USI engineering students complete two life-changing footbridges in Eswatini

The University of Southern Indiana Engineers in Action (EIA) chapter recently led a team of engineering students in constructing two pedestrian footbridges in Eswatini in Southern Africa, including the global EIA organization’s first ever student-led suspension bridge, to connect isolated communities to critical services such as shops, schools, clinics, co-ops, churches and more.   

The Khelekhele suspended footbridge spans 93.5 meters across the Black Mbuluzi River, providing year-round, safe access for more than 4,250 residents. USI led the project with students from Penn State University and the University of Colorado Boulder collaborating on the construction. 

The project was not without challenges as students faced a massive underground rock where the bridge was to be built. The team demonstrated resilience and ingenuity, finding a solution and keeping the project on schedule. 

During the project, the team worked, ate, slept and socialized with the local community, learning the language and customs of its people. Each team member played a unique and important role.    

Jonas Hollis, a USI manufacturing engineering major who plans to graduate in 2026, served as the Project Manager and Media Manager, overseeing all aspects of the build for the participating institutions. This included working with each member of the student teams to ensure they worked efficiently, communicated well and collaborated with the community and other project stakeholders.   

Kelsey Ellis, a USI civil engineering major who also plans to graduate in 2026, served as the Logistics Manager. In this role, she oversaw travel information, sleeping accommodations, finances and meals.  

Kayla Gerth, a USI manufacturing engineering major who plans to graduate in 2026, served as the Quality Manager. This role included verifying and validating all critical construction points throughout the building process.  

Sophia Miranda, a USI biology major, who plans to graduate in 2028, served as the Cultural Relations Manager. She focused on the interactions between the university teams and the local community. “As a non-engineering student, I found a new adventure, a wider world view and a welcoming community on this trip," she says.  

During the Fall and Spring Semesters leading up to the bridge builds, USI students work with volunteer professional engineers to complete the bridge design and make sure it receives a seal of approval. Students designing and planning the bridge project complete work equivalent to one of their engineering courses, and many utilize their Senior Design course to complete the work necessary for the project. 

Following the success of Khelekhele, another team, including Hollis, who served as Safety Manager, completed the Hlanganani suspension bridge as part of an EIA pilot project, bringing their total impact to more than 6,000 community members, including over 1,000 children who can now safely access vital resources. USI worked in partnership with Cornell University and University College London on this build. This is the first student-led suspension bridge in EIA’s history as all other bridges completed have been suspended bridges. Suspended bridges are concave and use tiers made from rock and concrete to support the weight of the bridge. Suspension bridges are convex and use large steel towers to support the weight of the bridge. The team is now a part of EIA history and is positioned to help train future teams on suspension bridge builds. 

These projects underscore the strength of the USI Engineering Program’s focus on real-world applications to build student skills.  

“This trip was more than just building a bridge—it was about connecting people,” said Ellis. “Working alongside the local community reminded me to slow down, appreciate relationships and focus on what really matters. I came home with a deeper gratitude and a renewed commitment to use my skills to serve others.” 

“Applying engineering principles in the real world with unexpected obstacles and unforeseen variables is always a challenge—to do this in a rural community of a developing economy with language barriers is even harder,” said Dr. Susan Ely, Assistant Professor of Engineering. “This experience is so much more than applied learning—it provides a perspective on just how powerful engineering can be at changing the lives of those in need.” 

Last year, Melanie Cedeno, an international student from Panama who graduated in 2024 with a degree in electrical engineering, received EIA’s highest student honor, the Builder of the Year award. Following graduation, she was hired as an EIA fellow and is now stationed in eSwatini. 

Since being hired, she has helped build six of the eight bridges the organization plans to complete this year, including both bridges USI worked on. In her role, she mentors students from across the globe on international development, engineering problem-solving and intercultural exchange.  

“This journey has taken me across Eswatini, from long hours on the road to visits with diverse communities and meeting school children who face challenges I once experienced as a child,” says Cedeno. “With the bridges we are building, communities are no longer divided by natural barriers; they are united, with greater access to opportunities and to one another.  

USI’s EIA chapter is a part of the national EIA organization which improves the lives of thousands of people every year by building critical infrastructure in their communities including bridges and access to clean water. USI has sent student teams to Eswatini in South Africa in 2024, Eswatini in South Africa in 2023, Bolivia in 2022, West Virginia in 2021 and Eswatini in South Africa in 2019. 

The trip was generously funded by the USI Foundation. 

Students of all majors are invited to participate in EIA and bridge project events. For more information about EIA, contact Dr. Ely at sely@usi.edu. For more information about USI’s accredited Engineering Program, visit USI.edu/engineering.     

Browse a photo gallery from the trip 

Watch a video on the Khelekhele bridge build (credit: Jonah Hollis, USI)