Engineering Capstone Projects

Where Student Innovation Meets Real-World Industry Needs

Each year, senior students from across the 蘑菇短视频 College of Engineering spend two semesters designing, building, and testing solutions to open-ended challenges posed by our industry sponsors. Topics span automotive, aerospace, military, medical, and outdoor gear, to name a few. Explore past projects below to see the depth of innovation our students bring to their work and join us for the annual capstone symposium event.

SPONSOR A FUTURE ENGINEERING CAPSTONE PROJECT

Students present at 蘑菇短视频Engineering Capstone Symposium

Students present project at the engineering capstone symposium

蘑菇短视频Engineering students present capstone project

Student points out aspect of Duke Engineering project

Join us at the annual engineering capstone symposium each spring in the Ramsey Center.

View posters (PDFs) from recent 蘑菇短视频engineering capstone projects sponsored by AC Controls, Aegis Power Systems, AvL Technologies, Cummins, Destination Space, Duke Energy, EATON, FLiTE, Freudenberg Performance Materials, GE Aerospace, Global Track Warehouse, Hans Cycles, Harris Integrated Solutions, Haywood County Emergency Services, Kubota, Mountaintop Endowment, Nautilus Technologies, NC Quantum Association, Smith Systems, TEAM Industries, Smokey Mountain Conservatory, USN Fleet Readiness-NAVAIR, 蘑菇短视频Percussion Studio and other industry partners.

2025-26 Projects

2024-25 Projects

2026-24 Projects

SYMPOSIUM

An annual Engineering Capstone Symposium each spring offers opportunities to meet student capstone teams and learn more about their projects. Student teams display project posters and components throughout the Ramsey Center concourse. Symposium visitors have the opportunity to walk through the Ramsey Center, talk informally with the student teams, and learn more about their impressive work.

Prototype Sponsor

Innovator Sponsor

Capstone projects allow students to integrate engineering training with project management skills. Interdisciplinary student teams drawn from all of our programs to tackle open-ended, real-world problems for our industry partners. As an industry partner, you are invited to evaluate your development needs and nominate topics that would provide value to you and a learning experience for our students.

Learn more below, see past student projects, and explore services offered by The Rapid Center.

To discuss sponsoring a potential project for the upcoming year, please contact Dr. Andy Ritenour at aritenour@wcu.edu or 828.227.2177.

Capstone Project Criteria

Ideally, a capstone project should have the following characteristics:
鈥� Open-ended requiring evaluation of multiple solutions
鈥� Complex and challenging requiring innovative problem-solving approaches
鈥� Sufficient scope for team of 3-5 students (we can help with this).

Project-Sponsor Requests

We invite you, as an industry partner, to evaluate your development needs and nominate topics that would provide value to you and a learning experience for our students. To be a capstone project sponsor, we request the following:
鈥� Team sponsorship fee, plus reimbursement for materials and travel needed for your project
鈥� Willingness to provide a project mentor from your company
鈥� Participation in periodic design reviews as the customer (at your site or WCU).

Project-Sponsor Benefits

When we collaborate on your project, you will have the satisfaction of knowing you are helping our students gain valuable experience by tackling real problems in an actual setting. You also will have an opportunity to evaluate soon-to-graduate seniors as potential employees while they are working. Finally, when the project is complete, you will have a fully tested prototype, proof of concept, project solution or new knowledge that, if you wish, you can use or develop further.

Project Timeline

May: Initial call for projects
July: Finalize project catalog
Sept: Project kick-off
Dec: Mid-project review
April: Project completion & Annual Symposium

Initiating a Project

If the idea of sponsoring a capstone project interests you, please contact Andy Ritenour at aritenour@wcu.edu or 828-227-2177. We will be happy to walk you through the simple process. We normally solidify topics during June and July, and request that final project descriptions be submitted by July 15.

Quick outline for topic proposals:
鈥� Company name and point of contact
鈥� Title of project
鈥� Problem statement (one paragraph describing the problem and what is needed)
鈥� List of known requirements or constraints (size, weight, power, cost, performance specifications, operating conditions, etc.)
鈥� Milestones and deliverables

Do you have a more complex project with a specific deadline and budget?

Our Rapid Center team of engineers also works directly with partners. Visit The Rapid Center online and contact us at rapidcenter@wcu.edu or 828.227.2560 to learn more.

蘑菇短视频

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