A Passion for Solutions

Oakland University engineering student Darek Panucci loves to solve problems. He was the kid who enjoyed doing two pages of math to find a solution. He grew up with a passion for mechanical things — spaceships, rockets, computers — and how they work. These interests, along with strong academics and a desire to have a positive impact on society, are the components of an exceptional future engineer.

Growing up in Pittsburgh, Panucci knew nothing about OU until he came in his junior year of high school to play a club soccer game. At that game, he caught the attention of OU coaches, who wanted to recruit him. His mother urged him to make engineering the bigger part of his college decision. So, Panucci did his research and liked what he found out about OU’s engineering programs. Now, he says he found a “hidden gem.”

“I love the campus. I love the location. I love the size, the whole atmosphere of OU,” Panucci says.

Panucci is serious about academics, and it took a lot of careful planning and communication to schedule classes, studying around the four-hour daily soccer practices as well as home and away games. He took advantage of the resources available to engineering students and athletes, and he kept in close contact with professors like Shima Afshar, who helped him excel in difficult courses such as Thermodynamics.

In his sophomore year, Panucci joined Grizzlies Racing, OU’s Formula Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) team, knowing it would give him valuable hands-on experience. As a team member, Panucci worked on chassis and aerodynamics.

“I fell in love with Formula SAE and everything that we do and the opportunities it opens up. It gives engineering students a head start,” Panucci says. “We learn a lot of theoretical concepts in class, but Formula SAE allows us to apply that knowledge.”

According to Panucci, Grizzlies Racing is more about car design and mechanics than racing. The team works to perfect the car for the SAE International competition, where cars undergo rigorous inspections and dynamic testing, competing against teams from all over the world.

In the summer of 2022, Panucci was elected president of Grizzlies Racing, a role that demands even more work — acquiring sponsorships, delegating projects, coordinating operations and being the first point of contact for all communications.

“It was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. And so, I had to make the decision this past summer to leave the soccer team and devote my time to Formula SAE.”

Panucci knew Formula SAE experience would make him a desirable hire, and he was right. Grizzlies Racing helped him to secure an internship at General Motors, beginning in the summer of 2023. His next course of action is to be an exemplary intern and secure a full-time job, with the ultimate goal of making a difference in the world through good engineering.

“The main reason I became a mechanical engineer was to solve problems and to help people,” Panucci says. “I’ve always had that greater sense of helping out and being part of the solution.”