Baja team turns to Crowdfunding

  Thursday, January 21, 2016 2:00 AM
  News

Pittsburg, KS

The Pittsburg State SAE Baja team is seeking financial support for the development of a new car for competition.

The university has helped the team launch a Crowdfunding campaign in hopes of raising $14,000 for the design and creation of a new car. It is the first such campaign since Pittsburg State created its “Pitt Power” Crowdfunding program.

“Crowdfunding is an increasingly popular and effective method of raising funds for various projects,” said Jessica Stice, PSU director of annual giving. “We launched ‘Pitt Power’ as a way of giving our faculty, staff and students a way to seek support for their projects. Because it’s online-based fundraising, it’s truly an international endeavor.”

Stice said the SAE Baja team is the first group to use the Crowdfunding program, but she expects many others to take advantage of the Pitt Power initiative.

“We are accepting applications via the Pitt Power website (pittpower.org),” Stice said. “Any group that would like to submit a proposal for a Crowfunding campaign can do so. A committee will examine the proposal and determine if the project is added to the Pitt Power crowdfunding site.”

SAE Baja consists of competitions that simulate real-world engineering design projects and their related challenges. Engineering students are tasked with designing and building an off-road vehicle that will survive the severe punishment of rough terrain. The competition involves designing, planning and manufacturing.

“Pittsburg State University’s Baja team would not be possible without the support of generous donors,” said Trent Lindbloom, associate professor of automotive technology. “This year, we hope to build two vehicles, and one will be completely from scratch. The cost for this new Baja machine is approximately $14,000. By launching a Crowdfunding campaign, our hope is that supporters of PSU and our Baja team can help us reach our goal.”

PSU has been competing in SAE Baja for more than 20 years. The university hosted international Baja competitions in 2011 and 2014, and it will host again in 2017.

“Designing and building competitive cars requires quality components, but more importantly, remarkable talent and passion,” Lindbloom said. “This project allows students to gain knowledge and experience beyond the typical information taught in the classroom.”

For more information or to donate to the Baja team’s Crowdfunding campaign, visit pittpower.org.