President's Corner
The BEST program gives participants incredible opportunities and teaches students skills they can take with them for the rest of their life.
Meet our four presidents who have graduated. See where they are now and hear from them about their experiences in the program.
Meet our four presidents who have graduated. See where they are now and hear from them about their experiences in the program.
Ben Bethel
President, Bethelbots, Inc., 2005: Mission to Hubble
Education: B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Auburn University, 2011 Employment: Maintenance Specialist, Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia Family: Married, one son |
“BEST robotics was a terrific opportunity for me to engage in a hands-on engineering project as a high school student. It enabled me to learn from my parents and teachers. It encouraged team work with my peers and it inspired an interest in science and engineering. BEST also emphasizes the importance of lifelong learning, an attitude which is of critical importance in my life today.”
Nathan Marion
President, Patriotbots, Inc., 2006: Laundry Quandary
Education: B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Military Institute, 2013 Employment: 1st Lt. U.S. Marine Corps, Infantry Officer Family: Married, twin daughters |
“The things I enjoyed most while participating in BEST were the ability to apply subjects I was learning in school at the time, like geometry, to building a robot, the adrenaline rush I got when operating the robot in front of a crowd during the competition, and the sense of belonging to a team made up of great friends.”
Samuel Sumner
President, Patriotbots, Inc., 2007: 2021: A Robot Odyssey
Education: B.S. Math/Computer Science, Auburn University Montgomery, 2013. Employment: 1st Lt. U.S. Air Force, Pilot, E-8 JSTARS Family: Married, two children |
“I really enjoyed the entire process, from documenting our brainstorming to the excitement of game day. My favorite part of the process was the CAD modeling that detailed every aspect of our robot. Though I competed before the introduction of a programming aspect to the robotics competition, my interest in technical things was certainly amplified by my experiences, and did steer me ultimately towards a programming degree.”
Timothy Marion
President, Patriotbots, Inc. 2009: High Octane
Education: B.A. French, Auburn University, 2014 Employment: 1st Lt. U.S. Marine Corps, Communications Officer, Radio Platoon Commander Family: Single |
“I have now been in the United States Marine Corps for two and a half years and could never have imagined a more challenging and rewarding job. I am a Radio Platoon Commander for a Communications Company, so I am constantly dealing with the same sorts of challenges I faced as the president of BEST. For example, leading subordinates while creating a professional, innovative, and enjoyable atmosphere is crucial in my line of work. When equipment breaks, I induct it into the maintenance cycle while finding an alternative means of accomplishing the mission- this, too, reminds me of moments in BEST where we realized a particular design was no longer plausible, but we found a solution anyway. Finally, dealing with the constant pressure of deadlines, the adrenaline of moments that decide your mission's success or failure, and presenting ideas in front of a group are all lessons that I dealt with in BEST and I am very grateful for those experiences.”
Updated 11-17-16 by ENL