Student Organizations & Events

At UMass Amherst’s annual hackathon, students team up to design, build, and test tech-driven solutions with real-world impact. This beginner-friendly hackathon provides hands-on workshops and dedicated mentorship, teaching the skills needed to apply technology in any field.

The first student hackathon for women and nonbinary people in the UMass Amherst and Five College community, Hack(H)er413 encourages participation in tech-related fields and exploration of innovation regardless of major or background.

Dating back to 1906, the UMass Theatre Guild is the oldest surviving Registered Student Organization on campus. They put on a musical and a play each semester, offering opportunities for members to get involved in the entire theater production process—from costume and set design to marketing and operations.

The UMass Fashion Organization has celebrated a shared love of fashion, pop culture, and media since its founding in 2019. Each year, members work toward a highly anticipated community fashion show. Roles range from modeling and styling to real-world graphic design and public relations experiences.

The UMass Department of Food Science is home to its own local chapter of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Student Association. Club activities are designed to enrich members’ academic experience and prepare them for careers in food science. They host speakers from the food industry and organize competitive product development teams.

UMass HydroFarm is a student-run business and practicum supported by the Stockbridge School of Agriculture. Not only do students cultivate produce and explore hydroponic production systems, but they also gain valuable business experience supplying UMass Dining, farmers markets, and local businesses with leafy greens, herbs, and veggies.

The student-run UMass Entrepreneurship Club supports students who want to pursue innovative ideas—no matter where they are in their journey. Topics range from how to network to how to connect with Berthiaume Center resources. The club also hosts annual competitions and campus events.

Think beyond profits to explore business ventures that have the potential to solve community-based problems. Build skills, network, and brainstorm in this inspiring student group that also hosts speaker series, workshops, and networking events across campus.

Students in the UMass DesignBuild club directly address the affordable housing crisis by planning, designing, and building small, affordable, low-carbon homes. This interdisciplinary program, in partnership with the Department of Architecture, includes a design studio in the spring semester followed by an intensive summer build session. 

The UMass chapter of Engineers Without Borders partners with communities in Ghana, Kenya, and Holyoke, Massachusetts, to improve quality of life through community-driven engineering solutions. Students gain engineering and project management experience while influencing meaningful change through sustainable infrastructure improvements.

Mass Mileage, the university's Supermileage Vehicle Team, is the longest-running student design team in UMass Amherst’s Riccio College of Engineering. Each year, the team competes to design and develop a vehicle that can safely transport a driver with maximal fuel efficiency. Subteams optimize the car’s engine, drivetrain, brakes, telemetry, and project administration.

Design, build, and race a Formula-style car with Minutemen Racing, UMass Amherst’s Formula SAE team. Over several years, interdisciplinary engineering and business operations teams collaborate to design and assemble a car for showcase in a regional competition. 

The UMass Aeronautics Team applies engineering knowledge to real-world problems in the aviation and drone industries. They work toward participation in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA): Design/Build/Fly (DBF) Competition, which requires teams to design, manufacture, and fly an optimized aircraft capable of performing a mission.

With the goal of competing in a nationwide competition each year, the UMass Rocket Team designs, builds, and launches rockets with data-collection capabilities. Payload, Recovery, and Structures subteams collaborate to gain hands-on experience with high-powered, experimental rocketry.

From computer programming to electronics and hardware design, the UMass Robotics Club gives students the opportunity to hone real-world robotics skills. In this collaborative student-run organization, members build a robot to compete in an annual competition.

The American Society of Civil Engineers Student Chapter at UMass Amherst is home to three design teams that allow undergraduate students to put their civil and environmental engineering skills to the test. On the Concrete Canoe, Seismic Tower, and Steel Bridge teams, students spend a year planning and constructing a project for national and regional competitions.