Learning in Motion: Fairfield Engineers Go Off-Road at OktoBAJAfest

On Friday, Oct. 3, members of the School of Engineering and Computing’s Offroad Racing Club—a fully student-led organization—took their skills from the classroom to the track for a weekend competition at OktoBAJAfest.

Hosted by Clarkson University at Seven Springs Mountain in Colton, N.Y., the Society of Automotive Engineers’ annual four-day event featured teams racing student-designed Baja buggies: single-seat, all-terrain vehicles built for performance and endurance.

OktoBAJAfest served as both a competition and a learning experience, giving students the opportunity to apply their engineering knowledge in a real-world setting. Whether a first-year student attending their first race or a senior finishing their final season, every team member played a crucial role in building, repairing, and racing the vehicle.

“The team is divided into subsystems, each responsible for a specific component, but all work closely to ensure the vehicle comes together seamlessly,” said Sriharsha Sundarram, PhD, professor of mechanical engineering and faculty advisor to the Offroad Racing Club. “It’s an experience that builds both technical and teamwork skills essential to their future careers.”

This year, Fairfield’s team competed in a design review, business presentation, suspension and traction trials, acceleration and sled pull tests, a hill climb, and a demanding four-hour endurance race. The Fairfield vehicle conquered the hill climb in 29.38 seconds and completed more than three hours and 32 laps in endurance, earning an 11th-place overall finish out of 30 student-built vehicles.

Following the competition, team members reflected on the experience and the leadership opportunities it provided. Isabella Fuierer ’26, a mechanical engineering major and the team’s vice president and business subsystem lead, said she focused on mentoring newer members. “My goal was to make the competition memorable for our new teammates,” she said. “It was rewarding to help them understand what we were fixing, what tools we needed, and how we could improve. These are skills I’ll carry with me into my career.”

For students like Fuierer, working on the Baja buggy and participating in OktoBAJAfest embody the spirit of Fairfield’s engineering programs, learning by doing. While classes provide the technical foundation, extracurricular experiences in the Offroad Racing Club allow students to apply their knowledge through welding, fabrication, and teamwork in real-world settings.

Fuierer recalled her favorite moment during the hill climb event. “I wasn’t sure we’d make it up,” she said, “but when we crossed the finish line and I saw the team cheering, it was an incredible feeling. That’s what makes it all worth it.”

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