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2024 Race Interns
The Solar Car Challenge Intern Program is hosted by the Lightner-Sams Foundation.
In 1999, the Solar Challenge expanded its educational outreach to students who have gone beyond the scope of the
original project. Daniel Sandt, former team captain of the Northview High School Solar Car Team (Covina,
California), rejoined the Challenge as the first Student Intern. Daniel's untiring efforts brought new perspectives
to the race, and demonstrated interns can serve a vital, unbiased role in the administration of the Challenge. The
2024 Solar Car Challenge continues to expand the Intern Program through the sponsorship of the Lightner Sams
Foundation.
For more information about the intern program, check out the Intern
Program.
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Ricardo Guzman
Special Assistant to Race Director - Staff
College: California State University, Northridge, California
Former Team: Palmdale HS Solar Car Team, Palmdale, California (2016-2017)
With my background in marketing and education, I aim to continuously serve in roles that bridge the two
fields together. By working in various jobs where I have taught, mentored, and guided countless high
school students, I have been able to promote the importance of education, STEM, and involvement with
programs and opportunities that not only enrich one's own life but also serve a greater purpose. Most
recently, to further advance in the education field, I am now starting my application process for a
Master's program in Educational Counseling to ultimately become a school counselor so I can
continue guiding and helping the new generations in greater ways.
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Mackenzie Becker
Special Assistant to Race Director - Media Relations
Intern since 2019
College: Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
Major: Industrial Engineering
Former Team: Coppell Solar Car Team, Coppell, Texas (2015-2019)
Since graduating from Purdue in 2022, my life has shifted from a focus on academics to growing in my
professional career as a Systems Engineer in Northrop Grumman's Space Division. I am actively pursuing my
Masters in Space Systems Engineering from the Stevens Institute of Technology and am learning everything I
can working alongside incredible engineering mentors every day. One day, I'm hoping to become a team lead-
and maybe even and engineering manager of a space program!
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Brandon Ching
Special Assistant to Race Director - Teams/Auditing
Intern since 2021
College: Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado
Major: Mechanical Engineering & Computer Science
Former Team: Coppell Solar Car Team, Coppell, Texas (2016-2020)
I graduated from the Colorado School of Mines this past May with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and
Computer Science. I begin full-time this fall with Lockheed Martin Aeronautics in Fort Worth, Texas. This
will be my fourth year on staff with the Solar Car Challenge as I continue to work behind the scenes in
developing software and various tools used in the race. I look forward to another great year and allowing
more students to discover their passion for engineering and alternative energy.
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Triton Shoup
Chief Mechanical Judge
Intern since 2021
College: Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Former Team: Winston Solar Car Team, Dallas, Texas (2016-2020)
Having graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering from SMU this past May, I will continue my
education by pursuing dual master's degrees in mechanical engineering and an MBA at the Cox School of
Business. My goal is to use my education to propel my entrepreneurial spirit and build a business around an
idea - either in the automotive or aerospace field. My time racing with the Solar Car Challenge planted the
engineering seed and has led to my involvement in the SAE Formula-1 collegiate series. I am the current
president of Hilltop Motorsports and will be competing in 2025. I credit Doc and the Solar Car Challenge for
some of my most revered experiences. In addition to my passion for racing, I own a business that grows and
sells coral for the marine aquarium trade.
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Eric Andrechek
Race Technology Officer
Intern since 2021
College: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Major: Computer Science
Former Team: Okemos Solar Car Team, Okemos, Michigan (2019-2021)
I am actively pursuing my Computer Science Engineering degree from the University of Michigan, along with
minors in Electrical Engineering and Entrepreneurship. In these programs, I am enjoying finding the
intersection of engineering and business as I explore the startup industry where I get to try, fail, and try
again to see what I can do — just like I did as a racer in Solar Car! I hope to be able to continue working
on the racing technology systems behind the scenes to keep this challenge thriving so that future students
can explore their passions and find their purpose just like me.
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Liam Hubbard
Chief Electrical Judge
Intern since 2021
College: University of Texas, Dallas, Texas
Major: Electrical Engineering
Former Team: Coppell Solar Car Team, Coppell, Texas (2016-2019)
I like to find the limit of what is possible in the world, and work to see that frontier move ever forward.
Each day presents a new set of challenges, and finding unique and innovative ways to push the boundaries of
the circumstances we are given, drives me. Engineering has played a significant role in my life and I like
to think that the engineering mindset plays a crucial role in ensuring that the world moves forward.
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Conner Reed
Intern since 2022
College: Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
Major: Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technologies
Former Team: Prosper Solar Car Team, Prosper, Texas (2018)
With my background in manufacturing and mechanical engineering, my goal to one day open my own engineering
firm. Currently I work at Priefert steel, manufacturing solar panel mounts. I have a deep appreciation for
design and love seeing teams bring new ideas to the competition each year.
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Nadia Auguste
Intern since 2022
College: Broward College, Davie, Florida
Major: Marketing
Former Team: Western HS Solar Car Team, Davie, Florida (2018-2021)
One of my main goals is to further my education and knowledge of marketing and the wide world of media. My
dream is to have a career that combines marketing and media, as well as having my dream career as a young
woman in a field that needs more of us. I am definitely excited for this year as it will be my fourth year
as part of the SCC, and my third as an intern!
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Parker Baze
Race Videographer
College: University of North Texas, Denton, Texas
Major: Marketing
As of 2024 I received my associate's degree from Collin College and am going to UNT in the fall to get my
bachelor's degree in marketing. I have been the lead videographer for 2 years now for the Solar Car
Challenge and I'm looking forward to growing their social media platforms again. Hopefully, by the end of
the summer, I will have over 100,000 views just on Instagram!
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John Cabell
Intern since 2023
College: Monarch Air, Denison, Texas
Major: Commercial Pilot
Former Team: Prosper Solar Car Team, Prosper, Texas
I aspire to have a career in aviation, whether that's in a crop duster or a Boeing. I currently hold my
private pilot's license and I hope to earn both my instrument and commercial rating by the end of the year.
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Anika Escobar
First Year Intern
College: Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts
Former Team: Iron Lions Solar Car Team, Greenville, Texas (2021-2023)
One of my main goals in life is to graduate college, as nobody in my family has had the privilege to do so.
Overall, I just want to make my parents proud as they came to this country with nothing but managed to give
me everything and more. A dream of mine is to one day give back to my community and to inspire more girls
like me to pursue a career in STEM, I just hope I can become a role model for girls in our town to break the
gender barriers.
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Justin Fox
First Year Intern
College: University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida
Former Team: Western HS Solar Car Team, Davie, Florida
This year, my main goal, one I've long desired, is to obtain my private pilot's license. Additionally, I
aim to improve my golf driving, maintain consistency in the gym, and continue with my other outdoor
hobbies, bowling, and swimming. In terms of my career, in the short term, I'm focused on maintaining a
good GPA, excelling in my engineering classes, and continuing my internship at Lockheed Martin for the
next two years until I graduate. Looking further ahead, I aspire to work as an engineer in the aerospace
or automotive industry, accumulate more flight hours, and eventually join the USAF as a pilot.
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Sebastian Sandoval
First Year Intern
College: Rice University, Houston, Texas
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Former Team: Covenant Cougars Solar Team, Colleyville, Texas (2022-2023)
I'm a college student in engineering, and I've always loved working with cars. This led me to Solar
Car in high school, but now I'm part of the rocketry and Formula SAE clubs at my college which will
hopefully be competitive in competitions in the next few years. I'm hoping to use my education and
solar car experience to work on similar interdisciplinary projects in the future in the aerospace or
automotive industries.
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Hailin Truman
First Year Intern
College: University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
Former Team: Raisbeck Aviation HS Solar Car Team, Tukwila, Washington (2020-2024)
My name is Hailin Truman, a current sophomore at the University of Washington. I am an aspiring mechanical
engineer, and my dream is to build the fastest cars in the world with a focus on renewable energy. I am a
huge Formula One fan, and hope one day that I can help streamline and introduce clean energy into the
world's leading motorsports competition.
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Logan Foley
First Year Intern
College: California Baptist University, Riverside, California
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Former Team: Oregon Solar Car Team, Bend, Oregon (2023)
I am currently studying mechanical engineering at California Baptist university and a active member of their
Formula Student team. Goals: I would like to become a engineering missionary after college to help spread
the gospel of Jesus around the globe. After that I would love to join the aerospace industry and design
rockets to help take mankind to Mars!
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Sami Medudula
First Year Intern
College: University of Texas, Austin, Texas
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Former Team: Prosper Solar Car Team, Prosper, Texas (2021-2023)
I am not entirely sure what I want for myself, but I am confident in knowing that I never dreamed or aspired
to have a lot of money or be considered as a very sophisticated engineer. I just want to experience all
aspects of life and the world around me while living an active life where I learn new things everyday.
However, I do have a milestone of climbing to Mount Everest base and completing the IronMan triathlon. I do
hope to eventually settle down with my own little custom shop and work on cars and random projects everyday.
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Mason Richards
First Year Intern
Major: Mechanical Engineering
College: Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado
Former Team: Prosper Solar Car Team, Prosper, Texas
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Henry Howard
First Year Intern
College: University of Texas, Austin, Texas
Major: Business Honors & Finance
Former Team: Plano Academy High School Solar Car Team, Plano, Texas (2014-2016)
I am grateful that the Solar Car Challenge equipped me and my teammates with unique and invaluable skills
that enable us to lead successful careers today. I wholeheartedly believe in this organization's mission and
want to help provide more students with life-changing experiences. One day, I hope to start a school that
explores new and more inclusive methods of teaching that encourage students to love learning. The Solar Car
Challenge helped inspire my dream and I'm thrilled to be involved as an intern this year!
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