FSAE hosts semester bake sale to fund car-building project

The University of Central Oklahoma’s Formula Society of Automotive Engineers (FSAE) team hosted its semester bake sale Nov. 17 to 20 at the Nigh University Center, offering students a wide selection of homemade treats to support the team’s race car construction project.

Madeleine Holguin, a second-year mechanical engineering major and the club’s marketing officer, said the fundraiser plays a vital role in helping the organization purchase materials needed for the build.

“The main purpose of hosting this bake sale is to raise funds for the supplies we need to produce the car,” Holguin said.

Money raised throughout the week will be used to purchase electrical components, suspension parts, fabrication materials such as gas and metal, tools, safety supplies, and merchandise for future events.

According to Holguin, building a Formula-style car from scratch requires extensive resources. “Building a car from essentially scratch is not easy,” she said.

“Our project has been going on for almost four years, and fundraising helps us keep hitting our milestones.”

The bake sale has become a long-standing tradition for the team, tracing back to one of FSAE’s founding members who originally used his baking skills to bring in early funding. As the club grew, more members volunteered to contribute treats, turning the once-small fundraiser into a larger, multi-day event each semester.

This year’s menu included cake pops in four flavors, citrus “cara cara” treats, chocolate chip cookies, brownies, coffee brownies, several cupcake varieties, spicy pretzels, and popcorn balls.

Around 20 members helped prepare items or staffed the table, ensuring the booth remained active from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day.

Beyond fundraising, Holguin emphasized that the bake sale serves as an opportunity to introduce the organization to the broader UCO community. She hopes students recognize that the club is open to anyone interested, regardless of experience or major.

“I hope students understand that this club is not just limited to engineering students,” she said. “You don’t need any experience. We all learn together, and we welcome people from all backgrounds.”

The FSAE team meets every Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. behind the eSports building, directly across the street from the Broncho Catholic House.

Students are welcome to drop in at any time to observe the build process or learn more about the organization. The team plans to continue hosting a bake sale every semester and will share updates about future events on Instagram at @uco_bronchoracing.