Alumni

Below is a sampling of what some of our alumni did while on the team and what they are doing now. Are you an alumni of Team 341?

Please fill out our alumni survey and let us know how you are!

Class of 2014

Willow Baker joined the team in 2012 joining the Mechanical & Design team. By 2013 she had become the captain of the Mechanical team. As 2014 was her last year on the team she became the Assistant Captain of the Mechanical team. Graduating the same year she moved on to RIT to major in engineering.

Sophia Capaldi joined the team in 2011 joining the CAD team. She had stayed on the CAD team all 4 years on the team as well as being one of three Scout Leaders from 2013-2014. Graduating in 2014 Sophia Capaldi moved on to major in Art at Penn State.

Ben Cole graduated in 2014 after 4 years on the team before moving on to American University for computer sciences. While he was known for being energetic at competitions, his focus on the team was in animation and media.

Allen Hu graduated in 2014 after two seasons on the team. He now studies Pre-Med at the University of Pittsburgh. While on the team, he assisted in mechanical build.

Jess Klitsch joined the team the team in 2013 joining the Mechanical Build team. Following her first year on the team she had become the Operator in 2014 as well as the Assistant Captain. In 2014 she graduated and move on to major in Mechanical Engineering at Pitt.

Elliot Konstant went on from Wissahickon to study Mechanical Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh. After joining in 2011, he worked on Mechanical and Design, as well as being given the title of ‘Team Cheerleader’ due to his spirit at competitions.

Erik Lydick, more commonly known as Tito, spent 4 years on the team. He was on pit crew in 2013 and 2014, and was Mechanical Leader in 2013, which prepared him to be Team Captain in 2014. Tito now attends RIT for Engineering. 

Louis Orehek joined the team in 2011 joining the Mechanical Engineering team. He stayed on the Mechanical Engineering team for 4 years on the team and became the Mechanical Leader in 2014 as well as the Human Player. Graduating in 2014 he moved on to the University of Akron to major in Mechanical Engineering.

Emily Vo joined the team in 2012 and was a proud Electrical and Scout leader through 2013-14. Now attending the University of Pennsylvania, she puts her knowledge to use as she studies computer engineering.

Eli Wrasman now studies structural engineering at the University of Pittsburgh. He worked with the mechanical build team and was the third of three scout leaders during 2013-14.

Tom Varughese joined the team in 2012 joing the Mechanical Build team. Tom was on the Mechanical Build team from 2012-2014, and was also the Safety Captain (Won team’s only safety award). Tom graduated in 2014, and moved on to major in Mechanical Engineering at Penn State. He comes back to help mentor the team.

Michelle Zhong joined in 2013 with a focus in media. She now studies computer science at Carnegie Mellon.

James Jackson joined Miss Daisy in 2012. He worked on the media subteam in 2012, and worked on mechanical build the following year. He now attends Montgomery County Community College for computer sciences.

Class of 2010

Gina Triolo

Class of 2008

Logan Moloshok graduated from Wissahickon in 2008. He was on CAD and Animation for two years and on Design and Build for another two. Upon graduation, he went to study Digital Media at Drexel University. His favorite memory is winning the Philadelphia Regional two years in a row. Some advice he has for current team members is to not be afraid to experiment; if you think something looks interesting, give it a shot.

Natalie Morris spent four years on Miss Daisy’s Design and Build team and Chairman’s team. After graduation in 2008, she went on to Carnegie Mellon University to study Computer Science and Physics. She is currently pursuing her degree and planning for grad school. Her favorite moment on the team is realizing that she knew what she was doing for the first time. Some advice she would like to give current students is to enjoy everything about robotics. Whether it’s the learning, frustration, or success; you have to enjoy it.

Katrina Selverian graduated in 2008 and is currently a communications major at Fordham University. She spent four years on the media team specifically working on Team in a Box. Her favorite memory was planning sessions for Team in a Box and winning their first President’s Circle Award. Her advice for current team members would be to not be afraid to suggest new ideas – many of the best features and methods of Team 341 have been thought of by students like you.

Katie Trageser was on the team for four years and graduated in 2008. While on the team she worked on design, build, and Chairman’s. She then went on to Penn State University to study aerospace engineering. Robotics helped her change her mind about what she wanted to do for the rest of her life. Her favorite memory of the team was winning Drexel twice and being given the position as booth coach her sophomore year. Some advice she would like to give to current team members is to enjoy the time you have on the team, to ask a lot of questions, and to not be discouraged if things seem challenging.

Class of 2006

Andrew Kamerosky’s experience on the team allowed him to meet some of the most important and memorable people in his life. During his high school career he was on the team for one and a half years helping build the robot and developing the business plan. After graduation in 2006, he went on to double major in Environmental Science and Geology with a minor in Dance at Dickinson College. Some of his best memories include winning the Kleiner-Perkins Caufield and Byers Award at Nationals.

Adam Nedorezov spent three and a half years on the team prior to his graduation in 2006. He worked on the electrical team and as an operator. He earned his Bachelors degree in electrical engineering and is currently working as an R&D engineer for The Applied Research Lab at Penn State. Adam is also working on his Masters degree and is planning to pursue his PhD. His favorite memory is of all the laughs shared while working on the robot with teammates. Robotics influenced what he wants to become in the future as he found his love for electrical engineering. Some advice he would like to pass on to current team members is to do everything as best as you can because only then will it be significant.

Trevor Walsh graduated from Wissahickon in 2006 and went on to earn a Bachelors of Science in Industrial Design from Philadelphia University. He is currently the Design Resource Manager at Philadelphia University. During his four years on the team he worked on building and operating the robot. Robotics helped Trevor find something he wanted to do with the rest of his life. His fondest memories include the long bus rides and the rush he got from fixing a machine seconds before a playoff match started. His advice to current robotics students would be to focus on your goals and to let nothing dissuade you from them.

Class of 2005

Jason Chen graduated from Wissahickon in 2005. He spent four years on Team 341, working on CAD and Animation. After Wissahickon, he went on to study Premedicine, Biobehavioral Health, Journalism, Graphic Design, Information Science, and Technology at Penn State. He mostly remembers crying with the other CAD and Animation students about how slow the computers were. If he could give any advice to the students on the team he would say to always have a plan so at least you’ll know when something isn’t right.

Dave Isaac graduated in 2005 and went on to earn his Bachelors in broadcast journalism from Temple University. He is now pursuing his sports journalism career. During his 4 years on the team he worked on Media, Chairmans, and Team in a Box. His favorite memory of the team is the atmosphere at competitions. Some advice he would like to pass on to current robotics students is that the most important thing is to treasure the experiences you have, make contacts, and have a blast; it’s not about winning competitions or trophies.

Melissa Walter (Slobodzian) graduated from Penn State in 2009 with a Bachelors degree in accounting and a minor in business law. After graduation, she moved to Rhode Island and currently works at KPMG in Boston where she specializes in financial crime investigations and regulatory compliance. Melissa spent one year on the team working on the business plan. Her time on the team inspired her to pursue a career in business. Her favorite robotics experience was meeting new people. After all, if it weren’t for the team, she would have never met her husband. Her advice for current team members is to cherish every moment on the team, and learn from your experiences.

Class of 2003

Jared Russell spent two years as a student on the team and another six as a coach. He graduated in 2003 from Wissahickon. While on the team he first worked on media and the website, then programming, and then design. After graduation he went on to study at the Rochester Institute of Technology and has a Bachelor and Masters in Computer Engineering. He is currently working as an engineer at Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Laboratories. Robotics helped him with his career because it opened his eyes to what he could do with his lifelong fascination with science and technology. He also cultivated communication skills that have helped him get through college and as a professional. His favorite moment on the team was getting engaged on Friday night of the 2008 Philadelphia Regional and then winning both the competition and the Chairman’s Award 24 hours later. His advice to current team members is to listen to the mentors.

Greg Walter spent three years on the team and two years as a mentor. He graduated in 2003 and went on to study Aerospace Engineering with a minor in Engineering Mechanics at Penn State. He is currently working for General Dynamics Electric Boat. His company designs, builds, and maintains nuclear submarines for the U.S. Navy. While in high school he worked on the build and design team and was also a human player. FIRST^® taught him the skills and importance of scheduling, multi-tasking, and testing. This helped him greatly in his career. His favorite memory of the team is meeting his wife, Melissa. His advice for current students is to ask many questions, no matter how small and insignificant they may seem, as well as to cherish everything you do because time goes by fast.

Class of 2002

Orion Pullman graduated with the class of 2002 and spent his senior year on the team. After graduation he went on to study Chemical Engineering at Drexel University. Upon graduation from college he worked as a chemical engineer in the Virgin Islands. Orion then went back to school and plans to become an orthopedic surgeon. His favorite part of robotics was watching everyone’s efforts come together at competition. Some advice he would give current team members would be to find something that you like and stick with it.

Class of 2001

Brian Chiou was a senior when he joined Team 341. His role on the team was Animation. After graduation in 2001, he went on to study Computer Science at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. He is now a Project Manager at a web development firm. When thinking back on his experience with the team, he mostly remembers how great of an experience it was for his career. If he could advise students currently on Team 341 he would say not to worry too much about what’s ahead, but truly enjoy what you’re doing now.