Frostburg State Engineering Team Finishes Top 8 at National Lockheed Martin Ethics Competition
Mar 2, 2026 9:00 AM
A duo of engineering students from Frostburg State University earned a Top 8 finish among 72 teams at the Lockheed Martin Ethics in Engineering Case Competition held last week in Bethesda, Md.
Saylor Miller and Bryce Snyder competed against nationally recognized Division I institutions including the University of Maryland College Park, the United States Naval Academy, Texas A&M University, Duke University, the University of Mississippi and Iowa State University to name a few. Frostburg’s team advanced through three consecutive rounds to reach the quarterfinals before narrowly falling to Alabama A&M University, which went on to finish as the competition’s runner-up.
“We are absolutely thrilled and incredibly proud of Saylor and Bryce,” said FSU interim president Darlene Brannigan Smith, PhD. “It’s truly an impressive accomplishment to have represented Frostburg State University so well among such prestigious institutions, and their success story is a testament to the strength and potential of engineering at FSU.”
By midweek of the competition, Frostburg’s presence was firmly established. “We were incredibly proud to represent Frostburg State University,” said Miller. “On Monday we walked into Lockheed Martin and were asked repeatedly, ‘Where is Frostburg?’, but by Wednesday the teams and judges knew exactly who and where Frostburg was.”
The Miller-Snyder team, which had never previously competed in this event, impressed judges and fellow competitors alike with its preparation, poise and performance. Several judges personally commended the pair following their rounds. Two competing teams, the University of Oklahoma and Christopher Newport University, even referred to the FSU students as “the cold-blooded killers,” a testament to their competitive edge.
FSU’s Dean of the College of Business, Engineering, Computing & Analytics Dr. Sudhir Singh echoed President Smith’s sentiments. “What an extraordinary achievement! The fact that they walked into Lockheed Martin as unknowns and left having earned the respect of judges and competitors from some of the most prestigious institutions in the country speaks volumes about their preparation, their character, their caliber and their commitment to excellence. These two didn’t just compete – they made Frostburg known.”
For many participating institutions, this marked their second or third appearance at the national competition. For Frostburg, it was a debut performance, and one that firmly positioned the University’s engineering program on the national stage.
“Saylor and Bryce performed exceptionally well,” said FSU professor of mechanical Engineering Jamil Abdo, PhD. “They demonstrated not only strong engineering knowledge but also outstanding communication skills. Their performance clearly reflects the high quality of our engineering programs and the strength of our students.”
Miller couldn’t agree more. “Dr. Abdo, Bryce and I left Lockheed Martin having demonstrated that engineering at Frostburg State University is truly a force to be reckoned with.”
The Lockheed Martin Ethics in Engineering Case Competition brings together two-student undergraduate teams and faculty advisors from institutions across the country to analyze and present solutions to a fictional case centered on complex ethical, business and engineering challenges. For more information, visit https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/who-we-are/ethics/academic-outreach.html.