UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Bernard M. Gordon Learning Factory is now accepting submissions to sponsor a capstone design project for spring 2024.   

Ideal projects have a strong design component that involves technical analysis, financial justification and prototyping. The required project work must be sufficient such that it may be handled by a team of four to six students within one 15-week semester. Sponsors provide a liaison to serve as a point of contact and engage project teams. To support project expenses, sponsors make a donation of $4,000 to the College of Engineering. 

Projects submitted before Nov. 17 will receive an early submission discount of $250. The final deadline for all submissions is Friday, Dec. 8. Past sponsors have reported several benefits to sponsoring capstone projects, including it being a “low-risk, low-cost investment with high potential return on investment,” as well as an opportunity to network and recruit talent. 

A showcase held every semester marks the official end of a project. Students display their work and are judged by a panel of industry experts who award prizes for the “Best Project” and “BP People’s Choice.” The fall 2023 showcase will be held from 1 to 3:30 p.m. on Dec. 5 at the Bryce Jordan Center on Penn State’s University Park campus.  

For more information, visit the Learning Factory website. Contact Jesse Torba at 814-863-1229 or jjt5008@psu.edu with questions or to discuss a project.