![Students present at Scholarship Event]()
Judson Huff, senior engineering major; Katarina Berndt, senior engineering major; and Ashley Poe, 2025 graduate, present their completed dune buggy capstone project.
POINT LOOKOUT, MO. — In May, College of the Ozarks hosted its annual Celebration of Student Scholarship, Research, and Creative Work at The Keeter Center. Featuring projects from 11 areas of study, select departments showcased student work, recognizing their academic excellence and personal achievement.
Students with various majors presented personal research accumulated throughout their college careers. Departments that participated included the following: animal science, applied nutrition, behavioral science, biology, business, chemistry, computer science, engineering, horticulture, nursing, and physical education.
The purpose of the Celebration of Scholarship is to highlight the research and projects completed by College of the Ozarks students over the past year. It is designed for both internal and external audiences and held at The Keeter Center to provide easy access to those from off campus. The chemistry department at the College started with student poster presentations over 30 years ago, with other departments gradually joining.
“The Celebration of Scholarship is a wonderful opportunity for our students to show off all their hard work to the campus community,” said Dr. Jeffrey Otey, professor of engineering at College of the Ozarks. “It encourages them to defend their design decisions and gain confidence in their professional skill set as they enter the workplace.”
Engineering Student Showcase Capstone Design Projects
“Engineering had two teams providing poster presentations this year,” Otey said. “One was for a dune buggy, built from scratch. The dune buggy team was divided into groups that dealt with the powertrain, suspension, project management, and special systems. The other team designed a solar battery pack for Designs for Hope, a missionary outreach group that uses technology to spread the Gospel.”
These projects allowed students within the engineering discipline to showcase the culmination of their work throughout the engineering program to regional employers and to utilize skills in problem-solving to assist in the work of the Gospel.