Students from Lincoln Memorial University’s School of Engineering earned multiple top finishes at the 2026 American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Mid-South Student Symposium while competing against engineering programs from across the region.
LMU’s Steel Bridge team placed second overall in the Steel Bridge Competition and earned several category awards, including first place in stiffness. The team also received second place awards in construction speed, aesthetics, cost estimation, structural efficiency, structural performance, and construction economy.
LMU students also earned third place overall in the Geo-Bucket Competition and participated in the UESI Surveying Competition, which included differential leveling, sewer stakeout, building stakeout, pacing, production of a topographic map, and a professional presentation.
“I had a blast at the ASCE competition this year. [We] got to see concrete canoes, foam beams, and steel bridges of course. It was exciting and would recommend everyone go,” said Parker Meldrum, a member of LMU’s Steel Bridge team.
Meldrum said representing LMU at a large, regional competition highlighted both the challenge and opportunity of competing against larger engineering programs.
“Representing LMU at such a big event is mindboggling. We are a small engineering school compared to our competition. I just think it's amazing how competitive we can be in the face of these other schools,” he said.
Students prepared for the Steel Bridge Competition throughout the academic year, handling design, fabrication, and construction in LMU’s engineering facilities.
“In terms of preparation and team work we have spent the entire academic year designing, constructing, and practicing with our bridge. We had to use software to properly design our bridge. We fabricated our entire bridge in house using LMU's facilities,” Meldrum said.
For Aubree Laney, the competition provided valuable hands-on experience and reinforced the strength of LMU’s engineering program.
“My overall experience was very positive and rewarding. I gained valuable hands-on experience that I hope to apply next year. It was especially meaningful to connect with students from other universities and compare approaches to design, fabrication, and preparation. Being part of a hardworking and supportive team made the experience even more enjoyable, and I am proud of how we performed,” Laney said.
Laney said seeing months of preparation result in strong performance was especially meaningful.
“Watching our efforts translate into a strong performance—especially alongside larger programs—was very fulfilling. Entering as underdogs and still demonstrating consistency and competitiveness reinforced that we belong at this level,” she said.
Students representing LMU at the symposium included Ahmed Aly, Ashley Parrish, Aubree Laney, Christian Campbell, Davin Byrd, Hailey Brock, Hayden Beeler, Holt Hensley, Parker Meldrum, Waylon Ball, and Weston Ball. Faculty and staff in attendance included Ryan Overton, Billy Good, and Jason Ball.
The ASCE Mid-South Student Symposium allows civil engineering students to apply classroom instruction to real-world challenges while developing professional skills through hands-on, team-based competition.
Lincoln Memorial University is a values-based learning community dedicated to providing educational experiences in the liberal arts and professional studies. The university’s main campus is located in Harrogate, Tennessee. For more information about undergraduate and graduate programs, contact the Office of Admissions at 423-869-6280 or email admissions@lmunet.edu.
