Engineering Projects In Community Service

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EPICS is a University of Notre Dame academic year course that partners teams of students with local community service organizations. Projects involve strong technical content, significant design, and interdisciplinary effort and a strong communication component. The ideal EPICS team consists of undergraduates from several different programs in Architecture, Arts and Letters, Business, Engineering, and Science.
First year and sophomore students enroll in EG 200 for one credit to become acquainted with different teams and clients.
Juniors enroll in EG 300 for one or two credits and begin taking a more active roll.
Seniors enroll in EG 400 with major project responsibility and leadership.

Participation in weekend “Construction Bees,’ as described below,
is another way to become involved and acquainted with the projects and client, YMCA Camp Eberhart.

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The spring 2000 team consisted of Aaron Poot, Sean Flynn, Keith Stuerenberg, Chris Ward, Joe Stark, Julie Sherwin and Anna-Maria Fillippi. Julie and Anna-Maria continued the erosion control study and added erosion control at the lakefront. Joe completed a feasibility study to establish an outlining camp site made of several small buildings constructed as Potawatomie Wigwams, Iroquois Longhouses, and Military and Trader Outpost cabins. The other four students completed design and construction of a wooden walk bridge, including construction on several days of senior week.

The fall 2000 team of Julie Sherwin and Anna-Maria Fillippi completed a preliminary design of the outdoor seating area where campers gather several times each day. Mathew Wohlberg and Virginia Brisley completed design of an outdoor classroom during fall 2001. This classroom was designed as an addition to the wooden walk bridge constructed in spring 2000.

Kathy Cogan and John Hiltz work on several projects for a few credits at a time from summer 2001 through spring 2002. These included studies of alternative outdoor seating types, Keystone block supports and plastic lumber seats, plastic lumber seats and wooden posts, and all wooden benches. They explored alternative uses of an old tennis court, including use as a basketball court, a sand volleyball court, and a winter ice rink.

In spring 2002 Matthew Orenchuk considered alternative designs for expansion of the outdoor chapel. Brandon Griffith completed a feasibility study on providing electrical power to the island observatory. Three alternatives were ruled unsatisfactory. Extremely high costs were associated with under water lines connected to the camp electrical supply; noise and pollution concerns made gasoline powered generators undesirable; and a windmill located on the island would have limited capacity, require removing several trees, and need a substantial battery system. A solar power system was found most appropriate. Brandon Griffith, his father, Chuck, and the camp staff modified the Mathew Wohlberg and Virginia Brisley outdoor classroom design and ordered all of the materials. Brandon then organized a “Construction Bee” for the weekend of April 5-7, 2002. This construction team included volunteer members of the undergraduate American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and several mechanical engineers, totaling nine undergraduates who were not a regular part of the YMCA Camp Eberhart EPICS team. The team arrived at Camp Eberhart at 5:00 PM Friday, toured the camp, and was served dinner in the main lodge. The evening was spent enjoying the rural lakefront camp, including Disc Golf. Saturday morning started with a 7:30 AM planning meeting at the construction site and an 8:30 AM breakfast. The morning construction was interrupted with a noon lunch. After lunch the team was divided in half. One group returned to the construction project and the other experienced the High Ropes Course with training and close supervision. Hugh Roberts was voted “Most Interesting High Ropes Participant.” In mid-afternoon the two groups switched. The site was cleaned up by 6:00 PM and dinner served at 6:30 PM. The “Construction Bee” was so successful that the planned Sunday continuation was not need. The team left camp after dinner, but some stayed to enjoy the Disc Golf course.

Four electrical engineering students completed projects in fall 2002, Tom Marlow, Kevin McGirr, Tom Silio, and Kyle Trotter. They prepared a preliminary design of a nature center building, a recommendation for an audio system for use at the outdoor chapel, a design for lighting various paths using solar powered Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), and a beachfront emergency warning system design.

Nine undergraduates, from either civil, electrical, or mechanical engineering, completed projects in spring 2003. Tom Marlow completed the design, construction, and installation of a solar powered LED lighting system for the path leading uphill to the island observatory. Matthew Mulka served as project manager and helped Tom Marlow during construction and installation. Brent Morlok and Patrick McAllister finalized the design of the outdoor chapel seating expansion, which was built in a weekend “Construction Bee,” as described below. Joe Burgdorf, John Caver, David Gloss, and Russell Montgomery designed a nature center building and prepared a report that could be used by the camp staff to seek contributions for construction.

Like the spring 2002 “Constriction Bee,” Matthew Mulka, Brent Morlok, and Patrick McAllister solicited and organized the construction of the chapel seats on the April 25-26, 2003 weekend. The large group of volunteers included other EPICS members, ASCE members, and several friends who wanted to help. The High Ropes Course, Disc Golf, and camp life, added to the experience.

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EPICS Project Opportunities for All Program Undergraduates at YMCA Camp Eberhart
There exist many opportunities to develop educational programs, research projects, assistance with infrastructure improvement, preparation of preliminary proposals that can be used by the camp staff to solicit contributions for improvement and expansion of program offerings, and design and hands on construction of buildings and other camp facilities. Essentially every Notre Dame undergraduate student can find a role that will both assist the camp staff and provide a real-world, hands-on, multidisciplinary experience. Three current projects of special interest to the camp staff are described below. However, the staff encourages students to visit the camp, possibly as weekend “Construction Bee” members, and suggest projects based on interests and expertise unique to their own learning experiences. Multidisciplinary teams of students that remain active for several consecutive semesters are most appropriate.

Bench Design and Construction. Near the main lodge a set of old wooden benches is used to count campers several times a day and in case of emergency. This project will attempt to design an amphitheater-like arrangement of benches on the hillside and complete their construction either this fall or in the spring.This EPICS team will need to solicit other undergraduates to participate in a “Construction Bee” weekend, which could include High Ropes Course, Disc Golf, and use of other camp facilities. We welcome undergraduates from Architecture, Arts and Letters, Business, Engineering, and Science, who can envision a role for them.

Solar Power LED Lighting. There exist many drives and walkways that would benefit from installation of solar powered LED lighting system like that installed for the path leading uphill to the island observatory. This project may have most appeal to electrical, mechanical, and other engineers interested in learning more about solar powered and LED lighting systems.

Camp Eberhart Main Entrance. Like the island, the main entrance is remote from the camp’s electrical supply. A new more welcoming entrance is desired. This will require design of an esthetically pleasing, welcoming, and informative entrance structure. A solar powered LED lighting system is also desired. We welcome electrical, mechanical, and other engineers interested in learning more about solar powered and LED lighting systems. In addition, we need students that can contribute to an understanding of what is esthetically pleasing, welcoming, and informative.
Information While Considering Enrollment in YMCA Camp Eberhart EPICS

 

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