Herff welcomes thousands of students at inaurgural Fall eDay
October 23, 2026
Nearly 2,000 students in grades 3-8 from 37 schools attended the Herff College of Engineering's inaugural fall eDay on Friday, October 23.
It marked the first time Herff hosted two Engineering Day events in the same calendar year, after hosting its annual eDay in February. With fall eDay focusing on students in grades 3-8 and spring eDay in February tailored to high school students, each event offers students a customized engineering education based on their academic skill sets.
“When we’re talking to both third graders and twelfth graders, we can’t necessarily have the same conversations about engineering research,” said Dr. Logan Sirbaugh, eDay organizer. “You know, if we get into Dr. Herickoff’s lab and discuss the applications of microbubbles to ultrasound research, that’s not going to be a concept that necessarily resonates with third or fourth graders… With the younger age groups, a lot of it is really developing STEM identity, getting them involved in STEM-related activities. It’s all about having fun.”
That fun came in the form of eight competitions and dozens of walk-up activities and demonstrations. Among those competitions were eDay classics such as the egg drop, flash build and penny boat, as well as new competitions specifically designed for students in grades 3-8 like the spaghetti structure, electrostatic levitation and artificial grasping hands.
In the Edwards Research Innovation Center courtyard, students learned the dangers of drunk driving in the pedal kart drunk-vision challenge, a pedal-kart driving test around cones, and the wonders of solar power at MLGW's "A-Blazing Race."
Sirbaugh said he was blown away by the turnout and interest in the inaurgural fall eDay.
"I couldn't believe how quickly slots for this event filled up," Sirbaugh said. "We would have loved to have hosted more students, but we had to cap our registrations at 3,000 due to safety codes. When I was in school, I never had an experience like this. So, I'm glad we got to provide this opportunity for so many students. We're very grateful for the schools, teachers and parents who helped make this possible."
The Herff College of Engineering also extends its gratitude to its eDay sponsors, Gephart Electric, Chief Engineering, Experitec, Turner Construction and Linkous Construction Company, Inc. These companies played a crucial role in introducing thousands of Mid-South students to the world of engineering.
Those industry partners also sponsor Herff's eDay for students in grades 9-12, happening in February 2027.