Are you an engineer passionate about giving back to the next generation? Whether you have years of experience or are early in your career and eager to give back, your insight can a lasting impact.
The NFPA Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge connects aspiring engineers with industry mentors who can offer guidance, share real-world experience, and help students navigate their career paths. As a mentor, you’ll provide invaluable support through virtual or in-person meetings, project reviews, plus, it can serve as a strong recruiting tool as you get to work with a team of university students from September to April.
The Vehicle Challenge is a university design/build competition that strives to promote original thinking in a competitive setting by combining two technology platforms that are not normally associated with one another—human-powered vehicles and fluid power.
We ask that student teams meet with their assigned mentor a minimum of four times during the academic year:
- After the Kick-off Call to assist teams in identifying project objectives and setting a plan before ordering components (Oct/Nov)
- Before the Midway Review to review schematics and component orders (Nov)
- After the Midway Review when you’re building and adjusting (Jan/Feb)
- Before submitting the Proof Working Vehicle (Feb/Mar)
Here is the list of universities that participated in 2025 and we are expecting have even more in 2026.
- Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo
- Cleveland State University
- Colorado School of Mines
- FAMU-FSU School of Engineering
- Iowa State University
- Kennesaw State University
- Michigan Technological University
- Milwaukee School of Engineering
- Minnesota State University, Mankato
- Murray State University
- North Carolina A&T
- Northern Illinois University
- Purdue University
- Purdue University Northwest
- South Dakota State University
- SUNY Polytechnic Institute
- Tennessee State University
- Texas A&M University
- University of Akron
- University of Alabama at Birmingham
- University of California at Irvine
- University of Cincinnati
- University of Louisiana at Lafayette
- University of Utah
- Western Michigan University
Join us in building a stronger future for fluid power engineering. Contact Stephanie at sscaccianoce@nfpa.com to get involved or learn more on our website.