OSU student group transforms campus lake into interactive light display
Theme Park Engineering Group members program annual LED shows on Mirror Lake and build mechanical attractions for a two-decade-old student organization.
By Noor Graham ·
Every year, a group of mechanical engineering students at Ohio State University builds a new LED light show on Mirror Lake from scratch. The project, known as Light Up the Lake, involves constructing a matrix of LEDs and small tree structures that are programmed to create specific visual effects.
Aaron Ligator, a fourth-year student and vice president of the Theme Park Engineering Group, or TPEG, stated that the university approved the group's proposal for the LED display in 2019. Ligator explained that the team constructed the hardware and wrote the software to control the lights. The group creates a brand-new show for each annual event rather than repeating the same sequence.
TPEG was founded in 2006 by mechanical engineering students who were interested in Disney Imagineering. Ligator noted that no similar organization existed at any university at the time of its creation. The group now operates two decades later with a membership that includes students working on various large-scale projects.
Corbin Studd, a third-year mechanical engineering student and project lead, observed a recent increase in student participation. Studd pointed to freshmen who are already working hard on the current Light Up the Lake project. The group also maintains an annual haunted house attraction, which Studd helped design in 2025 and 2026.
The organization hosts a yearly conference called Students in Themed Entertainment, or SITE. This event brings together industry professionals and students from other theme park engineering groups at different colleges. Speakers have included representatives from Universal and Disney, as well as local business owners such as the company Fear Columbus.
The next SITE conference is scheduled for January 29 through 31 at the Ohio Union. The program includes networking sessions for students and talks from professionals sharing their industry experience. TPEG members also attend trips and conferences to further their knowledge of the field.
Studd emphasized that students can participate at any level they choose. Weekly general body meetings are held on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. in Scott Lab E100. These meetings allow students to socialize, hear updates on the theme park industry, and discuss upcoming fundraisers or social events without committing to a major project.
