By Nic Terrell

At the start of every school year, there is a club fair. With so many options, it can be hard for students to find the right club that aligns with their interests. Students with a knack for science and engineering, however, may find interest in the rocketry team. Located at the Engineering Garage, the rocketry team works to build rockets to compete in different events and challenges. 

With a group ranging from 50 to 60 people, the team is always looking for new members to join. Nico McCann, the Propulsion Team Lead, says the application is not just for engineering students. 

“If you are a person that likes to code, we could give you a project to see how versed you are and see if you could help the team. Just because you are on the team, does not mean you are building it,” McCann said.

The Rocketry Team also gives hands-on experience, which brings the benefit of diverse knowledge to the students’ projects. This was the case for McCann, who is an engineering student on top of his rocketry responsibilities.

“I probably learned more from the rocketry team than what you would learn in class,” he said.

While there are many academic benefits, there is more than just knowledge to gain. The Speed School requires three internships, so for McCann, having the rocketry team on his resume opens up more options for internships. When it comes to these internships, the rocketry team provides great photo examples of projects.

“This is a built-in benefit because you know how the rocket was constructed, you can easily explain it to recruiters,” McCann said. “They typically have a list of pre-set questions, but by showing them the pictures, it allows them to ask you questions that are tailored to your strengths.” 

The University of Louisville Rocketry Team.

As a newer school in the rocketry community, the University of Louisville is eager to prove that they are here to stay and outfly them all. With the “Dollar per Foot” competition on the horizon, students can find the team members in the Engineering Garage working on their newest project.

To learn more about how to get involved, visit the River City Rocketry profile on Engage.