10 MOMENTUM • VIRGINIA TECH MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
COVID-19 respon
memorable final
Senior mechanical engineering m
Brent Bailey was on the final stretc
graduation, counting down the da
he donned a cap and gown and fra
freshly minted degree. His final se
included four classes, and he alrea
job in Alabama.
As COVID-19 spread across the
Bailey watched the reports from h
home in Clifton, Virginia. Spring b
lengthened by a week, and then th
picture quickly became clear: this
was going to significantly disrupt h
year. Eventually, it prevented him f
returning to campus.
One of his first thoughts was of h
project. Bailey and a group of his p
had been working on a robotic han
could be used in an industrial setti
were still finalizing their design, he
into final presentation, when they
out that senior design would be ca