East Cobb Sports & Recreation

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For decades, the Southern Technical Institute bathtub races entertained swarms of students, alumni, and community members as engine-laden bathtubs throttled around what is now Kennesaw State University’s Marietta Campus.

Now, nearly three decades after the last race, the tradition will be reborn as a video game created by students in the College of Computing and Software Engineering.

The game will be featured prominently at KSU’s upcoming Hornets Homecoming and is the result of a collaboration between Southern Polytechnic State University alumni, students, and the KSU Office of Alumni and Constituent Engagement.

The idea for the game was conceived by Frances Beusse, executive director of alumni and constituent engagement, who frequently heard from SPSU alumni about their desire to bring the bathtub races back. Knowing that a real-life revival was a long shot, Beusse proposed a digital recreation as a way to celebrate SPSU history while showcasing the talent of current students. She partnered with Will McKenna, director of development for CCSE, to explore the possibility of incorporating the concept into a capstone project. From there, they worked with faculty to develop a plan and brought in alumni to serve as advisors and subject matter experts.

The game’s momentum grew after an encounter between McKenna and Lee Miller, an SPSU alumnus and former Bathtub Racing Association president. Miller, who participated in the races in the 1980s and early ’90s, was approached with the idea and quickly signed on to help bring it to life.

“From the moment I heard about it, I knew it would be a cool project,” Miller said. “The bathtub races were such a unique part of the school’s history, and it was exciting to think about how we could bring that spirit into a new form for future generations of students.”

As an advisor for the project, Miller has been instrumental in providing historical context, sharing old photos and videos, and contributing to the creative process. He spoke with students about the tradition, which began in the late 1960s when engineering students repurposed old cast iron bathtubs into finely tuned machines, eventually leading to high-speed races across campus.

Over the years, the event became a celebrated part of student life, drawing large crowds and fostering a sense of camaraderie. The races were sunset in the early 1990s, but a retired bathtub racer still hangs in the Engineering Technology Center as a tribute to this eccentric yet beloved piece of SPSU history.

The game’s development is being spearheaded by a team of student developers, which include computer game design and development major Sasha Melbourne, who serves as the lead programmer for the game.

“The concept has always fascinated me,” she said. “It’s such a quirky, fun event, and I love the idea of combining that with gaming. We’ve tried to replicate the excitement of the races by making it fast-paced, unpredictable, and full of surprises. It’s not just about recreating the past; it’s about making something that people can enjoy in the present day.”

The development team has risen to the challenge of balancing historical accuracy with the need to make the game accessible. They worked hard to recreate the course, the bathtubs, and the atmosphere that made the event so memorable.

“It’s been a process of experimentation, iterating, and making corrections to each detail,” Melbourne said.

While the game aims to be competitive and entertaining, it also intends to create a sense of connection between current students and SPSU alumni. Miller, whose father attended Southern Technical Institute in the early 1960s and whose son is currently attending KSU, is excited to see how the game brings together generations.

“I think the game is a great way to bridge the gap between the past and the present,” Miller said.

As the development team puts the final touches on the game, they have also reflected on how the game could inspire future student-driven initiatives.

“We’ve learned a lot from this process, both technically and creatively,” Melbourne said. ” I think it’s a great example of how students at KSU can come together and use technology to bring something special to life.”

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