[cptopher]

YES. As an engineering mentor and drive coach, I too often think that business is ignored. For my team, I relate FIRST teams to NASCAR teams. Everyone sees the car, the driver, the pit crew and crew chief. But behind every great race team is a substantial business operation. Not just in dollars, but these businesses excel at investment, sponsorship, long term planning and logistics.

I also tell my business students that FIRST and its focus on STEM gives them an advantage in business careers. I feel that a business career in an engineering company can be more fruitful than other business careers. And that being able to talk to engineers about STEM topics would make them better business professionals. I understand that FIRST was created to promote STEM at a time when it wasn't emphasized. But now there are additional opportunities to wrap the enterprise around STEM.

Forget awards. Business is ignored in the fact that there are few scholarship opportunities for the business students. FIRST should actively look for scholarship sponsors for business students that can help tie in their STEM exposure. This would help us recruit business students. I respectfully submit STEM+B.

Chris
Mentor and Drive Coach for Team 3534