Six engineers flaunted their fashion, talents and trivia knowledge Thursday night for the coveted title of Mr. Engineer. The competition, hosted by the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and sponsored by the Rathskeller, took place in the Shalala Student Center.
The free, annual event allows contestants to showcase their personalities while raising awareness of SWE to gain new members.
“Mr. Engineer allows us to promote our club for fundraising and attract new members,” said Danielle Coogan, the social events coordinator. “It is also a way to take a break from the hard work engineering students do and to have fun.”
The night began with each competitor strutting across the stage in formal wear followed by a talent portion. Performances included senior Gio Calixte singing “Stars” from “Les Miserables,” sophomore Matt Ludwig escaping from tightly knotted ropes, and senior Eli Davis singing “Lava” from the Pixar short while playing the ukulele.
During the fashion portion of the event, contestants sauntered across the stage in “geek chic” outfits that featured suspenders, mismatched socks, pocket protectors with three pens inside and old Nike sneakers. Contestants also answered trivia questions, including who the president of SWE is, what kind of tea Picard drinks in “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and Newton’s second law of motion.
At the conclusion of the event, judges tallied up points based on formal wear, talent performance, geek chic looks and the number of trivia questions that were answered correctly. While the judges made their decisions, audience members also voted for their favorite contestants.
Eric Milton, a junior majoring in software engineering, recieved a $25 gift card to the Rat for winning “Fan Favorite.”
“It’s a really remarkable experience for me, I feel great,” Milton said. “A lot of fans came out and supported me.”
Sophomore Mitchell Hamann, a mechanical engineering major who played the saxophone to close out the talent portion of the pageant, won first place and was named the 2016 Mr. Engineer. He received a silver crown to match his sash and trophy. He also won a $50 gift card to the Rat.
“He played the saxophone with someone on keyboard as backup, and it was really impressive because the fact that he had accompanying music really stood out. It was so professional,” Coogan said.
“It feels amazing,” Hamann said of his win.