Carthage Engineering Department connects classroom learning to industry practice
The fall 2025 semester for the Carthage Engineering Department was defined by one clear theme: active industry connections.
Rather than keeping industry partners at arm’s length, the department integrates them directly into the community and our curriculum, ensuring that students from every cohort, freshman to senior, grow their networks and gain hands-on experience with the challenges real engineers face.
Classroom Collaborations: Real-World Projects
Our polytech-inspired curriculum blends Carthage’s liberal arts ethos with industry projects, allowing students to learn engineering while practicing engineering.
First-Year Experience with InSinkErator
Under the guidance of Professor Jessica Lavorata and Professor Murat Dinc, first-year students in the Introduction to Engineering course disassembled garbage disposal units to examine the internal mechanisms, including rival motor architectures, fixed magnet versus single-phase induction. This hands-on teardown served as a launchpad for innovation. Throughout the course, Tim Kocha and other InSinkErator representatives provided critical industry feedback, guiding students as they identified opportunities for redesign and presented prototyped design ideas at the semester’s conclusion.
Sophomore Design with EES
Prof. Lavorata and Prof. Dinc also led the sophomore-level Engineering Practice I cohort in a partnership with Expert Engineering Solutions (EES). Collaborating with EES representative Shawn Bozarth, students tackled a real-world quality assurance challenge. Focusing on linear actuators, the class is working to develop methods to test and validate the hardware, ensuring the devices could meet industry benchmarks and evolving customer needs. Students will continue this project through the spring and will present their validated final design solutions in May.
Senior Capstone with Nosco
For the Senior Capstone, Professor Ross Crowley guided students through an inventory management project with Nosco, a leader in healthcare packaging. With mentorship from Nosco’s Chris Verzal and Elisabeth Desiron, seniors developed strategies for integrating RFID solutions into pharmaceutical packaging. These designs allow for precise product tracking from manufacture through distribution, blending engineering design with logistics and supply chain management.
Going on Site: Tours, Guest Lectures, and Lunch and Learns
R+D Custom Automation Lunch and Learn
The semester featured a technical session with R+D Custom Automation, led by Andrzej Mrowca. Specializing in the life sciences sector, the R+D team gave students a behind-the-scenes look at the world of automating pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Internship Panel Lunch and Learn
hosted a panel featuring five student leaders on their executive board. These members shared insights and lessons learned from their own summer internships, discussing what it takes to succeed at top-tier organizations like Boston Scientific, Andis, Bechtel, AbbVie, and NASA.
Komatsu Tour
Students in Professor Kathryn Hasz’s courses got a firsthand look at large-scale manufacturing during a site tour of Komatsu. Hosted by Rachel Dressler, the tour bridged the gap between material science theory and heavy industry practice, providing students a glimpse into design and manufacturing at the massive scale
Engineering Lab Guest Lectures
Back on campus, Prof. Hasz’s Engineering Materials course welcomed industry visitors to discuss the future of materials engineering. Ryan Erickson presented on polymer selection during engineering design, challenging students to think about material properties, application, and cost. Additionally, Jordan Komp visited the class to share his expertise on timber frame construction and the future of timber frame construction in SE Wisconsin.
Recruiting Talent: STEM Tabling Events
To directly connect students with internship and co-op opportunities, the Engineering Department, in partnership with The Aspire Program, hosted two STEM tabling events. These informal recruiting sessions brought representatives from regional companies Andis, O&H Danish Bakery, and Strattec Security Corporation to campus, allowing students to drop in, ask questions, and hand over resumes for open engineering roles.
Our STEM Internship Fair is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 12. Stay tuned for details.
3rd Annual Engineering Networking Brunch: Building our Students’ Networks
Students engaged with professionals from a wide range of disciplines, including civil, chemical, electrical, environmental, manufacturing, and mechanical engineering. The guest list also highlighted the diverse career paths within engineering firms, featuring professionals with backgrounds in industrial design, technical communication, and theatre who are now thriving in technical industries.
A special thank you to the diverse roster of partners who joined us: Applied Engineering + Technology, Centrisys CNP, EES (Expert Engineering Solutions), Hunzinger Construction, InSinkErator, KiviBio, Koltz Environmental Consulting, Komatsu, Eli Lilly, Modine Manufacturing, MTI Motion, Nosco, Racine Railroad Products, Snap-On, Strattec Security Corporation, and STMicroelectronics.
By integrating our industry partners into daily coursework and special events, the Carthage Engineering Department reinforces the strength of its non-disciplinary approach. Rather than siloing students into a single specialty, our industry engagements allow students to see the interconnectedness of real engineering work. Our broad foundation ensures that our graduates will be versatile, adaptable, and project-ready from day one.
Sponsoring Department, Office, or Organization:
Engineering Department