OSU Institute of Technology’s Mastermind Marathon—an event that is part “Amazing Race” and part “Jeopardy”—is back for a fourth year.

Teams of at least three students must race around campus to various stops sponsored by student clubs and academic programs where they have to complete a task before moving on the next stop.

This year’s Mastermind Marathon is Tuesday, April 11, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. All students are welcome to participate and encouraged to register their teams by the March 29 deadline.

Dr. Melissa Dreyer, communications instructor and campus assessment coordinator, said last year’s race had a record-setting 18 teams compete and hopes even more take part this year.

“As more student groups and students participate in the event, the excitement of the race is shared,” Dreyer said. “The Mastermind Marathon is a lot of fun, and we try to spread the word through past participation.”

Each year the race focuses on one of the core outcomes, and this year’s event is focused on technology.

“The race provides an opportunity to increase students’ knowledge of the core outcomes in a fun way,” she said. “Students can also earn prizes by participating in the event.”

The competition aims to have 10 race stops with several that require teams to complete hands-on activities. Student clubs and organizations earn points for participating.

The Orthotic & Prosthetic Technologies program in the School of Nursing & Health Sciences has won the Mastermind Marathon Favorite Race Stop for the last several years.

“We worked hard to design a stop that would be informative, challenging and fun. It was nice to have all that hard work and planning recognized by the race participants,” said Mike Madden, Orthotics & Prosthetics instructor.

The hands-on stop required teams to go through obstacle courses or complete certain tasks while wearing a knee immobilizer or prosthetic arms, or navigating with a wheelchair or crutches.

“I hope the students gained an appreciation for why environmental accommodations are often put into place. More so, I hope that students gained an appreciation for unique challenges that people with disabilities face in a world that is mostly designed for able-bodied people,” Madden said.

“Mastermind Marathon is a fun event where students can learn about different schools and programs on campus like Orthotics & Prosthetics,” Dreyer said.

“They visit places on campus during the race that they may otherwise never see,” she said. “They learn about other schools on campus, and they often get to see what their fellow classmates are interested in.”

For more information go to go.osuit.edu/accreditation/learning/mastermind_marathon or to register a team, contact Melissa Dreyer at Melissa.Dreyer@okstate.edu.