Capstone Project Collaboration

Overview

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire seeks proposals from academic, commercial, nonprofit, and government organizations interested in sponsoring student senior projects. Senior projects are a culminating design experience that allows students to gain real-world experience in engineering analysis and design. In addition to identifying a design challenge problem, external partners can be vital to the success of these projects by providing in-kind (e.g., data, technical guidance, supplies, parts) and financial (e.g., money for supplies, parts, machining, travel to conferences/competitions) support. Student teams can range in size from one to five and all teams are advised by a faculty member who has expertise in the field. Summaries of senior projects from previous academic years can be found here.

All engineering and computer science students at UWEC must participate in a culminating design experience. The culminating design experience for engineering students is one academic year, for CS it is one semester. Typically, student teams have about four members, although some teams may be larger or smaller depending on project and student needs. Senior projects allow students the opportunity to put the skills they have learned into practice. All teams are mentored by a faculty member. Students are required to create a budget, submit a progress report and provide an oral presentation at the end of the fall semester, and submit a final report and provide a final presentation at the end of the spring semester during our senior capstone projects day.

Sponsorship by External Partners

Partners are provided the opportunity to work with a team of bright, interested, and motivated students. The partners will benefit from having a team of students operationalize or provide a proof of concept for a design idea. These experiences for students will help to ensure a vibrant and creative technical workforce. The external partners will meet regularly with the student teams and will be invited to all presentations and will be provided with the progress and final report.

The external partner sponsoring the project is expected to:

• Provide support to the student teams in the form of in-kind contributions (e.g. data, meeting time, supplies) and financial support (e.g. funding to travel to competitions and conferences, purchase of supplies).
• Identify a primary point of contact from your organization to interact with the students and faculty mentor. This primary point of contact will:
  • Provide timely responses to student teams given the rapid timelines of senior projects.
  • Attend the progress report and final report presentations.
  • Provide feedback on progress and final reports.
  • Meet with the team, virtually or in person, at least monthly to discuss progress.

The sponsored team is expected to meet and interface regularly with the external partner primary point of contact. This includes:

• An initial meeting to adequately understand the desired deliverables and project needs.
• Meet, virtually or in person, at least monthly to discuss progress.
• Provide a professionally written progress and final report.
• Provide timely responses to point of contact given the rapid timelines of senior projects.

Senior project teams are formed in the spring of a student’s junior year, thus, this is an 18-month cycle. We are currently soliciting projects for the 2027-28 Academic Year.

Typical Schedule

• Proposals due from external partners: March 15
• Matching of external partners to students: April/May
• Meet at least monthly (virtually or in person): September - December
• Draft written progress reports due from students: Mid November
• Comments on written progress reports due from sponsor: November 30
• Progress report presentations from students: 1st week in December
• Final written progress reports due from students: varies by program
• Meet at least monthly (virtually or in person): February – May
• Draft written final reports due from students: Last Monday in April
• Comments on written final reports due from external partners: First Monday in May
• Senior projects day with final presentations from students: CERCA/Senior Capstone
• Final written reports due from students: Second Friday in May