Editor’s Note: This is a guest blog post by Kettering student Charles ‘Chaz’ Mancino. Chaz is from Fredonia, New York, and is majoring in Mechanical Engineering. If you’d like to write a guest blog post, email phayes(at)kettering(dot)edu. 

By Chaz Mancino

This school term is the hardest one that I have had in my career at Kettering University. With my school term consisting of 20 credits including three Mechanical Engineering classes, a Chemistry class and an advanced humanities class, my free time is limited. What little free time I have is eaten up by building GMI2015. Although building a Formula SAE car takes up nearly all of my free time, I am very passionate about my education both in and out of the classroom.

Due to Kettering University’s fast paced and busy schedule, Mechanical Engineering students are required to take three school terms with 20 credits. Although it is demanding, I know that it will be worth it in the end because I am chasing my childhood dream of becoming a mechanical engineer.

Outside of the classroom, the rest of the Kettering University Formula SAE team and I are hard at work building GMI2015. As the chassis team leader, it is overwhelming to see something that I started to design back in July become a reality. After months of designing and running finite element analysis (FEA) tests on it, the frame of GMI2015 is bound to become one of the lightest and stiffest frames in the Kettering University Formula SAE team’s history.

Taking 20 credits may not be the easiest thing, but it is a huge treat to see GMI2015 unfold right before my eyes. The past two years have been the Kettering University Formula SAE team’s best years, and this year is looking even better. However, only time will tell if GMI2015 is more successful than its predecessors.