Help EMPOWER Expand Our Project Capacity

EMPOWER is a student-led club designed for aspiring engineers, offering hands-on experiences that prepare members for careers in the industry. Our mission is to provide impactful engineering solutions to benefit the community while partnering with medical device companies to help students develop technical expertise, critical thinking and leadership skills. We welcome students from all backgrounds, with or without prior experience, to collaborate on projects that make a difference. Our projects, available annually and quarterly, are fully funded by EMPOWER, and cover the costs of materials such as 3D printing supplies, machining tools, wood, metal, epoxy, electronics and other essentials. 

"EMPOWER has provided me with a space to hone my technical skills, which led to my first internship. It was also the first time I felt accepted in the engineering community, connecting with the board, industry professionals, and general members. I am now starting my own soldering projects and feel much more comfortable stepping out of my comfort zone." – EMPOWER member 

Our Challenge: Unfortunately, limited funding imposes restrictions on our projects, preventing them from reaching their full potential and delivering the highest-quality solutions to the community. Additional funds are crucial to support our projects and provide the necessary materials to maximize impact. Your support will go towards the enrichment of the students’ education and the challengers in our community.   

Current projects: Some of the club’s confirmed current projects include, but are not limited to, the following (with a short description of what materials the money would go to): 

• Assistive Arthritis Device for Christina: A dynamic mechanical forearm support designed to reduce elbow stress during everyday tasks. 
• Prosthetic for Pismo: A custom-designed prosthetic limb for a Cal Poly professor’s dog.
• Prosthetic for Connor: A waterproof prosthetic built from high-quality, non-corrosive materials for a local San Luis Obispo resident. 
• Foldable Bike for Sally: A custom foldable bike crafted with lightweight aluminum alloys for a local resident managing chronic tendinitis. 
• Marching Band Haptic Feedback System: A navigational system using precision GPS receivers, vibration motors and microcontrollers to assist blind marching band members. 
• Weightlifting Prosthetic for Dr. Retsek: Specialized materials to construct a durable weightlifting prosthetic for a Cal Poly professor.
• Wheelchair Rain Cover for John: Weather-resistant materials for a custom wheelchair rain cover for a Cal Poly employee.

Your gift helps us better enrich our community and give students the chance to Learn by Doing. Thank you for your continued support of EMPOWER!