On a crisp day at Front Range Community College, the crowd at the Engineering Design Expo buzzed with energy and pride.
Students, faculty, friends and community members moved from table to table, stopping to ask questions, see prototype demonstrations and hear the stories and inspiration behind each project. FRCC’s engineering faculty hold these expos every fall and spring at the college’s Larimer and Westminster campuses.
This semester’s expos highlighted projects from a course centered on assistive technology, where students spent 10 weeks working in teams with a $200 budget to design solutions inspired by their communities. Rather than following a predefined problem, students were asked to find one by listening.
Engineering faculty member Anne Wrobetz explains, “All of the projects here are based on the experience of some real person who said, ‘I have this problem. Can you fix it for me?’”
Learning Engineering by Doing
Unlike many traditional courses, this one involves building, testing and iterating. Students begin with individual work before forming teams, defining their own problem statements and navigating the realities of design under constraints.
“For some students, it’s their first time building anything,” Anne says. “It’s a different sort of class, because they don’t have to worry about exams. Instead, they experience hands-on learning. They have to not only build something, but make it work, which is very hard to do.”
That challenge—and freedom—was echoed by many students at the expo, who described the experience as challenging yet rewarding.
Adjustable Compression Socks
Students Samuel, Jozy, Layne and Kevin created a project focused on improving compression socks for people who struggle with stiffness and find it hard to put the socks on. Their idea—to make the socks adjustable—came from recognizing how a common medical product can become a daily barrier.
Samuel describes the team’s approach:
“What we aimed to solve was really the issue of how difficult it is to put on compression socks while maintaining a good pressure to get those medical benefits.”
Their solution emphasized adjustability, making the sock easier to put on, reducing strain for the wearer while preserving effectiveness.
Collaboration From Day One
Beyond creating the product itself, the team highlighted the importance of communication and collaboration.
For Jozy, the value of the course extended beyond the project.
“This is a good way to go hands on and see what it’s like to be an engineer and how to go through the engineering process, fail, go back to the drawing board and then make something better,” she says.
“I really did enjoy working on and building this,” Layne says. “Having a class that actually incorporates that hands-on experience and being able to build our final design has been quite a lot of fun.”
Automated Sun Visor
Another team, which included Mason, Nick, Jay and Rahzel, designed an attachable sun visor that automatically pops into place when needed. The device is intended to reduce sudden sun blindness for drivers with mobility limitations.
Inspired by Family
The idea was personal.
“The idea for our project came from my grandfather,” Mason explains, describing how his grandfather’s physical limitations made it difficult to adjust a visor while driving.
The team’s process reflected the full engineering lifecycle, from interviews and cardboard prototypes to CAD modeling and 3-D printing. Along the way, they encountered software challenges, legal research and design constraints tied to safety regulations.
For Mason, the openness of the assignment stood out most.
“This is my first engineering project where the design criteria weren’t set before we started. I think that’s very valuable for future engineers to learn, and I’m very grateful for it,” he adds.
The “Power Roller” Wheelchair Booster
At another table, Hailey, Jillie and Phil showcased a motorized assistive device built from repurposed materials, 3-D-printed components and a focus on affordability.
The inspiration again came from family, with Phil sharing, “My mother-in-law is the inspiration for it all. She recently lost a leg and uses a wheelchair.”
The product is a joystick-controlled powered mobility add-on built from an Arduino-based motor control system and recycled scooter/bike parts. It attaches to a user’s wheelchair to help them travel longer distances without fatigue.
Teamwork on a Budget
“We did a great job of going through our garages and taking apart all kinds of things to make ‘Frankenstein’s Monster,’” Phil says, “So it cost us only $128 of our $200 budget.”
“Working in a team is something that I really learned from,” Jillie says.
Hailey also emphasized the learning experience of the teamwork required, adding “getting to have everyone’s ideas bouncing across each other and having different people with different specialties helped us notice issues we might not have otherwise.”
A Showcase of Growth
Walking through the expo, it became clear that the outcome was not only the devices on display, but also the confidence students gained along the way and the pride they felt showing off their finished work.
“Seeing everyone else’s projects is pretty inspiring, honestly,” Samuel says. “I think this is just, overall, a great learning opportunity. It’s one of the best classes I’ve taken.”
Engineering instructor Lisa Weber also saw that growth reflected across the room.
“I’m really impressed with the students this semester,” she says. They really connected with their stakeholders to try to come up with designs that were functional and meaningful.”
Ultimately, the Fall 2025 Engineering Design Expo was a celebration of creativity and the supportive learning environment that defines FRCC.
Ready to Take The Next Step?
Interested in studying engineering, but concerned about the cost of a bachelor’s degree? FRCC now offers six engineering associate degrees. FRCC’s Associate of Science in Engineering degrees allow students to complete the first two years of a bachelor’s degree, then seamlessly transfer to one of the public four-year engineering programs in Colorado.
