Tractors, a solar car and ice cream were the main attractions for Engineering 101 students Tuesday night at the Engineering Club Fest held in Marston Hall.

This new event, designed to introduce freshman to engineering clubs and organizations, was coordinated by Dana Haugli, academic adviser in the engineering department, and Ben Golding, Engineering Student Council president.

About 400 Engineering 101 students were expected to attend.

Upperclassmen who attended were excited to attract new students to their clubs and societies.

Dave Johnson, member of the solar car’s business team, said students can get an experience as educational as an internship just by joining engineering activities.

“The College of Engineering recognizes the need for students to have hands-on learning activities supplementing their course work,” said Johnson, senior in industrial engineering.

He said Team PrISUm offers students from all disciplines inside and out of engineering a chance to work on the solar car.

The Society of Women Engineers also participated in the club fest.

“We do a lot with educating young people about engineering. We do a lot of service projects,” said Traci Korte, member of the Society of Women Engineers and sophomore in biomedical engineering.

For many of the freshman students, this was the first chance to interact with engineering organizations at the university. Becoming involved was encouraged by student leaders and administrators at the event.

“Involvement is something that is expected in industry,” Haugli said. “We have found that students who get involved early on stay with the program.”

Golding, senior in construction engineering, said involvement is the essential ingredient for success.

“It’s important for them to be involved — period,” he said.