Canstruction builds community, stocks Kate’s Cupboard

As Lenoir-Rhyne prepared for Homecoming 2026 weekend, setting up tents and arranging tables on Shaw Plaza, a new tradition was forming inside the Cromer Center lobby. Students sat in small teams on the floor, stacking cans of green beans and ravioli, securing them with tape and covering labels with colored paper. The resulting structures comprised LR’s inaugural Canstruction competition, organized by the Office of Student Support & Outreach. 

Canstruction is an international hunger-relief initiative that combines art, design and engineering with food drives. Competitions take place in communities and on college campuses around the world, with participants creating elaborate structures from canned goods that are eventually donated to food banks.

After participating in a Canstruction event herself, Marissa Evans, graduate assistant for Student Support and Outreach, brought the idea to LR and organized the 2026 competition to benefit Kate’s Cupboard, the campus food pantry. 

“Food insecurity is a concern on college campuses across the country, and it looks different for everyone,” Evans said. “Canstruction gives our students a creative way to support one another while building teamwork, leadership and a stronger sense of community.”

In this first outing, LR Canstruction creations ranged from familiar campus landmarks to an unusual tribute to the university president. Building took place on Oct. 15 and 16, followed by judging, voting and awards on Oct. 17.

The women's lacrosse team earned the top honor with the Judges' Choice Award for “Between the Bricks,” a recreation of Moretz Stadium and its playing field.

“We chose to do a model of Moretz Stadium and the field to represent not just us but all the teams that play there,” said team leader  Keegan Hudspeth ’29. “People from all parts of campus and the community know the stadium, so it's a center of campus life.”

Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) won the People's Choice Award for “Three Cross Scene,” receiving support from Homecoming visitors among the more than 160 votes cast. 

“Being able to share and connect with amazing alumni walking through Cromer was quite an experience,” said team leader Parker Kemp ’27. “The structure opened some great conversations and appears to have won a lot of their votes as well.”

The AeroBears rocketry team received an honorable mention from the judges and voters for “R2-Can Do,” a tribute to the beloved Star Wars droid. Women's basketball chose a more local subject, constructing a likeness of President Summer McGee as a basketball player that the team dubbed “Dr. McBallin’.” The triathlon team constructed a bicycle water bottle, hoping to introduce more students to their sport, while Theta Xi and the Student Government Association also participated.

Women’s basketball team leader Sarah Burton ’28 described the Canstruction process. “We wanted to challenge ourselves to think outside the box and create something unique,” she said. “We had to make adjustments as we built, but everyone worked together and contributed.”

After Homecoming, the structures were dismantled and the usable canned goods designated for Kate's Cupboard — 842 cans were collected to stock the pantry.

“We are so proud of these results and hope this is just the beginning of a new Homecoming tradition at Lenoir-Rhyne,” Evans said. “We'd love to see more student organizations participate next year, with bigger, more creative designs and even more food collected for Kate's Cupboard. It's never too early to start thinking about what your team could build.”