Abbott Spiller '28, Mechanical Engineering and Management for Engineers

"I came to Bucknell looking for strong academics, good relationships with professors and an outdoor program. I've been able to bring all of those things together."

When Abbott Spiller '28 began his college search, he was looking for a specific combination: a strong engineering program, the opportunity to study business and a campus environment that would allow him to continue to explore the outdoors.

The Minneapolis native chose Bucknell in large part because he could major in mechanical engineering and management for engineers, two majors that bring together interests he has cultivated since childhood. He grew up building with Legos, tinkering with objects and working at a local hardware store. There, he saw how technical knowledge, customer service and community relationships help small businesses thrive.

At Bucknell, Spiller has found opportunities to unite those interests. He has worked with local business owners and manufacturing companies, completed an engineering internship in Ireland and became involved in Outdoor Education & Leadership (OEL), a program that gives students opportunities to explore the outdoors while developing leadership skills.

"I came to Bucknell looking for strong academics, good relationships with professors and an outdoor program," he says. "I've been able to bring all of those things together."

Finding Community

Spiller's involvement with OEL began before his first semester when he registered for BuckWild, a Pre-Orientation backpacking trip on Pennsylvania's Black Forest Trail. Feeling a bit nervous about arriving on campus and meeting an entire community of new people at once, he saw the trip as a chance to begin college as part of a smaller group.

The experience helped ease his transition and introduced him to a community that would become central to his Bucknell experience.

Spiller first applied for a job in OEL's Rental Center, then completed training to become a trip leader. He has since returned to lead BuckWild trips for incoming students. He also works as an adventure trips manager and at Bucknell's climbing wall.

"I've ingrained myself in pretty much every aspect of OEL," he says. "It's such a strong community. I've made some of my closest friends through OEL."

Learning on the Factory Floor

During summer 2026, Spiller and fellow engineering student Sam Langlois '28 worked through Bucknell's Small Business Development Center (SBDC) on a manufacturing innovation project at QE Manufacturing in New Berlin, Pa.

Abbott Spiller ’28 (far right) and Sam Langlois ’28 (far left) worked with Darryl Chappell (center) at QE Manufacturing to identify production inefficiencies and develop a digital dashboard that tracks machine setup times and improves employee communication. Photo: Emily Lamparter, Marketing & Communications

The students were asked to spend time on the facility floor, observe the company's processes and identify opportunities for improvement. They studied inefficiencies in the production process and developed a digital dashboard to track machine setup times and improve communication among employees.

For Spiller, the freedom to define the problem was one of the project's most valuable aspects. Rather than following a set of predetermined steps, he had to listen, observe and adjust his approach as he learned more about the company's needs.

The project grew out of connections Spiller formed at Bucknell. Professor Kat Wakabayashi, chemical engineering, introduced him to Bucknell SBDC director Steven Stumbris, who connected him with opportunities at QE Manufacturing and other local businesses. 

"All my plans for this summer came because of one professor who took an interest in me," Spiller says. 

Designing Gear for the Outdoors

While contributing to the QE project, Spiller also began working as an independent design contractor for Vargo Outdoors, a Lewisburg-area company that develops lightweight titanium outdoor equipment.

Owner Brian Vargo had a collection of product ideas but wanted support in designing them and determining whether they would work. Spiller has been turning those ideas into digital models followed by manufactured prototypes for testing and production. His work has included equipment for a range of activities, from backpacking to mountain biking.

Spiller's perspective is informed by his own outdoor experience. In addition to being an avid backpacker, biker and climber, he recently earned certification as a single-pitch climbing instructor through the Professional Climbing Instructors Association. The training gives him a firsthand understanding of how climbing equipment is used in technical terrain helping him understand how thoughtful design can improve an outdoor product's safety and usability.

Gaining a Global Perspective

Spiller extended his engineering experience internationally through Bucknell in Dublin, an eight-week summer program that combines coursework with an internship.

He interned with Prodieco, an Irish company that produces tooling and machinery for the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry. Working with the company's research and development design team, he helped design components for two pharmaceutical lifting systems. His projects included creating new baskets and human-machine interface displays — the control panels operators use to interact with the equipment.

Together, these experiences have allowed Spiller to apply engineering principles in very different settings, from a pharmaceutical manufacturing company in Ireland to a factory floor in central Pennsylvania. Each has helped him better understand how ideas move from an initial problem to a practical, manufacturable solution. 

Spiller is still exploring where his interests might lead, but he has enjoyed his time working on products for the outdoor industry. It's a path that would bring together the combination he was seeking when he chose Bucknell: engineering, business and a connection to the outdoors.