Gourd times roll at 36th annual WVU Pumpkin Drop

More than 300 teams from West Virginia and Pennsylvania competed at the West Virginia University Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources during the 36th annual Pumpkin Drop on Halloween (Oct. 31). (WVU Photo/Megan Rinker

Pumpkins were in peril on Halloween (Oct. 31) at West Virginia University during the 36th annual WVU Pumpkin Drop.

Story by Paige Nesbit, director of marketing and communications
Photos by Megan Rinker, graphic arts designer

Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

Sponsored by the Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering and the WVU chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, this year’s competition included 305 registered teams from 53 schools across West Virginia and Pennsylvania.

Out of 278 pumpkins dropped from the roof of the Engineering Sciences Building at the Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources on the Evansdale area of campus, just 47 survived the 11-story descent.

Teams were tasked with creating an enclosure for a pumpkin with a diameter of at least 10 inches and a maximum weight of 50 pounds to protect it during the freefall.

Team 237 from Monongalia Area Homeschoolers earned first place by getting their intact pumpkin six inches from the target. Second place went to Team 80 from Connellsville Area Middle School with a target distance of 10 inches. Team 107 from Yough Intermediate Middle School placed third after landing their pumpkin one foot, 10 inches from the target.

Since its inception in 1988, the day has grown from an event for only Statler College students to more than 1,300 in attendance from local and regional K-12 schools today.

While attendees enjoy the flying pumpkins, food and festivities, it is the learning that comes from the team-building and problem-solving process that holds a lasting impression.

“Engineering is so much more than using math or science to design and build stuff. It’s about using your creativity to solve problems and make a positive impact on the world,” said Ian Long, mechanical engineering major, ASME officer and event coordinator.

“Good engineers are willing to test new ideas, make mistakes, improve and try again. It’s just like in the Pumpkin Drop, where if your pumpkin goes splat, that’s OK. Every smashed pumpkin is an opportunity to learn and come back with an even better design next year.”

That was the experience of Colton Hall, participant on Team 87 from John Marshall High School.

“We didn’t have much and had to share a lot of stuff going into the construction, so we used items like dodgeballs, cardboard, pillows, stuffing — things like that,” Hall said.

Though their team didn’t place, he was more than determined to return next year. “We are having fun and I’ll be back,” Hall promised.

The purpose of this event is to build lasting connections with K-12 students, encouraging them to return annually and continue on their educational path at WVU.

“Events like this are going to inspire kids to become our future engineers, scientists and innovators,” Long said. “Sometimes one small project — like trying to protect a pumpkin from an 11-story drop — can spark a lifelong passion for STEM and learning, which is pretty amazing.”

All proceeds from registration will benefit Ronald McDonald House Morgantown.

Watch this year’s Pumpkin Drop on YouTube.

Each year the event coordinators explore opportunities to collaborate with units throughout WVU. This year, Emily Jack, a theatre design and technology student from the WVU College of Creative Arts and Media, designed and constructed the target. Fundraising t-shirts were created by art and design major Paige Burger and graphic design major Lizzy Sikora. If your college or student organization are interested in taking part at one of the largest outreach events at WVU contact Scott.Wayne@mail.wvu.edu.

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