Mississippi State University Office of K12 Outreach receives sponsor of the year award

STARKVILLE, Miss.— The Mississippi State University Bagley College of Engineering Office of K-12 Outreach has received the Sponsor of the Year award at the statewide Mississippi VEX Robotics Competition on February 24.

The award re

cognizes the office’s role in expanding access to robotics education and competition opportunities throughout the state. It also highlights the office’s supports of the state competition, including helping make the event possible at the Jackson Convention Center through sponsorship efforts.

“This recognition means a great deal to our office because our ability to support events like this comes directly from the strong partnerships we’ve built across Mississippi,” Nichole Peterson, Bagley Robotics coordinator, said. “It also speaks to the great support we have from our Mississippi Industry partners as well as the Bagley College of Engineering. If it were not for their gifts and donations, we could not financially support the State VEX IQ competition. Their sponsorship allows Bagley Robotics to host an annual competition, a teacher workshop, as well as support the state competition.”

Through the Bagley Robotics program, the office has focused on growing participation in VEX robotics and growing an interest in the robotics field, particularly in underserved areas of the state. A key component of that effort has been teacher training workshops designed to equip educators, many with no prior robotics experience, to start and sustain teams in their schools.

In northeast Mississippi, where robotics teams were once scarce, the outreach efforts have helped establish and expand participation to dozens of teams. The office also hosts an annual VEX IQ competition, providing a more accessible, regional event for teams that might otherwise have to travel farther to compete.

“We’re seeing growth across the map,” Peterson said. “It’s exciting to watch areas that once had no teams now becoming active and engaged in robotics competitions.”

In addition to hosting events, staff members support competitions across the region and beyond, helping ensure consistency and quality in judging and event standards.