WESTVILLE – A team of Purdue University North Central students recently earned first place in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Student Design Competition, earning a spot in the upcoming international competition.

The team, PNC Elite, was first among 26 teams representing colleges and universities from 13 Midwest states.

Team members are Pat Jarosak, Chesterton; Elizabeth Bennett, Hebron; James Morton, Chesterton; and Ben Kienzynski, Chesterton.

The competition presented students with a real-world challenge similar to what some engineers encounter on the job. They were asked to design and build four self-propelled transportation devises, each fueled by alternate energy sources.