferences.
Faculty Sponsor Carolyn Ziebart cziebart@liberty.edu
Treasurer Isabelle Perdew iperdew@liberty.edu
Vice President Hannah Tamura hetamura@liberty.edu
President Emily Schneidau ejschneidau@liberty.edu
Secretary Elizabeth Diamond epdiamond@liberty.edu