Elizabethtown College Engineering Students Apply Technical Skills to Create Meaningful Gift for Supporters

Elizabethtown College Engineering students and faculty recently created a personalized gift, presented to Linda ’67, H’03, and Patrick Castagna, during this year’s Leffler Lecture, as a token of appreciation for their impact on the College.

Beyond their patronage of the Leffler Lecture, the Castagnas’ ongoing support includes the Leffler Chapel and Performance Center and its preservation, other capital projects, and student scholarships.

The project entailed creating a small, ornament-sized 3D-printed model of Leffler Chapel and Performance Center, using printers that will be located in a new state-of-the-art School of Engineering and Computer Science lab called the Maker Space. The lab, set to be completed in the summer of 2026, will feature various fabrication equipment as well as student workspaces and storage.

Linda is the daughter of the late Carlos R. H’89 and Georgiana E. Leffler P’67, P’70, who serve as namesakes for the Leffler Chapel and Performance Center. Along with her husband, Patrick, she has been a tireless supporter of Etown, establishing and endowing the annual Leffler Lecture. Named in honor of Linda’s parents, the lecture brings renowned speakers to campus to foster meaningful dialogue on societal issues.

“This project presented a fun and challenging opportunity to thank the Leffler-Castagna family for their continued generosity to the College by applying their CAD skills and knowledge of 3D printing,” Elizabethtown College Professor of Engineering Dr. Brenda Read-Daily said.

Three Engineering students, Will Stinson ’29, Jon Marshall ’29, and Blake Goodhardt ’29, designed the replica, working diligently to preserve an impressive level of detail in the model in a short timeframe. Engineering student Holden Rice ’27 served as a valuable consultant on the project, drawing on his 3D-printing experience to offer helpful suggestions.

 “As a first-year student, being trusted with this project was an honor,” Stinson said. “It reminded me of the fact that learning and involvement within the Etown community are not limited by your experience level – it’s about curiosity, perspective, the willingness to grow, and working alongside classmates to develop new ideas and concepts.”

Assistant Teaching Professor of Physics Dr. Judson Wagner and Manager of Engineering Laboratories and Student Fabrication Mark Gatti supervised the project. The two were instrumental in securing the necessary equipment and supplies, which required nearly four days of non-stop printing.

A second 3D-printed model was created and will be displayed in Maker Space upon its completion to inspire similar creativity in future projects.