Engineering with Purpose: Grace Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering Students Use 3D Printing

By Kalli Kauffman (BA 27) 

Christian colleges with engineering teach you about the importance of using your unique gifts to serve others. At Grace College, our engineering department collaborates with Edgewood Middle School to run Enabling the Future, a program where students use their 3D printing skills to create prosthetic hands for the local community. 

According to Cost Trends, quality prosthetic hands cost up to $40,000. Edgewood and Grace students offer a solution to this problem, directly meeting local needs by creating affordable prosthetics for Kosciusko County. This year, they positively impacted the life of an Edgewood student, designing a prosthetic hand to fit their preferences. 

For Adrienne Taylor, a Grace student part of the project, this means spiritually and academically investing in future engineers. 

“We are able to get to know the students and let them blossom and grow as they use their brainpower to figure things out,” said Taylor. 

Through this experience, Grace students educate Edgewood Middle Schoolers about the engineering process: 3D printing, product design, manufacturing, and sizing. The Edgewood students develop problem-solving skills, communication, teamwork, and compassion as they face difficult challenges.

Meanwhile, Grace students who pursue a bachelors in mechanical engineering grow in academic confidence while making Christ known through mentorship and collaboration with others. 

“It’s a physical demonstration of showing them how they can use the skills God gave them to make the world a better place,” Chair of Engineering, Dr. Fred Wentorf said. 

By taking initiative to educate the community, our mechanical engineering program prepares students for their future careers. Our Grace students directly apply their problem-solving skills to real-life situations, creating and designing products that meet the needs of the local community. Through hard work and perseverance, they practice the engineering process, using their knowledge to find solutions to realistic problems. Discover more about our bachelors in mechanical engineering and learn about how to apply your skills to help others.