Foam sheets, ribbons and other craft materials covered the tables in the Bonderson Engineering Project Center as Cal Poly’s newest materials engineering students faced one of their first design challenges: Build a shoe.

Then sell the idea.

The Materials Engineering Department’s annual shoe design competition brought first-year students together during Week of Welcome, or WOW, for a hands-on introduction to their major and the community they were joining. This year, the competition added a “Shark Tank”-style twist, with teams pitching their creations to a panel of MATE faculty.

Working in groups, students transformed an assortment of materials into shoes that reflected different approaches to design. The entries were judged not only on appearance but also on how well they worked and how thoughtfully students approached the engineering behind them.

Faculty members Trevor Harding, Mohsen Kivy, Kareesa Kron and Seamus Jones listened to the pitches before deliberating and selecting winners in four categories.

Buggs (better Uggs) earned Best Shark Tank Pitch, awarded for the most convincing, entertaining or polished presentation. The team put its own spin on the familiar Ugg-style boot.

Fancy Feet won Most Functional with a blue shoe built with an open, airy upper. The students pitched their creation as a potential answer for people prone to sweaty feet, making breathability central to its function.

MATEverse took Best Aesthetic for its red Converse-inspired All Mustang shoe, while Ascent received Best Engineering for its sturdy construction and clever use of materials.

Some of the shoes were put to the ultimate test when students slipped their feet into the handmade creations as classmates looked on, putting their construction choices to work beyond the presentation table.

Winning teams collected prizes and posed with the contest’s towering gold high-heeled shoe trophy.

The lighthearted competition also offered an early glimpse of a department where collaboration extends beyond the classroom. About 250 students make up MATE, and the department regularly brings students, faculty and staff together through informal gatherings and celebrations throughout the year.

During WOW, that sense of community started with a pile of materials, a team of new classmates and a deceptively simple assignment: Make a shoe.