A group of five Elizabethtown College Engineering students recently traveled to High Steel Structures, a Lancaster-based steel fabrication company, to participate in its annual Steel Day on Oct. 24. The event provided Blue Jays with a day of immersive, hands-on learning and 
networking opportunities with industry professionals.
“Hands-on learning opportunities such as the Steel Day at High Steel embody Elizabethtown College’s commitment to experiential education,” Associate Professor of Engineering Jean Batista Abreu said. “These experiences help bridge the gap between theory and practice while fostering curiosity, collaboration, and professional growth across engineering disciplines.”
The event, divided into a morning and afternoon session, consisted of informative, firsthand experiences that provided students with valuable insights into the steel fabrication industry. Members of the Etown Student Engineering Club helped to coordinate Etown’s participation in the event.
The morning consisted of a technical session featuring Vice President of High Steel’s Technical Services, Ronnie Medlock. In his presentation, “Achieving Excellence in Structural Steel,” Medlock shared his expertise and offered helpful advice to students.
In the afternoon, students enjoyed a BBQ picnic, providing them with the opportunity to network with peers and industry professionals, followed by an in-depth tour of High Steel’s Lancaster fabrication facility. After the tour, students took part in a welding training session using virtual reality software, granting them a unique opportunity to hone their welding skills in an interactive way.
“As an aspiring civil engineer, I found it fascinating to see concepts that I’m learning in the classroom being applied to real-world applications,” Engineering major Brennan Ruppert ’28 said. “We had a great opportunity to speak with industry professionals and gain insight into their roles within the industry.”
Each fall, High Steel Structures holds its annual Steel Day event as part of the American Institute of Steel Construction’s STEELDAYS week.
About the Elizabethtown College Engineering Program
Etown’s nationally ranked Engineering program is designed to prepare students for a technical career in the workforce or for graduate school. Students are challenged to become innovators of the future, receiving personal attention from professor-mentors and gaining hands-on experience in design and fabrication laboratories. Discover more.
