The Vandermont event will be the first competition for the 9th season, and it's sure to be a delight for the students and team captains who will be participating. Our team will be heading to Texas (Feb. 28 - March 2, 2025) to bring Vandermont into the Make48 family.
Tool Techs from Florida, Arkansas, Kansas City, and the Texas area will come to Vandermont to help the teams build and will also create the winning trophies. In addition to our usual suspects, this event will bring Southern Methodist University (SMU) college students from the Lyle School of Engineering to help the teams prototype their ideas.
Tool Techs from SMU
Southern Methodist University DIG students from the Lyle School of Engineering will act as Tool Techs. These students will help build prototypes and will be the team's biggest supporters.
What is DIG?
The Deason Innovation Gym (DIG) is a space on the SMU campus open to all students, employees, and alumni. Here, students can experiment with new ideas and technologies and learn by doing. DIG is equipped with various tools and equipment, including 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC machines, textiles, power tools, electronics, CAD software, and a metal shop.
If you want to see collaboration, look no further than DIG. You’ll find the student staff learning alongside their peers. A distinction of DIG is one of teamwork, sharing, and additive innovation. Fostering collaboration in the creative space helps students work together on projects and share resources and knowledge. This is exactly what Make48 is all about!
Team Captains from SMU
Southern Methodist University Thrive Scholars Program students will act as Team Captains, mentoring 3 high school students per team. These college scholars will help guide the younger students throughout the 48 hours.
Thrive Scholars Program
SMU's Thrive Scholars Program is a peer mentoring program designed to provide academic and social support for first-year and transfer students who are traditionally underrepresented in the fields of engineering and computer science.
Thrive Scholar mentors receive training to effectively assist their mentees in achieving their goals, acting as valuable resources for those seeking direction.
The students will have an opportunity to share with their high school counterparts their knowledge and provide guidance, support, and advice to their peers. Drawing from their own experiences, the mentors will offer insights and encouragement throughout the weekend.
We're excited to see the symmetry between high school and college students!
Everything is BIG in Texas, and we're sure that the ideas that come from this competition will be BIG in creativity and innovation! Will the prototypes be big as well? Lucky for the teams, they will have the best circle of help throughout their Make48 journey.
"The combined expertise of the Lyle School of Engineering DIG and Thrive Scholars Program at SMU is a powerful asset for our Make48 competitors. From technical skills to mentorship and support, these Tool Techs and Mentors will provide a truly enriching experience that will shape the future of these young innovators." said Tom Gray, Chief Executive Officer of Make48.
We believe this event will be a great opportunity for students to learn from each other and collaborate on innovative projects. We can't wait to see what they come up with!
More information about the event will be posted in the coming weeks, so be sure to follow us on social media and follow our website updates for the latest news. https://www.make48.com/2025-vandermont
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