Support USD Baja SAE — Help Us Get to Arizona!

The University of San Diego’s 2026–2027 Baja SAE Senior Design Team is calling for your support!

This year, our team will be competing in the Baja SAE competition in Marana, Arizona, from April 29 to May 2, 2027. Baja SAE is a collegiate engineering competition where students design, manufacture, and test an off-road vehicle to compete against universities from across the country.

Our team has set a fundraising goal of $5,000 to help cover transportation, lodging, competition expenses, and the materials needed to improve our vehicle.

While designing and building a competitive car is a major part of our project, having the financial support to transport our team and vehicle to Arizona is just as important!

What Are We Working On?

This year, our team is focusing on three major improvements to our Baja vehicle:

• CVT Optimization: Tuning our continuously variable transmission (CVT) by adjusting flyweight mass, spring stiffness, and other factors to improve acceleration and overall vehicle performance.
• RWD–4WD Disconnect System: Designing and implementing a drivetrain system that allows the driver to switch between rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive.
• Frame & Chassis Redesign: Rebuilding and improving our vehicle’s frame and chassis to enhance its geometry, durability, and overall performance on challenging terrain.

Why Your Donation Matters

Baja SAE is more than just a competition. It gives us the opportunity to apply what we’ve learned in the classroom to a real engineering project.

Throughout the year, our team gains hands-on experience in designing, manufacturing, testing, troubleshooting, and collaborating to solve engineering challenges.

Your donation directly supports our ability to turn our designs into reality and gives us the opportunity to represent the University of San Diego on a national stage.

Every contribution helps us get one step closer to Arizona!

🏎️ Recognition Opportunities

As a thank-you for your generosity, we would love to recognize our donors by displaying their names or company logos on our Baja SAE vehicle!

Name placement and sizing will depend on available space and Baja SAE competition regulations.

• $100-249: Your name or company logo displayed on the vehicle (About 6 inches)
• $250-499: Medium-sized name or company logo placement on the vehicle (About 9 inches)
• 500+: Premium name recognition with priority logo placement on the vehicle (About 1ft)

Thank You for Your Support!

On behalf of the entire USD Baja SAE team, thank you for considering a donation to our Senior Design project!

Whether you contribute $5, $50, or $500, every donation makes a difference in helping us reach our goal.

We will also be sending a personal thank-you note to every donor, regardless of the amount contributed, to show our appreciation for supporting our team.

Thank you for helping us make this project possible. We hope to make you proud when we compete in Arizona!