Engineering students in the ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers) Student Chapter at Missouri State University, found success at the 2026 ASCE Region-7 Mid-America Symposium competition.

Co-hosted by Southern Illinois University Carbondale and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, the event took place April 9-11.

Held annually, the symposium gives civil engineering students an opportunity to apply classroom knowledge through hands-on competitions focused on technical ability, teamwork, communication and problem-solving.

The Missouri State teams competed alongside 17 universities in region 7. Despite setbacks before the competition, students earned three top awards.

Dr. Sanjay Tewari, associate teaching professor and faculty advisor for the chapter, attended the competition. He said students adapted well to unexpected changes. The chapter scaled back its participation in the Steel Bride competition, while organizers canceled the Timber Strong event students had spent months preparing for.

Up for the challenge

The students competed across four events:

3D Printing Competition

In this competition, students designed and constructed a 3D-printed bridge while meeting specific structural requirements and limitations. The Missouri State team earned two awards for this event: Mid-America Champion and Highest Structural Efficiency.

Team members included:

• Dakota Duncan (captain), civil engineering senior
• Mekayla Alswager, civil engineering senior
• Turbold Dagvasuren, civil engineering freshman
• Sarah Le, civil engineering senior
• Ben Ventura, civil engineering senior

According to Tewari, the team overcame multiple 3D printer failures shortly before the competition.

“The students were resourceful and found alternative means to get everything done,” he said. “I give full credit to Duncan and Ventura for getting things done in the final few hours leading up to the competition.”

Duncan credited the team’s success to its focused and collaborative approach throughout the design process.

“One of the greatest things about 3D bridge is it’s a concentrated competition with a small, dedicated team,” he said. “Our team met weekly to solve engineering challenges, share knowledge and refine design.”

Duncan also highlighted the group’s resilience after a critical printer failure the day before the competition. He noted he and his teammates succeeded by “always evaluating all our options and remembering that it’s not over until it’s over.”

Student Paper Competition

For her paper on the ethical responsibility engineers have when designing infrastructure, mechanical engineering junior KaRee Musser was named the Mid-America Technical Paper champion.

Her research explored how engineers’ decisions can influence public health, economic opportunity and quality of life within communities.

“When researching something like ethical responsibility, the writing extends beyond a literature review,” Musser said. “It becomes political and personal.”

Sustainable Solutions Competition

Students developed engineering solutions focused on sustainability and community impact. This competition challenged teams to propose practical ideas that balance environmental responsibility, cost and real-world feasibility.

Team members included:

• Rebecca Grant (captain), civil engineering senior
• Skylar Ball, civil engineering senior

Surveying Competition

This event combined fieldwork, measurement and teamwork through applied surveying challenges. Students used technical skills in geometry and trigonometry to complete tasks requiring accuracy and coordination under time limits.

Team members included:

• Sydney Bond (captain), civil engineering senior
• Barr Bialik, civil engineering senior
• Duncan
• Grant
• Joseph Horinek, civil engineering senior
• Skyler Rosvall, civil engineering senior

More than theory

According to Tewari, students balanced coursework, jobs and family responsibilities while preparing for the symposium.

“These competitions help students grow well beyond technical skills,” he said. “They gain great insight in planning, resourcefulness, problem solving, team building, outreach, crisis management and communication skills.”

Learn more about civil engineering