Students in the Introduction to Engineering and Design class recently completed a series of projects using AutoCAD, developing their skills in digital drafting and technical design. Rather than working from a fixed assignment, students collaborated with teacher Nebiyu Fanta ’19 to help shape the project description and design parameters together. Choosing between designing a hospital, a library, a school building, or a gym, the students decided that taking on a school gymnasium was the way they wanted to go.

Through this collaborative process, students explored how engineers and designers define problems, establish constraints, and refine ideas before beginning the design process. Using AutoCAD, they then translated those ideas into detailed digital models.

The project gave students a deeper understanding of how thoughtful planning and clear design parameters are essential to successful engineering and design work. 

Below are examples from Alex Grady '27, Adrien Lucas '26 and Brady Kruep '26