A FRESH START
- Magazine Article
- 17MOMP10_02
- English
Keeping it simple is a key component in turning around the fortunes of Kettering University's Formula SAE team.
KETTERING UNIVERSITY HAS A LONG-STANDING HISTORY with deep ties to the automotive industry. Formerly known as General Motors Institute (GMI), the university is known for developing engineers with an automotive focus, and the students of the Formula SAE team on campus take that to heart. They are passionate about cars, and having the chance to design, build, and compete their own product is a learning experience unlike any other.
As of late, Kettering University Formula SAE has been going through a sort of transition. In the 2016 season, there was a large gap between young and old members; the team was predominately graduating seniors and incoming freshmen, with few class ranks in between. The interest was there, but there was a lot of knowledge that needed to be transferred in a very short amount of time. This created a very foggy outlook for a program that has had success in the past. Previous members laid the groundwork for a program that could thrive, but it would take a lot of effort to maintain after a rough season rattled much of the team.