College Sponsored-Teams: How does your college support you?

[Jeff Waegelin]

I've posed this question in the past, but it's been a long time, and most of my data is out of date: If you are part of a college or university-sponsored team, what kind of assistance do they provide you? I'm interested in all aspects, from technical support personnel, to machine shop access, to monetary sponsorship.

The reason I'm looking for this data is, I'm trying to put together a presentation for the University of Michigan College of Engineering to try to recruit them as a major sponsor. In the past, we've always had U-M students as mentors, but we've never had official University recognition or sponsorship. Last season, we were able to get a small donation from them for the first time ever. This season, we want to build on that, and try to secure more funding. Part of my presentation is going to include some statistics on other universities that sponsor FIRST teams.

So, if you are part of a college-sponsored team, I'd appreciate it if you could answer a few questions to help me with my presentation. If you don't feel comfortable posting things like sponsorship amounts on the forums, you can PM me that information.

My questions:

• What college/university sponsors your team?
• How much funding do they give you each season?
• Do you have any university staff or faculty involved? If so, what roles (technical or non) do they serve?
• Does your college/university give you access to campus facilities? If so, what facilities?
• Do they provide you with any other resources not mentioned above?

[Allison]

Purdue FIRST Programs sponsors 3 FRC team (461, 1646, and 1747), numerous FLL teams (not sure on the number), and this year we are adding VEX to our program. We also help sponsor and run the Boilermaker regional.

We supply mentors and some funding for each of the high schools, the amount varies each year depending on how much money we fund-raise as an organization. Teams are required to fund-raise for certain items including but not limited to new tools.

We do have some campus faculty that work with us in various areas. One drives a van to competitions that pulls our trailer and another is a sponsor for our two credit hour class that is required for all member.

We also have some access to the Purdue machine shops for a small fee depending on the services needed, but most of our work is done in the high school shops.

I don't not know exact numbers for our funding for each of our teams, but if you need to know exactly what we provide for them, just send me a PM.

[Beth Sweet]

Jeff,

We have the same problems that you do. MSU won't give us a penny, nor mentors, nor facilities. While we're hopeful that someday they'll decide we're a good partner to them, currently, we've got nothing...

Let me know if you find a way to get in, maybe we can use the same lines!

[Stephen Kowski]

Originally Posted by Beth Sweet

Jeff,

We have the same problems that you do. MSU won't give us a penny, nor mentors, nor facilities. While we're hopeful that someday they'll decide we're a good partner to them, currently, we've got nothing...

Let me know if you find a way to get in, maybe we can use the same lines!

Ditto for USF....if they can take the credit without helping, well that would be the ultimate goal for them....no money, no facilities, no real help....

[Vince]

Here is a paper that details how FIRST can be used in the university setting. It was recently published in the International Journal of Engineering Education. Many thanks to those who contributed to the paper.FIRST and Universities

[Joe J.]

Originally Posted by Jeff Waegelin

My questions:

What college/university sponsors your team?

ITT Technical Institue

Originally Posted by Jeff Waegelin

How much funding do they give you each season?

$1000

Originally Posted by Jeff Waegelin

Do you have any university staff or faculty involved? If so, what roles (technical or non) do they serve?

No

Originally Posted by Jeff Waegelin

Does your college/university give you access to campus facilities? If so, what facilities?

Nope

Originally Posted by Jeff Waegelin

Do they provide you with any other resources not mentioned above?

They bought us pizza for dinner, during one of our meetings

[Martinez]

Originally Posted by Jeff Waegelin

My questions:

• What college/university sponsors your team?
• How much funding do they give you each season?
• Do you have any university staff or faculty involved? If so, what roles (technical or non) do they serve?
• Does your college/university give you access to campus facilities? If so, what facilities?
• Do they provide you with any other resources not mentioned above?

1) Clarkson University is primary sponsor for Division by Zero (229)
2) Depends on the year, rookie year I heard it was $5,000, grew to $10,000 and and often more to get to Championship. Initially there were 10-15 sponsors, but that has dropped to less than 5 in recent years.
3) Quite a bit. 229 is one of 20 SPEED Teams (Student Projects for Experience in Engineering Design) which is a major draw for the college. In the past, the SPEED director has been heavily involved along with two Professors who acted as Advisors: One is the head of the Mechanical Senior Design Class (of which 5 students have as their final project) and one is a Robotics professor and is responsible for the rest of the team (along with the high school teachers and active adults as well). Leadership of the team though is handled by the college students.
4) Machine Shop, Lecture halls, Storage Space. Construction use to be at the high schools but shifted primarly to the college due to better equipment. One third of all meetings in the fall are at the college. Kickoff is held in a lecture hall. Access to college vehicles for transport to high school meetings.


The big thing you should promote is this is an active recruitment drive for future students. They will have access to the brightest minds in America who are passionate about FIRST. Many many many students go to Clarkson because of the hands learning from SPEED and many FIRSTers which to continue as college mentors. It is also an excellent oppertunity for PR but also the their students to study engineering. I learned more in six weeks then I did in four years of college.

Penn State gives $1,000 for financial support to Chuck 84. The University is to far away to provide any other asistance.

[capof541]

The Youth Technology Academy has Tri-C (Cuyahoga Community College) has been sponsering us from the begining they give us two buildings to work out of one is a machine shop connected with a computer lab and we spend most of our season time there. the second is an office building with a computer lab and two conference rooms one has been transformed to a work room for when the machine shop closes and we need to pull a all nighter. our directors are employed by tri-c to run the program. our shop mentor is employed by tri-c. Our head mentor is employed by the local school but the college pays for his class education classes. they pay for our room and board when we go to regionals. they also pay for two activites for the team to attend. they give the students involved with the program college classes so that when they graduate they do with college credits.