Building Hope Over Spring Break: Two Stories of MSU Civil and Environmental Engineering Students in Action
April 17, 2026
During spring break, two Mississippi State University students from the Richard A. Rula School of Civil and Environmental Engineering dedicated their time to meaningful volunteer work, applying their skills to community needs. Through hands-on service and collaboration, they are strengthening their commitment to engineering with purpose in Africa and Guatemala.
John Bomar, a senior civil engineering major, traveled to Lesotho, South Africa, with 40 members of MSU Kappa Sigma and the Reclaimed Project, a Mississippi-based nonprofit dedicated to serving vulnerable children through outreach and community support. The organization’s mission over the past three years has been to build an English school in Katse Village, giving local children access to a high school education. During this trip, the team of 40 Mississippi State University students helped begin construction of the school’s sports facilities by completing the fence around the complex, laying the foundation for a turf soccer field, and pouring concrete for a tennis court.
“It was a meaningful experience that showed how service and teamwork can make a lasting impact on a community,” Bomar said.
MSU Engineers without Borders members Annemarie Coatney, a senior biomedical engineering major; Sara Evans, a junior civil engineering major; Isabella Wheetley, a junior civil engineering major; and Sarah Arnold, a senior biomedical engineering major, recently completed an assessment trip to Caserio Pamac, Guatemala, alongside the Gulf Coast Professional Chapter of Engineers without Borders. The team is working to replace the community’s medical facility with a more modern one designed to serve over 130 local families. During this trip, partnerships were established with the community health commission, the Municipality of San Cristobal, and the NGO
CECEP, while completing technical work, including topographic and soil surveys. Currently, the team is working on the design plans for clinical rooms, a rainwater system, and improved sanitation, with an implementation trip planned before December 2026.