The Walla Walla University School of Engineering hosted its annual National Engineers Week celebration last week. Events included a game night, egg drop, and the introduction of a new worship gathering called Spiritual Engineering. 

According to the School of Engineering, National Engineers Week serves to raise public awareness of the work that engineers do, and to encourage students of all ages to pursue opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. “At Walla Walla University, we appreciate the opportunity to celebrate our engineering students, and to share what we do with our campus community, and to invite others to join our special activities for the week,” said Delvin Peterson, dean of the School of Engineering. 

To begin the week, the engineering department gathered with their close friends and family on Tuesday evening for a night filled with food, games, and prizes to celebrate their shared passion for engineering. 

The first Spiritual Engineering worship, led by engineering students, happened on Wednesday evening. Students gathered for a meal together, enjoyed making music and singing praise, and listened to worship thoughts presented by two engineering students. The worship thoughts included personal testimonies and ideas about how God is the ultimate engineer. Afterward, many students expressed their enthusiasm about the new worship program’s success. Weekly Spiritual Engineering gatherings will continue throughout spring quarter, providing a new opportunity for spiritual fellowship at WWU. 

On Thursday, teams from WWU and Walla Walla Valley Academy gathered outside on Kretschmar lawn with innovative designs to compete in the annual egg drop, sponsored by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) club. Scoring evaluated the survival of eggs and their proximity to a target after being dropped. Students kept warm with hot drinks while they watched their fellow competitors drop their eggs. 

“Our team wrapped our egg in a small pair of jeans and a button-up flannel and protected it with packing peanuts,” said Nell Dodds, a junior at WWVA who participated in the egg drop. “We were thrilled when it didn’t break!” WWU’s ASME club exists to connect the scientific and social aspects of engineering while building connections with the campus and the community by hosting events like the egg drop. 

To learn more about the engineering program at WWU, visit wallawalla.edu/engineering.

Posted March 8, 2023