FIRST and University Involvement

[Andrew Schuetze]

Those of you out there with insight and information on vehicles to connect universities/colleges/ jr. colleges to FIRST teams keep on posting. I am the lead sponsor for our team of 4 years and have struggled to find the means to develop such a partnership. It is not for the lack of trying or interested faculty.

Post away with your unique spin on how to make these partnerships work

APS

[Eugenia Gabrielov]

"Those of you out there with insight and information on vehicles to connect universities/colleges/ jr. colleges to FIRST teams keep on posting. I am the lead sponsor for our team of 4 years and have struggled to find the means to develop such a partnership. It is not for the lack of trying or interested faculty. "

I think one of the key concepts to make such a relationship work is to take advantage of resources and interactions at every level. For example, throughout the year high school students are given opportunities to tour Purdue (other teams show interest, so we kind of tag along). It is not forced on us like it might be on the average everyday pedestrian, so we enjoy the concept of having the university nearby. Also, college advisors help highschool students make decisions about colleges and school and life in general.
Another example is that it helps with regionals. For example, we are hosting a regional here at Purdue next year, but it would not be possible without that partnership and the effort that is being made towards it by the engineering office. Making a relationship with a university work is based on compromise: you have to give back and show them what they've turned the program into and that it is thriving and students enjoy it. Everything else is just icing on the cake.

[Vince]

Updated FIRST & Universities Paper

The completed "brochure" that was written from the input provided by this forum is now posted in the White Papers forum (technical section). Woodie distributed this handout to over 2,000 engineering educators as the Plenary Speaker for the American Society for Engineering Education at their annual meeting on June 21, 2004.

Many thanks to those who helped with assembling this document. FIRST and ASME have been provided with the document as well to post on thier sites.

Eventually we will crack the university nut with regards to FIRST.

Cheers - Vince