Shepherd University’s annual robotics competition, ShepRobo Fest, received a $5,000 donation from DMI Mobile Enterprise Solutions, one of the companies that has a contract at the United States Coast Guard Operation Systems Center (OSC) in Kearneysville. A check was presented on May 13 by John McDermott, DMI vice president and contract program manager at the OSC, and Enrico Caruso, DMI project manager, to Will Richards, Shepherd Robotics Club president.
“Shepherd University has been one of OSC’s principal recruiting sources for bright, young and technically-inclined students who have demonstrated excellent achievements in our work environment,” Caruso said. “Having realized these benefits, DMI management felt it fitting to celebrate this 20th anniversary of our summer internship program with a gesture of our appreciation to our longest academic partner—Shepherd University.”
“The support that ShepRobo Fest and other initiatives receive from private companies is critical to the success of our programs,” said Dr. Colleen Nolan, dean of the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. “The strong relationships and partnerships with DMI and other companies will allow Shepherd to continue to provide opportunities for our students, outreach to our community, and to help develop the next generation of leaders.”
The sixth annual ShepRobo Fest took place April 2-3 at Shepherd. More than 20 robotics teams from area schools and 4-H clubs participated. Colleges that competed in the categories of Fire-Fighting Robot Contest, Mech-Warfare Robot Contest, and Sumo Robot Match included Shepherd, The College of New Jersey, Penn State, and Harvard, which took first place in Mech-Warfare.