MEDIA ADVISORY: Statler College to host 31st annual Pumpkin Drop

WVU’s Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources will host hundreds of elementary, middle and high school teams from across the state and region for the 31st annual Pumpkin Drop. The competition aims to teach engineering concepts by designing an enclosure with the ability to protect pumpkins from damage when dropped from the roof of a building.

WHEN/WHERE: Friday, October 19, 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m., in front of the Engineering Sciences Building

HISTORY: For the past 31 years, crowds of elementary, middle and high school students accompanied by friends, teachers and guardians have gathered around the 11-story Engineering Sciences Building to watch hundreds of pumpkins, each weighing about 60 pounds, fall from its roof, hopefully not to their doom. Wally Venable, emeritus associate professor, will serve as the judge for the 31st-straight year.

Proceeds from the annual event, which is sponsored by the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and WVU’s student chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, are donated to Ronald McDonald House Morgantown. Since 2011, the chapter has donated more than $37,000 to the organization.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES:

8:30 a.m.-2 p.m., in front of the Engineering Sciences Building

Tau Beta Pi Recycling

Members of Tau Beta Pi, WVU’s chapter of the national engineering honorary, will be on site to assist with clean up. Recyclable materials used for a pumpkin’s protective casing will be collected and donated to local charitable organizations.

10 a.m.–1 p.m., Engineering Sciences Building, ground floor

STEM Zone

Engineering student organization will provide hands-on activities for attendees, such as designing paper airplanes and exploring virtual reality machines.

~ 2 p.m., Engineering Sciences Building, bridge

Winner Announcement

The top prize of $100 will be awarded to the school that is able to land their intact pumpkin closest to the center of the target. Second place will be awarded $50 and third place will receive $25.

On Site Contact:

Paige Nesbit, Design Coordinator, Statler College

412-725-3406

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