Building a racecar from nothing, Mississippi State University’s Formal Society Automotive Engineering society, an organization for students interested in cars and how they work, can be called a diamond in the rough. 
Dash Robinson, MSU graduate student majoring in mechanical engineering, shared his expertise.
“FSAE is a society of automotive engineers. The FSAE society is not only nationally recognized, but it is also recognized globally,” he said. 
Robinson, who is the team leader and has served as a member of FSAE for five years, said his start in the organization began his freshman year after a friend saw a posted flier.
“I joined as a freshman after a friend saw a poster. I came to the meeting, and I’ve been doing it every since,” Robinson said. 
The FSAE organization takes students from the MSU campus into the competition world located in Michigan. The competition takes place each May, and MSU students show up to compete.
“We compete in the formula SAE series. We design and build open wheel racecars,” Robinson said.
The team enables students involved to meet and compete with students from around the world.
“We compete not only against teams from America, but also from Canada, Central America, Germany and Australia,” Robinson said. 
Becoming a member of the FSAE society is not just something reserved for engineering majors only. Membership is open to any major as long as the student interested has a love for automotives. 
“The FSAE organization is pretty open when it comes to joining. We accept any major. The student just must be willing to come out and do a lot,” he said. “Most students are engineers, but we have several students who are non-engineering majors,” Robinson said. 
If a student decided to join FSAE, he or she could benefit from being a part of a team who not only competes, but competes well. The MSU FSAE team competed in 2012 and placed considerably high.
“We competed in May 2012 and placed 34 out of 120 teams. We didn’t win, but we did well,” Robinson said.
Competition is stiff, and the FSAE’s team car is judged at competition on several different criteria. The students must exhibit an extensive knowledge of the vehicle and must also get the car to drive.
“We, as well as the car, are judged in the cost event, business presentation and design event,” Robinson said. 
If the heat was not already on, the MSU students must compete against over 500 teams worldwide. That is where the bond that the MSU FSAE members have come to life.
“There are a lot of benefits so it’s hard to label one, but teamwork is important. We work on teams between 15 and 25 people, and it helps with team skills to help out,” Robinson said. 
Membership rewarded sophomore Bradley Sanders, sophomore mechanical engineering major, with the position of power train leader. 
“I was appointed power train leader in May 2013. The previous leader graduated, and I was appointed,” he said. 
Sanders said being a part of the FSAE organization was a rewarding experience that he stumbled into his freshman year at MSU.
“I was looking for something to do my freshman year, and I was interested in FSAE. It has taught me a lot. I’ve even gotten help with classes from other students involved,” Sanders said. 
FSAE is the largest collegiate competition in the world, and Sanders calls to mind the feeling of being a part of something bigger than himslef. 
“As much as I love cars and everything, I’m really excited. I like talking to the team and getting their ideas on everything. It makes me feel like I’m a part of something big,” Sanders said.