Not only did Oxford High School’s Robotics Team, TORC place in the top 16 at the FIRST Robotics World Championship, but three senior members of the team brought home scholarship money.
Of 900 individual scholarships given, Laura Schimmel, Titus Shumaker and Tyler Yuzwalk brought home $58,000 between them. Schimmel and Shumaker were awarded Kettering University FIRST Scholarships of $22,500 each and Yuzwalk received a $7,500 Kettering University FIRST Achievement Scholarship.
In addition, Shumaker also was awarded the ASME Auxiliary FIRST Clarke Scholarship of $5,000 and the Phil Clancy Memorial FIRST Scholarship of $1,000
A recognition breakfast was on Saturday, April 26 for FIRST scholarship winners and was sponsored by SPACEX, a company that manufactures and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft.
Schimmel was excited about the scholarship money she received.
‘I think it’s really awesome I was able to receive them through my experiences with robotics,? Schimmel said who is planning on studying either economic or mechanical engineering at either Kettering University or Michigan Tech.
Being on TORC gave her insight into engineering.
‘I’ve always been interested in engineering, but it’s given me an opportunity for real-life experience where you actually have to from start-to-finish design and build something completely new,? she said. ‘It’s given me all that hands on and working as a team (experience). The business side of robotics has helped me become a better speaker.?
Even if there wasn’t scholarship money available, Shumaker said he would have done robotics anyways, but the scholarship ‘is just the frosting on the cake.?
‘It’s a unique opportunity to help me pay for college, the fact that I got it through doing a program that I really like being in was just a bonus,? he added.
Shumaker is going to Kettering University where he will major in Mechanical Engineering.
As a part of his studies at Kettering, Shumaker will be doing a Co-op at the General Motors Plant in Lake Orion.
‘I will be working in vehicle engineering,? he said. ‘So, I will be seeing a lot of the behind the scenes.?
As far as the team goes, Shumaker said he ‘liked the way it was set up.?
‘I liked the way we function as a group,? noted Shumaker. ‘All the students do all the work. The mentors are there guiding the students and are teaching the students how to do it themselves.?
‘I had a lot of fun being on the team,? he continued. ‘My job was to organize the Cad group. I really enjoyed working with my co-captain to get all the work done and working with all the other groups.?
Yuzwalk who will also be studying at Kettering said the scholarship money, ‘is fantastic,?
‘Anything helps,? he added.
Yuzwalk will be doing his Co-op with MSP Industries here in Oxford. As for his time on TORC, he called it a ‘great learning experience.?
‘It’s a really nice building experience,? he said. ‘It gives you a broad range of how to work together, how to plan together and how to create something together.?
Yuzwalk believes the robotics team needs to be advertised more as a ‘fantastic learning experience even if you don’t want to go into engineering field.?
‘In a word TORC is opportunity,? Yuzwalk added. ‘It’s the first step to change your life.?