In a high-energy event that celebrates creativity, collaboration, and the thrill of racing, Lehigh University mechanical engineers and Broughal Middle School eighth-graders have once again come together to put their manufacturing know-how to the test.
Now known as the Lehigh/Victaulic Race Day, the event is the culmination of a longstanding outreach effort that connects South Bethlehem public school students with Lehigh mechanical engineers through a semester-long effort to design and build miniature cars. But this initiative is not just for fun. The program is an integral part of Lehigh’s mechanical engineering curriculum through its required junior-level ME 240 course in manufacturing.
According to David C. Angstadt, a teaching full professor in mechanical engineering who leads the class, teams of Lehigh and Broughal students worked side by side over the Spring semester to design, manufacture, and customize race cars from scratch—as have similar teams since the initiative was launched 26 years ago.
Although the course and the culminating event have evolved over the years, including new sponsorship for 2025, its core mission remains the same: to provide meaningful manufacturing experience to Lehigh mechanical engineering students while sparking interest in STEM among local middle schoolers.
The course provides undergraduates with the opportunity to apply manufacturing techniques, such as CAD modeling, CNC machining, and injection molding, to real-world challenges. Just as important, it offers Broughal students early exposure to engineering concepts—and to role models who are only a few years older but already immersed in college-level STEM.
Race Day itself is both a celebration and a showcase. Taking part in the festivities were Lehigh mechanical engineering students, faculty, staff, and alumni; students, teachers, and administrators from Broughal and Bethlehem Area School District; and nearly a dozen representatives from the event’s new industry sponsor Victaulic, an Easton, PA-based firm with some 50 global facilities and more than 5,500 employees worldwide.
All gathered in Broughal’s gym to cheer on the custom-built cars as they sped (or sputtered) down an undulating racetrack. This year’s competitors included 96 Lehigh students and 76 Broughal students across 32 teams. Both the cars and the trophies awarded were cast using Lehigh facilities.
In the end, first place was taken by the team known as “McSpecial,” composed of Lehigh students Perrin Conover, Owen Roth, and Quin Smith, with teams “Koopa Troopa” and “Despicable Me” taking second and third, respectively. The Best in Show Award, as voted by the Lehigh students, went to “Bikini Bottom Racers,” while the Kid’s Choice Award, as voted by the Broughal students, went to “Team Eye.”
The 2025 event was made possible through the support of Victaulic, a global leader in piping systems and engineering solutions and a longtime supporter of Lehigh’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics.
“This was our first year participating, and we were blown away,” says Gabby Beneducci, corporate recruiter and intern program coordinator at Victaulic. “Lehigh provides an incredible pipeline of engineering talent, and the creativity, technical skills, and competitive spirit these students showed was truly impressive. Race Day gave us a window into how future engineers think on their feet and collaborate—qualities we value at Victaulic. We’re lucky to be part of this tradition and can’t wait to return next year. The enthusiasm and innovation we saw reinforced why Lehigh remains such a vital recruiting partner.”
The initiative reflects Lehigh’s broader commitment to making engineering education more accessible and engaging to young learners, and to deepening the ties between the university and the community it calls home.
“This program is a highlight of the academic year—not only for the middle school students who get to experience the excitement of design and competition, but also for our students, who gain experience working on a real project with a real client,” says Arindam Banerjee, Lehigh’s Paul B. Reinhold Professor and chair of mechanical engineering and mechanics. “It’s a great example of how learning and outreach can come together in a meaningful way. We are incredibly grateful to our friends at Victaulic and Broughal Middle School who partner with us on this endeavor, and to Prof. Dave Angstadt and the MEM staff and students who come together each year to make it happen.”
