The MN VEX Robotics program has left a lasting impact on thousands of students throughout its fourteen-year journey. Many former participants have been inspired to further their education and careers in STEAM fields as a result. Below are just some of the alumni of the program.
MEET MATT PREIS
Matt Preis graduated from Mankato West High School in 2018, where he had competed on a VEX Robotics team. After graduating from high school, Matt majored in Environmental Sciences and Policy & Management and minored in Water & Soil Science at the University of MN – Twin Cities. While he was in college, he competed on a UMN VEX U team and co-founded the VEX U team MARC.
After graduating from the University of MN – Twin Cities, Matt became a Water Resources Technician at Stantec where he conducts field work and site investigations on new residential construction sites in the Twin Cities Metro. He also recently accepted an Event Support Specialist position through the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation where he will continue to be active with our Minnesota VEX Robotics events.
MEET CHARLIE MEYER
Charlie Meyer joined the Kimball VEX Robotics program when he was in sixth grade and competed through high school. He graduated from Kimball High School in 2021 and is now a student in Alexandria Technical & Community College’s Marine, Motorcycle & Powersports Technician Program. Charlie currently works at Moon Motor Sports in Monticello and uses the problem solving and leadership skills he learned by being in VEX Robotics every day. He is still active in the VEX Minnesota community and volunteers at tournaments.
MEET RACHEL ARNDT
Rachel Arndt competed in VEX Robotics for three years at Mankato West High School. After graduating from high school, Rachel majored in Mechatronics at South Central College. Rachel became an Assistant VEX Robotics Coach at Mankato West High School while transitioning between a two-year and a four-year college.
While working a full-time job as a Service Technician, Rachel enrolled at Minnesota State University Moorhead and majored in Operations Management. Rachel is now a Process Improvement Specialist at Condux International and continues to spend her weekends and afternoons with the VEX Minnesota community.
MEET SAM PREIS
Sam Preis joined a VEX Robotics team when he was in eighth grade and competed until he graduated from high school in 2020. Sam is currently a student at South Dakota School of Mines & Technology in Rapid City where he is studying Mechanical Engineering. He has been competing on the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology VEX U team for the past two years. Sam is currently completing an engineering internship at Bobcat. He continues to be active in the VEX community by volunteering at regional and state championships in both Minnesota and South Dakota.
MEET KAYLA SNELLER
Kayla Sneller majored in Mechanical Engineering at SCSU. Halfway through college, she joined SCSU’s VEX U team. Kayla is currently working as an engineering project manager at a machine shop where she leads the aerospace and defense projects the shop makes. She also leads the machine shop’s inspection department and works on automatic test fixtures for their customers. Kayla volunteers as a Judge at the Minnesota VEX Robotics State Championship because she wants to help give the next generation of students opportunities she wishes she had in high school.
MEET JACOB SCHERZER
Jacob Scherzer is currently a fifth year senior at North Dakota State University. He is majoring in Mechanical Engineering and minoring in Robotics. Jacob, with the help of friends he made while competing against in high school, founded the NDSU VEX U team in 2018. Last summer, Jacob had a Controls Engineering Internship at TEAM Industries. He has also completed an engineering Co op with Bobcat where he was a tooling engineer coop designing weld and assembly fixtures for an assembly line. Jacob says, “Vex was what got me interested in robotics and engineering in the first place. Its given me valuable skills in problem solving, team work, and leadership, and has just been a fun activity to partake in throughout the years. “
MEET LUKE KROSKA
Luke Kroska is a current student in Ridgewater College’s Ag Power and Equipment Technician program and will be graduating in May. He is currently working at Arnolds in Willmar, Minnesota, as a Claas Hay and Forage Equipment Service Technician. Luke competed on a VEX Robotics team throughout High School and says, ” Vex has shaped me into the man I am. Vex has showed me how much I love physically working with my hands. It has led me down the current career path and I am not going to look back. I have enjoyed every second of it. All my current success can lead back to my days in robotics and vex. It brought out the real me. I will forever be a proud alumni of Vex MN.”
MEET KYLE MEIER
Kyle Meier works as an Electronics Service Technician at Elo Touch Solutions in Tennessee where he repairs touchscreen monitors, all-in-one PC’s and Android devices. He graduated from Northland Community & Technical College with a degree in Electronics Technology/Automated Systems. While in college, Kyle was on the NCTC VEX U team and competed at the 2016 VEX Robotics World Championship in Louisville, Kentucky. Prior to his current job, Kyle worked at Digi-Key Electronics for ten years where he held several job positions – Electronics Technician, Industrial Maintenance Technician, and a content creator for Digi-Key’s YouTube channel. Kyle still volunteers as a Judge at local robotics competitions and enjoys mentoring students. He says, “There’s a lot of great opportunities out there in STEAM fields.”
MEET AUSTIN JOHANNES
Austin Johannes currently works at Watlow as a Systems Designer where he works with a team of engineers to design electronics and heaters in the microchip manufacturing industry. He majored in Electrical Engineering at St. Cloud State University. Austin competed in VEX Robotics and says, “VEX has played a huge role in my life. It has built friendships with not just my teammates but competitors from across Minnesota which I cherish and stay in contact with. It introduced me to skills which I use in my daily life and in my career such as public speaking, the design process, documentation, leadership, mentorship, programming, mechanical design, troubleshooting, and many more.” Austin volunteers as a Judge at the Minnesota VEX Robotics State Championships and Signature Event.
MEET CODY RADEMAKER
Cody Rademaker was part of the Mankato West VEX Robotics program and says his favorite robotics memory would be competing in the VRC Spin Up Game Challenge at the 2022 Mall of America VEX Robotics Signature Event. Cody graduated from Mankato West High School in June 2023. He is now a student in the Diesel TechKnowledge John Deere Option program at Lake Area Technical College in Watertown, South Dakota. Cody currently works at John Deere as a Service Technician. He plans to volunteer at VEX Robotics events and mentor his brother’s team in robot coding, building, and planning.
MEET AMANDA MULLER-PFEFFER
Amanda Muller-Pfeffer competed on a Windom Area High School’s robotics team during her junior and senior year of high school. During those two years, Amanda’s team competed at one of MN’s first State Championships and at the World Championship twice (once in Anaheim, CA and once in Louisville, KY). After graduating from high school, Amanda started as a biology/pre-medicine major at South Dakota State University but quickly found out she was not as interested in biology as she was in math and engineering. Amanda switched to an electrical engineering major with a focus on biomedical engineering and electronics. Now, Amanda works for Athena GTX, a small medical device company, in Iowa, as an electronics designer. Amanda says, “I can confidently say I would not have ended up where I am today without my experience with VEX Robotics. It introduced me to engineering and gave me the confidence that I could succeed in a male-dominated field”.