Thursday, April 24, 2025

• Setup projects between 2–5 p.m. You do not need to be present during the entire setup time
• Doors open for the evening reception event at 5:30 p.m. and the event is from 6–8 p.m.
• More details on the reception will be released in March 2025

Friday, April 25, 2025

• Breakfast begins at 8:30 a.m.
• Students need to be at their projects by 9 a.m.
• Expo doors open at 9:30 a.m.
• In-person judging closes at 12:30 p.m.
• Awards presentation starts at 1:30 p.m.
• Expo closes at 2 p.m.

West Broad Street Deck (across from the Siegel Center on Broad St., between Harrison St. and Shafer St.)

Bowe Street Deck (behind the Siegel Center, accessible from Bowe St.)

More parking locations

On Thursday and Friday, you will enter through the main entrance in the middle of the Siegel Center (you will see registration tables and staff will direct you), you will come down the stairs with your supplies and set up on the court floor. Your tables will be labeled with your project number and abstract. If your project is larger, you will use the loading dock in the Northwest corner of the Siegel Center, off Marshall Street. There will be a staff member to direct you to the noticeably steep ramp that will lead into the Siegel Center.

During the Expo, have as many people at your table as you can. One team member must remain at the table at all times (rotate your team members throughout the day to allow time to look at other projects, use the bathroom, eat lunch, etc.).

Contact Laura Osborne (lmnosborne@vcu.edu) as soon as the conflict is known – before April 15 if possible.

For the Capstone Expo, the dress code is Business Casual. Appropriate business casual dress typically includes slacks or khakis, dress shirt or blouse, seasonal sport coat, a dress or skirt at knee-length or below, a tailored blazer, knit shirt or sweater, and loafers or dress shoes that cover all or most of the foot.

No jeans, shorts, short dresses, spandex or athleisure.

Anything that you would like to present along with your poster, e.g., prototype(s) your team built. A power strip if you need more than one outlet — we provide you with one outlet.

Keep any backpacks, umbrellas, coats, etc. under your project table.

A table, tablecloth, power (you must provide your power specifications before the Expo), acrylic stand with your abstract and project number and name tag will be provided. If you have valuable materials such as laptops or displays, you should bring them home with you overnight—we are not responsible for valuables.

If you have unusual power (need more than one outlet and a power strip will not suffice) or space requirements (need more than one table) or transport requirements (need to transport a large/heavy object) you must notify the Expo team ahead of the event, before April 15 is desired.

Check your email for the Special Logistics Form or contact Laura Osborne, lmnosborne@vcu.edu, to submit your special request.

We will provide a map of all the tables, and the projects will be laid out in numerical order starting with BME (100’s), CLSE (200’s), CS (300’s), ECE (400’s), MNE (500’s), MULT (600’s).

We do not move tables. We may allot for extra space if absolutely necessary.

If you need space in excess of one table, you must notify the Expo team ahead of the event, before April 15 is desired. You should measure your projects to account for room and let your faculty advisor know your measurements prior to the Expo.

Check your email for the Special Logistics Form or contact Laura Osborne, lmnosborne@vcu.edu, to submit your special request.

No. There will be a student registration table on the floor near your projects for questions during the Expo. Your name tags and abstracts will be on your tables.

If you are looking for employment opportunities, we will have green stickers on your project tables that you place on your name tags. Guests will be notified that this means you are looking for employment. Remember, the Expo is an opportunity to showcase yourself to professionals.

The Capstone Expo is open to the public. Your family and friends are encouraged to attend.

There will be breakfast, water, boxed lunches and soft drinks available during the Expo.

Local area professionals and members of the advisory boards for each department will conduct judging.

Projects are considered on the following criteria:

• Creativity and innovation
• Utility
• Quality of analysis
• Proof of concept
• The team’s communication verbal and visual communication skills.

Each department selects an Excellence in Design award winner, and will also nominate projects to be considered for the Dean’s Choice award. The College of Engineering deans will select a Dean’s Choice award winner.

All attendees will be able to vote for their favorite project—the winner will receive the People’s Choice award.

A panel of industry professionals will select the “Best Industrial Project” award winner.

All judging is finished at 12:30 p.m.. The awards are given out at 1:30 p.m..

You will bring your poster and acrylic to the loading dock and neatly place them in a pile.

Your project materials go home with you.

Your table and tablecloth will be managed by Expo staff.

You load out the same way you loaded in – up the stairs out to the street or in the loading dock off Marshall Street.