������Ƶ recently celebrated a remarkable milestone by hosting the 25th Annual Kettering Kickoff FIRST Robotics Competition, a significant event that brings together innovative high school students from across Michigan and neighboring states to compete. Sponsored by the Gene Haas Foundation, this year's kickoff attracted nearly 40  robotics teams eager to showcase their skills and creativity.

Since its inception in 1999, the Kettering Kickoff has evolved from a modest one-day gathering designed to help Michigan high school teams recruit members into a prominent competition in the FIRST Robotics community. Although the event went on a hiatus in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it has since flourished, reaffirming its vital role in fostering interest in robotics and engineering among high school students.

Kim Shumaker, director of the Robotics Center at ������Ƶ, emphasized the event's broader significance: “The Kettering Kickoff is more than just a robotics competition; it’s an opportunity for students to engage with the university, explore potential career paths, and build lasting relationships with peers and mentors.”

This year’s Kettering Kickoff featured an exciting two-day format that required teams to participate in qualification rounds and elimination matches. Over the course of the weekend, 37 teams competed in a total of 77 matches. The thrill of competition culminated each day with the crowning of a champion and the prestigious Top Dog Award. Saturday saw the alliance of 27 Team RUSH of Clarkston, 1506 Metal Muscle of Flint, and 1684 The Chimeras of Lapeer take home top honors. On Sunday, the alliance of 67 The HOT Team of Highland, 2834 Bionic Black Hawks of Bloomfield Hills, and 5460 Strike Zone of Lapeer bested the competition.

A notable highlight each day was the Bob Nichols Cornerstone Award presentation, honoring the former director of the Robotics Center and a pivotal figure in Kettering’s robotics history. Nichols was instrumental in establishing robotics scholarships and organizing the Kettering Kickoff since its inception. The two teams that won the award named after Nichols were the 1506 Metal Muscle of Flint and the 68 Truck Town Thunder of Ortonville.

The success of the Kettering Kickoff is largely attributed to the collaborative spirit within the robotics community. Volunteers, including local robotics teams and community members, played essential roles as referees and technical advisors. Each event served as a platform for connecting with students, providing them with opportunities to learn about ������Ƶ and its personalized educational approach.

“Students involved in robotics have an advantage over anything else; it’s so similar to what Kettering provides with the Co-op program,” said Clinton Bolinger, associate director of the Kettering Robotics Center, highlighting the practical experience students gain through hands-on work.

Bolinger also emphasized that the First Robotics program is a crucial entry point for students, allowing them to explore various aspects of engineering and technology. “We want them to come to Kettering because we believe they’ll be successful,” he said, underscoring how FIRST Robotics participants are already learning skills they will need as the next generation of STEM leaders.

General Motors (GM) has named ������Ƶ as one of eight Genesee County nonprofits to share $270,000 in Community Impact Grants. GM’s Community Impact Grants help address local issues in the communities where the company operates. The grants support GM’s corporate giving social impact pillars of STEM Education and Transportation.

“I am inspired by the impact of the work these eight local nonprofits are doing in our community,” said Jim Gaeschke, plant director at GM’s Flint Metal Center. “STEM education and transportation are important focus areas for GM’s corporate giving program. These organizations help make the Flint-Genesee Region a great place to live and work.”

������Ƶ will use its $20,000 grant to launch three impactful initiatives for the 2024-2025 academic year aimed at empowering students and educators in the field of robotics:

• FIRST Robotics coaches workshop and FIRST Robotics rookie workshop: These hands-on two-day workshops in Kettering’s FIRST Robotics Community Center will guide participants through building a working drivetrain and catapult over two days. During the workshops, educators and coaches will learn to overcome the common challenge of starting new robotics teams by boosting their confidence in building and teaching robotics projects.
• Scholarship and Financial Aid Workshop: ������Ƶ will host this workshop to provide underserved high school students and their families with vital information on funding STEM degrees. This initiative aims to bridge the financial gap by connecting families with resources they may not know are available.
• Installation of a laser cutter and engraver: The new equipment will support the eight FIRST robotics teams from local high schools that build their robots in Kettering’s FIRST Robotic Community Center and Kettering’s VEXU robotics team in prototyping and testing designs faster and more efficiently. The laser cutter will also be available to students attending Kettering’s robotics summer camps.

“It is an honor to receive the GM Community Impact Grant. The generosity of GM enables Kettering to expose students and teachers in underserved schools to the excitement of STEM activities like FIRST, VEX, and Aerial Drone Competitions,” said Kim Schumaker, Director of ������Ƶ’s Robotics Center. “Hands-on workshops will build confidence and equip participants with skills that assist them in starting robotics teams and building competitive robots. Creating teams in the schools allows more students to participate each year and inspires more students to pursue STEM degrees and careers.”

GM’s support of the Flint-Genesee region has totaled more than $7 million since 2019, with Kettering benefiting from this ongoing commitment to local innovation and growth.

Hundreds of future engineers, computer scientists, tech and business leaders gathered on ������Ƶ’s campus for two FIRST Robotics district competitions held in March.

This year, the Gene Haas Foundation generously sponsored the competitions, contributing $20,000 and affirming its commitment to advancing manufacturing education. The foundation supports these events to expand the pool of skilled workers by recruiting young people into manufacturing careers and creating advanced training programs.

During the events, representatives from Haas Automation, including James O’Brien and Dan Wilson from Gerotech, a Michigan-based Haas distributor, engaged with participants and spectators. They spoke at the opening ceremonies and manned an informational booth, sharing insights into the importance of manufacturing skills in today’s workforce.

“The world is teeming with exceptional companies who are in need of your technical and relational skills that are being developed at FIRST. We support FIRST because we believe in you,” Manufacturing Manager at Haas Automation. “The skills [students] are learning in FIRST Robotics teams are relevant, practical and in demand. All these skills translate directly into the real world.”

The FIRST robotics program is unique in that many teams fabricate parts using mills, lathes, TIG welding and other machine shop equipment in addition to learning to use CAD, CNC machines and 3D printers. ������Ƶ and our co-op employment partners seek students with these skills and place high value on the experience they gain while participating in FIRST robotics.

This year’s game is called “CRESCENDO.”

In CRESCENDO, teams compete to score notes and amplify their speakers, aiming to harmonize their robots onstage and take the spotlight within a time limit. In the first 15 seconds of the match, robots operate autonomously. Drivers control the robots during the remaining two minutes and 15 seconds. Teams earn bonus points when they meet scoring thresholds and cooperate with opponents.

������Ƶ is a longtime supporter of FIRST Robotics. The University became the first site in the country to host back-to-back district tournaments in 2016 and has continued that tradition since. Kettering was also one of the first universities in the country to award FIRST Robotics scholarships, providing more than $4 million in scholarships to FIRST participants since 1999. 

This is the 24th year Kettering has hosted a FIRST competition on its campus, and the Robotics Community Center is in its tenth year on campus. 

KUdos, the ������Ƶ VEX U team, claimed a Build Award at this season’s VEX Robotics World Championship, held in Dallas from April 25 to May 3, 2024. This prestigious accolade is awarded to teams that demonstrate exemplary robot construction with an emphasis on durability and meticulous attention to detail—qualities essential for withstanding the rigorous conditions of competition.

The key criteria of the Build Award are:

• Designing a robot with attention to safety and detail.
• Constructing a robot that is durable and robust under competition conditions.
• Demonstrating effective communication skills, teamwork, professionalism, and a student-centered ethos during the student interview process. 

Connor O'Keefe (Computer Science, ‘25), the KUdos software lead, strategy lead, and one of the team’s drivers, explains how experimentation and improvement factored into winning this award. 

“We made six robots throughout the season, and each time we made a new iteration, we learned from our competitors and previous builds to find ways to improve,” Connor said. “For example, I tested several types of bearings and shafts for our drivetrain until we found ones that met our quality standards for our final robots.”

Nathan Nguyen (Mechanical Engineering, ‘26), the lead designer, fabricator, driver, and build lead for the B-Section team, had prepared for this year’s VEX Robotics World Championship long before KUdos touched down in Dallas.

“Every part of our robot is tested for durability before heading to a competition. We ensure everything works before we even build the final robot,” Nguyen said. “We manufactured enough 3D printed & aluminum parts for VEX Worlds to build an entirely new robot in case anything broke, but honestly, we did not have to replace a single custom-manufactured part during the competition.”

KUdos continued to impress with their teamwork, building on their reputation for professionalism that earned them the Sportsmanship Award in 2023. At the VEX High School Robotics Competition, the team showcased their robots, “Chip” and “Dale,” at the Kettering booth, captivating many prospective high school students.

Looking ahead, KUdos is actively recruiting new members from across ������Ƶ, offering a valuable opportunity to engage in a team that values ingenuity and toughness in engineering. Their recognition for build quality at the World Championship marks a significant achievement for the team and inspires Kettering students who are passionate about robotics and engineering.

Katee Callicutt (Mechanical Engineering, 2027), KUdos' team captain, drive coach, and social media manager, explains how the Build Award is just the beginning of the team's success. "This victory is just a stepping stone for our future. We have significantly improved from last year and we plan on improving more and more each year," Callicutt said. "This year, we saw how much better our robot design and functionality was when we CAD the robot beforehand, so we will continue to do that in the future."

Those interested in joining KUdos can visit the team’s Instagram , or reach out via email at vexu@kettering.edu.

������Ƶ will host hundreds of high school students and their families the last weekend in February 2024 for the Consumers Energy and ������Ƶ Michigan VEX Robotics Competition (VRC) High School State Championship.

Teams start setting up Friday, Feb. 23, in the Connie and Jim John Recreation Center at ������Ƶ. The competition begins with opening ceremonies at 9 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, and concludes with an awards ceremony at 6:30 p.m. 

“������Ƶ is proud to host and sponsor this event,” said Kim Shumaker, Robotics Center and Robotics Outreach Director. “These students are outpacing their peers as a result of their involvement with the VEX robotics program. They have already developed problem-solving, critical-thinking, strategy and engineering skills as a pre-college student. We’re thrilled for Kettering to play a part in championing these students to pursue their passion for robotics.”

This is the third year ������Ƶ has hosted the VEX State Championship and its second in collaboration with Consumers Energy as the title sponsor.

“Consumers Energy is thrilled to join ������Ƶ to promote and support robotics teams from across Michigan this weekend,” said Greg Salisbury, Consumers Energy’s Vice President of Electric Distribution Engineering. “The VEX championship is important because it extends a pathway to STEM learning that’s exciting and compelling, charging up bright futures for so many students who will go on to power our company and all of Michigan.”

Nearly 400 students from 80 teams will participate in this year’s competition, called Over Under.

In Over Under, the field has 60 triballs, two goals and two sets of elevation bars with a barrier. Triballs score points in goals (5 points) or offensive zones (2 points). Robots move freely, and triballs can only be taken from opponent goals when both alliance robots are on the same side of the barrier ("double zoned.")

Robots aim to climb for points, with the highest climber earning 20 points and points stairstepping down to 15, 10 and 5 points for second, third and fourth place, respectively. Alliances scoring the most in the autonomous period gain an extra 8 points and can earn an Autonomous Win Point through specific actions. The alliance with the most points wins.

The top 20 to 30 teams will advance to the VEX Robotics World Championship in Dallas.

Kettering organizes VEX competitions in partnership with the non-profit Robotics Education and Competition (REC) Foundation, an educational foundation with a mission to increase student interest and involvement in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

“This season's game challenge rewards the teams that best collaborate with their partners during a match,” said Dan Mantz, a 1991 Kettering alumnus and Chief Executive Officer of the REC Foundation. “The REC Foundation works to prepare our students for the workforce by not only teaching technical skills such as engineering, design and coding but also emphasizing communication, critical thinking and teamwork skills.” 

������Ƶ has hosted VEX camps and workshops since 2015 and boasts its own VEX U team that debuted in the World Championship in 2023. Scholarships are available for students who are active competitors or mentors of VEX or other competitive robotics organizations. Students can earn up to $5,000 yearly (up to $25,000 over five years) in renewable scholarships.

“The REC Foundation values our partnership with ������Ƶ since our missions are perfectly aligned to prepare our students to be leaders in technology and business development,” Mantz said. “When students in our programs visit ������Ƶ, they experience the innovative and leading-edge campus learning centers and labs firsthand and understand that the Kettering programs will build on what they have learned through the VEX Robotics competition. We want these students to know that Kettering will help prepare them for the next phase of their education and career.”

������Ƶ’s Robotics program has received $25,000 in grants from three organizations to support pre-college robotics camps and to purchase machining equipment for its Robotics Community Center.

Those philanthropic organizations and contributions include:

• The Arthur G. Bishop Charitable Trust - $10,000
• The James A. Welch Foundation - $10,000
• The Nartel Family Foundation - $5,000

“The grants from the Arthur G. Bishop Charitable Trust, James A. Welch Foundation, and Nartel Family Foundation will empower students in Genesee County to attend Kettering's transformative summer camps, learn new skills and explore a college campus,” said Kim Shumaker, Robotics Community Center and Robotics Outreach Director at ������Ƶ.

The 9,600-square-foot Robotics Community Center opened in 2014. It features machining and designing areas, a regulation-size practice field and bays for robotics teams to store equipment.

Kettering’s pre-college robotics camps sharpen student's collaborative problem-solving abilities through hands-on activities. Because students are interested in many different aspects of robotics, camps cover various topics from programming to design to construction to leadership. Because all camps take place at Kettering, students are immersed in the college environment and can choose between day camps and residential camps.

The $10,000 grant from the Arthur G. Bishop Charitable Trust will help Flint and Genesee County students overcome financial barriers to participating in pre-college summer camps at Kettering and gaining experience with various robotics programs, including aerial drones. The grant also helps fund Robotics Center mobile camps and workshops, which can bring fun and learning through robotics to schools or facilities in underserved communities.

"Educational opportunities in Genesee County are key to our mission, so we are honored to continue our support of ������Ƶ's stellar Engineering and Computer Science programs," said Dennis Leyder, Trustee of the Arthur G. Bishop Charitable Trust. “Besides expanding their understanding of robotics, students will gain teamwork skills to prepare them for the future. The students come away with a sense of accomplishment, and—best of all—it's fun.”

Similarly, the $10,000 grant from the James A. Welch Foundation will help reduce financial barriers for students from Genesee County, enabling them to participate in pre-college summer camps at ������Ƶ and build their interest in STEM through various robotics programs, including drones.

"The Welch Foundation has awarded many grants to ������Ƶ due to their support and outreach to Genesee County students and their cultivation and identification of talented youth," said Dr. Gail Ganakas, President of the James A Welch Foundation. "������Ƶ’s robotics programs engage teams to explore their gifts and talents in STEM activities. Students are provided opportunities to demonstrate higher-level thinking skills that often go unrecognized."

The $5,000 grant from the Nartel Family Foundation will fund the purchase and installation of a computer numerical control (CNC) machine in the Robotics Center. Students can cut various parts using the CNC machine and learn to use more advanced robotics build concepts such as computer-aided design (CAD).

"The Nartel Family Foundation is proud of ������Ƶ's role in helping young people find their potential through pre-college programs and advanced machinery,” said Timm Allen, Communications Officer & Trustee of the Nartel Family Foundation. “We feel that what these young people learn and experience will help them in their future careers. We are honored to support ������Ƶ."

In addition to pre-college programs and machinery, gifts can also fund robotics scholarships. The University offered its first two scholarships to robotics students in 1999 and has awarded more than $5.5 million since then.

Kirsten Smith '26
Mechanical Engineering

​ Kirsten Smith (’26, Mechanical Engineering) understands the value of thinking outside the box.

“Strategy is absolutely everything,” she explained. “Of course, we want to build a working robot that can be competitive, but we have to keep in mind who our audience is. We're catering to the younger teams and students who are looking for ideas and inspiration, so we really have to think outside the box and find the simplest solutions.”

Smith, from Brighton, participated in FIRST’s annual Robot in Three Days (Ri3D) Challenge, which requires competitors to build a robot for the 2024 FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) Game, CRESCENDO. The Ri3D Challenge took place Jan. 6-9 in the Robotics Community Center at ������Ƶ.

In CRESCENDO, teams compete to score notes and amplify their speakers, aiming to harmonize their robots onstage and take the spotlight within a time limit. In the first 15 seconds of the match, robots operate autonomously. Drivers control the robots during the remaining two minutes and 15 seconds. Teams earn bonus points when they meet scoring thresholds and cooperate with opponents.

“If strategy is everything, creativity is even more,” Smith said. “We have to be resourceful, not only with our time, but with the spare parts and materials available. We don't want to intrude on the teams' stocks, so we have to use parts and chunks of old robots that are years old.”

As teams work within a three-day time frame, tools like Computer-Aided Design (CAD) modeling software are a crucial part of the build. This year, Kettering shared the Bulldogs’ progress by making

For students unable to make the trip to Kettering's Robotics Community Center, watching teams design and build robots online is inspiring.

“FIRST students from all around the world go to or OnShape to see the many designs created by Ri3D teams like ������Ƶ,” said Kim Shumaker, the Kettering Director of Robotics Outreach & Robotics Center. “These designs are often a starting point for the high school teams and can save design time, especially for rookie teams.”

As Kettering continues to support young robotics teams, platforms like YouTube continue to be a crucial connection point for new students.

“The FUN YouTube channel is a go-to for robotics students. The attention they dedicate to robotics is phenomenal,” Shumaker said. “They’re an important partner for ������Ƶ as we reach out to these talented young students involved with robotics.”

This year, ������Ƶ will host two FIRST Robotics District events Feb. 29-March 2 and March 7-9.

Click here for more information about robotics at ������Ƶ.
 

The Community Foundation of Greater Flint will sponsor a skills field at the VEX Robotics Competition on Nov. 18, 2023 in ������Ƶ’s Campus Center Founders Room.

The sponsorship was made possible with a $2,000 grant the Foundation authorized to ������Ƶ. Of that, $1,000 will come from the William H. and Joyce R. Piper Family Fund.

“Throughout the year, our staff evaluates sponsorship requests based on their community impact and opportunities for brand recognition. Education and youth development are key strategies for grantmaking, so we are pleased to sponsor the VEX VRC Tournament this year,” said Sue Peters, Vice President of Community Impact at the Foundation.

The Foundation’s logo will appear on signage at the skills field, on the back of volunteers’ T-shirts and on the event registration listing.

In the skills challenge, teams have one minute to score as many points as possible in a match. These matches consist of Driving Skills and Autonomous Coding, and teams are ranked based on their combined score in both matches.

“The grant from the William H. and Joyce R. Piper Family Fund of the Community Foundation of Greater Flint enables the Robotics Center at ������Ƶ to provide a venue for VEX Robotics’ middle and high school student participants to compete with the robots they designed and built while demonstrating their skills,” said Kim Shumaker, Robotics Community Center and Robotics Outreach Director at ������Ƶ. “It is important to recognize the efforts of these talented students and expose them to a university campus where their skill set is highly valued.”

This year’s game, “Over Under,” is a head-to-head game in which two competing alliances, consisting of two teams, work to move acorn-shaped “Triballs” into their goals and offensive zones. Teams can also earn points at the end of the match when robots climb their respective Elevation Bars. Elevation points are awarded based on the tiers the robots reach on the bars relative to the other robots.

Thirty-six teams from across the state are expected to compete at the Nov. 18 event. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. For more information, email Shumaker at kshumaker@kettering.edu.

Since 2015, Kettering has hosted VEX camps and workshops. Students who are active competitors or mentors in VEX or other competitive robotics organizations can receive renewable scholarships for up to $5,000 yearly (up to $25,000 over five years).

In April, ������Ƶ was a Mission Sponsor at the VEX World Championships in Texas. The University’s VEX U team, KUdos, also competed and earned the Sportsmanship Award.

������Ƶ becomes the center of the robotics universe Sept. 23–24, 2023 when it hosts its annual Kettering Kickoff. More than 70 FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) high school teams from Michigan, Illinois and Ohio have registered to compete in the two-day event. 

“������Ƶ understands that the experience robotics students gain during their season is very valuable because these skills will help them be successful at Kettering and beyond,” said Kim Shumaker, Director of Robotics Outreach and the Robotics Community Center. “From design skills to soft skills and programming skills to electrical skills, robotics programs are the most comprehensive experience a high school student can gain to prepare them to pursue an engineering degree.”

In FIRST Robotics competitions, teams have six weeks to design, build and prepare their industrial-size robots for a field game. At the Kettering Kickoff, teams will face off against one another in a game called CHARGED UP. It requires teams to use their robots to bring game pieces back to their respective sides of the competition area. During the first 15 seconds of each match, robots operate autonomously. Drivers control the robots during the remaining two minutes and 15 seconds. Teams earn bonus points if their robots dock or engage with their charging stations during the match. 

Each day, Opening Ceremonies start at 8 a.m., with the event ending—and the venue closing—at 7 p.m.

Shumaker said the Kickoff is important for the teams. At this time of year, many teams are recruiting and incorporating new members as they prepare for next season’s challenge, which will be announced in January.

“It is also an opportunity to get some competitive practice for new drivers on teams,” she said.

The Kickoff is a recruiting tool for Kettering too. While on campus, many of the high school students will tour campus and interact with admissions counselors and professors. “Bringing these students, parents and mentors to campus allows the Kettering community to meet and interact in meaningful ways,” Shumaker said.

The Kettering Kickoff began in 1999 as a one-day event for Michigan high school FIRST Robotics teams. In 2021, the Robotics Center staff changed the event’s format to incorporate two separate competitions in one weekend and to allow out-of-state teams to participate. 

“The consecutive day events were a hit, so Kettering continues to host Kettering Kickoff 1 and 2 and invite out-of-state teams, which provides Michigan teams with experience against teams they don't normally compete with or against,” Shumaker said. 

Kettering began sponsoring high school FIRST Robotics teams in 1998. In 1999, it offered its first two scholarships to FIRST Robotics students. Since then, Kettering has awarded more than $5.5 million in scholarships. 

The 9,600-square-foot Robotics Community Center opened in 2014. It features machining and designing areas, a regulation-size practice field and bays for teams to store equipment. Of the 10 teams based at the Robotics Community Center, four went to the state championship, and one advanced to FIRST Championship in Houston. 

The University has hosted two FIRST Robotics district competitions each year since 2008. In addition, the University hosts several robotics workshops throughout the year. 

Students of Team 1506 Metal Muscle are state champions. Metal Muscle, along with its alliance partners Team 217 Thunderchickens and Team 6090 Wayland Wildcats, took first place at the FIRST in Michigan State Championship presented by DTE Foundation.

They will be among more than 600 high school teams competing April 19–22 in the 2023 FIRST Championship presented by BAE Systems in Houston. The event is the culmination of the season.

Metal Muscle is one of 10 teams based at the ������Ƶ Robotics Community Center. The team has partnered with the University for more than a decade, as Mechanical Engineering Professor Dr. Henry “Doc K” Kowalski was one of the team’s founders. 

The Flint community team consists of nine players from Grand Blanc High School, Powers Catholic High School, Goodrich High School, Lake Fenton High School and Genesee Early College. A home-schooled student also is part of the team.

“We are proud to support area teams with workshops, tools and a place to complete their builds,” said Kim Shumaker, Robotics Community Center and Outreach Director. “The skills these students learn through FIRST Robotics give them a great foundation for ������Ƶ and a successful career in the STEM industry.”

The 9,600-square-foot Robotics Community Center opened in 2014. It features machining and designing areas, a regulation-size practice field and bays for teams to store equipment.

“Having the Robotics Community Center is a huge help and really allows our students to test the robot in as close to real game action as we can,” said Don Ridge, Lead Mentor for Metal Muscle. “Having the full field just steps from our build site gives us an advantage in learning how to drive and score the field. It’s also a good selling point for future students looking to join our team. Once we give a tour of the facility, they really want to become part of the action here. If we did not have the Center, I am not sure the team would have survived this long.”

Metal Muscle has consistently qualified for the championship since Data shared by CNBC in September of 2017 ranked Kettering first in Michigan among colleges and universities for producing the highest earning graduates. The Wall Street Journal ranked Kettering first in the country in career preparation., except in 2020 when no competition took place.

“The team is very excited to be going again,” Ridge said. “It is a wonderful experience for all students and mentors alike. We get to see some of the best teams and robots in the world and talk to those students too.”

In FIRST Robotics competitions, teams have six weeks to design, build and prepare their industrial-size robots to compete in a field game against robots from other teams in multiple competitions. This year’s field game, called CHARGED UP, tasks teams with using their robots to bring game pieces back to their respective sides of the competition area. In the first 15 seconds of the match, robots operate autonomously. Drivers control the robots during the remaining two minutes and 15 seconds. Teams earn bonus points if their robots dock or engage with their charging stations. 

Kettering awarded its first two scholarships to FIRST Robotics students and hosted its first kickoff event in 1999. Since then, the University has awarded more than $5.5 million in scholarships. 

The University has hosted two FIRST Robotics district competitions each year since 2008. In addition, the University hosts several robotics workshops.