Cedarville University enrolled its first class of mechanical engineering students in 1990. ABET evaluators visited the school in the fall of 1994 following the first graduation of B.S.M.E. students and accreditation was granted. After attending a few Region V Regional Student Conferences (RSC) of ASME to get an idea of how the Old Guard Oral Competition was judged, Cedarville students began competing in the spring of 1998. The following are the results to date: 1st place in 1998 (trip to Anaheim, CA), 3rd place in 1999, 1st place in 2000 (trip to Orlando, FL), 2nd place in 2001, 2nd place and 3rd place in 2002. Some ideas will be presented which may improve your chances of sending your Old Guard presenters to the annual conference.